In spring 2021, I tested four additional beach-friendly wagons during several trips from my home in Santa Monica to the beach (10 blocks away) and back. I hauled both of my sons along with beach gear like boogie boards, coolers, chairs, and endless amounts of sand toys. Of all the wagons we tested, the Mac Sports Collapsible Folding Outdoor Utility Wagon best hits the sweet spot of price, versatility, weight, and ease of use. It’s one of the simplest wagons to unfold and use, and it rolls smoothly enough to keep its contents intact over mud, grass, bumps, and curbs.
Based on its listed interior dimensions, we calculated the storage to be about 3½ cubic feet. It has a solid frame, which remained durable throughout a battery of tests, including rolling the wagon down a hill while it was filled with equipment. For the first round of testing in 2019, I used each wagon on trips to my son’s elementary school, traveling about half a mile each way over sidewalks and city streets during the course of two months. I also took them to the beach, rolling them down the beach path and testing them on the sand. Additionally, I tested each wagon (filled with soccer equipment) on grass and bumpy, broken concrete surfaces, paying attention to how the suspension and wheels performed under different conditions.
(Because none of the wagons were especially difficult to put together, we did not make this a major criterion.) We also looked at how easy each wagon was to fold and pick up, and to store in a small space. Personally, I’m a science writer with more than a decade of experience interviewing experts in countless fields, including parenting, environmental science, and child development. I’m also the mom of two small guys whose stuff I have been hauling around in wagons since I began working on this guide three years ago (they’ve occasionally hopped in for a ride, too). I live in coastal California, where wagons are often the default way to move kids, beach gear, and even school equipment around the neighborhood. This versatile, light, easy-to-use wagon totes everything across different types of terrain and folds up to a compact, easy-to-carry size.
But because of how tightly this one folds, it seems more compact and easy to carry than any of the other wagons we tested. When folded, the Mac Sports wagon’s dimensions are approximately 29½ by 20 by 8 inches. It comes with a small cover, which squeezes the accordion folds together tightly and makes the wagon easier to lift and carry with the included strap. The material is easy to wipe clean, and during our testing it didn’t grow any mildew when stored damp. Even after over a year of use, the wagon didn’t lose any ability to fold or unfold smoothly. The combination of their light weight and a fold-down frame makes folding wagons especially handy for everyday use, including getting in and out of a car or on and off public transportation.
We ultimately settled on a testing pool of six models that were recommended by experts and well reviewed, and that included the features testers told us they wanted. The bare-bones Uline Utility Wagon was not as ozark trail lounge chair highly rated as the Mac Sports wagons. After researching dozens of wagons and testing 10, we concluded that the Mac Sports Collapsible Folding Outdoor Utility Wagon is the best all-around wagon for basic toting.
When it’s time to enjoy a tasty meal outdoors, you’ll need somewhere to cook. This three-burner propane stove from Goplus can boil water faster than one shopper’s indoor stovetop and can comfortably accommodate two pans and a tea kettle, according to another reviewer. The waterproof and rust-resistant cooktop is great ozark trail camping chair for other events, too, like tailgates and backyard barbecues. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).
On April 8, a full solar eclipse will make its way across the eastern half of the United States and is expected to follow a path that starts in Maine and ends in Texas. The southwest eclipse path passes through several states and may reach nearly 100% coverage in certain areas. Comfort and convenience are key when staying overnight in a tent, and this soft queen-size air mattress from Intex features an internal pump for easy inflation.
At 30 pounds, the L.L.Bean Collapsible Wagon was the largest and heaviest of the folding wagons we tested. But even though it had nice wheels and construction, this wagon was a headache to fold and unfold. It took two people—and several minutes—to put the L.L.Bean wagon away after use.
We had to wrestle the cover onto the bulky rectangle and tug it down to get it on. One of the wheels came loose when one of our testers was carrying about 100 pounds of gear, which is well under the stated weight capacity. Like the Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible Folding All Terrain Utility Cart (our pick for use on sand), the Mac Sports Outdoor wagon has an easy-to-use, telescoping handle. Of all the folding wagons we tested, this Mac Sports wagon was the most adept at making sharp turns to navigate a small obstacle course on grass or concrete. It does not require any assembly, which is also true of our beach-wagon pick from the same company. Two small mesh pockets at the front can hold drinks or flip-flops, and we found that these pockets were better placed and more useful than similar pockets on other folding wagons.