Repost in July 2023: I always have a renewed appreciation for these wonderful bags during the summer months. All the schlepping and packing is made a lot easier with a Boat & Tote!
I’m on a bit of a kick with appreciating classic things that stand the test of time. In general, I’m not a trendy person, but as I get older, I definitely want to buy things that I’m going to have for years. Or maybe even the rest of my life! That goes for scarves, and, more reasonably, it goes for LL Bean tote bags. And for our upcoming roadtrip, we’re packing with Boat & Totes for everyone, including Cheddar!
A bit of background; LL Bean Boat & Totes have been around since 1944 and are made in the USA. A real American classic! They were first designed to carry ice, then marketed for use on boats, and now you’ll find them everywhere. And they live up to their reputation as being almost indestructible. Alas, this toughness does have a downside, which I’ll mention below…
Why is packing with Boat & Totes the best choice? You can stuff a ton in them, and with no zippers, you can pile it high. When we are doing a roadtrip, I don’t want to think too much about which jeans or sweaters to bring. When packing with Boat & Totes, why not bring it all? 🙂 This does drive Dear Husband a little nuts, when he sees my 3-4 bags lined up and ready to go to the car.
A few tips when you may be in the market for a new Boat & Tote:
Really think about what your uses are. For roadtrips, I’d go with the shorter handles, no zippers, and as big as you can afford. Of course, that won’t work if you are planning on traveling by plane with your Boat & Tote. In that case, choose the opposite. Longer handles (to sling on your shoulder.) Definitely a zipper! And maybe pick the “large” rather than “extra large.” Funnily enough, there was an article about how great the Boat & Tote is as an airplane carry-on in a recent WSJ.
Go ahead and get the monogram! It looks so cute, and it’s really not expensive. It’s $8 to get a monogram- that’s got to be the bargain of a century!
And finally, the downside of indestructibility- these bags last forever. And they hold their value; just check out ebay and you’ll see! So do yourself a favor and pick a classic color. I made the mistake about 10 years ago of choosing a “fashion” color (brown and orange?? what was I thinking??) for my gym bag. It’s still going strong- how can I justify replacing it? But I do frequently think about how nice it would be to have the plain canvas and navy version… oh well!
And finally, these bags are not expensive, but they are a lovely, useful addition to someone’s life. Everyone needs a Boat & Tote! Including dear Cheddar, who loves a roadtrip and has a number of things he needs to pack for every trip 🙂
