Had to pack some fragile items ( Framed photos ) recently and was raining when we arrived at our destination ! Was so glad I had my LL Bean tote as these were family heirlooms and I was able to carry them around for two days without worrying about breakage ( of items or the bag ! ) The zippered top made all the difference (the sudden change in weather required a another larger item to be covered in plastic bags and those bags did not last on the attempt to re-pack for trip home-!!!) Use this bag just about every day for multiple purposes, especially library books !
I love my boat and tote. I have a medium size with longer handles, and it makes life so much easier! The medium is just the right size that it holds a lot but when it's stuffed you can still haul it around, and the zip-top means you can fill it even more and things won't fall out. The long handles make it way easier to carry and I wish all the LL Bean totes came with long handles. I have a few silk-screened and others, and the straps are too short to stay up - in the winter it's impossible. Unfortunately it's spot clean only, and when things spill in the bottom it's hard to clean. It would be even better with a key-clip and a pocket either inside or outside (otherwise it would get 5 stars). Things get lost even in the medium. The monogram on mine (a nice light green from a couple of years ago) doesn't exactly match the tote, but it still looks nice and gets compliments. And it never falls over!
I love these bags and usually get them for gifts. I decided to order the extra large because "bigger is better!" however this bag is HUGE. I had it monogrammed and LL Bean returned it with no questions asked and I exchanged it for the large. Unless you want a super large bag stick with the large size. What a great company to return the item even with a monogram!
Ordered a custom tote with a zip top closure for my wife to use as a diaper bag. She wanted a spacious bag with no frills to it, I wanted something super tough that she won't wear out, like she has with the last two bought from a chain store specializing in baby stuff, and it has only been two months! The bag was just delivered today, and I am not disappointed. The quality of the workmanship is what I expect, and the color is very accurate to that portrayed on the site. As always, LL Bean impresses!!
