5 Lightweight Gadgets You'll Want To Take To The Beach

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Sometimes, it can be easy to forget that we're living in the good old days. As we get older, we get more responsibilities and there's never enough time to manage them. However, there are places that are more conducive to helping feel grounded and truly live in the moment, the beach for example. The beach is filled with opportunities for ofactivities for every kind of person — playing water sports, drinking fruity cocktails, reading books under the shade of an umbrella, or just lounging around tanning. Because of this, it's an ideal vacation destination whether you're alone or in a group, especially during the hot summer season.

One of the biggest hassles, however, can be packing all the beach trip necessities. While there are a ton of useful beach gadgets out there, there are also a couple of lightweight options that might be great additions to your cute, summer tote. To help you, we've rounded up some highly-rated (but compact) gadget options that range from tools to help stay cool to those that can help improve some of the annoying experiences that come with a day in the sun. For more details on how we've chosen these items, you can zoom to the end of the article. But if you're in a rush to get some sun, keep reading.

Nothing says "beach" like an army of pool floaties, whether it's a flamingo, giant pizza slice, a mermaid clam, or the classic donut, there's a floatie for everyone. For these, you might want to add the ETENWOLF AIR 3 Air Pump to your cart. Boasting an average rating of 4.5 stars from more than 1,500 Amazon users, it's available in three colors (black, orange, and white) and sells for $29.99. Once you're done blowing up some floaties, the ETENWOLF Air Pump is also useful for inflating (and deflating) mattresses and vacuum bags, which is great if you're doing an overnight beach camping trip. About the size of an egg, it also has a practical flashlight feature, which might save you during a blackout. 

But take note, it is only capable of 0.65 PSI, so it's not suitable for inflating vehicle tires, like cars, ATVs, or bikes. Not to mention, it's not designed to work with balloons or sports balls, like a beach volleyball. If you want a solution that can also help you manage your tire pressure, which is required for driving on the sand in some beach areas, the Ryobi 18V Dual Function Inflator/Deflator might be a better option for you. Designed to blow air at higher pressures, it can also come in handy if you're planning to. While it's not as compact as the ETENWOLF option, this won't really be a problem if you're just planning to leave it in your car anyway.

A the beach, most of us want to have both hands free, whether it's to hold a cocktail or to be able to properly serve a beach volleyball. For this, the Penkou portable neck fan can be the right gadget to keep you cool. Priced at $34.99, it is available in 9 different colors and has an average rating of 4.3 stars from over 12,000 people. With a built-in 4,000 mAh battery, it has an impressive 24 maximum runtime. But take note, this might be cut a little shorter if you opt for its higher speeds.

Apart from being bladeless, the Penkou portable neck fan description also mentions that it's pretty quiet. With a 20 dB noise level, it's basically only as loud as a ticking watch. Not to mention, it does all that while only weighing 8.8 oz, which is about as light as a packet of Lotus Biscoff cookies. That said, if you still find it a little too bulky, we've mentioned other popular hand fans that are great to use in summer heat. For example, if you want something super compact the Jisulife Portable Hand Held Fan, which is half the weight and measures less than 5 inches on its longest side. On the other hand, if you have a lot of space in your car to spare, there are plenty of misting fans which you can attach to buckets for extra cooling effects.

On Amazon, the BLAVOR Solar Charger Power Bank is one of the most popular power bank options with over 39,000 reviewers giving it more or less 4.3 stars on average. Previously, we've mentioned how this particular power bank is also a great solar-powered gadget for emergencies that's affordable. Priced at $26.99, it lets you store energy directly from sunlight, even while walking to the beach. For its output capabilities, it offers two charging mechanisms (Qi Wireless and 20W USB-C fast charging) that lets you power up three devices all at once.

Compared to other brands, it has several features that make it ideal for beach use, like its waterproof silicone outer case. In general, it claims to be pretty durable with an IPX5 rating. That basically means it's okay through strong hose sprays, but not outright submersion. And if you ever find yourself lost outdoors late, it has a built-in flashlight and attached compass as well. 

While it can be a great beach gadget, power banks are never a bad idea to have in your bag for your everyday life. But take note, a growing number of airlines are banning power bank use on flights, which may be good to know if you're planning to fly for your holiday.

Whether it's beer or soft drink, no one really likes sipping warm beverages. Thankfully, there's no shortage of cooler brands in the market, even those made in the U.S., like Bison, Grizzly, and Orion. In addition, there are even smart coolers, which have a ton of benefits like gadget charging ports and ice makers. But if you're keen for a way to cool just a single 12. oz. can every now and then (just for yourself), the Chill-O-Matic Instant Beverage Cooler might be perfect for your solo trips.

Retailing for $29.99, Chill-O-Matic's Instant Beverage Cooler is different from many other coolers because it doesn't promise to keep your can cool for a certain number of hours. Instead, it claims to be able to chill it within a minute of use. Plus, it mentions avoiding a lot of annoying can-related experiences, like fizz, foam, or freezer explosions. However, it's important to note that unlike other smart coolers, you still need to get your hands on more or less 5 ice cubes for this to work.

Best for people traveling alone, more than 1,400+ people have rated it an average of 4.1 stars. In general, buyers seem to be satisfied with a few sharing that it is pretty easy to use, quick, and compact. However, a few reviewers did raise disappointment that it only works on unopened cans, is a little bit noisy, has suction cup issues, and that it burns through batteries fast.

Once the beach day fun is over, you might catch yourself bundled in sandy towels with a need to rinse off the sticky, salt water with a nice hot shower. Unfortunately, if you're in a secluded area that is far away from your home or accommodations, hot (or even warm) water can be a luxury. That's not the case, however, if you invest in something like the RISEPRO Solar Shower Bag.

With just three hours of direct sunlight, this 5 Gallon portable shower bag claims to be able to heat up your water up to 113°F. Out of the box, it also ships with a hanging strap, hose, built-in thermometer, and shower head with a tap. Available in black, it measures 21.3 inches by 14.1 inches when flat, so you'll also be able to fold it to fit your beach bag. Priced at $10.90, the RISEPRO Solar Shower Bag has an average rating of 4.1 stars from more than 2,600 people. Apart from the beach and other outdoor activities like hiking, it can also be a great solution if you ever need to clean your pets after a day out. But take note, there have been a few concerns regarding leaking, durability, and poor flow.

For this list of beach gadgets, we considered three main components: compactness, functionality, and positive feedback. For compactness, we considered the size and weight of the item, as well as how easy they store. In general, the gadget should be easy to carry by a single person and are powered by batteries, so it works even for secluded beach locations. 

In terms of functionality, we took note if the gadget performance with beach-related activities. For example, if it's designed to charge your gadgets, it should be able to do what it promises first. In general, we also mentioned different ways the gadget could be utilized, so you can consider other functions when deciding if the price is worth it.

Lastly, we chose items that have generally positive feedback, which means an average rating of at least four stars. Plus, we only considered items that have at least a thousand reviews, so we have a good overview of their manufacturing consistency. However, we also noted some key concerns from other buyers to manage your expectations.