I live in coastal California, where wagons are often the default way to move kids, beach gear, and even school equipment around the neighborhood. This versatile, light, easy-to-use wagon totes everything across different types of terrain and folds up to a compact, easy-to-carry size. But after half a dozen excursions, we found—as we had with the Renetto Original Canopy Chair—that having a chair you can easily carry without a bag is preferable. In real-world conditions, you’re often packing up fast to try to get ahead of crowds or traffic. So you can easily misplace a carry sack on a dark night in a crowded field, especially if you’re in a large group or have a lot of stuff.
The sand-removal feature, which seemed promising, worked only partially, and many reviewers noted that the wagon’s handle was short. To start, we assessed the initial assembly of each wagon, noting any particular frustrations, as well as any ozark trail chairs extra tools that were required. (Because none of the wagons were especially difficult to put together, we did not make this a major criterion.) We also looked at how easy each wagon was to fold and pick up, and to store in a small space.
Even after over a year of use, the wagon didn’t lose any ability to fold or unfold smoothly. For the first round of testing in 2019, I used each wagon on trips to my son’s elementary school, traveling about half a mile each way over sidewalks and city streets during the course of two months. I also took them to the beach, rolling them down the beach path and testing them on the sand. Additionally, I tested each wagon (filled with soccer equipment) on grass and bumpy, broken concrete surfaces, paying attention to how the suspension and wheels performed under different conditions. In spring 2021, I tested four additional beach-friendly wagons during several trips from my home in Santa Monica to the beach (10 blocks away) and back.
We think the Mac Sports wagon is fine for occasional beach use, especially if your gear is more bulky than heavy and you don’t have to travel too far to your spot. But if you’re looking for a folding wagon to primarily use at the beach, we recommend paying more for the Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible Folding All Terrain ozark trail screen house Utility Cart. The Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible Folding All Terrain Utility Cart has the largest wheels and, at 6.7 cubic feet, the largest volume of any wagon we tested. This wagon easily folds and unfolds, and we found that it was simple (at 24.5 pounds) to lift into the car after a long day in the sun.
Do you always have more stuff to carry than you do hands, arms, and shoulders? Then the Mainstays Blue Folding All-Terrain Wide-Track Wheeled Beach Wagon is the answer. This wagon features wide-track all-terrain wheels which measure 3.94 inches wide and 6.3 inches in diameter for easier movement in the sand. The frame is a strong heavy-duty steel finished with a powder coating for rust resistance. Additional features include a telescoping locking handle, side straps to attach your beach umbrella or fishing poles, and 2 mesh drink holder pockets. It’s easy to un-fold, no assembly is required, and it folds compactly for convenient storage.
Yet it was less likely to tip over than other beach wagons we tested, and it didn’t sink into the sand, even when filled to capacity. We also like that this wagon has small, rivet-sized holes in its four internal corners that help let sand out (this is an unexpected-but-much-appreciated feature we didn’t find in other models). Like the Seina, our former pick for sand, the Mac Sports has a carrying capacity of up to 150 pounds.
Browse all our gear like spacious tents, durable backpacks, warm sleeping bags, outdoor cooking supplies, and more. Upgrade comfort and convenience with a lawn chair or camping chair from SCHEELS. Whether you’re looking for a folding lawn chair or a reclining lawn chair, our selection features a variety of different styles that are super easy to transport and set up around the campfire, at a concert, or in the park. We carry traditional lawn chairs that are lightweight, fold up, and store in a carrying bag for maximum convenience.