By Jared Hutchinson
As summer begins to draw its final breaths, the idea of flip flops, bathing suits, and all other beach-bound necessities might very well be resting comfortably in the back of your head. Not so fast! Remember that New Year’s beach retreat you’ve been dying to go on? What about your own retreat you’re leading to Nicaragua in March…?!
August is the perfect time to shop for beach gear. Not only will you still be able to find the things you’re looking for, but there’s a good chance they’ll be on sale (or at least marked down) due to the declined demand of summer vacationers. And besides, just because you bought it a few months ahead of time doesn’t mean that awesome Athleta two piece won’t be the perfect bathing suit for some sandy workout sessions.
We’ve rounded up a few beach necessities that you should scout out and buy now if you can. Even if your beach plans aren’t until next year, consider this the ultimate list of things you’ll need for an oceanfront excursion, no matter when you go.
Beach Blanket Okay, admittedly, a beach blanket may bring you back to being 12 years old when your mom made sure you brought along your “trusty beach blanket” to sit on. But this item is the ultimate comfort insurance when traveling to hot and humid spots like Central America. In these conditions sandy towels may never dry… But a beach blanket — like this one from Grand Trunk, which makes gear for adventure travelers — shakes off sand in a second and dries quickly right before you stuff it into the included compact carrying bag.
Parasheet Beach and Picnic Blanket from Grand Trunk. $24.99 – $39.99. Available on the website: https://grandtrunk.com/shop/parasheet-beach-blanket/
Travel Speakers An oceanside playlist is the perfect way to compliment the sound of rolling waves as you downward dog yourself into complete relaxation. And what better way to bring your favorite beats to the beach than with a small, durable travel speaker, such as this one from UE Boom Speakers. It’s water resistance, it fits into a purse, clips to a bag, and it’s loud. Plus, the battery lasts 15 hours, which is probably twice as long as your iPhone.
UE Boom Speaker. $199. Available on the website: http://www.ultimateears.com/en-us/boom
Flip Flops Don’t overlook the travel essentials… Especially these staples from Old Navy. They’re cheap, comfortable, and it’s okay if you ruin a pair — at a price of $3, you can buy a few of these. Plus, they’re water resistant and relatively durable, which is more than you can say for those fancy leather flips you’ve been rocking all summer. Do yourself a favor and stock up now while the getting is good.
Old Navy Flip Flops. $3 – $20. Available in stores or online: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/search.do?searchText=flip+flops&redirect=true
Sunscreen Towelette Insider tip: Sunscreen is extremely expensive in other countries where pale-skinned tourists are always in need… Especially after airport security confiscates your brand new bottle for being “oversized.” Save yourself all sorts of hassle by using towelette, like these SmartShield Sunscreen Towelettes. Not only are they easy to pack, these ones in particular come with insect repellent, so you can double up on the protection and doubly cut your losses. (You guessed it: Security will snag that bottle of bug spray too.)
SmartShield Sunscreen Towelette. Box of 50: $62.50. Available online: http://www.smartshield.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=20
Feeling inspired to take a beachfront holiday? Check out all of our oceanside adventures coming up this winter!