Getting beach ready

Some trending beach accessories help customers have loads of fun.

Visitors who come to your seaside town are there to relax and play at the beach, and as a retailer you can help them get the most out of their excursion with products that can elevate their experience.

A wide range of products are on the wholesale market designed to add fun and comfort as well as make toting all those fun items a little bit easier. Here are just some of the innovative products on the market that might give your customers a little added enjoyment out of their beach vacation.

No more towel troubles

Described as a game changer for all beachgoers, Ani Davtyan, director of marketing, Lay & Stay Beach Towels, says, “Customers love the no-hassle, innovative and simple way of keeping their towel right where they placed it on the beach without using random things to hold it down.”

And new in 2024, the company is launching lounge/beach chair bands to keep towels from slipping off.

Riviera Towel Company’s Turkish towels are Oeko-Tex Certified.

Davtyan anticipates compact accessories and eco-friendly towels and materials will be in high demand in 2024. “People are also loving lightweight and easy products in terms of packing, unpacking and traveling with it to the beach,” she adds. “Lastly, they are looking for great new ways to help sustain and improve the environment, and that’s exactly what we are working on.”

Colorful stripes and customization are top trends Riviera Towel Company Co-founder Albert DiPadova is seeing.

The towel company, which also gives back 5% of profits to marine agencies prewashes its towels for softness.

Environment is also a high priority. “Our Turkish Towels are Oeko-Tex Certified to not contain any harmful chemicals” DiPadova says.

Hassle-free shade

“We saw a gap in the market and set out to drop a fresh, hassle-free solution that would allow beach umbrellas to stay securely anchored in the sand,” explains Annieva Conlon, co-founder of Anchor Works. “Our flagship gem, the AnchorONE — a patented beach umbrella stabilizer — hit the market and immediately made waves.”

For the ultimate experience in beach leisure, she suggests pairing Anchor Works’ Classic Beach Umbrella with the matching color AnchorONE for a secure and balanced beach setup.

“The combination of Anchor Works’ Classic Beach Umbrella and AnchorONE Beach Umbrella Stabilizer work in harmony, ensuring your umbrella remains securely anchored as you unwind and enjoy the beach,” she says.

She says customers appreciate the reliable sunshade it brings. “The smart, functional design, coupled with cool extras like the spade and convenience tray embodies the laid-back yet thoughtful Anchor Works style,” notes Conlon.

This year, Anchor Works is introducing its latest innovation — the Deluxe Marketstyle All-in-One Beach Umbrella and Anchor Kit. According to Conlon, the new product takes wind resistance and beach security to the next level.

While the AnchorONE remains a crucial component, the beach umbrella has undergone a transformation, becoming slimmer and sharper.

“What sets this product apart is not just its ability to cut through the wind seamlessly but also its unbelievably sleek and compact setup, delivering ample shade that stays put,” says Conlon.

Floating fun

Lay & Stay towels come with securing stakes to keep things simple at the beach.

The company’s range of products includes foam water mats, inflatable water pads, inflatable water pads with mesh, inflatable jet ski dock, inflatable hydrofoil dock, inflatable stand-up paddle boards, electric motorized fin for stand-up paddle boards, inflatable fenders/bumpers, inflatable dog ramp, inflatable chair, bungee dock line, microfiber towels, drinking mugs and more.

Hayden says, “Inflatable water pads are the latest craze as they are much easier to store than traditional rolled foam water mats.”

The company’s 6-foot-by-10-foot inflatable water pad weighs 33 pounds “and can hold an army,” he says. The pad stows away in a closet and can fit in the front seat of a car.

According to Hayden, “Splash Islands” are the newest in the fleet of flotation platforms with eye-catching center mesh. “What looks like a trampoline is designed as a safety net to feel more comfortable afloat and also keeps sea critters away,” he says. “Being able to stand or sit on the edges allows users to float comfortably on the most buoyant water pad made.”

In 2024, Paradise Pad is introducing its 6-foot-by-12-foot Splash Pad. Hayden says the inflatable frame with a mesh surface in the middle offers a unique and enjoyable experience.

“It combines comfort, support and a refreshing sensation, allowing you to relax, cool off and enjoy the water beneath you while lounging,” says Hayden.

The inflatable dog ramp is also a hit for families that bring their furry friend on the boat or dock and struggle to lift them out of the water, he adds.

“The list of innovations in leisure lifestyle at the lake, river and ocean continues to grow in rapid tides,” says Hayden. “From never seen before flotation platforms to simple accessories that complement lifestyles on the water, there’s a new way to float.”

Staying hydrated

The company offers eight different styles of coolers that can be carried on someone’s back. Each style comes in unique sizes and colors, with different functions based on group size, beach destination or activities.

The Classic cooler is the original ICEMULE and is available in four sizes: Mini 9L, Small 10L, Medium 15L and Large 20L. It features a removable sling strap and can be rolled up small, making it easy to pack so you can carry a premium cooler with you for your next beach vacation.

The Jaunt is the backpack version of the Classic, offering the same features and functions in two sizes: 9L and 15L, plus it has the added feature of a front pocket for carrying a phone or wallet. The R-Jaunt is a version of the Jaunt made from recycled materials, available in the 20L size.

The Pro cooler comes in two sizes: 23L and 33L. It is the larger option of the two, providing ample space for a whole family to bring drinks and food to the beach.

Lastly, the ICEMULE BOSS 30L is ideal for fishing enthusiasts. It includes three exterior pockets for storing tackle gear and other fishing essentials.

“Our best sellers are the Classic Medium, Jaunt 15L and Pro Large 23L. Customers and retailers love them because of their versatility, comfort and portability,” says company spokesperson Duffy Flynn. “You can use them for a wide range of activities, they are easy to use, easy to carry, and easy to pack. Plus they all roll up, allowing you to pack them in a suitcase for travel. This is all made possible by the patented IM air valve.”

And there is no doubt people are using these innovative coolers by the water. ICEMULE surveyed its customers from the last 365 days and found that 73.5% of them are using their cooler at the beach.

Keeping phones afloat

ICEMULE has eight easy-to-carry, easy-to-pack coolers for beachgoers.

“We have a thermally protective phone case that will keep your phone from getting zapped in the sun. It also floats and is submersible so it’s a great place to stash your phone on the beach or the water,” says John Rosenberg, founder and CEO. “We also have a clear case that is submersible down to 100 feet and you can use your phone through it. This is great for use on or under the water so you can take photos.”

The company’s best seller is the original Cold Case. Rosenberg says, “Our customers and retailers love it because it provides a simple, no-fuss solution for protecting your phone from the sand, sun, water and heat. They love the magnetic closure because it makes it so simple to operate.”

AquaVault is also helping beachgoers with their phones. “FlexSafe is a portable travel safe that we invented after having our valuables stolen while going for a swim,” explains Jonathan Kinas, co-founder and managing partner. “It locks to a lounge chair with a custom three-digit combination and it's the ultimate way to lock up your valuables while going for a swim.”

AquaVault also invented a credit card sized portable charger to charge your phone called a Charge Card.
“It’s so thin that it fits in the credit card slot of your wallet. It charges both iPhones and Androids and the cables are even built-in,” explains Kinas.

Holding up to the demands

The tote can also be enhanced with extra accessories, according to Jordain Foster, sales manager, Simply Southern, “such as charms and pouches in different sizes, which can be affixed to the interior or exterior of your bag.”

Lugging in luxury

The 25-year-old, Florida-based, family-owned company just rebranded from as Kahuna Outfitters from Alumicart. Among its innovations is the Electric Big Kahuna motorized beach wagon. The wagon is powered with a 48-volt lithium-ion battery with a fully enclosed direct gear drive with differential.

“The main thing with our stuff is that everything we build is made of high-quality aluminum, which means it is going to be lightweight, it is going to be able to hold real heavy payloads. It is never going to rust, and it is going to last you year after year after year,” says Jennifer Knoebel, vice president. “Our stuff is kind of like the Rolls-Royce of beach wagons. You buy one and you never have to buy one again.”

The wagons come with either big balloon tires that can navigate the sand or turf tires for the pier or home.
“All of our hardware is stainless steel, which just goes along with the fact that our biggest feature is just the overall quality,” adds Knoebel.

With the Big Kahuna beach wagon, beachgoers only have to make one trip from the car. It can fit coolers, beach gear, plus it has chair-holder attachments so you don’t have to put the chair in the wagon and can have space for other items. Accessories like cutting boards and tabletops with cup holders, mean the wagon can serve multiple purposes.

Get your customers ready for the beach days ahead with innovative products that can make their lives easier and add sales to your store.