Five Beach Essentials You Never Knew You Needed (Until Now!)

The season of sun is finally here, and that means three things: sand, water, and your beach bag! But before you load up the car and head to the shore (or down the shore, for us New Jerseyans), make sure you pack these innovative yet imperative items so you can make the most of your day as a beach bum:

Ostrich 3-in-1 Chair
$89, whateverworks.com

How many times have you been trying to read/tan your back and totally wanted to kill someone? There is no comfortable way to do it! Your elbows hurt, your back hurts, and you are so annoyed you give up and accept your fate as a two-toned human. No more, ladies. No more. Designed with face and arm holes, this chair allows you to rest on your tummy and get some rays without sacrificing comfort. And if you want to sit upright, it easily becomes a regular beach chair, complete with a (necessary) cup holder. The name of the chair is puzzling, but we can forgive the strange name and praise the manufacturer for such a great innovation.

CoolTan Tan-Through Swimsuits
$32.95-$75.95, no-tan-lines.com

Finally, a solution for those unsightly tan lines that result from an otherwise awesome day at the beach! These swimsuits function as a medium-level sunscreen, allowing you to literally tan right through your suit. Just make sure to apply matching sunscreen to exposed skin and limit your time in the sun so that you achieve the perfect tan.

Play and Freeze Ice Cream Maker
$22.99, campmor.com

Everyone loves to eat ice cream at the beach, but not everyone can make their own ice cream. Add the five easy ingredients (cream, sugar, vanilla, ice, and rock salt) to the ball and shake it as you would a martini shaker. Or, for more beach fun, toss that badboy around with friends (or hotties) and cool off with some freshly churned goodness. No more chasing after the ice cream truck for an overpriced treat; if it catches on, this thing just might put Good Humor out of business.

Beach Burner Portable Bonfire
$449, johntunger.com

Nothing says summer like sitting around a bonfire on a warm July evening. This artistic bonfire burner can help you make a safe fire to enjoy with your family and friends. Although it is a bit on the expensive side, you can’t put a price on the memories (or S’mores) you’re bound to make around the fire!

Solio Solar Gadget Charger
$99.95, redenvelope.com

Living in the wired age makes it difficult for us to leave the safety of our electrical outlets. Fortunately, with this solar-powered charger, you can bring along your mp3 player, digital camera, and other gadgets when you head to the beach for the day. This charger takes in and stores 8-10 hours of direct sunlight and charges your devices at the same speed as a conventional charger so you never have to worry about being stuck with a dead battery on the beach. Genius, I tell you.