Why get a beach tote made of plastic, rather than any other material? Simply because plastic has a few advantages of cloth: It can be wiped-clean, it can get wet without getting soggy, and it won’t tear. This means you can carry food for a picnic, lotions at the pool, or wet towels at the beach without worry of stains or wetness. These are also work great as shower totes for the gym.
Here’s a nice example – love the colors:
Plastic beach basket pictured: Pictured: Bogg Bag Large Beach Bag and Pool Tote, in orange and blue
Plastic baskets are available in lots of fun, vibrant colors. Not only do they look great, but they also appeal to kids, who may want a basket of their own, to carry their towels, hats, beach toys, sunglasses and sunscreen. If you are getting a beach tote for your kids, make sure it is not too large, because your child may end up having to drag it on the ground in order to carry it. But plastic baskets are light enough for kids to carry around, and they also float, so if these baskets find themselves in the pool, at least you know they won’t sink to the bottom. When we are dealing with plastic, quality is more important than when we deal with cloth. The parts where the handles meet the basket are the most likely to break, so pay special attention to how thick the plastic is at that point. Unlike fabric, which can be sewn, a broken plastic bag is likely unrepairable.
I find this one pretty nice too:
Pictured: Tubtrugs SPBSKP Flexible Purple Cesto 26 Liter/6.9 Gallons
Some baskets are made of a single piece of plastic – these are likely to be the most durable. Other have handles that are attached to the rest of the basket. If you are carrying heavy loads, it’s possible that the handle could eventually detach from the rest of the basket. Alternatives to plastic models would be wicker or fabric. Natural wicker looks great, but it tends to dry out over time and eventually it start to fall apart.