Get a reusable swim diaper for the beach.

Disposable swim diapers work, but reusable ones are cheaper, less wasteful, and less likely to end up filled with sand halfway through the day.

Here’s the thing nobody tells you: swim diapers don’t hold pee. They’re just a mesh bag to catch poop. So disposables aren’t really “absorbent” – they’re just a disposable version of the same idea. At the beach, disposables can swell up from seawater and become a saggy, sandy mess. Reusables rinse off fast and you can reuse them hundreds of times. The upfront cost is ~$15, which pays for itself after one beach trip vs. boxes of disposables.

If you’re flying or have no way to rinse, disposables are fine. But for a typical beach day, buy one reusable swim diaper in the right size (snug but not tight around legs). Throw it in the wash with vinegar to kill the smell. You’ll thank yourself when you’re not digging through a bag of garbage at sunset.