The Tote Bag Worth Buying

L.L.Bean’s Boat & Tote has remained virtually unchanged in the 80 years since it was first introduced. It is the quintessential canvas carry-all and is more appealing the more worn-in it becomes.

For true connoisseurs, the real prize is vintage. There’s a growing fascination with vintage Boat & Totes, and the more faded, frayed, stained, and broken-in, the better. The appeal speaks to the bag’s timelessness, both in its heritage Americana style and its quality.

Vintage versions now sell for hundreds of dollars on resale sites like eBay, proof that truly timeless design only becomes more valuable with age.

I own both the zip and open-top versions and use them constantly. They’re roomy, durable (the bag was famously tested to hold up to 500 pounds), and cost under $50 new.

A true everyday essential and one of the few bags that genuinely gets better with age.