I purchased the small short-handled tote as a gift for a friend and had it personalized. I thought it would be a good farmers' market bag for her to use. I was surprised to see how nice and sturdy it is - the canvas is very thick, and it stands up on its own. I may just purchase one for myself, I like it so much!
Like everyone else, I love my boat and tote! I ordered the extra large after vacationing with family who used theirs to tote snorkeling gear to and from the beach. We use ours on every road trip to bring along anything we need for the car ride.... plus whatever else fits! It is an invaluable thing to have when traveling with kids. Thanks, LL Bean!
Two years ago, I received the extra large open-top bag as a gift. I have to say it is one of the best, most useful gifts I have ever gotten. I use it to carry all my work stuff (change of clothes, lunch box, boots, umbrella, jacket, laptop case, purse, etc) back and forth from my car to my apartment. It is perfectly suited for this, as it is sturdy, and it stands up on its own. It looks as good as it did the day I got it. If anyone is considering buying this bag, go for it! You won't regret it.
I just purchased my second Boat & Tote to use for school books. I ordered the large size with regular handles. The quality of these bags is amazing! They are stiff and sturdy. The handle length is perfect, but the bag is a little too big for my purposes. I recommend getting a size smaller than what you think you may need if you have never bought one of these bags before. Overall though, it's a great purchase and I think everyone needs one!
