5 Best Must Have Beach Gear

A beach day ill-prepared can instantly dampen the mood, no matter where you end up on the sand. In order to keep you comfortable and shaded on the beach, you should bring the best beach gear for an afternoon spent soaking up the sun or hitting the waves.

Including sunscreen, beach towels, sunglasses, waterproof Bluetooth speakers, and games for the outdoors is a great start. When you plan to eat or drink (non-alcoholic) sips until the sun sets, you'll also want to bring the proper shade and accessories for keeping yourself and your food and drinks cool.

Regardless of whether you're going on vacation or not, we've rounded up the best beach accessories to keep you covered. Below you'll find more of our top picks, including pop-up tents, al fresco coolers, and blankets that won't sand up your plot.

Rio Deluxe Wonder Wheeler Wide Beach Cart

Foldable beach carts like this one can carry up to 100 pounds, which makes it easier to lug everything you need to the beach. This storage area can house beach blankets, towels, sand toys, and more essentials, with a capacity of 15 cubic feet. Keeping smaller items in the removable bag will keep them dry and sand-free - think of your lunch, drinks, books, and anything else you may need.

There's a mesh main storage compartment, which keeps you from bringing back sand, and an umbrella can be held in a side pocket. You can also load a boogie board on top of the cart, depending on how much gear you've already piled in. The cart's frame was designed to hold up to four standard folding beach chairs.

With its heavy-duty steel frame, padded stroller-style handle, and heavy-duty 10-inch back wheels, this cart moves easily over sand, grass, and mud.

Business & Pleasure Co. Holiday Beach Umbrella

With Business & Pleasure Co's stylish sun shade, you can stand out from the sea of generic beach umbrellas. You'll never be without shade with this height-adjustable waterproof umbrella measuring 168 inches in diameter and tilting 360 degrees.

Besides keeping the umbrella in place, the wooden pole also provides UV protection. In addition, the umbrella comes with a storage bag. You can also find a variety of other umbrellas in equally eye-popping colorways and designs from the Australian-based brand.

IGLOO Pursuit 24-Can Backpack

Check out IGLOO's stylish cooler backpack if you want a hands-free cooler. This bag is made from nylon and measures 12.6 inches tall by 7.5 inches wide by 18.9 inches long. The upper section of the bag contains zippered compartments for warm foods and the main compartment holds 24 cans in a leak-proof environment.

A large interior zippered pocket, two expandable mesh pockets, and two exterior zippered pockets provide extra storage. Comfort and breathability are also provided by the mesh padded back and shoulder straps.

Yeti Tundra Hard Cooler

With Yeti's Tundra hard cooler, you can take every adventure in the sand and beyond. Inside, the storage cabinet measures 19x13x11 1/4. It holds about 45 cans with ice.

Besides its nearly indestructible construction, its heavy-duty latches, and its puncture-free wheels, we also love this cooler's rugged styling. This cooler is easy to drag across sand thanks to its easy-to-grip aluminum arm and curved aluminum track.

WhiteFang Beach Tent

Pop-up beach tents let you set up a private cabana in minutes. In its 99-inch length, 55-inch width, and 59-inch height, it can accommodate two adults and two children. With a 50+ UPF coating on the 210T fabric for sun protection, the steel frame allows for quick and easy assembly and packing.

Beach tents like this one also feature three windows that can be rolled down for privacy and fastened, and the front can be closed to keep sand out. Additionally, it comes with stakes, sandbags, guy lines, and steel stakes to keep the tent in place on windy days. This folding tent folds up into a storage bag that measures 33-inches by 6.5-inches by six-inches.