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Bags & Luggage
L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Bag
by L.L. Bean
93
8 endorsements on r/BuyItForLife first recommended in Jan 2025
A heavy canvas tote bag from L.L. Bean, originally made to carry ice blocks and now a classic everyday and travel carry-all.
Added Jul 5, 2026, Updated Jul 6, 2026
Why it's buy-it-for-life
Cited as a classic multi-generational gift — the canvas gets more comfortably worn in and practical the longer it's used. Owners report decades of hard daily use: one has served as a stone mason's rugged work bag for 10 years with only a single frayed edge, another has hauled gear of all kinds for 28 years, and others are still going strong after 15-20 years, including secondhand finds.
What redditors say
Recommended on reddit as recently as July 2025
Show 2 more mentions
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
Tried and true
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
(3) LL Bean canvas tote bag.
Tags
tote-bag canvas made-in-usa gift multi-generational durable
people getting gifted LL Bean Boat and Totes and the bags just getting more comfortably worn in and practical as the years go by
He's been using it as a "work bag" for the last 10 years. ... it has one frayed edge.
I got mine as a "freecycle" on the curb 15 years ago. Still going strong
Mine is 28 years old, and has been used to haul diapers, toys, fireplace wood, beach gear, weekend trip stuff, tools, lawn bowling kit, sports gear
I got one at the thrift store a while back. It's great!
I've seen my mom carry the same red ones for over two decades