YETI 35 Carryall Review: Why This Tote Outlasts Everything Else in Your Trunk

I didn’t expect to use this bag as much as I do now but I’m sure you parents out there know that when you stumble across something that solves a simple issue with your kids it quickly becomes a defacto thing in your parents toolkit.

Originally picked it up thinking it’d live in the garage and come out a few times a year for summer picnics at the park. Instead, it’s in regular rotation—for beach runs, last-minute grocery trips, hauling muddy boots, carrying random gear for music shoots. It’s become part of my weekly gear shuffle. 35 Carryall 35 doesn’t try to be anything fancy. It’s a structured, waterproof carryall that keeps your mess contained and your gear accessible. The $150 price might catch you off guard, but if you’re the type who actually uses your gear, it starts to make sense pretty quick.

Build and Design On The YETI 35 Carryall

The structure is the first thing you’ll notice. Unlike floppy totes that collapse when empty, this one holds its shape. That alone makes it more usable. You’re not fighting to keep it open. The ThickSkin shell is waterproof, durable, and clearly built to take a beating. I’ve thrown wet towels, ski boots, and even a DayTrip lunch bag full of thawed out cooler packs in it—rinsed it out in the driveway and moved on.

It’s got daisy chain webbing for accessories and bar-tacked points where you’d expect stress. The molded base adds to that whole “always upright” quality. I don’t think it’s trying to reinvent the tote format. It’s more like, here’s a version of it that doesn’t fold, fall over, or feel disposable and that, for once, actually feels like a product you’ll hang on to for years to come.

Colorways change seasonally, but I went with something neutral. It doesn’t scream outdoorsy gear guy but the blue definitely pops and makes it easy to see in cluttered spaces when the park is crowded or against the foliage of the campsite. The magnetic clasp across the top does enough to keep it from being completely open, and the reinforced carry handles feel overbuilt in a good way.

I originally thought 35 liters might be overkill, but it’s ended up being the sweet spot. Big enough to carry everything for a weekend at the coast, small enough that you don’t feel like you’re bringing a hockey bag into the grocery store. The dimensions land at 18.1 x 9.8 x 15.2 inches, and it weighs just over 3 pounds empty.

The two internal bottle dividers help, but I usually leave them folded out of the way unless I’ve got bottles or thermoses in there. The shape of the bag also makes it easy to load up a mix of hard and soft items without having to play Tetris.

Comfort and Portability

YETI gave it two sets of handles, which at first seemed unnecessary but actually works great. The over-the-shoulder straps have a metal core that keeps them from bunching, and the side handles make it easy to do a quick grab out of a car or truck bed.

On a recent massive family trip to the water park and splash pad, I used it to haul tons of swimming equipment, toys, deflated floaties, and, of course, the beer. It’s not a bag I’d want to carry on a hike, but for short transfers or load-ins, it’s stable, doesn’t fold over on itself, and doesn’t cut into your shoulder.

What I like most is the consistency. The bag doesn’t flop around, and when I’m setting it down, it stays put. No tipping. No spilling. No sagging, which I thought was really cool.

Water Resistance and Durability

It’s built to get dirty and rinse off. If you’ve ever carried your stuff in a canvas tote and then tried to wash it out, you’ll get why this matters. On one trip, we loaded it with sandy towels and salty wetsuits after an afternoon at the Oregon Coast outside of Pacific City. By the time we got home, everything was soaked. Sprayed out the bag in the backyard, let it dry overnight, and tossed it back in the Honda the next morning.

The seams are welded. Nothing leaks. It doesn’t absorb smells or moisture. I’ve had it in snow, in saltwater spray, and in dust. Still holds up. The only thing that’s happened over time is a bit of surface scuffing on the corners. Doesn’t affect performance and honestly makes it look better.

Internal Features and Organization

You’re not getting a ton of compartments, and that’s fine as it gave us more than enough storage for all the things we could need to keep dry while trying to keep up with a couple young kids. Two internal zippered pockets are big enough to hold a wallet, sunglasses, AirPods, or a Kindle. I usually toss in a power bank, charging cable, and keys. The lack of a dedicated key clip is kind of annoying, though.

That’s the one thing I’d ask them to add.

Those bottle dividers I mentioned earlier? Handy if you’re carrying a couple of Ramblers or thermoses. Otherwise, they stay out of the way. This bag works better when you let it be open and modular. If you want more sections or pouches, hook up a SideKick or something to the exterior.

Use Cases and Value

This bag is constantly in use. For short trips to the beach in Oregon, it was great for towels, swim triunks and a handful of the necessities the kiddos needed.. For music gigs, it holds cords, headphones, a sweatshirt, a small tripod for my phone, and a few other travel-friendly essentials. My wife uses it for days at the river with the kids as well, where we it was her go-to tote for picnics and lite snacks. She threw a wet swimsuit and a few Tupperwares of food in there last week and said it was the easiest cleanup of the summer.

Climbers use it to carry rope and shoes. Parents use it as a poolside bag. I’ve even seen people stuff it with firewood at campsites. You can treat it like a plastic storage bin with better ergonomics. That’s the real use case—it replaces three or four different things you used to half-trust.

It’s $150. That’s not cheap but also not bank-breaking. But I’ve burned through enough mediocre bags to know what a good one costs. There’s no insulation, no cooler lining, no fancy gimmicks. It’s just built correctly.

You get YETI’s 3-year warranty, which I haven’t had to use. But the peace of mind counts, especially for something you’re going to toss around and rinse out often.

If you’re only using it twice a year, probably not worth it. But if you’re constantly carrying gear, loading up cars, or switching between indoor and outdoor environments, the 35 Carryall pays off fast.

Final Verdict

There’s no learning curve with this thing. You buy it, start throwing stuff in it, and a few weeks later realize you’ve stopped using any of your other tote bags. That’s what happened to me and in doing so I found it to be a great entry point into the brand (a brand known for other pieces which can be a bit more expensive, but $150 for a dope tote is honestly, very affordable).

It could use a key clip. It could use an external pocket. But those are small things. What matters more is that it works. It’s fast to load, easy to clean, and holds up through regular abuse. I haven’t babied it, and I don’t plan to. That’s sort of the point.

This bag earns its keep. It’s one of the few things I’ve bought in the last year that I didn’t overthink or regret. If that sounds like something you need, then it probably is.