Review: Flip & Tumble 24-7 Bag

No doubt about it, I'm a fan of all things bags and backpacks. And I have to say, I'm quite happy with my latest purchase, a Flip & Tumble 24-7 bag.

The Flip & Tumble is essentially a reusable shopping bag, though instead of using handles, it has a messenger (or purse, *gulp*) style strap. I think this makes it a lot more usable than the typical shopping bag.

For me, it's my latest attempt to find a bag that's easily packed along and then deployed when needed. Of course, there are lots of bags that do this - but they tend to be flawed. They might be too large when bundled up, so carrying them becomes a pain. Or, they may be too fragile and prone to ripping.

So far, the Flip & Tumble seems to have all the bases covered:

• It stows down quiet compactly - small enough to be fit into a jacket pocket, or even crammed into a back pocket
• It's designed a shopping bag, and claims to hold up to 25lbs, which is plenty
• There are no zippers to break or flimsy straps
• The main strap has just a tiny bit of extra padding on it for gripping - not sure if it does anything beyond being psychologically useful
• It comes in plenty of colors, so I was able to black and gray - the manliest option I could find.
• It's relatively cheap at $10.99. (and available for Amazon Prime shipping)

My only concern was the size: even unfolded it doesn't look all that big. So, I tested it out on a walk with our little one. Here's what I brought along (and accumulated):

• Hummus and Pita picked up along the way
• Diaper pad, with diapers, wipes, zip lock bags and wet-ones inside
• Extra change of clothes, Just In Case
• A little light reading
• Soy milk in an insulated container - Mmmmmm....so delicious
• a Pocket Kite in case the wind and time cooperated
• Salsa - kidding. It's actually graham crackers for light snacking.
• The Flip & Tumble bag (OK, before I blow your mind - this wasn't in the bag. This was the bag.)
• A fancy shamncy juice drink we picked up with the Pita

And what do you know - it all fit:

I suppose the only other gotcha with the bag is that as unisex as it is, it's still more purse than messenger bag. This means that while I'll be glad to pull out the bag when I have an actual purpose for using it, I don't expect to carry it everywhere expanded. The world is not ready for Ben Simon to carry a murse.