With the sun in your hair and your toes in the sand, there’s no better way to enjoy a beautiful day than a trip to the beach. But, to fully enjoy your excursion, you need to be ready for anything the day might bring, which means packing all the beach day must-haves like towels, chairs, sunscreen, and more.
In this guide, we’ll lay out everything you need for an unforgettable day on the beach, including a packing list of all the essentials and a REEF style guide of the beach-friendly footwear, apparel, and accessories to complete your beach day look.
What to Pack for a Day at the Beach
Nothing can ruin a good beach day, except realizing that you forgot an essential item like sunscreen, towels, or sunglasses at home.
To help you prep for a fun day in the sun, we’ve put together an ultimate beach day packing list. We’ve covered everything from must-have safety items to leisure and play so you can sit back and enjoy the beach without any worry that you’ve left anything crucial behind.
Here’s what you’ll need to pack:
Finding the Perfect Beach Sandals
Everyone knows that having the right footwear is an essential part of any trip to the beach. So, once you’ve gathered all the essentials, make sure you have a pair of beach-ready sandals ready to slip on.
1. Features to Look for in Beach Sandals
The best beach sandals are versatile–they are made with water-friendly materials, feature stylish designs, comfortable, and durable.
Between loading up your car with the essentials, trekking down to the beach, and protecting your feet from the hot sand, you need a dependable and supportive pair of sandals that can keep up with all the excitement of a beach day.
Beach sandals should dry quickly to prevent irritation, and help you traverse over rocks, sand, and boardwalks comfortably. But, you shouldn’t have to compromise on style, either.
When you shop at REEF.com, you can find sandals that offer both optimal performance and comfort, plus are made with trendy and stylish designs that you can wear on and off the beach.
2. Stylish REEF Women's Platform Sandals
Platform sandals are the pinnacle of summer beach style. This fashion-forward footwear choice may seem like it’s all for looks, but the chunky platform offers added bounce, rebound, and protection while navigating the beach.
Water Vista Higher
The Water Vista Higher sandal is a visual show-stopper, though features practical design elements like an added lug design on the outsole for extra durability and traction. Made from flexible and water-friendly materials with an adjustable velcro closure and lightweight compression molded EVA footbed for a super soft and bouncy feel. Available in 3 classic colorways and 4 online exclusive colorways.
3. Flatforms for a Trendy Look
Platform sandals aren’t for everyone, so flatforms are another option for beach-goers who want to feel fashionable and stylish but still enjoy all the functionality and versatility that a good beach sandal needs.
Water Vista
The Water Vista flatform sandal is a versatile beach footwear option that is quick to dry but still comfy when wet. Made with a fashion-forward design and espadrille-inspired texture that looks great in any setting. Available in 7 classic colorways and 1 online exclusive color.
4. Comfort is Essential
If high comfort is what you’re after, REEF has you covered. While we design comfortability into all of our styles, the following sandals are made with a comfort-first design, offering a gentle, supportive feel that your feet will appreciate for those long treks to and from the beach.
Water Vista Slide
Enjoy the Water Vista Slide, a casual version of our popular Water Vista sandal with an easy two-strap slide design Made with lightweight, water-friendly materials and a dual-density compression-molded footbed for great rebound and all-day comfort Available in 3 colorways
Cushion Breeze
The Cushion Breeze flip-flop is a classic REEF style with pillowy footbed cushions for maximum comfort Designed with a soft webbing strap liner that’s gentle on the skin and a flexible rubber sponge outsole for superior support Available in 4 colorways
5. Men’s Beach Footwear: Stylish and Functional
Men can also find the perfect pair of beach footwear at REEF. With versatile styles, optimal comfort and support, and water-friendly designs, we have options to fit any man’s needs and preferences.
Raglan
The Raglan is water-friendly and designed with a sleek and modern silhouette, perfect for all your beach day activities Made with a deep contour footbed that offers ridiculously soft bouncy comfort, this is an easy-on easy-off fit that provides you with the traction and support you need Available in 3 colorways
Fanning
The Fanning is REEF’s hardest-working flip-flop, inspired by surfing great Mick Fanning and featuring a built-in bottle opener for added practicality on beach trips Designed with a compression molded footbed and heel airbag, offering a level of comfort and support you didn’t know was possible in a beach sandal Available in 10 classic colorways and 2 online exclusive colorways
Draftsmen
REEF’s Draftsmen flip flops are made from responsibly sourced leather for durability and style. A focus on arch support makes these premium sandals the perfect daily wear. Like the Fanning, includes a built-in bottle opener in the sole so you can always crack a cold one. Available in 2 leather shades
Cushion Dawn
The Cushion Dawn sandals are an easy-going, water-friendly footwear option to take your beach comfort to the next level Offers a squishy footbed and water-friendly vegan leather straps so you never have to worry about irritation or discomfort when you get them wet Available in 3 colorways
Beach-Ready Clothing from REEF
REEF footwear has been beach-goers’ favorites for decades, but that’s not all we do. You can shop REEF.com for all things beach from head to toe–including men’s boardshorts, stylish cover-ups and dresses for women, and much more!
Take a look at some of the customer favorites to consider adding to your wardrobe ahead of the summer season.
1. Swimwear Options
No day on the beach is complete without practical yet stylish swimwear, which is exactly what you’ll find when shopping our incredible lineup of men’s boardshorts.
Here are some of our favorites:
Robbie Boardshort 19”
Featuring a classic surf style, the Robbie Boardshort is a REEF best-seller with its tropical print and fixed waist. Made with 4-way stretch fabric for unrestricted movement whether you’re in the water or on the sand. Includes a hidden bungee in the rear velcro pocket to keep your keys secure. Available in 2 colorways.
Gardner Boardshort 19”
If patterns aren’t your thing, check out the Gardner Boardshort, a timeless take on our classic boardshort. Featuring a DWR coating so the fabric dries quickly when you hop out of the water. Made with a textured slub that’s woven to create a subtle and stylish stripe effect.
Casey Stripe Boardshort 17”
The Casey Stripe Boardshort is a playful swimwear choice in a bold and bright pattern. Designed with a fixed waist so your shorts stay put exactly where you like them.
2. Cover-Ups and Dresses
We also have swoon-worthy beach attire for the ladies, including versatile cover-ups and dresses so you can transition from the beach to the town without a second thought.
Check out these incredible styles:
Ollie Stripe Shirt Dress
The Ollie Stripe Shirt Dress is the quintessential beach attire, designed with a coastal pattern and coconut buttons. Made with a button-up design so you can wear it fastened up as a dress or open and slung over your shoulders as a casual coverup. Available in 2 colorways.
Mika Sweater Short
Offering just the right amount of coverage and comfort, the Mika Sweater Short will quickly become your go-to on beach days. Crafted with an open knit and self drawcord, making it an ideal cover-up while also being stylish and charming. Available in 2 colors.
Mika Knit Cardigan
The Mika Knit Cardigan is made with a trendy cropped, boxy fit that’s effortlessly stylish and endlessly cozy. Pair it with the Mika Sweater Short for the ultimate beach-ready cover-up set . Available in 2 colors.
Coast Short
For shorts that are a little more sporty, the Coast Short is versatile and ready for action Made with a high rise and relaxed fit for ultimate beach day comfort, paired with a 4-way stretch fabric for great mobility. Available in 2 colorways.
3. Sun Protection Apparel
We can all agree that basking in the sun’s warmth after a dip in the sea feels incredible. But, too much sun is no fun, leading to painful burns, premature aging, and more.
Luckily, you can still enjoy a guilt-free trip to the beach with the help of sun protection apparel from REEF, including:
Crest Zip Up Long Sleeve Surf Shirt
The Crest Zip Up Long Sleeve Surf Shirt has a UPF 40+ coating to protect your skin against UV radiation from the sun. Made with super stretch double jersey and raglan shoulders so you don’t have to compromise on having a full range of motion for more sun protection. Available in 2 colorways.
Ellsworth Surf Shirt
Men can check out the Ellsworth Surf Shirt with 50 UPF for the ultimate protection from the elements. Designed with a unique stretch jersey that’s quick to dry and moves with you for enhanced mobility.
Bramble Utility Short
If you thought only shirts came in sun-protectant materials, check out the men’s Bramble Utility Short with UPF 40. Featuring a versatile design and fit for all-day wear on and off the sand, including quick-dry technology, stain resistance, and sun protection. Available in 2 colors.
Mixing and Matching: Creating Your Beach Look
REEF offers practical beachwear essentials that help you look effortlessly stylish, while still offering the functionality you need for an active day in the sand and sea, and any other activities the day might bring you.
From footwear to cover-ups, boardshorts, and beyond, there are an endless number of ways to mix and match our pieces to create an ensemble that speaks to your personal style. Plus, if you want to look like you walked straight out of a surfing magazine, finish off your look with some of our customer-favorite beach accessories.
For instance, women can turn heads by coordinating our Water Vista Higher sandals in Black Vintage with the Mika Knit Cardigan and Sweater Shorts set, completed with the Maddy Baseball Cap in Caviar.
Men can look just as stylish by pairing the Ellsworth Surf Shirt with the Robbie Boardshort, Draftsmen sandals, and Downpour Straw Hat or Sammy Sun Hat in Thyme.
(Conclusion)
Set yourself up for a fun day in the sand by bringing along the essentials we listed in this guide. What you pack to the beach can make or break your trip, so make sure to bring the basics like towels, water, and sunscreen, as well as extras like beach chairs, games, and speakers.
When you’re getting ready to head to the beach, don’t overlook the importance of wearing comfortable and stylish apparel, footwear, and accessories–all of which you can find from REEF.
Kick off your summertime adventures by shopping REEF.com for all your 2024 beachwear needs.