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

The quality of this boat bag has always been and continues to be excellent. There is one fault with this newer model that I hope the company corrects. There is no zipper tab to hold onto when you zip the bag closed. Also, because of the lack of the tab, it's possible to lose the end of the zipper when you zip it closed. You have to stop just short of closing it to keep the zipper pull from disappearing down in the end of the bag. I sure hope the company corrects this problem. All my other bags have the zipper tab. This was a gift so I had to warn the person I gave it to.I didn't like that.

One of the main reasons that I bought this is that I was tired of my usual large tote that was floppy. That makes it difficult to pack it. This Boat and tote stands open and is so easy to pack, I love it. It is sturdy and waterproof. I bought the long handle bags to carry over my shoulder. I would like to see an adapter to make the straps stay together and sit more comfortably on the shoulder or an option to have a cross body strap, other than that it's perfect!!

My family bought me the large size with the zippered top and had my initials stitched on it for a cruise I recently took. I'm short(4'11), so the long handles worked for sliding the bag over my shoulder keeping my hands free. It's a very durable bag and can hold quite a bit. We had two large beach towels, sunscreen, two pairs of extra clothes, swimsuits, sunglasses, a waterproof pelican caseand could have stuffed a bit more in if we needed. It was handy to have it zipped in but it would be terrific if there was an outside or inside pocket to fit sunscreen and small items that always made their way to the bottom of the bag. Overall, it's a gorgeous bag and I would recommend a purchase to anyone who wants all their supplies in one place.

I purchased a small, zip top tote for a gift. This size is good for a smaller underseat flight bag or daily work tote. It's large enough to carry a brown bag lunch, wallet, cell phone, iPad or book and keys. Simple one compartment design. The bottom folds down flat. Bag can stand-up on its own without sagging or flopping over. Medium-Size is better if you need to carry papers like an 8 1/2 X 11" note pad. I didn't give this bag 5 stars because of two things. 1) Bag lacks an internal zip pocket. 2) The zipper is a bit awkward. The flap needs to be flexed upward to slide the zipper. The zipper track ends in a fabric fold. If the zipper pull slides down into this fold - it is a bit tricky to slide out.

I wrote a review before using the bag, and am writing another after spending a week down south with it at an all-inclusive resort. I really like the bag for the beach holidays! The handles were initially quite tough (since they were brand new), and they got softer with use after a few days. While I thought it was too small at first, it fits 2 beach towels, water bottle, snacks, book & magazines, and other small items which are perfect for lugging items around at the resort and during short excursions. Had I gotten the large size, I'd be tempted to put many items in it and the bag would be too heavy to carry. I'd like to get the long handles for my next beach bag for easier carrying, but this is fine for short walks. The zip top is perfect to keep items safe and secured from prying eyes. The bag is very strong and durable, and will definitely last many years. It is definitely waterproof - tested when the ocean tide came up higher than expected to my lounge bed and the bag was on the ground next to me :)

This tote is exactly what I thought it would be when I ordered it -- a sturdy bag with multiple uses. I have already used it as a carry on bag for a weekend getaway and a shopping trip to the mall. Boating season will be starting soon and I'll be taking it out on the water too. I opted for the longer handles and find it fits comfortably over my shoulder. The zip-top is also a plus. It is a bit pricey, but is well made and will last a long time.

This is made of a very stiff canvas and is very sturdy. My one issue is that the measurements for the large size do not match the item which is much bigger. I would return the bag for a medium except that it is too large for convenient shipping.

I received the regatta blue bag with the word "beach" monogrammed, 4 days after I placed the order online, in Toronto. I am very pleased with the delivery speed. The quality of the seam stitching is good, but not 100% aligned, which is not ideal but alright considering it is machine-stitched by a real person instead of a robot. The material feels very strong which I like. I expect this bag to last a long time. However, the Medium size bag is smaller than I thought it'd be from the other reviews. If you'd like a beach bag to lug several large towels for a couple, change of clothing, books and snacks etc. - get the Large size. I would also prefer a zippered pocket inside the tote to hold keys and small items, so I don't have to dig around for them.

My wife loved the gift and so do I the only item I care to comment on is although the color of the printing said it was the same color.. it appears a few shades lighter.

Have ordered these Totes for years. A great buy & very useful.

I am very happy with the quality of the bag but disappointed with the size of the lettering and thread color. I think the lettering is too small for the size of the bag. The thread color looks much different than what I saw on my computer.

Really nice bag, large, rigid enough to stand up on its own, seems sturdy, exceeded my high expectations in all respects except stitches along zipper popped and opened a three inch gap the first time I unzipped it, before we even used it. Wife immediately sewed it back up or might have continued popping stitches.

Disappointed that there are no inside pockets like the totes from a competitor. I also would like to see other body colors besides off white. Gets dirty too easily. LL Bean used to have more options for body and strap colors. I loved when we could design our own. I will not buy another one without inside pockets. Sturdy, love the medium handle and zip top.

I thought I was ordering a smaller version of my XL tote bag. My mistake was ordering from LL BEAN instead of Lands' End. I was very disappointed to find that there is no outside slip pocket, inside zip pocket, or inside pouches.

I have several boat and totes. Disappointed in my recent order. The canvas is noticeably less structured and not as thick as my older bags. I ordered one in the fall of 2025 that was still the old quality and this one in spring 2026. I still love the bags but disappointing to see durability of material has declined while the price has increased.

I am still debating on whether or not i want to go through the hassle of returning this, but the stitching is very messy. I have more than 20 boat and totes and this is the first one with quality issues.

Always love giving this gift as a baby gift but no great color options were available when I was shopping! I ended up with a navy but when it came, it was a midnight blue that was almost black. I had to return it. I did appreciate how they accepted my return even though it was personalized- incredibly nice!! Will shop again and just wait on better color options :)

Nice size, but the stitching and the threads around the top pull very easily. Feel like I'm constantly having string come out.

This was much smaller than I expected it to be. I was very disappointed with the size for the price of it.

Love the size of the bag but the zipper is difficult to zip closed if opened all the way

I couldn't get the monogramming to work properly, and when I got ahold of customer service, it was too late to get that fixed without returning this one.

It's a great bag but I prefer the long handle version. Also, I wish there was a slip pocket in the front for your cell phone and a zip pocket in the interior for wallet. I use this bag for travel, it stores 5 large packing cubes. I unload the packing cubes in the dresser and as I collect laundry I dump it into the bag like a laundry hamper. All clean items stay in the packing cubes. I also use it for beach trips, it carry all my accoutrements.

I intended to use this as my carryon on a flight. It is too heavy and bulky for that purpose. Other than that it is a nice bag.

Love the bag, just wish the handles were longer. You can't carry it on your shoulder.

A ton of loose threads on various parts of the bag and took multiple months to arrive fdue to backorder but otherwise a smooth shopping experience and got what I ordered with little issue.