Product Review: Flip & Tumble Reusable Shopping Bags

One of my goals for 2008 was to use more eco-friendly products. My first task was to stop using plastic bags supplied by retailers and carry my own reusable shopping bags. I purchased 2 large canvas bags that I thought would satisfy my need. What I ended up with were 2 very awkward to hold and somewhat heavy bags that I eventually retired to the back of the closet.

Then recently, I was introduced to flip & tumble. The philosophy of the flip & tumble reusable bag is that you can flip a couple of panels, roll it into a ball and tumble it in your purse or glove box or practically anywhere.

Initially I was attracted to the contemporary style of the bag. This isn't your mother's boring canvas tote. The nylon ripstop bag is available in 5 popular colors to suit any personality or mood. The best part about these two-tone bags is that they are stylish enough to use in place of a purse yet strong and durable enough to hold up to 25 pounds of groceries.

The other selling point for me was the company's useful life policy. When your bag has reached the end of its life cycle, you can return it to the company and they will ensure it is properly recycled. Not to mention that you'll spare over 1,000 plastic bags from ending up in a landfill!

I placed my original order for the raspberry/pink bag and received it in 4 business days. Upon initial inspection, the bag appeared to be smaller than I expected. It arrived neatly tucked in its interior pouch and was about the size of a rolled up pair of socks. The bag was light as air and I wondered just how durable it actually was.

That week, I used my flip & tumble bag to carry my work supplies and lunch. I ended up loving how light it was and how well it rested on my shoulder. Never once did it slide off like other bags I've owned.

That Saturday, I emptied my bag, rolled it up and tossed it in my purse for a trip to the craft store. As the cashier began to ring up my supplies, I pulled my flip & tumble out of my purse, unrolled it and asked her to place my items in my bag instead of the store bag. She was so impressed, she asked me where she could her own flip & tumble, so I wrote down the website address for her.

For one final test before selling me on the bag was to take it grocery shopping with me. What a deceiving little bag! I thought it appeared to be smaller than shown on the website, but this bag handled the job! It was roomy and strong enough to hold a gallon of milk, several canned and boxed items and a loaf of bread - 10 items total. Out of curiosity, I first placed the items in the store bags and needed 2 in order to fit all my items.

All in all, I have been very satisfied with the performance of my flip & tumble reusable bag. It travels with me daily and I rarely use store bags anymore.

With a purchase price of $12.00, the flip & tumble is a great value. I plan to purchase a few more to keep in the car for those spontaneous trips to the store.

For anyone with an objective to go green this year, I highly recommend this bag. Not just for groceries, use your flip & tumble as a book bag, beach bag or even as a carry-on when traveling. You'll want to take this versatile bag everywhere!

For more information, visit the company website at http://www.flipandtumble.com.