Best Locking Beach Bags (Keep Your Essentials Safe)

Pacsafe Travel Safe Beach Bag

Pacsafe is known for excellent anti-theft bags and backpacks, so it’s not a surprise that their beach bag is the first option on this list. It’s one of the best locking beach bags money can buy and an excellent solution for people who want to keep all their valuables safe.

The bag is made from polyester canvas with stainless steel mesh throughout the body. This is a slash-resistant fabric, so it’s not possible for a thief to just cut your bag open. The Pacsafe beach bag also locks to a stationary object, which can be a lounge chair, a sun umbrella, or anything similar.

You get a locking cable with the bag that allows you to secure it to a fixed object. The cable features a TSA-friendly combination lock, and you can set up the combination to be anything you want. Overall the bag is excellent in terms of security, plus it’s available in three different sizes.

This 5-liter option is the medium size; there’s also a 3-liter option, as well as a 12-liter option that can comfortably fit a 16” Macbook. The only downside of the Pacsafe beach bag is that it doesn’t have pockets inside, so you can’t really keep your items organized without additional pouches.

CoolBag Gen2 Anti Theft Beach Bag

If you’re anything like me and need a mini carry-on to fit all your beach essentials, this anti-theft bag is a really good option. It’s a big bag with loads of internal and external pockets, so you can easily fit everything you need inside it, and then some. The bag is made from polyester with UV, stain, and water resistance.

Also, the CoolBag transforms into a backpack for easier carrying. The bag’s grab handles are actually cables that can be detached from the bag and secured to other objects for maximum security. There’s a lock on the zipper that prevents anyone from getting inside your bag, which would be the only way to undo the cable handle.

In addition to the excellent security features, I really like that this bag offers so many different pockets inside. You can easily find a dedicated spot for everything, there are padded sleeves for electronics, plus it’s super easy to separate your toiletries and wet items from books, power banks, and other things. There’s even a cooler compartment at the bottom of the bag!

On top of that, this anti-theft beach bag also features several external pockets for stuff that’s not as valuable and you want to keep more easily accessible. A large open pocket can easily fit a magazine, the stretchy side pocket is perfect for a water bottle, and the zippered external pocket is great for items you want to have easy access to even at the beach.

Lewis N. Clark Anti Theft Beach Backpack

The Lewis N. Clark beach backpack is a good option if you want a big bag. It measures 28” tall, which is absolutely spacious enough to fit all your beach essentials, plus it’s a backpack so it’s much easier to carry than classic beach bags.

The backpack features a waterproof body and breathable shoulder straps for excellent carrying comfort. However, there’s no padding in the bag, so there is a chance you will feel its contents. To engage the anti-theft lock, you need to just roll down the top a few times and secure the buckles around a stationary object.

There’s a combination lock on the buckle, and you can set up the combination to be anything you want. This is a great feature for deterring beach theft, but I must point out that the bag is not cut-proof. If someone really wanted to get to your stuff, they could just cut off the buckle and run away with the bag.

Another thing to note is that the bag is very lightweight and somewhat flimsy. It’s great for lighter items, but it’s definitely not the right choice if you’re transporting heavy things in your beach bag (electronics, DSLR camera, hardcover books, etc.) because the material is not extremely strong. Sure it’s a decent beach bag with an anti-theft feature and an affordable price point, but it’s far from my favorite option.

LOCTOTE Flak Sack Sport Drawstring Bag

The Loctote Flak Sack is a lockable drawstring backpack that’s absolutely awesome for the beach. This bag is made from a cut-proof material, features a waterproof coating, and has a capacity of 18 liters. It comfortably fits a 13” Macbook and it even has an RFID-safe pocket inside for your cards, ID, and smartphone.

The bag features a cut-proof locking strap that can be secured with a combination padlock, for ultimate security. You can leave this unattended at the beach for hours at a time, and when you return the bag will be waiting for you in the same place, untouched. It’s a great item for deterring beach theft, and it’s just big enough to fit your beach essentials.

I would recommend using smaller pouches and maybe even waterproof bags to separate your stuff since there aren’t too many pockets inside the bag. At the very least, keep your sunscreen and water in a sealed bag and away from your phone, wallet, and other important items.

Another thing to note about this drawstring bag is that the locking strap is reinforced with steel. In terms of security and anti-theft features, this is absolutely one of the best bags you can get for the beach. But it doesn’t have a very big capacity, it lacks internal organization, and the drawstring straps are not very comfortable to wear.

FlexSafe by AquaVault Travel Safe

FlexSafe is a portable lock box you can take anywhere, even to the beach. It’s a small beach lock box with an electronic lock that does an excellent job of protecting your most valuable items at the beach.

The small bag is made from 1680D nylon on the outside, which is both water and slash resistant. There’s also a layer of RFID protection in the material, so all your belongings will be extra safe in this bag.

The downside is that it’s a really small bag. This is designed to hold a wallet, phone, keys, and maybe an extra item or two, but you can’t use it as a proper purse. You can use it as a lock box to store all your valuables and just carry it inside your classic beach tote bag. When it’s time to go for a swim, just lock this to a lounge chair or something similar, to prevent a thief from running off with your bag.

Another thing worth noting is that the FlexSafe bag has external attachment points for a carabiner, so you could attach other items to the tiny bag. You could even use a padlock to attach a different bag to the exterior of this one, just keep in mind that without slash-proof straps, the other bag won’t be quite as secure.

Vaultz Locking Cooler Bag

A locking cooler bag is an excellent option for anyone who enjoys having ice-cold drinks at the beach. I belong to that club and I always bring a cooler with me to the beach; if you’re anything like that as well, this might just be the best option for you.

Whether or not a cooler bag is what you need depends on how much stuff you normally take to the beach. If you prioritize drinks and snacks and only pack a towel and maybe an extra bathing suit, this can totally work. It’s got a large capacity as well as a bunch of additional pockets for items you don’t want to store in the cooler compartment.

Also, you can still keep your beach items inside the cooler compartment if you just keep them in a separate pouch, so you don’t get SPF on your sandwich. This bag features a zipper with a combination lock, as well as a tethering cable that allows you to secure the bag to a stationary object.

One thing to note is that I’m not entirely sure if you can lock the tethering cable, but I assume that it’s possible, at the very least with an additional padlock. On top of that, I haven’t said anything about the cooler aspect of the bag yet! The main compartment is thoroughly insulated, and the waterproof zipper is great at protecting both the interior and exterior of the bag.

Overall, it’s an excellent cooler bag, and the anti-theft feature is just the cherry on top of the cake!

Lewis N. Clark Safebox Portable Safe

The Lewis N. Clark portable safe box is very different from the brand’s lockable backpack. This is a great solution if you just want a small lock-box-style bag to protect your most important items at the beach while keeping your other essentials in a different bag.

This small portable safe is made from a slash-proof material and it’s got a waterproof exterior. It features the same buckle combination lock as the Lewis N. Clark backpack, as well as a similar opening style. You need to roll down the top of the bag to expose the buckle and lock it to a stationary object.

This waterproof pouch is available in three sizes, and I’m featuring the smallest option here. The smallest of the three bags is enough to hold your phone, wallet, keys, and maybe a couple of other items, while the medium and large bags are spacious enough to hold a tablet. One important thing to note is that the exterior of the bag is waterproof, but it’s not meant to be submerged.

The bigger bags are a good option if you want to be able to fit a few more items inside the bag, just keep in mind that it could make the pouch quite heavy. This doesn’t have a proper carry handle apart from the lockable top, so it can be a bit awkward to carry it around if you go for one of the larger sizes.

Vaultz Water Resistant Money Bag with Lock

The Vaultz Money Bag is a tiny water-resistant pouch with a tethering cable that’s secured to the combination lock. This is a small bag designed to protect just your most important items, so it’s not the ideal solution if you’re looking for a large-capacity beach tote.

This is a water-resistant bag, so you can safely keep it near water without worrying about anything inside getting wet. The only issue is that you can’t really fit too many items inside because the bag is only 9” wide. That’s too small to fit an iPad, and maybe you’d be able to fit an iPad mini or a small Android tablet. It can keep your wallet, keys, phone, and maybe some cash, but that’s pretty much it.

The locking system is really good though. I like that the tethering cable is secured to the combination lock because it makes it virtually impossible for someone to take off with this bag once you’ve locked it to something. Also, the combination lock will secure the zipper and it’s super easy to set up.

I do have another complaint about this anti-theft pouch and it’s about the lack of RFID-resistant fabric. In my opinion, this would have been much more functional if RFID resistance was included in the material like I’ve seen in some other bags. Especially because it’s marketed as a beach wallet/ money bag.

SafeInside Privacy Pouch

The SafeInside Privacy Pouch is another great option for beach-goers who want a small anti-theft bag to keep their most valuable items safe. This is a small bag that can fit just the essentials, including a phone, wallet, keys, cash, and a Kindle or iPad Mini. You might also be able to squeeze a standard iPad inside the bag, depending on the size of the screen.

The pouch is made from a waterproof material and it features a zipper that locks with a combination lock. The bag comes with a 36” tether cable that you’re supposed to loop through the zipper so that it can’t budge until you’ve unlocked it. Overall it’s a pretty secure pouch, but the small size doesn’t make it a top choice for me personally.

Then again, if you’re looking for something small that you can use to secure your important stuff and just throw in your beach bag with the rest of the essentials, this is definitely a solid option. The lock is quite secure and it will keep your stuff protected when you’re away from your lounge chair, plus the pouch is actually spacious for its size.

It’s also worth noting that this is a very affordable bag, so it’s a good solution for travelers on a tighter budget who can’t really afford the $100+ anti-theft beach bags. On top of that, it’s worth noting that the pouch is available in two sizes; I’ve listed the dimensions for the medium bag below, but there’s also a large bag available that can fit significantly more items inside, including standard-sized iPads!