5 On Your Side has gear that'll make waves at the beach
A beach day is always better with good gear.
Consumer Reports top picks for chairs, towels, umbrellas and more.
We are spoiled with North Carolina beaches just hours away from the Triangle. We’re also spoiled by the endless beach products currently on the market, although it can be a bit overwhelming.
“There are so many beach products out there," said Lisa Fogarty with Consumer Reports. "We focused on some of the essentials: beach umbrellas, beach canopies, beach tents, and even sand-repellant beach towels.”
Consumer Reports likes this Turkish cotton towel from Ephesus. It’s compact, repels sand and water, and dries quickly— and some styles are under $10!
For chairs, Consumer Reports chose the Cooler Quad Chair from Coleman for its comfort and versatility.
“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.
If your idea of fun in the sun includes reclining, Consumer Reports also likes the Tommy Bahama Wavy Marlin Deluxe Backpack Beach Chair — which has plenty of storage, including an insulated cooler pouch.
To help protect you from the sun’s harmful rays, these shady top picks all say they’re made with at least UPF 50 fabric.
This Tommy Bahama umbrella has easy grip handles for setup and is designed to withstand the breeziest beach days.
The same can’t be said for the Caribbean Joe umbrella — which lost its battle with the wind.
The CoolCabanas 5 was a top choice for its ease of use and abundance of shade.
A select tent from L.L.Bean 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 said.
This Coppertone lotion and this Eucerin spray both earned top scores in Consumer Reports’ sunscreen ratings.
And, of course, if you’re headed to the beach … don’t forget the snacks!
And just a friendly reminder: if you can't find a Consumer Reports-recommended sunscreen, any sunscreen is better than none at all.
