A good beach bag is doing more work than you think: hauling towels, surviving sand, keeping your phone dry, and still looking decent when you wander into a beachside bar at 6pm. Global Traveler recently rounded up eight totes that manage all of it, and the range is wider than you'd expect — from a $64 smiley-face canvas bag to a $420 raffia-and-leather number.

At the top end, Cambridge Satchel's Raffia Tote pairs handwoven natural raffia with Madras grain leather trim and a magnetic closure, in sand or black. Anya & Niki's Lynwood Bag ($145) takes a similar woven approach but softens it with fringe and a color-blocked base, plus a linen lining to keep sand off your stuff.

If toughness matters more than polish, two US-made options stand out. North End Bag Co. cuts and sews its Virginia Beach Tote ($185) by hand in Virginia — heavyweight canvas, vegetable-tanned leather that ages well, and a genuinely useful 12 pockets split between the inside and out. Sea Bags makes its Beachcomber Tote ($195) in Maine from recycled sailcloth, with a marine-grade zipper and six exterior mesh pockets that let sand fall straight through. It's big enough to double as an airline carry-on.

For travellers, the picks that blur the line between beach bag and luggage are the most interesting. Lo & Sons' Catalina Deluxe ($168) has a zippered bottom compartment built for wet swimsuits or spare sneakers, and the whole compartment zips off when you want a slimmer bag. Bric's Sportina Large ($150) is water-resistant recycled nylon with leather trim and a removable pouch that converts to a crossbody for lunch or shopping.

Rounding out the list: Vineyard Vines' Medium Raffia Tote ($158) in paper straw with a navy cotton lining, and Katydid's Happy Face ($64) — an oversized canvas tote with a chenille smiley patch and pom-pom tassels for anyone who thinks beach accessories should be fun, not precious.

The practical takeaway: think about how you'll actually use the bag. If you fly to your beach, the Sea Bags or Bric's options earn their keep as carry-ons. If you drive and just need to contain chaos, the pocket-heavy North End tote is hard to beat. And if the bag needs to survive a dinner reservation, raffia with leather trim is the safest bet.