With summer nearly here, you’ll likely be heading to the beach or pool more and more. Whether you’re going solo or taking the kids with you, you’ll want some game-changing gear that will make you more comfortable. The experts at Consumer Reports just released their top-products and get this -- one item is less than $10!
“There are so many beach products out there. So, we focused on some of the essentials: beach umbrellas, beach canopies, beach tents, and even sand-repellant beach towels,” said Lisa Fogarty with Consumer Reports.
Towels
Consumer Reports liked the Turkish cotton towel from Ephesus. It’s compact, it repels sand and water, and it dries quickly. It’s also great for your wallet because Consumer Reports says some styles start as low as $9.99.
Chairs
For chairs, Consumer Reports chose the Cooler Quad Chair from Coleman for its comfort and versatility It’s normally $44.99, but News4JAX found it on sale on Amazon for $35.72.
“Not only is this chair amazing on the beach. But you’ll find yourself pulling it out so many times during the year,” Fogarty said.
But if your idea of fun in the sun includes reclining, Consumer Reports also likes the Tommy Bahama Wavy Marlin Deluxe Backpack Beach Chair. News4JAX also found this chair on sale -- normally $83.99 on Amazon but now discounted at $65.16. It has plenty of storage -- including an insulated cooler pouch.
Sunshades
To help protect you from the sun’s harmful rays, many of the umbrellas, canopies, and tents Consumer Reports looked at are made with at least UPF 50 fabric. The Tommy Bahama Tropical Fronds AnchorX Umbrella for $89.50 has easy grip handles for setup and is designed to withstand the breeziest beach days. But the same couldn’t be said for the Caribbean Joe umbrella—which lost its battle with the wind.
The Coolcabanas CoolCabanna 5 was a top choice for its ease of use and abundance of shade. We found it for $199 on Amazon.
The L.L.Bean Sunbuster Folding Shelter for $139 is made with quality materials, had the most features and was the easiest to set up and take down among the tents Consumer Reports looked at.
“Even if you’re under cover, it’s important to still wear sunscreen,” Fogarty advised.
To see Consumer Reports’ recommended sunscreens that protect as promised, click here.