L.L.Bean's Zip Hunter's Tote Is the Only Carryall You Need | WIREDSkip to main contentMenuSECURITYPOLITICSTHE BIG STORYBUSINESSSCIENCECULTUREREVIEWSMenuAccountAccountNewslettersBest Android TabletsBest Smart RingsDyson VacuumsSmart Home SecurityChoose the Right LaptopDeals DeliveredSecurityPoliticsThe Big StoryBusinessScienceCultureReviewsChevronMoreExpandThe Big InterviewMagazineEventsWIRED InsiderWIRED ConsultingNewslettersPodcastsVideoLivestreamsMerchSearchSearchMichael CaloreGearMay 23, 2026 7:01 AML.L.Bean’s Rugged, Water-Resistant Carryall Is the Only Tote Bag You NeedIts do-it-all thermoplastic lining can both carry gear through wet muck and transport wet, mucky groceries home from the store.Courtesy of L.L. BeanCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyAs we get out of the house, the gear-obsessed WIRED Reviews team is writing about our favorite bags and EDCs. Today, reviewer Michael Calore raves about his do-it-all L.L.Bean tote bag. You can also check out other Bag Check stories where WIRED writers share their carryall of choice.Every single Sunday morning, I roll my electric cargo bike out of the garage and pedal it to the food co-op just over a mile from my house, my shopping companion in tow: a heavy zip-up tote bag from L.L.Bean with a reinforced bottom and a water-resistant lining. I do my weekly shop there, picking up enough groceries and staples to last me and my wife a full seven days.The place, Rainbow Grocery, is an old-school hippie co-op that's been in San Francisco since 1975. All of the produce is organic, and—as is typical of the way natural-food purveyors sell food—the fruits and vegetables aren't bagged or wrapped in cellophane, the way you'd find things at, say, a Kroger or an Albertsons. Rather, Rainbow is closer to a farmer's market than a supermarket; the chicories are dewy, the chanterelles are dusted with decaying leaves, and the beets are messy with earth. It's the type of food that really feels like somebody used their hands to pull it out of the ground. All of my provisions go directly into my trusty Zip Hunter's Tote Bag.Courtesy of L.L. BeanCourtesy of L.L. BeanChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistL. L. BeanZip Hunter's Tote Bag With Strap$65 L.L.Bean (Large)$60 L.L.Bean (Medium)$70 L.L.Bean (Extra-Large)The Zip Hunter's practicality and durability is seemingly unending: Its beefy handles make it comfortable to lift on and off the cargo bike, even when I've stuffed the bag beyond its capacity. And no matter how much mud or grit or schmutz is on the parsnips, turnips, and daikon radishes I carry home, I can just rinse the bag out and hang it to dry.Photograph: Michael CaloreThe walls of the bag are tough enough, made from 1,200-denier polyester, which is heavy-duty and water-resistant, not to mention so rugged that it's nearly indestructible. I've checked it as luggage on a dozen or so flights, and it doesn't show any scuffs or tears. The zipper at the top isn't sealed, but it's heavier than it needs to be and works just fine in the rain. What truly sets the bag apart, though, is its lining. The whole interior of the tote is coated with a thin layer of thermoplastic, further increasing its imperviousness to moisture.Photograph: Michael CalorePhotograph: Michael CaloreNow, of course, the purpose of this kind of lining is to keep the contents dry when you use the bag in a wet environment, like on a canoe trip, on a rainy bike ride, or on a duck hunt in the Maine wilderness. And surely, I have used the bag in a canoe and on many a rainy bike ride (I've never been on a duck hunt), and the goods inside have indeed always remained intact. I even trust the bag enough to carry electronics and musical equipment to the office or studio on drizzly mornings. But for me, the utility the bag provides is more so the opposite: it's an excellent place to cleanly transport items that are, themselves, muddy, wet, or slimy.For example, I've taken the bag car camping several times. Once, I used it to pack my tent, ground cloth, boots, and rain shell. On the last day of the trip, it poured outside, and upon it being time to head home, my rain jacket and tent were soaked, the ground cloth was dotted with wet pine needles and flecks of bark, and my boots had a thick layer of Mendocino, California, muck in the tread. I crammed all of those items in the Hunter's Tote, zipped it up, and tossed it into the back seat of my rental car. The interior lining kept the mess inside, saving the rental car’s tuck-and-roll upholstery. Back home, I emptied the tote, flipped it inside out, and blasted out all the forest flooring with a hose.There are two heavy plastic tabs on the edges of the tote, one at each end of the zipper. This is where the shoulder strap clips in. I've never really used the strap (honestly, it just gets in the way), but those tabs are great for hanging the tote to dry after rinsing it out.The Hunter's Tote comes in three sizes. I have the largest, the XL, which has a capacity of 53 liters. (That's huge for a tote bag.) I prefer the larger size because when you set the reinforced bottom on a flat surface and prop the mouth of the bag open, you have a generous flat bottom inside of 10 by 19 inches. All that room really makes the bag more versatile, so my recommendation is to go large.Also, just know there are no frills here: no exterior pockets, no padding, no laptop sleeve. Just a rugged carrier that's ready for your dirtiest work. Whether you're carrying twelvers of La Croix or bagging Buffleheads, it's indispensable.Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that's too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.CommentsBack to topTriangleYou Might Also LikeHow to find us: Add WIRED.com to your preferred sources in GoogleHow the Canvas hack threatened thousands of schoolsBig Story: I've covered robots for years—this one is eerily lifelikeOrbs, saucers, and flashes on the moon—here’s what’s in the UFO filesTake our survey: What does “home” mean to you?Michael Calore oversees WIRED's coverage of consumer technology and internet culture. As a writer, he covers a range of topics including music, film, art, software, and underground culture. ... Read MoreDirector, Consumer Tech and CultureblueskyInstagramTopicsBagsgearShoppingrants and ravesTraveloutdoorsBag CheckRead MoreThe Best Memorial Day Deals on Gear We LoveMemorial Day isn’t until Monday, but sales on our favorite gear are going on all weekend.Louryn StrampeThe Best Carry-On Suitcases for Avoiding Baggage ClaimI feel about luggage carousels the same way I feel about head lice: avoid at all costs. 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The L.L.Bean Zip Hunter's Tote Bag is presented as an indispensable, multi-functional carryall distinguished by its ruggedness and material construction, positioning it as the only solution for carrying various types of goods. The bag incorporates a do-it-all thermoplastic lining that provides significant water resistance, allowing it to successfully transport gear through wet environments, such as muddy conditions or rain, or to carry wet groceries from the store. Michael Calore’s experience highlights the practical utility of this design, noting that the bag’s interior lining ensures that contents remain dry when used in wet settings like canoe trips or rainy bike rides, and even when used for less strenuous activities like transporting electronics.

The structural integrity of the tote is derived from heavy-duty materials, specifically 1200-denier polyester walls, which are characterized as both water-resistant and nearly indestructible, having withstood exposure to various elements during travel. Furthermore, the bag features a reinforced bottom, enhancing its capacity and resilience. The design prioritizes utility over ornamentation, deliberately omitting features such as exterior pockets, padding, or laptop sleeves, emphasizing its role as a purely rugged carrier prepared for demanding tasks. The robust handles are also designed for comfort, enabling the user to manage heavy loads, even when the bag is overstuffed.

The thermoplastic coating, which lines the interior of the tote, is crucial to the bag’s superior performance in wet conditions, effectively maintaining the integrity of the contents when exposed to moisture. This material science allows the bag to function effectively for transporting items that are themselves muddy, wet, or slimy, exemplified by its use in packing gear saturated with water and mud, such as camping equipment and boots. The bag's capacity varies across three sizes, including a large size with a substantial capacity of 53 liters, which is recommended for maximum versatility due to its generous flat bottom, providing ample space for organized transport. The presence of heavy plastic tabs on the edges of the zipper also serves a practical function by allowing the tote to be hung to dry after rinsing.