Has anyone used a Foraging Bag?

[Outback in Idaho]

  A product crossed my path a bit ago, called a Foraging Bag. Thought for sure this was a gimmick, then seen them on Etsy as well.

  Never ever seen one before. When out berry picking, or getting morels we used a small bucket or burlap bag. Not exactly sure where a foraging bag would come into play unless you were hiking on a trail and decided to pick some snacks off trees and bushes. But since we have the wonderful forum, with loads of information all over this wondrous globe, maybe some can help me (us) understand the uses for this thing?

 

[Alan K.]

It seems to be exactly as you suggested.  Carries compact and opens to a high capacity dump pouch, ideal for picking berries and such. The closest product to that which I am familiar with are the shell pouches used by shotgunners and shooters for carrying shells or collecting the empties. https://www.amazon.com/sporting-clays-shell-pouch/s?k=sporting+clays+shell+pouch 

[Aloha]

The foraging or dump bag is also used by bushcrafters for collecting tinder.  Its a nice option to have a container as Alan mentions, compact yet open to high capacity.  I use one to collection sea glass and interesting shells on the beach. 

[kottskrapa]

I have been thinking of making one for a long time but I have never bought the canvas I want to the bag itself and don't know how much I will use it.

[It's not failure if you learn something from it]

[Aloha]

There are simpler ways to go about collecting things.  I reuse plastic bags and attach to myself which is how I also go about collecting sea glass and shells.  Its nice to be hands free although not crucial.  Mine is from TAD, I bought it from the flea market for a few dollars.  I like it because the bag is plastic so I can wipe out the sand or rinse out when done.   

[Tasky]

I have a couple of dump pouches, which serve various purposes depending on which pack they're on.
One is on my daughter's changing bag, which is used to stow the dirty nappies and any wipes (literally a dump pouch).
Another is on my EDC pack, which will hold my jacket if needed but is also for when I do an impromptu grocery shop or something on the way home.
I sometimes led out the smaller one to my daughter, who forages for pine cones and whatever else she finds interesting on our walks.

Generally it just serves to be a compact way of having a large bag to hand, for whenever you have a sudden need to carry a whole bunch of whatever.

[Aloha]

 

[Barry Rowland]

I like it.  I can think of a bunch of times I wish I had one.

[Outback in Idaho]

I have a couple of dump pouches, which serve various purposes depending on which pack they're on.
One is on my daughter's changing bag, which is used to stow the dirty nappies and any wipes (literally a dump pouch).
Another is on my EDC pack, which will hold my jacket if needed but is also for when I do an impromptu grocery shop or something on the way home.
I sometimes led out the smaller one to my daughter, who forages for pine cones and whatever else she finds interesting on our walks.

Generally it just serves to be a compact way of having a large bag to hand, for whenever you have a sudden need to carry a whole bunch of whatever.

  Clever idea! I see a lot of people shopping with stuff in their arms. A portable shopping bag could be a novel idea for those quick runs that end up with more. But would a person carry one on their belt?

  Guess this beats stuffing your jacket pockets full of stuff. And weeks down the road find something left behind.

[m47mu74nt]

  Clever idea! I see a lot of people shopping with stuff in their arms. A portable shopping bag could be a novel idea for those quick runs that end up with more. But would a person carry one on their belt?

  Guess this beats stuffing your jacket pockets full of stuff. And weeks down the road find something left behind.

I got a dump pouch from Vanquest, but never really used it, instead I carry a small bag of about 10L stuffed in it's own carry pocket that it like a 3cm wide by 6cm tall cylinder, something like this : https://www.decathlon.fr/p/sac-a-dos-pliable-10l-travel/_/R-p-309861

[Tasky]

  Clever idea! I see a lot of people shopping with stuff in their arms. A portable shopping bag could be a novel idea for those quick runs that end up with more. But would a person carry one on their belt?

Mine works because fully loaded it just looks like a side pocket on my pack. However, I usually also carry two or three foldable shopping bags anyway, as our shops are doing away with plastic carriers.
Belt carry would only work if you remove it before loading it, or don't mind looking like a weirdo walking round with a sack hung off your hip.

[Aloha]

I carry mine on my hip for beach walks.  I also attach to a pack when I carry a pack.

[Shuya]

Have seen them called magazine pouches, soldiers and shooters dump their empty mags into them.

I am not sure what exactly is the purpose on those bags besides maybe a temporary dump bag for collecting.
Other than that there are nice ultralight backpacks and hip bags out there weighting less than 200g that can be carried comfortable.

Have one of those at home from my long hike days (before I got the kids) as a small daypack option for short hikes around camp and for a short trip in a town for shopping etc.

[Tasky]

I am not sure what exactly is the purpose on those bags besides maybe a temporary dump bag for collecting.

In this specific case - A large bag that folds away small, and can attach to anything with PALS ladders. Same idea as collapsible shopping bags and the like, but without taking up pocket space.

[Shuya]

In this specific case - A large bag that folds away small, and can attach to anything with PALS ladders. Same idea as collapsible shopping bags and the like, but without taking up pocket space.

I got that.
What I dont understand is why and how this bag carries once its in use and full of stuff. Not talking about light stuff but heavy stuff dangling on your belt. For a longer period of time.

For a short foraging session where I dump the content of the bag into some other, more comfortable to carry container, I would like that, too.

Thats why I pointed at other options (ultralight messenger bags or backpacks) that also fold down into the size of an apple.

[Tasky]

I got that.
What I dont understand is why and how this bag carries once its in use and full of stuff. Not talking about light stuff but heavy stuff dangling on your belt. For a longer period of time.

Ah right... well, you generally just cinch it down at the top and secure it with the flap.
Smaller ones can bounce around a bit, though larger ones have leg straps, but then this is intended as a temporary/emergency hands-free expansion to your existing carrying capacity... meaning either short term carriage of empty magazines, or for holding foraged stuff which is usually fairly light. If you're packing it with several kilos of stuff and hiking for days with it, then you're kinda outside the scope of its intended use and probably need a bigger rucksack. The jacket I stuff into the Maxped Mega one is just under a kilo and it remains relatively stable, as do the kids' ancillaries, but this is not where they live - It's just somewhere to quickly stuff things until they're needed again a couple of hours later or something.
Emphasis on the hands-free aspect though, as collapsible shopping bags won't do that. These are also somewhat more robust and weather-resistant.

[Aloha]

I got that.
What I dont understand is why and how this bag carries once its in use and full of stuff. Not talking about light stuff but heavy stuff dangling on your belt. For a longer period of time.

For a short foraging session where I dump the content of the bag into some other, more comfortable to carry container, I would like that, too.

Thats why I pointed at other options (ultralight messenger bags or backpacks) that also fold down into the size of an apple.

The foraging or smaller bag is ideal for exactly what Tasky mentions.  I understand if you'll be needing to carry more or heavier items than other options should be used.  I always carry plastic bags because they fold up very small and can be used for a variety of things while out.  That said, they can also handle a decent weight.  I would then have to carry so no hands free.  My belt mounted bag is ideal for items that I will not be lugging about for hours on end.  It does bounce but thats depended on whats in it. 

   

[Sos24]

I have a foraging type bag but made out of a lighter weight fabric that I use for stick gathering when using my twig stoves.