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Canvas Boat/Shopping Bags
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Published: Jul 01, 2020
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Before the pandemic, my city levied a charge for each bag you needed for your groceries. That went away. For a month or two. Now plastic bags have been outlawed and it’s a nickel per paper bag. These bags rip at the worst possible time. Clearly the answer is to own a durable bag — maybe a few.
The gold standard is the L.L Bean boat bag, which I have used for decades, often as weekend luggage. Made in Maine. Heavy-duty canvas, with a choice of colors for the racing stripes up the sides and handles. Reinforced bottom — when they say the bag will hold 500 hundred pounds, they’re not woofing. The seams are double-stitched with nylon. There’s a zipper at the top. For an extra charge, you can get it monogrammed. Basically, the bag will outlive you. If you have more than one heir, you might put a note about it in your will.
There’s one problem with the L.L Bean bag. Buy the extra-large bag for $49.95 and face an existential question. You get Free Shipping with a $50 purchase. Will you have to pay for shipping? I don’t know. I buy the large bag, which costs no more than $44. And then I buy a belt. [To see and buy L.L. Bean bags, click here.]
The Amazon version isn’t in the same league, but it sounds durable and the price is a pleasant $12.50. Same look as the Bean bag: heavy duty white canvas, with your choice of colors for the stripes and handles. 23” by 15” — a practical size. Like the Bean bags, the Amazon bag has a zipper closure on top, and it has one feature the Bean bags don’t: a front pocket to hold your cell phone, keys, or sunglasses. [To buy it from Amazon, click here.
On the much smaller scale — it holds just 44 pounds, is 20’’ by 17” — is the exotic LOQI Museum Reusable Shopping Bag. The motif is Japanese Chrysanthemum. It weighs nothing, is made of polyester and costs $12.95. I suspect the copywriter is not American: “Strong like a man. Strong like a Woman. Loyal as a dog.” [To buy it from Amazon, click here.]
