As you all may know I am a huge, HUGE fan of re-usable bags. I love them.
I carry at least 2 with me at all times and I have only been caught off guard twice since I’ve purchased my bags, both times of which I beat myself up on.
(And I may have also begged BF to let me carry that stinky smoked salmon in my purse instead of taking a plastic bag.)
I keep at least one stashed in the car, another two in each of my purses, and a whole bunch by the door as a visual reminder to BF when he goes out to buy stuff.
I am always on the lookout for other brands, so that there is a healthy variety out there and in my closet to suit everyone.
Before this MyBag, I have owned RuMe and Envirosax bags, both of which have served me well but naturally, each had their pros and cons.
On to the review
This is what the Grey Gourmey bag looks like folded up.
It was easier to fold it up (and figure out how to fold it up) than my Envirosax bags, for SURE.
My Envirosax bags need a snap to close. So two hands? A must.
Less folding, less patting, less everything.
And the velcro strap really made my day.
It was simple to slap it down, rather than having to wrap it around the bag itself (RuMe)
And this is what it looks like when it unfolds.
Isn’t the Queen Mum pattern delicious? 
And it’s a bit hard to see, but there is a MINI pocket sewn on at the top.
So just in case I need to only buy a couple of things at the grocery store, AND I need to carry my keys, driver’s license and credit card (or cash), this is a great way to store all that without having to tote a purse along as well.
Genius.
I also like that it actually closes at the top, unlike the other bags which are wide open.
One of the two minor cons I had about the MyBag was that it IS smaller than both the Envirosax and RuMe bags.
The straps of the MyBag blow the other two out of the water, because they are SHORTER STRAPS.
Again, genius.
It’s easier to grip on to something with your arm on your shoulder, when the straps are shorter (but not too short), and BF told me flat out:
“This is just the best strap and body design out of the three.
I want to use this one next time. Not the others.”
Picky picky.
The other 2 brands really carry a hefty weight.
This MyBag is more smaller things (still nonetheless, super strong and durable), but there isn’t enough space for.. oh say.. a bunch of bananas, tubs of ice cream, a bag of 25 apples and a big package of flour to make apple pie.
It isn’t THAT much smaller (just by a couple of inches), but it’s still smaller.
See? Maybe an inch or two wider.
(Ignore the right side of the RuMe bag sticking out and look at the end of the seam. That material is really crunchy and stiff.)
PROS
- A little pocket for your keys and things
- Easier to fold and close shut with a mini velcro strip
- Better straps which helps keep the bag on your shoulder
- Actually has a little folded cover to close the bag at the top which the other 2 brands lack
CONS
- Smaller than the other 2 brands just by a little
- Doesn’t have a double sewn bottom like the RuMe
What are the other designs?
Well, I liked these ones:
But there are 11 more on the site Grey Gourmet if you wanna check it out.
And was thinking of sneaking back to Toronto to pick up a couple more.
What’s the cost?
$8.95 a bag, which is on par and reasonable with the cost of the other bags (around $8.95 – $9.95 depending on where you go).
Well worth it if you want to get off the plastic bag train.
(They just don’t make disposable plastic bags like they used to. Those things are super thin and have a tendency to rip like mad when you put things like bananas in them!)
And how did you score such an awesome bag?
First, Grey Gourmet is located in Toronto, ON
415 Merton Street
Toronto, ON M4S 1B4
(416) 487-9232
Second, I was actually super lucky enough to receive a MyBag from owner Penny at Grey Gourmet Inc. for free!
SQUEE!!
(Which you all should know by now, doesn’t affect the way I review things. If they’re cool, they’re cool. If not, then I tell it like it is.)
I need more info!
Then check out Ginger’s review of the bag too! She got the same style and design, just in black
She gave way more information about the business if you’re interested in finding out more.
Great minds think alike, I say.
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beth
on Oct 18th, 2009
@ 2:19 PM:
those are so cute! i like the reusable bags that fold up like that. I have one called the flip and tumble which has a pouch in which the bag rolls up into, like a sock ball. when i bought one it only came in a few solid colors but theyve expanded a lot into prints. however I might give these a try. are they available in US at all?
Rae
on Oct 19th, 2009
@ 6:54 PM:
Oh, cute! I must admit, though — whenever I shop at a store that doesn’t charge for plastic bags, I take ‘em. The anti-plastic-bag thing kind of ticks my family off, because we reuse the bags in our garbage cans (don’t most people?) which basically now means that we’re paying $0.05 per bag of garbage that gets thrown out. Good eco-friendly intentions, but not the best execution imo.
But aaaanyhow. The velcro strap is ingenious ^^
Rae´s last blog ..Aren’t you just a doll — more avant-garde makeup
Ande
on Oct 19th, 2009
@ 9:52 PM:
I get mine from
http://baggubag.com/#Shop
I have just the standard size, it comes with a cute matching pouch you throw in the bottom when you are using it. They’ve got lots of different sizes and patterns!
The standard one I have holds about 3 or 4 plastic bags worth of stuff!
Grace and Tiffany
on Oct 30th, 2009
@ 2:33 PM:
Howdy!
Wow! What a thorough, honest and well written review! We linked to your excellent post on our blog, *Product Review Round-Up* under the category of Eco-Cool Goods. The link is embedded in this listing:
Broke but eco-conscious blogger tests cute & handy resusable bags
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Happy Trails,
Grace and Tiffany
The Uncommon Cowgirls of Product Review Round-up
http://productreviewroundup.com
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