If you haven’t owned a beach cart before, buying one isn’t easy.
With all of the options that are on the market, it can make it difficult to find a style and a size that suits your needs.
To make things even harder on you, it is a good idea to setup a budget for yourself as these products do get fairly expensive depending on the features that you want incorporated into your cart.
In order to help you be able to narrow down your options, we have come up with a buyer’s guide that you can use, as well as a list of our picks for the top carts on the market.
Below you’ll see our recommended models as well as a guide to help with your shopping.
Top 5 Best Beach Carts for the Money
What To Look For
Here are the many things you need to be on the lookout for in a beach cart:
Wheels:
How good the wheels look is one thing that may affect your decision making.
The main thing that you should take under consideration for wheels, however, is the size of the wheels.
If you plan to take the cart directly out onto the beach, making sure you have decent size wheels is of extreme importance.
If you buy a cart that has wheels that are too small on it, the cart will sink into the sand as you are pulling it and it is going to make it a lot harder to move your stuff around.
Handle:
If you plan to pull a lot of things around with you in your cart, then making sure that you have a good handle is essential.
If you plan to pull a lot of heavy things around with you, then it is a good idea to try and find a cart that has a padded handle on it.
Using a rubber or metal handle to pull heavy things around is not going to be very comfortable and this is something that you may want to keep in mind.
Materials:
If you want your beach cart to last you for a long time, then buying a beach cart that has good quality materials in its design is of extreme importance.
If you are buying a cart that is made out of wood, it is a good idea to see what kind of wood it is made out of.
Hardwood is going to be more durable than softwood, which is something that you should keep in mind.
Another thing that you should think about is the type of metal that is used in the design.
If the cart is made out of steel, it is going to rust at a much faster rate than something made out of aluminum would.
You will even come across carts on the market that are made out of fabric material as well.
The thing about fabric carts is, they are normally the cheapest to purchase, but they aren’t as durable as a cart that is made out of a wood or a metal design.
What you likely want to look for in a cart is one that is made out of a combination of both fabric and metal so that the cart doesn’t get too high up in price.
Another thing that you may want to consider when looking to make a purchase, is the paint that is used on the cart.
A cart with a good paint job, no matter whether it is a metal or a wood cart, will help to protect the material that the cart is made up of.
A painted cart will have less rust and corrosion over time and you will also notice that a wooden cart will rot at a much slower rate, even when left out in the elements.
Size:
If you are thinking about buying yourself a beach cart, size is definitely a factor that you are going to want to consider.
You want to be able to carry all of your beach gear with you, without having to worry about cramming everything in.
It can be difficult to be able to determine just how large of a cart you need, but there are some things that you can do to give you a general idea.
Take the largest item that you have and then measure how long and wide it is.
It is a good idea to get a cart that is easily able to hold your largest item because this means that you should have a pretty easy time storing smaller items within the cart.
Rails:
If you want to be able to pull your stuff around without it falling out on you, then you are going to want to make sure that the cart has some quality rails.
One thing that you may even want to look for, is a cart that has removable rails.
If for some reason you need to carry something really long or wide, sometimes having the ability to be able to remove the rails can be quite helpful.
It can be hard to determine the quality of rails that a cart possesses.
Probably the best way to determine the quality of the rails, is to see what material that they are made up of and to see how large of gaps there are in the rails.
A rail with a bunch of gaps in it isn’t going to be all that great at hauling things around, you don’t want to have to worry about your things falling out on the ground or around your cart when you are pulling it behind you.
Portability:
One thing that you may not have considered about a beach cart, is how easily it can fit inside of your vehicle.
If you want a beach cart that can easily fit within your vehicle, one thing that you may want to be on the lookout for, is a beach cart that is capable of folding up.
It may be a good idea to measure the trunk of your car before you buy a cart if you plan to be able to load the unit up in your car and take it with you.
Some units are definitely smaller than other ones, you should always be on the lookout for product dimensions so that you can be sure that the cart is going to fit both where you need to store it in the off season as well as in your vehicle.
Loading Capacity:
One thing that you should be aware of when it comes to beach carts, is that a lot of the beach carts on the market do have a load capacity.
Going over the load capacity of a cart puts it at risk of breaking on you, so it is of extreme importance that you follow the capacity.
A beach cart is the type of tool that some people like to hop on top of or sit on when they are at the beach, however, not all beach carts can support this much weight.
If you plan on or expect something like this to happen or if you want to be able to transport heavy things around with you, then make sure that you get yourself a cart that you can do that with.
Going over the weight limit of a cart can cause the warranty to become void in some circumstances and you will want to keep that in mind.
Our Favorite Beach Cart Reviews
Beach Wagon Cart for Sand with Wheels Review
If you are looking for something in the high budget range and you want something that is heavy duty, this cart may be the cart for you.
This cart is capable of hauling some very heavy weight thanks to its solid metal frame design.
In fact, this cart is actually capable of being able to pull up to 300 lbs when it is being used on a hard surface and it can pull up to 60 lbs when it is being used on soft sand.
Pros:
- The frame of this cart can expand in order to be able to fit coolers on top of it
- The frame can go anywhere from 31-34.5 inches and also has a 38 inch option if needed
- The cart weights just 23 lbs, making it easier to pick up and move around as you need
- Rack attachment for the cart can hold two fishing rods
- End walls on the cart help to keep the contents of your cart from falling off when combined with bungee cords that come with the unit
Cons:
- This isn’t the most ideal type of cart for storage or transportation purposes in a vehicle
- There are no side walls on this cart, which isn’t ideal depending on what you are bringing
- The handle on this unit isn’t padded
Verdict:
So long as putting this cart in your vehicle isn’t an issue and as long as you don’t need side walls to store small items, then this cart could work great for you.
The expandable frame on this cart is ideal as it allows you to be able to keep your things snugly on the unit without things hanging off of the ends.
The wheels on this unit allow you to be able to tow stuff on the beach with ease, so long as you aren’t carrying anything that is super heavy.
Overall, this is a very nice cart that is built to be able to last for a very long time.
BeachMall Super Wonder Wheeler Beach Cart Review
This cart is a lot different than many of the other types of beach carts that you might come across during your search.
This cart stands out as a result of having a chair hanging bar in its design which allows you to easily be able to bring your beach chair with you in the cart.
Another part of this cart that you are definitely going to like, is that there is an umbrella holder built into the design of the unit.
Pros:
- This beach cart can hold up to four chairs at once for your convenience
- A cooler and cargo area on this unit allow you to be able to store your personal items and keep your drinks and food cold
- There are wide rear wheels on this cart which allow you to be able to easily roll the cart on the sand
- The unit is capable of folding down into a small size for easy storage purposes (37H x 16W x 8D)
- The price tag of this unit is in the medium price point range
Cons:
- Depending on the beach chairs that you have, some of them may not be the best at hanging themselves on the bar that is on this unit
- Not a ton of storage for actual beach items other than chairs
Verdict:
If you want something that is portable and don’t have a ton of beach toys and accessories that you want to bring, then this could be an awesome beach cart for you.
You will definitely like the fact that the wheels on this unit are specifically made to be able to sit on top of soft sand.
You will be able to pull the cart around with ease and as long as you stay under the 77 lbs weight capacity that this unit has, you should be able to use this product for a very long time.
TimberRidge Folding Camping & Beach Wagon/Cart Review
If you prefer to buy a traditional wagon for your beach cart, but you want to be able to easily store the unit in your vehicle, then this beach cart can do just that for you.
This beach cart is at a fairly expensive price point, but it is capable of folding up or down in a matter of seconds for storage or transportation purposes.
The cart is fairly durable, but the bottom is made out of a combination of fabric and metal.
This unit has some pretty large wheels in its design, which allow you to be able to roll this unit on the beach as you need.
Pros:
- 150 lb weight limit on this product is quite high and will allow you to be able to carry the heavier things you need
- Sturdy, painted steel frame is quite durable
- Comes with a carry bag for transportation purposes
- Ergonomic shaped handle for a more comfortable pulling experience
- No assembly of this unit is required, it is ready to go when it arrives
Cons:
- The higher price point of this cart may be out of reach for some people
- Some people may not like the fact that so much fabric is used in this design
Verdict:
If you don’t mind the fact that this cart contains a lot of fabric, this is a quality cart that is capable of holding your beach toys with ease.
There are some very nice side walls on this unit, which helps to make sure that everything stays nice and secure.
If you are willing to pay the higher price tag that this unit has, this cart is meant to be a solid portable design and should last you for a long time as long as you take good care of it.
Tommy Bahama Terrain Beach Cart with Wheels Review
If you want to make sure that you get something nice and new, this cart could very well be an option for you.
This cart comes in a blue as well as a light blue design.
The cart is largely made out of a fabric material, but the actual frame of the cart is made up of metal.
This cart is designed to offer you a pretty large amount of storage space and comes with a cooler so that you can keep your food and drinks nice and cold.
The best thing about this unit is that it is available for a pretty cheap price point, which definitely helps make this unit appealing to more people.
Pros:
- The unit offers 15 cubic feet of storage space, large enough to be able to store four chairs
- Large 10” rear wheels on this cart allow you to be able to move the cart across sand with ease
- This cart is capable of folding down flat for storage purposes and measures up at 27″ W x 32″ L x 10″ D when it is folded
- The unit is capable of being able to hold up to 100 lbs at one time
- The steel frame of this unit is powder coated to make is more durable
- The unit has a very nice handle, which uses a cushioned design to make it more comfortable to use
- There is an umbrella holder on this unit and a cooler to store food and drinks
Cons:
- Some people may not like the fabric design of this cart
- Small wheels on the front of the cart may get stuck in the sand
Verdict:
If you want a cart that is fairly durable, but extremely good for storage purposes, then this is the one for you.
It is nice to actually be able to have some say as to what shade of blue you want as well, as most companies don’t offer that option.
This cart can certainly hold a good amount of weight and the built in cooler makes this unit extremely convenient.
This unit is without a doubt, a very good buy at this lower price point and definitely a major beach cart competitor in the market.
Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible Folding Beach Cart with Wheels
If you have a high budget for a beach cart and you want a portable wagon design, then this beach cart could be exactly the thing you are looking for.
The cart is capable of folding down to the small size of 31.5″ x 21.4″ x 9.7 inches.
It is designed to be light weight so that it is easy to pick up and store in your vehicle.
There are some pretty large wheels on this unit which allow it to be able to travel across soft sand with ease.
In fact, we think that this is the best beach cart for soft sand.
One thing that you might like the most about this unit is that it comes in both a black as well as a blue design in order to suit your personal preferences.
Pros:
- The design is built so that it can fold up and setup in a matter of seconds
- Side walls on this unit help to keep all of your belongings nicely secured
- The handle on this unit is adjustable, so that you can use it in a position that is comfortable for you
- This unit is actually capable of holding up to 150 lbs of stuff at one time
- There are two mesh cup holders on this unit, which allow you to be able to hold beverages as you need
- Steel frame design is painted and is quite durable
- Meant to be a multi-purpose cart so that you can use it both at the beach and around your home
Cons:
- You may not like that a large portion of fabric is used in the design of this beach cart
- The high price point of this beach cart may be out of reach for some people
Verdict:
As long as you don’t mind the fabric design of this cart, it is still capable of carrying a lot of weight and will safely be able to bring your beach stuff from place to place.
This is a great cart for throwing in the back of your vehicle as it does fold down to quite a small size so that you can store it or transport it around as you need.
If you are willing to pay the higher price tag that this unit possesses, it is unlikely that you will be disappointed with this user friendly design.
To Conclude:
Hopefully after reading this article you now feel as though you have a better idea as to what sorts of things you may want to look for in a beach cart of your own.
Even if you didn’t like the carts in the product review section of our article, it is a good idea to at least take a look at the features that are available in different price ranges.
Doing so will help to familiarize you with some of the most common features that are available, so that you can make sure you get a good deal for your money.
Best of luck with your beach cart shopping and hope that you get yourself an awesome cart!
Image by Michael Coghlan/Flickr CC2.0 license
