SailorBags Brand Tote Bags are Practical Sailor Approved

SailorBags tote makes a handy carryall.

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If youre in the market for a carry-all or soft-sided cooler, check out the classic-looking SailorBags line.

Practical Sailorrecently picked up one of the SailorBag tote bags, and testers have found several uses for it: ferrying items to and from the boat, the beach, and the grocery, and storing dry clothes in a wet dinghy. The Vermont-based company offers three different sizes of tote bags, round and square duffel bags in varying sizes, two sizes of stowbags, and three sizes of foam-insulated soft-sided coolers.

SailorBags

 

SailorBags are made of custom-woven Dacron-like sail cloth with red or blue webbing for straps. The tightly woven material is rain- and spray-resistant. We tested this in an afternoon squall and in a wet, bumpy dinghy ride. Despite a solid soaking, the bags contents stayed dry. The sail cloth lacks the resins typically found in sails, so SailorBags are softer and more flexible than new sails. To ensure water resistance in the foulest of weather, the tough blue lining is coated and the bags bottoms are double layered. This also aids abrasion resistance. The

Practical Sailor tote bag has seen some rough handling and has yet to show any signs of weathering, or even dirt, in the few months it has been used on a daily basis. According to SailorBags Jim Barker, the bags resist dirt because of the materials tight weave. But even if the bags get dirty, its no problem: Theyre machine washable.

All of the products have pockets for storing small things, and the duffels also come with a shoulder strap.

SailorBags range from $17.50 for a small stowbag (8 x 12 inches) to $75 (16 x 14 x 25 inches) for the extra-large duffel bag.

CONTACTS:

SAILOR BAGS
800/869/1754, sailorbags.com

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.