The three bags pictures for size/orientation comparison in the main picture (click it to view it larger) are the Baggus in grey and black (we’re loving the grey’s ability to be slightly translucent and kind of classic supermarket plastic bag like) the whole foods plastic bag and the Envirosax that Delight.com sent over.
The main options as far as shape seem to be either like a normal plastic bag you get form the store (the design of the Baggu is nearly identical to the whole foods one)… or more like your standard totebag (no flat bottom). Also for flat bottoms that opens up the range of ones that don’t fold up quite as compactly, but mimic a paper bag form the grocery store… we’re only really thinking about the plastic bag equivalents in this post.
On how to fold/carry your bag… i personally found the baggu in the giant flat square a bit awkward for my day to day purse carrying. Also a bit too much work to carry the external bag around for it and then take the time to fold it up and put it away nicely. I do however tend to fold it up in a triangle and tuck it into itself. That also seems to be an easy shape to grope around my purse and find. The envirosax fold and button up, which also creates a pretty small rectangular bundle to toss in your purse. But for the guys… dan votes for the baggu. We were impressed it really did slip into his jean’s back pocket easily, and people will hardly notice its there, nor does it look all that girly.
For those that are curious, this is a quick view of how the Baggu opens up.
Here is how the Envirosax open.
As far as how they hold up carrying things… on various tests, we’ve
been finding that both the Baggu and the Envirosax hold one basket full
of groceries nicely. I’ve loved the envirosax for over the shoulder,
because of the totebag orientation it all kind of molds nicely around
your body, but trade off is no flat bottom. The Baggu we found
ourselves carrying like a normal plastic bag ~ with the handle in our
hand ~ and it is nice that these are easier to sit down with the flat
bottom. Apparently when filled with cans, the Baggu can even hold up to
25 pounds. My mother’s biggest complaint on using the envirosax over
her shoulder… the pointier things poke her and make it less than
comfortable.
We’ve found ourselves using these at the supermarket (particularly great when walking a few blocks with it… i love the envirosax over the shoulder)… running errands… at the farmer’s market… at the airport! (when they are rushing you through security and you barely have time to shove your laptop back in your bag, i find putting it in one of these and over my shoulder until i can sit down and arrange things accordingly makes life SO much easier, and it doesn’t count as another piece of luggage since you can make it disappear in an instant)… i leave a few in the car (for anything from throwing shoes in it to putting an expensive purse in it for a random beach trip)…
Things that drive me CRAZY about the bags… i had flour spill in one yesterday ~ granted you can apparently throw these in the washing machine… i can only imagine cracked eggs in one of these. Definitely even with washing, i’d keep some dedicated to being for food only. Colors and patterns ~ no offense, but only 1/5 envirosax don’t hurt my eyes… and even that one, i’m iffy on. I love the simplicity of the Baggus… and thus we have started discussing and scheming what WOULD make a nice looking grocery bag design…. Ideas anyone?
Pricing:
Baggus - 8$ for 1, $22 for 3, or $38 for 6
Envirosax at Delight.com - $34.50 for 5
OH and as a random side note of what i think is the best/most useful cheapest reusable shopping bag i’ve owned and used tons of… The IKEA big blue bags with the double handles ~ that have dropped from being a dollar to only 59 cents! I can’t imagine what they’d say if i had them put a cartload of groceries into one of those, or if i could carry that out… but these things do make the best laundry bags ever… and have also been indispensable for every time i’ve moved.
