Bruckner听Chase is a听lifeguard and long-distance swimmer who oversees the annual in New Jersey. At the event, pro beach lifeguards from the East Coast duke it out in a series of rescue competitions that involve swimming, paddleboarding, running, and dory rowing.
We thought he'd be the perfect person to tap for听beach gear and safety recommendations so we called him up and asked.听
Safety
1. Check the Weather
Before you pack a bag, you want to know what conditions you鈥檙e going to听get when you get to the beach, just as a safety precaution. 听as an up-to-date forecast of surf and rip currents.
2. Find a Reef-Safe Sunscreen
That鈥檚 the number one item everyone should put in their bag. Look for the ree-safe certification on any bottle you buy.
3. Pack a Whistle
It's the best way to signal for help if you see someone else in trouble. Have it with you anytime you鈥檙e in or near the water.听
4. Pack Cold Water
Even though you're in the water, dehydration is a huge concern, especially when people are mixing alcohol into their day. We see heat stroke way too often.听
5. Don't Forget听Food
Think of your time in the water, whether you鈥檙e surfing or swimming in waves, as a workout. You need to pack good food鈥攕omething for quick energy. The funnel cake and fries look like a good idea, but those aren't the best foods to refuel. I always pack a and .
Gear
ENO Islander Deluxe Blanket ($60)听
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Ditch the beach towel and stake into the ground and you'll听have room for the whole family. The best part: the parachute nylon is easy to clean, quick to dry, and the sand brushes off in no time. 听
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Allgood SPF 30 Sport Sunscreen ($15)听
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We shed lots of toxins from our sunscreen into the ocean every year, some of which can damage听the ocean's flora and fauna. All Good makes a that keep you protected without hurting fragile reef ecosystems.
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Costa OCEARCH Half Moon Sunglasses ($250)
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All the proceeds from听Costa's听OSEARCH go to benefit shark research. I like that the Half Moon's come with matte black frames and polarized, mirrored lenses.
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Astral Filipe听Flip Flops ($75)
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A ? Yeah. Astral uses their super sticky G-Rubber on the outsole and footbed, then adds a 鈥淪uper Strap鈥 to keep your heel in place for when you鈥檙e scrambling over jetties or sand dunes.听
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UE Wonderboom Speaker ($100)听
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It鈥檚 small, sure, but the sound quality is top notch with this . Even better:听the battery will last听all day, and you can pair two devices to the speaker at once.
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Rip Curl Search GPS Watch ($400)
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Rip Curl鈥檚 lets you log your surf sessions by听tracking your speed, distance, and wave count. You can also听share everything in a Strava-like series of maps, images, and charts.听
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Gili Beach Bag ($30)
Avoid taking home half the beach with which is handmade in Colorado of repurposed vinyl mesh. The bag is big enough to hold all the essentials and the small holes in the mesh let sand fall right through.
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Alite Mayfly Chair ($80)
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Technically, is a backpacking chair, but it may as well have been built for the beach. The chair sits a couple of inches off the sand, weighs next to nothing (1.5 pounds), and packs down into a small stuff sack when it鈥檚 time to leave the beach for the tiki bar.听
Topo Designs Accessory Bag ($15)听
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One of these (choose from three sizes) can act听like , where you can keep all the small stuff like Chapstick, gum, and your wallet.
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DrinkTanks Growler ($75)听
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Beer or water? It鈥檚 a tough choice, but regardless of your decision, the 听insulated growler will keep your liquids听perfectly cold, even while sitting in the sun at the beach. You can also add a ($45), which pressurizes the growler, and turns it into a portable keg.听
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Innova Pulsar Disc ($10)
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Throwing a disc (don鈥檛 call it a Frisbee) is the classic beach pastime.听is good enough for professional Ultimate, or for idly tossing while you have a beer in the other hand.听
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