It seemed that everyone at this beach this summer had the viral Bogg Bag—I had to see if this plastic tote was truly worth the hype for myself as a product tester and fiber scientist for the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab. I put the Bogg Bag to the test on a recent beach trip. At first glance, I thought I wouldn’t like this bag, but instead it transformed my beach trips. Here’s what you need to know before buying one (and what to skip).
What are Bogg Bags?
Bogg Bags are made completely from EVA plastic, making them 100% waterproof. They have holes that allow sand to easily shake loose and to attach accessories to. Each bag comes with a clear pouch that attaches inside the bag (other accessories are sold separately). Bogg Bags are available in three sizes: Original, Baby, and Bitty. For this review, I tested the Baby size.
| Dimensions | 15" L × 5" W × 12.5" H |
| Dimensions | 19" L × 9" W × 14" H |
| Dimensions | 11" L × 4.5" W × 8.5" H |
The Bogg Bag is perfect for the beach
This bag became the M.V. P. of my beach setup. I loved that the bag kept its shape and stood up compared to my usual tote that flops over. The Baby size bag was spacious enough to hold my cover-up, towel, book, sunscreen, and water bottle, but wasn’t so big that it felt cumbersome like some online reviewers noted with the Original size.
The waterproof material was a big upgrade compared to other beach bags I tested. After a day at the beach, I could simply shake the sand out and rinse the bag. Since it was incredibly easy to clean, the bag remained in great condition use after use. I used to dread bringing my beach bag back into my apartment because that meant dragging sand in too, but this bag brought in way less sand than other bags I’ve used.
The bag comes with a clear, zippered pouch to hold anything you want protected from the sand like my car keys and wallet. This included bag stayed secure and I did find it helpful to keep the bag organized and my valuables protected.
The downsides of the Bogg Bag
My biggest frustration with this bag was that the accessories did not stay put. The water bottle holder was too small for my usual Owala water bottle and it popped off the side multiple times while testing. The phone case also fell off multiple times. With the smaller Baby sized bag, I didn’t feel like I needed these accessories as everything was easy to find.
The bag cannot be folded, so it takes up a lot of space when not in use. I live in an apartment, so this bag will be challenging to store in the winter season. Many online reviewers recommended leaving the bag in your car to have on hand for quick errands throughout the year. Some online reviewers note that it’s heavier than other beach bags they’ve used, but I found it weighed similar to other structured totes I’ve tried.
Is the Bogg Bag worth it?
Yes, if you go to the beach regularly and have enough storage space to hold it during the off-season. The sturdy material stands upright making it easy to pack and unpack at the beach. It’s very easy to clean and doesn’t trap sand or smells like other beach bags I’ve tested.
I’ll continue using the bag in the future, but would skip the phone case and water bottle holder considering they weren’t very helpful in the end.
Emma Seymour (she/her) is the associate director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she has led testing for luggage, pillows, towels, tampons and more since 2018. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor of science in fiber science and apparel design and a minor in gerontology, completing research in the Body Scanner Lab on optimizing activewear for athletic performance.
