Customer Reviews L.L.Bean Zip Top Boat and Tote Small

I have 11 bags in total in my collection and that's exactly what it is - an affordable, rugged collection of bullet-proof bags. I have them all in large and XL sizes including 4 custom bags. The XL ones are awesome for road trips and the large ones are great for going out for the day. I swap between them randomly. I love these and can't wait to visit the outlet store in Maine to pick up a few more :)

I am a medical student, and before purchasing this bag, I somehow managed to rip straight through the handles on my previous [Non-L.L.Bean] tote. (I have to carry a lot of books, equipment, clothes, food, etc.) I ordered this bag hoping it would stand up to wear, and I was not disappointed! Almost a year later, and there's no sign that it's ripping through. It hasn't developed much wear at all, in fact. The bag itself is relatively lightweight, looks good both an academic setting and on the weekend, and has gotten my laptop safely through rainstorms. I could not recommend it more; in fact, I ordered another one so that I'd have both a medium and large, for longer work hours. Simply put, this is the best bag you'll ever own. Some tips: I highly recommend the zipper. Definitely worth the extra price. It can be pushed back inside the tote if you don't want to use it, and they designed it so that the cover fabric contours nicely around the inside of the tote when you decide to hide the zipper. Also, if you want a regular, large-purse-size tote, I recommend the medium. I've been using it comfortably with good results, and the regular handles on the medium do fine with putting it on my shoulder. However, I'm going for the long handles on the large.

As a dude, I want a bag that is durable, strong and as reliable as a toaster. I knew that the LL Bean boat and tote would fit the bill but I wanted to customize it a bit so I ordered an XL in Regatta Blue with zip top and pocket. I named it 'Deep Blue' in homage to the chess computer. In person, the blue is an amazing color and it definitely makes the bag stand out without being loud. This bag is going to be perfect for road trips because of it's size. I can easily pack a couple days of clothes into it, toiletries and whatever else I am traveling with. Many say that the bag is heavy if it's loaded to the brim and that's true but you can simply be a bit discerning with what you pack in there. That being said, I decided to leave my rock collection at home :) I am looking forward to using this thing for years to come and to have the material break in so it's supple and strong. Cheers LL Bean!

I've been using the medium zip-top as my summer purse for the last five years and, in humid, unpredictable Boston weather, there's no other bag that I trust. My favorite use, though, is as my secure, stuffed-to-capacity under-seat flight bag, allowing me to also have a normal, full-size overhead carry-on. Mine has regular/short handles, as those go over my shoulder just fine, and it doesn't drag on the ground when hand-carried. I do use pouches inside for organization -- one of which is a nice flat clutch that's ready to grab at a moment's notice -- but I use pouches in my other purses, too. After a few years, when my first one got dingy, I replaced it with a fresh one and now use the old one for errands & grubbier things. They're practically indestructible so I expect to have these two and subsequent ones forever.

I've had this bag for about two years now. It is a great tote bag, and gets way more use than I thought it would. The medium is the perfect size for trips, and is carry-on size. You can fit A TON of stuff in this bag. I've gone on week-long work trips (5 days) using this bag to stow all of my clothes and a couple pair of shoes in it. I ended up getting the zip-top version, and I'm glad I did, because it's way more versatile than the open-top one - as I'm able to take it on trips and all over really, without having to worry about things falling out. I can also stuff it full and zip it up, which is really nice. The zipper is great quality - I don't ever worry about it breaking from the strain of closing with a heavy load. The bag itself is also incredibly strong and durable. The canvas is extremely thick and stiff at first. It's finally starting to soften up - seriously strong stuff. It also looks top notch. It is classic New England style and looks better and better with wear. At this price point (or even twice this), I would highly recommend this bag to anyone.

Bought an XL with green straps and the bag is gorgeous. I love the beige/canvas material because when you are emptying out your bag, you can see everything at the bottom of it - which is a little harder to do if you have a darker color material. This bag is perfect for weekend trips. My wife and I can literally share the XL with our clothes for an overnight trip and everything is in 1 place. I love it!

I ordered the large tote after measuring and re-measuring. I wanted to carry it on a plane but this tote is really large, its too big to use as a carry-all so I had to order a medium and return the large. The color and monogram is very beautiful but doesnt serve my purpose..Bean was great about this tote and sent me a medium immediately..Thank-you L.L. Bean..

I bought two of these several years ago, when LL Bean offered a "build your own" feature that let us choose both body and accent colors, and add exterior pockets. So of course my bags are *perfect* and they have held up very well, but I now need another one and I'm disappointed to see that we have far fewer choices today. I'm sure they are still very high quality, but it seems like the natural cloth will show dirt and stains more than colors, and I will miss the external pocket I added to each of the bags I have.

Excellent beach bag. The zippered top keeps me from losing items. One thing that would make it even better would be a small zippered pouch to keep car keys in.

I have a bag in Large and have ordered one as a gift in the same size. It can withstand a lot of abuse and still holds up! These are perfect for weekend trips, days out, boat trips, camping, etc. The ones with a zipper make them great overnight/weekender bags for clothing and other items. I also have one in the Medium, which is great for a purse-like carry-all at the beach or park.

Perfect size bag for handling all your necessities while traveling.

This bag has been my "signature" baby gift now for 10 years! They are strong and durable! Parents love them and the personal touch brings a huge smile when their bag arrives with their new baby's name!

Purchased 3 in the past, and purchased 2 more. the quality of these bags is amazing. Stand up well, love the zipper closure, and the handles are comfortable to hold. Have one from years past with pockets on the outside and still going strong after 20 years. wish they had them again.

I love these LL Bean extra-large totes. We received our first one for our wedding 13 years ago, and now, 13 years and 6 kids later, we rely on them for all the gear-hauling we have to do. We have them in the back of our cars as emergency bags, and we have one for swim gear, one for Little League gear, etc. etc. They are sturdy and attractive. We ran over two with our car, and they cleaned up to look just like new! And I love the monograming - I can pick it out at the beach from way far away! Easy to clean, too. I always give them for wedding presents and/or baby showers. Always a win!

Is it possible to order the Zip-top in Moonlight Blue?

I have several of your totes and love them, but travel by air often and need pockets on ends for water bottles, pockets outside for easy access to tickets and strap on back for fitting over suitcase handle. I had not bought your tote for a while because of lack of zipper on larger bags. Now I have one and just waiting on more pockets inside and out for travel ease. I do like the longer handles for carrying to beach.

This is another fine product from LLBean... it carries all of my tutoring supplies around town... markers, whiteboards, books, playdoh, and is so fabulously functional! Still looks new and does its job diligently.

Just purchased 2 more "Boat & Totes" one for myself and one I had Beans send to my daughter in Arizona.. Had them both monogrammed which is a nice touch that is offered here... My daughter loves hers and I ordered her the red trimmed one with black initials (Blackhawk colors) with the long handles and she loves it..! I got the same size in camo and it looks great..! The medium bag is so versatile and is perfect for a trip to the ball park, day trip, beach or pool and any other excursion you might need a medium sized bag to carry your essentials.. These are great bags and they last forever.. My advice is to get the long handles because it makes them easier to carry either on your shoulder or at your side.. 5 Stars

I've recently purchased three of these totes (all zip-top, one in each Small, Medium & Large). I LOVE them. They are so durable - will definitely last for a long time. Due to the thickness of the canvas the bags and straps are somewhat stiff at first but they soften up a bit with use.The design of the zip top is great as it actually creates extra space in the bag. The small tote I use as a purse - it fits my wallet, water bottle, phone, keys, gloves, notebook and other little things I carry around. The medium size is perfect as a daybag/carry-on/personal item for travel - it fits easily under the seat in airplanes. I love having the longer handles for this. The medium is also a great work bag for my lunch, wallet, umbrella, etc. The large size is great as an overnight/weekend bag and holds a LOT - clothes, books, shoes, towel, etc. I haven't used this one as much yet, so no comment on if I like having the shorter straps or if I'd prefer the longer ones instead since it's pretty heavy once it's full. In summary... I highly recommend this product!

This bag is everything I was looking for in a work bag. Big enough to put my lunch and files in and it zipped. I will be taking it to Disney this year.

I chose the persimmon over the traditional pink and it's great. It's almost a muted coral color.

Great super-sturdy tote. The embroidery was perfect!

I love these totes so durable. My color (peony) is usually sold out in extra large so I happened to be able to snag one in large just delivered today. Too bad the extra large is sold out. I bought two mediums one zip top and one open top as stand-in's for the large. Now I have two mediums and one large and will be returning one of the mediums. I would like an extra large peony tote. Please, LL Bean, the peony is a popular color keep buying the color accordingly. I'll be waiting for the extra large peony tote to be in stock.

I liked mine so much, that I bought two more as birthday gifts for two college kids. They'll be able to use these for years as they study abroad and as they go to grad school too. Very practical gifts. I called their mother and got their favorite colors and their complete initials, so that just added to the pleasure of giving the bags to them.

I'm in love with my new tote! It's light weight & roomy plus easy to carry.