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 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
