The Eden’s tote bag does one thing, but it does it well: store things. It’s a sturdy bag, capable of bearing great weight without tearing, as well as just storing toys. Unfortunately, it is not without disadvantages, specifically the design, price and lack of any type of locking mechanism.

A trip to the grocery store, bringing tools to the garden, or merely lugging stuff around the house, this bag can handle it all. I was able to load it with several bottles of soda, bags of flour and sugar then lug it around without tearing, or visible strain. Further, it is more natural than other reusable bags as it is made of woven fabric, rather than unwoven polypropylene.

The main flaw with the bag stems from the fact that it is not a discrete bag. The word “Sexy” is imprinted on the bag, along with the Eden Twitter address. If the thought of strangers knowing you buy sex toys sends you into convulsions, it doesn’t matter if this bag housed a vortex to a universe of infinite storage, you won’t be using it in public. The true value of this bag depends on whether the owner prefers discretion or function.

This is listed on Eden’s as a toy storage bag, which given the lack of discretion is logical. Optimal storage for toys, at least by my standards, depends upon a method of deterrence. Without a lock, there’s nothing the bag can do to prevent another member of the household from finding the toys. If this bag were filled with toys, even if stored away in a closet, there would always the risk of discovery by leaving the closet unlocked. Furthermore, a bag advertising a sex toy store may be too obvious a hiding place for sex toys.

Aside from the qualms with the bag’s discretion, there’s the matter of value. At $2.00, this bag costs 4 times as much as a Wal-Mart re-usable bag and twice as much as the reusable bags sold in virtually any grocery store. Of course given the better material, it might be justified.

Worse than the cost of the bag is selecting it as a free gift. Consider two of the standard free toys: the toy wipes which cost $5.00 and the t-shirt which costs $15.00, either of which is superior value to the $2.00 bag. Furthermore, there’s the question of usefulness. Bags, especially ones that can’t be used outside, where most bags are used, are limited in their usefulness. The shirts, however, make excellent night shirts (if you’re a woman) and the toy wipes are an easier way to clean most toys compared to liquid cleaner or soap.

The Eden toy bag is certainly a useful bag, capable of carrying great weight without strain. That, however, is not enough to justify a recommendation. These bags are more expensive than regular reusable bags and more useful free gifts are usually available. While one or two bags might be worth having, after that it might be time to switch to the wipes.