shop bag vs utility tote: what's the difference

[leftistelf]

Hi folks,

It looks like the shop bag $20 less a bit smaller - are there any other differences between the two bags?

Thanks!

[moriond]

The ultra-light and portable Shop Bag.

It looks like the shop bag $20 less a bit smaller - are there any other differences between the two bags?

It might be helpful to read the thread that started the design of the Shop Bag. The original request was for a bag that was ultra-light, but strong enough to carry heavy loads -- something that could be used like the Utility Tote, but that would be made of Dyneema and be foldable, so that it could be carried in a pocket or easily taken along when traveling. (See, for example, view e with MouseOver label Folds into its own interior pocket for storage or traveli on the Shop Bag product page.) You can also read some of the discussion about Dyneema in this post from an early thread about the release of Dyneema packing cubes for the Aeronaut.

A lot of the original discussion centered on possible use of the Shop Bag in place of recyclable grocery bags. A number of forum posters wanted to be able to purchase several of these to use for general toting, but required the bag to be capable of carrying heavy loads. There was extensive discussion about whether the handles needed to be padded, too.

The Shop Bag is about the same size as the Swift or its predecessor, the Lux. These bags, like the Utility Tote, are made of heavier materials -- either Cordura or Ballistic Nylon. The larger degree of support in the sides of these bags make it more practical to include larger pockets for magazines or wallets. They cannot be folded into something that you can carry in your pocket.

Hope this helps to clarify the differences in design and possible use.