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Pools are an integral part of our daily lives each summer. 2025 will be our second season of swim team (with Linus joining in the fun this year!), which means Monday-Thursday practices where each kid spends an hour in the pool (plus meets!). On top of that, my parents live just down the street and have an amazing pool set up (complete with twisty water slide), so we spend a good chunk of weekends swimming as a family, not to mention all the weekday afternoons where I throw my kids in the pool while I work from the shaded patio table. And for the icing on the cake, we always rent a beach house with a pool each year because apparently, we just cannot get enough pool time.
So, over the past decade, we’ve become pretty savvy about pool must-haves. These days, there are honestly so many products out there that it’s tough to know about EVERYTHING, so please share in the comments if YOU have a magical pool tool we need to add to our collection this summer.
NOTE: This is part one of two. Part one below includes swim wear, coverups and pool bags + pool bag contents. Part two will include pool games, toys and bevvies/snacks.
SWIMWEAR FOR MOM + KIDS
The cliche about how painful it is to shop for swimsuits is so so true. I don’t generally buy myself new swimwear EVERY year, but I have a few staples that have served me pretty well over the years that I don’t feel I overpaid for. The kids generally need new swimsuits each year, though sometimes we get lucky with long sleeve rash guards and we can get two (sometimes three!) summers’ worth of use out of those. Ella is very picky and specific at this stage of her bathing suit journey, whereas Linus doesn’t really care, so long as it stays on and fits properly.
What I’ve found to work best for Ella is to buy a couple of one pieces and then a few mix and match options, so she’s set up for most situations. I’m honestly not big on overdoing sunscreen, so when we want to block the sun, we go for full coverage rash guards and just slather faces. Here are the full sleeve coverage options we found for Summer 2025 for girls that we’re loving so far (yes, it is warm enough here in North Carolina to have started the swim season already!):
BUY FOR GIRLS (Ella Tested/Approved):
J Crew Factory Zip Up Long Sleeve Swimsuit, $34.50
Ella likes the one piece long sleeve setup because she doesn’t have to tug or pull at it and it’s easy to grab and go. She’s always diving and jumping in, and she claims this one is more comfortable to move around in. These also tend to fit her a little better than a rashguard shirt because she’s so slender. She liked the bright colors of this one from J Crew Factory, but we ALSO almost bought this one from Athleta – she’s had this exact suit before and worn it a TON in salt, chlorine, etc – it held up VERY well.
A variety of bottoms from Land’s End, $8
We usually stock up on two or three of these bottoms because they are well made, well priced and come in a variety of colors and patterns. She can throw these on with a tankini top if we’re past peak sun hours OR with a long sleeve rash guard if she’ll be out all day. And speaking of long sleeve rash guards …
Long Sleeve Rash Guard from Land’s End, $31.99
These from Land’s End hold up SO well. We wash them, wear them, leave them out in the sun (IYKYK) … the ones we’ve had in the past have sometimes lasted two summer seasons (as long as she doesn’t grow out of them).
Last but not least, she gets a couple of regular old one pieces. She CAN throw a long sleeve rashguard over there (we sometimes do this at the beach because I make her wear her rash guard during certain hours, but go without it later in the afternoon), or if it’s an evening or early morning swim, she can go without. She can wear these for swim team practice too. These are highly subjective according to taste, but here are the ones she picked out this year (and a few she liked, but didn’t make the final cut):
Land’s End One Piece, $25
J Crew Factory One Piece, $35.50
Old Navy Cutout One Piece, $21.59
Boden One Piece, $35
Boden One Piece, $32
Justice Tankini, $14
Dick’s Sporting Sporting Goods Cutout One Piece, $24
Quince One Piece, $22.90
Ella gets VERY cold upon exiting the swim team pool, particularly for our evening practices in May, so this year, she got this warming coverup in her Easter basket – it’s soft and comfortable – she’s already worn it twice!
Land’s End Girl’s Hooded, Long Sleeve Coverup, $34
BUY FOR BOYS
Land’s End Tops and Bottoms for Boys – Trunks ($20) + Long Sleeve Rash Guard ($27)
Old Navy Tops and Bottoms for Boys – Trunks ($17) + Long Sleeve Rash Guard ($16)
Like I said, Linus is easy peasy. Mix and match! He’s also not afraid to put a wet bathing suit on for a “later in the day” swim, so we don’t buy him quite as many options. He gets by with just two trunks and two tops, usually.
BUY FOR MOMS
I don’t mind a little mixin’ and matchin’ myself. I buy a couple of these bottoms each year from Old Navy when they go on sale:
Old Navy Women’s Bikini Bottoms, $20
and then sometimes I buy Old Navy tops. It depends on what prints and cuts they have, but I’ve found that these tank style are pretty good for swimming laps, swimming in the ocean and playing with the kids. They layer easily under a long sleeve rash guard (yes, I do wear one of these at the beach frequently – see below!), and are pretty comfortable and supportive. The price is pretty tough to beat. By far, my favorite mix and match top is the cropped tie no brand name from Amazon. I have it in black so it goes with ALL my bottoms and it fits perfectly and provides an amazing amount of coverage without being too granny. It comes in a ton of colors too, so easy to customize.
Old Navy Women’s Bikini Top, $15
Crop Top Knot Tie Tankini Top, $30
I have a few one pieces as well. My go to favorite for fun designs that don’t break the bank and fit nicely is Cupshe. I have one I’ve owned for five years that is still in great shape and looks beautiful. I’ve also been hearing great things about Summersalt and Boden (slightly pricier, but said to last a long time). Here are a few suits for this year that I have my eye on if I decide to plunge for a new suit for myself (which, given my recent resolution to adopt no-spend habits…).
Cupshe Tankini (that looks like a one piece), $37
Summersalt Cutout One Piece, $125
As far as coverups, I’m usually fine to grab a pair of shorts (denim, athletic) and a tee shirt to wear beforehand and to drive home after I dry off. BUT, my mom gave me a couple of terry cloth dresses from Abercrombie a few years ago and those are clutch. They can easily be worn into a store to run errands before or after and the material is so soft and absorbent. They don’t sell THOSE anymore, but this one from Amazon looks pretty similar!
Terrycloth Swim Coverup from Amazon, $26
POOL BAGS + POOL BAG MUST HAVES
I have been through a LOT of pool bags. I know everyone swears by the Bogg, but I just can’t. I don’t like them, the straps are uncomfortable to me (I’ve tested!) and I don’t think they hold enough.
The beach bag I have been using for the past several years is sadly no longer available, but I’ve picked a few that have similar attributes that I would consider buying if mine bites the dust.
Yeti Camino Waterproof Carryall, $150
This is a bit of a splurge pick, but I have a couple friends who have these and L-O-V-E them. Durable, waterproof and plenty of compartments for easy access (so crucial for swim meets and beach days, in particular). The straps are ergonomic and don’t slip down for long hauls.
This is the big kahuna. This will fit towels, water bottles, rash guards, snacks, games and books. Beware – with something this big, you can absolutely load it to the point of back pain. I only use the big tote for short walks to the beach when we have a house right on the shoreline.
This bag is 50L (so not TOO much smaller than the one above), but with this price tag, it may not last as many seasons. Worth testing out, IMO! I love all the different compartments, including one for wet stuff!
Packable Tote from Land’s End, $60
This one is a little smaller, which might actually be perfect for us as I force my getting older kids to carry more of their own stuff. If they take their own towels and water bottles, this size would be perfect for me to carry a book, bottle, phone and speaker. And it packs up super small to be stored – a huge bonus!
Now, for the important stuff … what’s IN the pool bag.
No Spill Tumbler from BruMate, $43
I always bring a beverage and I don’t want to have to carry that PLUS the bag, so I invested in this cup that does not spill, even if it gets turned upside down. Perfect for an iced coffee for a morning swim or an ice cold Recess if we’re swimming in the evening or have a night time swim meet. I just bring my own straw separately to drop in there once I’ve arrived at my destination.
This little guy can easily hold a phone, sunblock and snacks. With a magnetic enclosure, it will ensure things stay dry, even if your seven year old son INSISTS on throwing his wet rash guard into the pool bag.
This is the best way to keep a couple of extra drinks on ice for a few hours without having to lug along a whole ‘nother cooler. It holds three cans!
Zinc Oxide Sunscreen from Badger, $16
Sunscreen is an important thing to research. SOME of it only keeps your skin from turning red, but does not actually block the rays you seek to keep off your skin. This stuff from Badger is a little pricier, but it’s zinc oxide without any nasty ingredients, so it’s basically the same as wearing a rash guard on your face.
These are our MAIN goggles – we get two pairs for each kid every year (one to keep at our house for swim team and one to keep at my parents’ house), but we also fill in the gaps for trips to the lake and some lost goggles with less expensive goggles, like some from Five Below. I also use these as practical Easter Basket stuffers, you might recall.
40oz Hydroflask Water Bottle, $50
Yes, I pack a lot of beverages. Hydration is important. The BruMate holds my “specialty drink” but I usually also pack a 40oz cold water because … ya gots to drink water. I know water bottles are all the rage and Owala is the new brand of choice, but I’ve had my trusty old Hydroflask for almost ten years and it is in TIP TOP SHAPE, so I cannot recommend this brand any more highly. Sorry, Owala. I’m sure you’re great, but my current water bottle is lasting so long, I may never get a chance to try you!
This is by far the best, most indestructible brand of bluetooth speaker I’ve found. This little one is lightweight, easy to pop into a pool bag and produces unparalleled sound.
Also, I always have a good book with me. Check out some of our recent page turner posts for some specific ideas on that!
We have been using the same beach towels for nigh on a decade (I believe most of them are from Costco!), but we have a couple of these from LL Bean and they are soft, thick and hold up well after washing.
So, tell me, what pool bag must haves did I miss? What are you stocking your pool bag with this summer?
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