How much of a twat would I be to get a beach cart?

[milesmachine]

Going on UK beach holiday in July. 2 kids 2 & 4. Plan on taking lunch with us plus all the usual towels, some foldable chairs, drinks, buckets and space, changing bag etc etc (might take DH too 😄)

I've been eyeing one of these up. Something like the attached

But....how useful are they and will I look like an utter twat??

@milesmachine that's because unless going for a planned day out most locals keep the basic beach essentials in the car all year. Still useful if you have little ones and need lots of stuff.

Nowadays now DD is bigger the wetsuits and body boards live in the back of the car from May half term to October and beach visits are generally spontaneous after school/shopping etc.

Look at garden carts, some of them have wider wheels.

www.argos.co.uk/product/7989825?clickPR=plp:2:17

We bought this recently when we quickly had to find something to transport one of our dogs on a long hike which included all kinds of terrain getting to a beach and along the beach for a family day out so that he wasn't left at home.

The cart coped with everything. No idea of longevity as we only bought it to use for that day.

Anytime I've seen people with these, they are desperately trying to heave them along whilst everyone else just walks off up the beach.

DH carries all our stuff and has being laden with chairs, parasol, picnic basket etc down to a fine art.

I live in a very middle class coastal area. Loads of people have them.

Ours is like the photo but with wider wheels. We have wet suits, body boards, camping chairs, beach toys, sun cream, snacks, water bottles, lunch and loads if other stuff in it. If you’re walking too and from the beach I always take the kids dressing gowns for them to put on for the journey home.

I want one of these but wooden, to carry children in. I can't find one anywhere.

My kids are too old now, but we always preferred to travel as light as possible.
Each to their own of course but we would from age 3/4 get each child to carry a small backpack plus bucket and spade and wear a poncho towel to walk down to the beach. Dh would carry the windbreak. We also take a small picnic rug and sandwiches. Didn’t take a big lunch as we would usually buy ice creams and/or chips. I’d have a bag with my book, the sun cream, wipes and a couple of nappies if needed. Never bothered with chairs would sit in the sand. It always seemed more hassle to take loads of stuff.

If you’re in Cornwall you’ll fit in perfectly. Even more so if you set up a square beach sitting room using windbreaks and sit in it facing away from the sea.

Here's the one you want...
https://www.trail.co.uk/folding-beach-trolley?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwmMayBhDuARIsAM9HM8dcXjR6xMdFSPbEDCZsq9VT6iu-vQay6t9HS8nBWeQFWHe7vQj16rEaAhx_EALw_wcB

In Devon now with ours. Absolutely brilliant and these wheels work well on the sand. We cart the 3/5year old around in it, plus beach tent, chairs etc with body boards on backs.

I've seen loads at music festivals.

I should add, kids generally make it down the path to the beach, but this gets them back when tired and whiny at the end of the day :-) Yes, heavy to pull (depending on what you put in it) but with 3 kids, absolutely, incredibly useful. Thin wheeled ones would be useless. This one gets pulled through the river that flows out across the sand when needed too. Best investment.

I have one and it’s brilliant. Easy to pull along. It’s worth the investment!

They are fantastic, get the widest tires you can find

We always used my kids’ Radio Flyer trolley. USA style iconic red one. It was one of their best toys and useful for so much else. We had the fat tyre version.

We have this one.

You won't look like a twat lots of people are using them here in Cornwall.

TOP TIP: much easier to pull on wet sand than dry.

I saw some metalhead parents at a festival who had rigged up a sunshade over a cart like that to transport their mini-metalhead preschoolers and probably their beer stash around without said mini-metalheads getting sunburnt or the beer getting warm.

My immediate thought wasn't "what twats" nor "how middle-class", but "how sensible" and my second thought was "I wish I had one of those to cart my tent etc from the car to the campsite".

I saw loads of Canadians with them loaded up with picnics and beer going over to Toronto island one summer.

It must only be the British that thinks they're wanky. Other nationalities use them as the utility carts they were designed for.

Just get one, OP. Don't worry want others think.

We have one with big fat wheels and we use it loads in the summer getting stuff from the car to the beach. I've even used it camping when the car park is a long way from the pitches. I think the fatter wheels are better on the sand than the narrow wheels.

If it means you take all your stuff home and don't leave in on the beach for other people to clear up/trip over knock yourself out.

Wonderful stuff all, thanks for the validation!

I always try to travel light but with a 2 year old still in nappies, need for shade and the constant ask for snacks/drinks etc, I always fail.

Our buggy is great (out n about) but what tends to happen is the youngest wants to sit in it, the oldest wants to stand on the board and we end up carrying all our stuff and dragging a very heavy buggy with 2 off the beach!

I really like the one linked by @MumOfThreeChaos and good to know it's been tried and tested on a beach. Does it fold up small? This might be the one!

We use one for getting Paddleboards, towels and picnic down to the beach.

I saw someone pulling their children home in one today from my beach. Looked cute. Not twatish at all.

Just to say I can’t think of much less middle class when it comes to holidays than going on a UK beach with one of these… so if that is your concern then I don’t think it’s something you need to worry about!!

Who cares. Maybe people are middle class. So much judgement. So people need to struggle so they're not judged by the random local strangers? I take mine to my local beach etc. I am the local!

@milesmachine it's compact and easy to fold down but I guess small is relative to the size of your car. :-) we really rate it. Dimensions probably available online. Have fun!