Dejaroo Beach Bag Review

We purchased the Dejaroo Beach Bag so our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and assess it. Keep reading for our full product review.

A beach bag isn’t an overly complicated piece of summer gear, and the Dejaroo Mesh Beach Bag is a simple and functional solution for carrying small beach supplies. I’m not a huge fan of tanning in the sun in a swimsuit, but I do like sitting in a beach chair in the sand while reading or hanging with friends. And that usually means I have a lot of small items to carry, ranging from an e-reader to a hat and sunglasses to a long-sleeve shirt and extra sunscreen (hey, I’m pale.) So having a separate beach bag is essential, lest my regular laptop backpack fill up with sand. 

I tested the very affordable Dejaroo Mesh Beach Bag to see if the price makes it too good to be true. Here’s my feedback after testing it in three countries and putting it through several long beach days. 

Design: Classic styling with tons of pockets

There’s nothing exceptionally creative about the Degaroo Mesh Beach Bag’s design, but there doesn’t need to be. It has a large center storage area for bigger items like beach towels and blankets, plus smaller exterior pockets and a zippered inside pocket for a phone or wallet.

Beyond that, it’s an attractive enough design. It comes in dozens of color combinations, ranging from a matches-with-everything black to a colorful blue-and-neon-green option. Unfortunately, the dual straps aren’t adjustable, but the length was adequate: long enough to sling over my shoulder, but not so long that the bag drags on the ground when holding it with one hand. 

I do wish it maintained its shape a bit better as it slouches over on itself when empty or packed unevenly, but bracing the sides would likely add weight and bulk to the otherwise lightweight design.

Material: Goodbye to backpacks full of sand

We like having a separate dedicated beach tote to avoid getting sand in the same bag we use to carry our groceries and computers; no one wants sand stuck in their charging port. Fortunately, the Dejaroo team seems to have put that concern front-and-center in selecting materials for this bag. Rather than being a solid fabric, it’s a thinly woven mesh from top to bottom. The weave is wide enough to ensure any sand (or dirt, if you’re using it at a park or picnic) that makes its way in falls out with a gentle shake but tight enough to contain small objects like hair ties and a tube of lip balm. On the flip side, this also means everything in your bag will get wet if you get caught in the rain. 

My only gripe with the bag isn’t with the mesh but with the canvas-like white fabric used for the straps. I noticed oil and dirt from my hands quickly dirtied the pure white color. I’d recommend choosing a darker color for the strap so it doesn’t show dirt as quickly. 

Durability: Fine,  if you take a few precautions

We give this bag's durability a neutral rating, though it has made it longer than we expected, especially considering we smashed it into overstuffed suitcases several times. That said, we think it'll last through a summer of heavy use if treated with a bit of care. 

On the first use, we noticed fraying on the stitching around the handles, which are double-layered on top to create extra shoulder padding; however, it hasn't frayed any more since then. We also have some concerns about the mesh and how it may fare against keys, a wine opener, or any number of other sharp objects you may have in your beach bag. We avoided setting it on very rough or rocky surfaces in our testing and tried not to carry anything too heavy. If you're using it for days spent at sandy beaches, you'll probably be fine. But we wouldn't necessarily use it on more active adventures to mountain lakes or rocky shorelines. 

Portability: Lightweight and folds up super small 

We like to fly carry-on only whenever possible, which means our bag for the beach or tropical destinations needs to be both small and lightweight. Fortunately, it's quite easy to toss the Dejaroo bag in my overhead bin suitcase as it folds into an approximately 8 x 8-inch flat cube and slides easily into the front pocket of a roller bag. It weighs less than a deck of cards, so we'd highly recommend it for anyone planning on flying to the beach, especially travelers limited on space. It's much more convenient for travel than our bulky canvas beach bags, especially considering its large enough at 18 x 29 inches to hold several towels, extra shoes, large water bottles, and even a big camera or lunchbox. 

Features: Not bad, but an extra zipper would be nice

The Dejaroo Beach Bag's best features are outlined above—mesh materials and tons of pockets. And that's about the end of it. It's an affordable bag, which means it skimps on features you'd find in more expensive bags like padded sunglasses pockets, insulated areas, or built-in bottle openers. But who really needs those?

Unfortunately, there is one feature we really would like to have, and that's a full zipper across the top. Because the bag does slouch, items near the top can fall out. There's nothing worse than walking 15 minutes back to your car only to realize your phone is still sitting in the sand. It does have one small interior pocket with a zipper, but if the whole bag gets knocked over, expect some of your gear to fall out. 

Price: An unbeatable price, especially given the capacity

Good luck finding a bag more reasonably priced than the Dejaroo Beach Bag, especially given the mesh bottom and eight additional pockets. Add the fact that it's highly packable and comes in a variety of colors, and it's clear why it's so popular. At just over $20, it's worth buying for beach trips and would make a thoughtful gift for friends and family at a beach bachelorette party or summer family reunion. 

Competition: No shortage of alternate options

You’ll find absolutely no shortage of beach bags online ranging from luxurious monogrammed bags to plastic totes you can buy in bulk.

Paravel Cabana Beach Tote: If you want a more luxurious canvas beach bag complete with custom monogramming, check out the uber-trendy and eco-friendly Cabana Beach Tote from Paravel, the latest brand beloved by hip 20- and 30-somethings. They don't have mesh bottoms, but they are totally spillproof—ideal if your beachside mojito takes a tumble (view at Paravel).

Dakine Classic Tote: If you love your canvas tote bags but don’t want to crack the three-figure mark, Dakine makes a tropical beach tote in several different patterns, complete with external pockets and a zippered closure. You can usually find it online for around $40 (view at Amazon). 

Cotopaxi Batac Pack: If it’s portability you care most about, check out the very lightweight and highly packable Batac bag from Cotopaxi, which has multiple zippered sections, backpack straps, and is incredibly easy to wash—just handwash with some detergent and hang to dry (view atCotopaxi).