In 2008, Kim Vaccarella was on vacation at the Jersey Shore and could not find a large, durable beach bag that would not tip over. The brand's own telling is that she took her cue from the lightweight, washable EVA foam in her kids' shoes and sketched a design, and that in 2011 the label set out "to build one really good bag", tough enough for the beach, the soccer sideline and the grocery run. That is the Bogg Bag, and it is hard to miss now.

What defines it is short to list. It is molded from EVA, it is punched with holes, it has tall handles, and the structured body stays upright on its own. Modern Retail calls the look "perforated, Croc-like", which is a fair description of a tote you can rinse off and set back down in the sand. I like a bag with one clear idea, and this one has it.

So this edit is a Bogg Bag dupe edit in the plainest sense: pieces from other labels that share that perforated, rubbery, carry-everything idea, in the same spirit and never the original. It is October, so think pool bag turned weekend bag, gym bag, and the thing that holds wet swim gear on a late warm trip.

The first group is where the look is closest. The Large Classic Tote and the Medium Classic Tote from Crocs are molded perforated EVA with tall handles, in white and latte. The Everyday Neoprene Tote from Pop Ups Brand swaps in rope handles and a zip pouch. For airier options, the Beach Hauler from Sande is open navy mesh, the Breezy Mesh Tote from Kate Spade New York is lime-yellow, and the Mesh Tote from Thirty Years has a reinforced base. Check the base first: if it will not stand up when you set it down, it is not doing the job.

Material is the thing to read first. The reviewers at NBC Selected note that most of these big totes are made from "a firm, durable and flexible EVA material", and that firmness is what lets the bag hold its shape when it is loaded. Anything softer slumps, and a slumping bag is a hard one to find your keys in.

The Large Tote with Pockets from Crocs in black is the closest to the original idea here: molded EVA, a perforated front pocket, tall slim handles. The Medium EVA Tote Bag With Round Handle in latte goes a different way, with an oversized round cut-out handle that gives it a sculpted look. If you want the rubbery feel without the holes, the Ella Jelly Tote from Tory Burch in pink is a translucent PVC with an open top, and the Harper Tote Bag from Melissa in brown has a cutout pattern and a fruit scent built into the PVC.

For a darker, grown-up take, the Christos Large Tote from STAUD in red rose is glossy PVC with slim leather handles and a structured base, and the Yulex Mega Tote Bag from Ansea is black natural rubber with a wide top, roomy enough for a water bottle, shoes and a wetsuit.

My fitting-room test: lift it by the handles with something heavy inside and see if the handle feels like part of the bag or an add-on. Then tip it on its side and look at how the base takes it.

What I would skip: a jelly tote with thin handles if you plan to carry a full towel and shoes, since the handles do the work.

A small version of this shape is a good idea in October, when the beach bag is really a pool bag or a weekend carry. The detail that sells the look at this size is the same as the large: a firm body and holes you can see from across a room.

The Micro Classic Tote and the Small Classic Tote from Crocs are the plainest versions, molded EVA with perforations in latte and black, the Micro with a ridged base. They fit a phone, sunscreen and a key, so I would choose the Small if you want more. The Small Jelly Tote Bag from Kurt Geiger London in black has a mesh pattern and a scarf wrapped around the handle, which makes it read as an accessory and not a pool bag.

If you like to see what you packed, three clear options are the Small Ella Clear Tote from Tory Burch in flamingo pink, the Christos Mini Tote from STAUD in espresso with its matching zip pouch, and the Mini Clear Vinyl Tote from Stoney Clover Lane in sapphire, which has a removable crossbody strap. The Mini Faux Leather Tote Bag from Rains is a quieter pick, a matte taupe body with black webbing handles.

Check the handles and the base for a smaller bag, because the proportions change when everything is closer together. Look at the seam where a handle meets the body, and press the base to see whether it holds a shape.

What I would skip: any mini that looks lovely empty but has no flat bottom, since it will fall over the second you set it down.

A good beach tote, per NBC Selected, "has to be waterproof, easy to clean and able to hold items of all different shapes, sizes and weights." That is the whole reason the original works, and it is the thing to check on anything in this group: what does it do with water, and what does it do with a wet towel.

Look at the finish before the brand. The Waterproof Tote Bag from Rains in black is a matte waterproof tote with a removable shoulder strap, and the Dash Waterproof Coated Canvas Tote in cream has a squared shape and a zip pocket. The Waterproof Tote from Veer in white has padded handles, and the brand says you can hose it down if it gets dirty. The Go-Tote Mega 40L from Baboon to the Moon in charcoal is the big one, with side pockets and a waterproof shell.

The others lean water resistant and not waterproof, which is a different thing and worth reading on the product page. The Classic Getaway Tote from Bellroy in camel, the Terra 35L Zip Tote from CALPAK in amethyst and the Hot Shot Tote from The North Face in black all use zips and pockets, and I would wear any of them with a trench for a weekend away.

One more note from Consumer Reports: the reviewer wanted a bag that does not "tip over, inhale sand with every mild wind gust". A zip top helps with the second part.

What I would skip: a water-resistant bag for anything that will sit in a puddle, and a zip tote if sand is the main problem.

Part of the Bogg Bag's appeal is that the holes are a system, not just a pattern. NBC Selected notes the small holes "help keep sand and other debris out (while also functioning as a system for adding pockets and other storage)." That is why charms and pouches belong in this edit: they are how a plain tote starts to look like yours.

For inside, the Classic Easy Tote Insert from Cuyana in cappuccino is a snap-in organizer with interior pockets, though it is made for that one tote, so check that before buying. The Go Pouch Set in polka dot mix is three zip pouches in red, blue and cream, which I would use for swim gear, snacks and a charger. The Classic Large Pouch from Stoney Clover Lane in sand is roomy enough for cosmetics, and the Medium Clear Cosmetics Case from CALPAK in caramel has a mesh pocket and rose trim.

On the outside, the charms do the talking. The Paracord Fish Bag Charm from Madewell in frosted sky is a resin fish on blue paracord, and its crochet fish sibling in black multi is softer and very light. The Seahorse Key Fob from Tory Burch in rose sunset is woven leather, and the Cherry Crochet Bag Charm from Coach is a pair of red crochet cherries with a green leaf on a gold-tone clasp.

Test the clasp. Clip it on and tug it, then check whether the ring will slide through a punched hole or only a handle.

What I would skip: a heavy charm on a thin handle, since it will pull the bag out of shape.

I would begin with the shape, since the shape is the point. A firm perforated body with tall handles is the closest thing to the Bogg Bag idea, and the molded EVA totes at the top of this edit are where I would look first, with the base checked before anything else.

Then add the second bag: a mini for a lighter day, a mesh tote for sand, or a waterproof one for wet swimsuits. Last, give it your own mark with a charm or a pouch.

Vaccarella wanted a beach bag that would not tip over. Any alternative that stands up on its own in October, with a wet towel inside, has understood her. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together The Tote Bag For Work That Holds Everything and The Marc Jacobs Tote Bag Pink Edit.

If you want more woven and mesh ideas, I pulled the best beach bags in raffia, mesh and straw from STAUD and others.