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- Memorial Day is nearly here, and for hoards of us, that means a long-awaited beach weekend.
- That also means it might be time to toss out the ratty old towels, congealed sunscreens, and leaky coolers.
- Here are some of our favorite tried-and-true products to bring to the beach on Memorial Day weekend.
It’s 2019, and before you head out for this year’s inaugural beach weekend to celebrate our service members, let’s get a few things straight: Chemical-based sunscreens aren’t just killing the reefs, they could even be hurting you, so it might be time to switch to mineral-based ones.
Then there are umbrellas, which aren’t just cumbersome; they blow away and hurt people (they are also notoriously flimsy and prone to breaking), so maybe it’s time to switch to a more portable tent-like beach shelter.
There are also plenty of good sunglasses you can bring to the beach and not worry about losing, so leave the Persols at home and grab a pair of these (they even float in water).
And sure, there’s a lot of fuss about Yeti coolers, and they are great, but they’re kinda heavy, and you don’t need all that insulation for a day at the beach. Try something a little more carry-friendly like AO Coolers’ vinyl series for your sandwiches, snacks, and beverages.
You’ll have to take this one for what it’s worth, but similar to Dave Barry and his endless hunt for the perfect breakfast beer, I am on an eternal endeavor to discover the ultimate beach blanket, and I really think I’ve found it this time.
Lastly, aren’t there enough forsaken plastics in our oceans yet? How about some biodegradable beach toys for the kids?
Read on for 16 of our favorite beach-day essentials:
Floating sunglasses
Facebook/Rheos
Rheos floating sunglasses, available at Amazon, $55 (various models)
If you’re anything like me, you’ve lost a pair or three of sunglasses at the beach. Leave your fancy shades at home and grab a pair that floats. Polarized, shatterproof, and hydrophobically finished, these glasses are the ones to take along on a (light) ocean dip.
A stealthy beer bottle coozie
Amazon/BottleKeeper
BottleKeeper Stainless Steel Bottle Holder and Insulator, available at Amazon, $39.98
Not that we condone it, but no one will have a clue you’re not drinking water (if you are, in fact, not drinking water), and you’ll also be able to cap off your brew and take a dip (or stash it when beach patrol shows up), and it won’t be warm or flat when you return.
A clean, mineral-based sunscreen
Amazon/All Good
All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter, available at Amazon, two 1-ounce tins for $20.99
Here at Insider Picks, several of us have been searching far and wide for the best, most easily-applicable, and least harmful sunscreen we can find. This year, All Good is our favorite: It goes on smoothly and evenly, and leaves a minimal white caste that’s gone in an hour or so, in our experience. We haven’t tried their new tinted version yet, but if you do want a tinted option, check out Raw Elements’ Face and Body (which comes in a bigger tin and works well for us, but spreads more thinly).
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- The best polarized sunglasses you can buy
- The best shaving cream for women
- 22 Amazon Prime-eligible gifts for Father’s Day — all under $100
Source: Business Insider – oburke@businessinsider.com (Owen Burke)