The best of the beach and the worst of the beach may both come down to one thing; sand. The beauty and relaxation of having your feet in the sand can’t be beat.
Disgorging it from various areas on your body that you can’t usually see and cleaning it out of your wetsuit is easily the worst part about the beach.
From gritty to powdery, and from white to black there are so many different types of sand. However, one characteristic of your destination beach can make all the difference; firmness. Soft sand is great for laying on, and far easier to clean up. However, it is a real chore to traverse even without an extra payload.
So how do you get all of your beach toys, chairs, and refreshments across both firm and soft sand without hiring a Sherpa? A handy Beach Cart will help you get all your gear to the best spot on the beach before someone else takes it. We’ve researched the best Costco Beach carts so you can make it across hard or soft sand without breaking a sweat!
Our Favorite Picks
#1 Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible
#2 Rio Beach Wonder Wheeler
#3 Fish-N-Mate 310 Lg
#4 Wheeleez Rolling Caddy
The Top 8
#1 Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible
The Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible Costco Beach cart tops our rankings because of the versatility and overall maneuverability it offers at a reasonable price.
The wagon style can hold a substantial amount of beach gear within its roomy dimensions, and you can always pile more on top.
We also like the added perk of the side table with cup holders to help hold your reward beverage for making it out on the sand.
Speaking of sand, the sturdy, wide 10-inch wheels help evenly distribute the weight so you can maneuver more easily across any sand firmness you might encounter.
We also love that you can easily use this wagon for other locations, like when you have to take a whole team’s worth of soccer balls and pop up goals out to the local sports field complex.
Finally, folding the wagon up to a compact storage size really saves space both in your car and in your garage, which is win-win.
All of that plus the reasonable price makes the Mac Sports our top choice.
#2 Rio Beach Wonder Wheeler
The Rio Beach Wonder Wheeler is another of our picks because it has a lot of perks at one of the least expensive price points.
The beach chair rack is especially handy when you need to get a whole family’s worth of chairs out on the sand.
The main storage mesh bag is also useful because you can store lots of beach gear without trapping a ton of sand in your cart.
The removable top tote bag is a nice touch that allows you to contain some of your smaller items like sunscreen and a book away from the bulkier toys in the main storage section.
The extending handle on the stroller style makes it easy to either push or pull the cart, but the smaller front wheels mean pulling is easier in softer sand.
However, when pulling only on two wheels means you’ll bear some more of the weight and it will be harder to maneuver.
Overall, the extra organization and economical price make this a great pick.
If your main concern is getting a large, heavy cooler across the sand then the Fish-N-Mate is the choice for you.
The cup holder and fishing rod holders are a nice addition as well.
The big poly wheel tires are fantastic for carrying a heavy load across soft sand so you can tackle any type of terrain with this cart.
Although it will cost you more, you can also get a liner to turn this into more of a wagon, too.
The aluminum frame is very sturdy, but does not collapse at all, so make sure you have plenty of space in both your car or truck and your garage for the cart.
This is the most expensive cart in our top picks, but the ability to carry big coolers and lots of other gear still makes this a great choice and worth the money.
The Wheeleez Rolling Caddy is like one of those old luggage carts that your grandparents used to have, but someone added massive wheels to it.
If you want to stack a cooler and a couple of big rubber tubs on it to carry all your gear, this is the perfect choice.
The big polyurethane beach wheels can manage any type of sand while still making sure you can maneuver the cart easily.
The telescoping handle goes all the way up to 49 inches, so you can stack plenty on the sturdy base and still make it out to your beach spot just fine.
The cart folds flat for easy storage, too.
Although it is a little on the expensive side, we really like the simple, intuitive uses for this great beach cart.
The Mac Sports Collapsible is the little brother of our top pick.
You lose the wide wheels and the table, but you can get it for less than half the price. The built-in mesh cup pockets on the front are also great for storing water bottles and quick grab items.
The smaller rubber wheels are great for pavement and firmer sand but would struggle a little more in softer areas.
There are also a ton of color options in case you want something with a little more style.
The fold down to a compact size for storage is also a big plus. The bang for your buck on this cart is why it is one of our top picks.
The Rico Beach Brands Deluxe Ultra Wonder Wheeler has two great perks going for it.
The built-in handlebar cup holder is familiar to anyone that has ever had a kid in a stroller, and they will immediately remember how vital is was.
The second great perk is the removable cooler bag to keep your drinks and food cold and easily at hand.
The rubber pneumatic rear wheels are great, but the front tires can have some issues is softer sand.
The cart handle also comes up plenty high enough for more control when maneuvering.
We also love that this cart can carry up to 6 beach chairs easily.
Overall, the organization and added extras make this cart a worthy choice.
The Tommy Bahama All Terrain Beach Cart is very similar to the Rio Beach Wonder, but you get the Tommy Bahama aesthetic and branding as well as a cooler bag instead of the tote.
The plastic rear tires are big, though they sometimes lack grip. You also get the same beach chair bar, and a place for your umbrella.
The materials are sturdy and the cart is well constructed, as you’d expect from Tommy Bahama.
Our only gripe is the advertising picture shows a surfboard bungee corded on, which no self-respecting surfer would ever do.
It is a great idea for a boogie board, though. With the quality and design you would expect from Tommy Bahama, you can’t go wrong with this beach cart.
The Sea Striker Beach Runner Deluxe is a slightly simpler version of the Fish-N-Mate and at a lower price point.
It still gets high marks, though, for big pneumatic tires and the ability to easily handle a 54-quart cooler.
Although they say it breaks down for easy storage, that really means disassembling it for storage, so make sure you have plenty of space in your garage for when not in use and in your car/truck to get it where you need it to be.
You still get the great fishing rod holders, so if you like the idea of a true fishing cart but on a lower budget, the Sea Striker is a great option.
Don’t Forget These Items For Your Beach Cart
Which Style Cart Should I Get?
There are three basic types of beach carts. The first is a standard collapsible wagon. We like this style because it is versatile, has a large storage capacity, and can collapse down for storage. However, in softer sand these wagons can be hard to maneuver, but if you want a versatile cart with a high capacity, you can’t beat a wagon. The second type is the stroller style. We like that it can be pushed or pulled, usually has a specific rack for beach chairs, and can have a mesh bag for throwing in all your gear. This type usually has a lower weight rating, though if you want organization in your cart, this type has the best features for you. A variant on this is the hand truck/luggage cart type that is great if you just want something to carry a box of beach toys or a bigger rubber container. The last type of cart is the fishing/cooler type. It is really great for carrying a full cooler and can handle more weight than the other types. It also usually has a place to hold your fishing pole. If you are carrying a cooler, this is the way to go.
FAQ
What is the best beach cart for sand?
The best beach cart for sand is the cart that you can comfortably maneuver in any sand firmness with the things you want to carry. We look specifically at the weight rating and the wheel types/configuration to rate the beach carts we like best. Larger, more rubber like wheels do better in softer sand. Smaller, harder wheels are more maneuverable on firmer sand. However, how much weight you want to carry can impact this as well. In general, look for something with bigger wheels, and more wheels, to better spread out the weight you have to move.
Where to buy a beach cart?
You can buy any of these types of carts on amazon, clearly, and as you can tell by the title they are also available at Costco. The fishing/cooler carts are a little harder to find, but you can usually hunt them down at a fishing/outdoor store like Cabela’s. The collapsible wagons can also easily be found at places like Wal Mart and Target.
Is a Warranty important?
Like anything purchased online, a warranty is a great insurance policy against something going wrong. Beach carts are usually used hard because they are made to be loaded down with gear, so a decent warranty can help give you peace of mind when you invest your dollars in a beach cart. One note, though, is that all warranties are tied to staying within recommended uses, so make sure you follow the manufacturers instructions.
How much can I carry in a beach cart?
Most manufacturers specify a weight limit for their beach carts. We usually see somewhere between 100 lbs. and 175lbs. That’s a lot of stuff! Otherwise it depends on how well you can pack in the space. Several chairs, a cooler, towels, and variety of beach toys should fit in to any beach cart.
Final Verdict - Which Beach Cart Should I Buy?
We’ve reviewed some great options when it comes to Costco style Beach Carts, but for our money, the top pick remains the Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible all terrain utility wagon. It can go anywhere and carry any type of beach equipment. The end table with cup holders is super handy for your time on the sand, and the sturdy four-wheel design and natural maneuverability will help you get where you need to be with ease. The compact fold for storage saves space in your car and garage while not sacrificing any capacity for your gear when in use. Combining all of those great features with a moderate price makes the Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible Utility Wagon our top recommendation.
The post Costco Beach Cart Reviews appeared first on Surf Researcher.