As you may be able to tell from Chris’ blog post about the Bogg Bag, we take our pool bags seriously. Chris and I (and our families) are pool rats. We spend almost every free moment during pool season at the pool. It behooves us to have the best possible pool bags that meets our needs. For Chris and his family, that may be the Bogg Bag. But I’m going to diverge here and say that the REI Co-op Pack-Away 45 Tote is the best pool bag available on the market today.
But wait, you might say, this bag isn’t even designed as a pool bag? You’re right, it’s not, but it has the right features that allow it to double as a pool bag. The flexibility this provides you is that through the rest of the year, you can use it as a general tote bag like it’s designed for.
The first thing that makes this bag to great is how spacious it is. REI advertises it as 45L, but I honestly think this can be maxed out higher. The material at the top of the tote bag can expand well beyond the top of the bag, and it cinches shut so it will hold everything inside. Further, the bag has a cinching strap across the top if you want to hold other gear on top of the tote bag. Basically, you can fit a crap ton of stuff in and on this bag. We have no problem fitting five towels, bathing suits for everyone, diaper necessities for the littlest of us, pool toys, sunscreen, goggles, etc. into this bag. Purely based on the size, the REI Co-op Pack-Away 45 Tote is the one bag to rule them all. I want to reiterate – I think REI is being very conservative in calling this a 45L tote. I have not measured, but I think it goes well beyond 45L.
This bag is made with a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish that allows the bag to repel water and also dry quickly when it gets wet. Obviously, quick drying is an essential for a pool bag. Pool bags get wet. We always throw our wet towels, pool toys, and goggles back into the bag when leaving the pool. After taking the towels out at home, the bag is bone dry by the next day and ready to go again. Never in the two years we’ve used it has it developed any smell or mold due to moisture. It’s superior in its ability to repel water and also dry quickly if wet. While the material may not be “waterproof” like the Bogg Bag, the material is much more flexible and therefore facilitates the ability to fit more than a Bogg Bag, Heck, even Chris said he and his wife discussed whether they needed a second Bogg Bag to give them enough space. We just need this one bag.
The 300D recycled polyester finish contributes to the bag’s quick drying capabilities. And importantly, the fabric’s thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) coating gives it a rigidity that helps the bag hold its shape. When empty, it can still stand open and maintain its shape. This makes it super easy to pack – you’re never fighting with a bag that wants to collapse in on itself. While perhaps the Bogg Bag wins for shape holding, this bag does great also.
Further, the bag is extremely durable. We toss it around on the concrete of the pool deck and the asphalt of the pool parking lot and our driveway, and there is no sign of wear on the 300D fabric. REI built this think like a tank. It even had a “cushioned ballistic nylon bottom” (whatever that means) which enhances its durability and protects contents from impact. You will squeeze every penny worth out of this bag whether you use it as a pool bag or a general tote bag.
There are several ways to carry this bag. There is a shoulder strap, which is the primary way we carry it. Then, there are shorter handles that allow you to carry it in your hands. And lastly, there are handles on either side which allow you to move it around as needed with ease. These side handles might not be the best for prolonged transport but work when sliding the bag around the pool deck or out of the car.
There are some other features I’d like to note that make this bag neat, but not something we took advantage of ourselves. The bag’s shape is designed to fit into the footwell of most vehicles. It’s not uncommon for me to throw it in the footwell of the front passenger seat of our minivan if I’m taking the kids to the pool myself, so I can attest that it fits in the footwells of both of our cars. If you’re someone using this tote as a general tote and you spend a lot of time in your vehicle for work or travel, this would make a great companion for your passenger footwell to hold whatever you need.
Another neat feature is that the bag can fold up when not in use. This can come in handy when you’re traveling if you want to stow the empty bag in your car for later use (if on a road trip) or pack it into a suitcase for use when traveling via airplane. For example, you could take this bag with you on a beach vacation that requires a flight and then use it as your beach bag on the trip.
Pros
- Spacious, way more capacity than advertised
- Fabric finish repels water
- Dries quickly
- Durable
- Folds up when not in use
Cons
- None
Rating: 5 / 5
I tried really hard to think of some cons for this bag, and I simply couldn’t. We love this bag as our pool bag. It has lasted two years of heavy summer use, and I don’t see any reason why we won’t get many, many more years out of it. This bag is not designed as a pool bag, but if it isn’t the best pool bag on the market then I don’t know what is. I hate to say it, but I think it has the Bogg Bag beat (IMHO), You could also use this bag as a vehicle storage bag, general tote bag, or probably any number of other uses. I can’t recommend this bag enough. If you’re looking for a new pool bag, look no further – the REI Co-op Pack-Away 45 Tote is it. And if you’re just looking for a large, general use tote it’ll do just fine there too.
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