Question:
My Reply:Do you have any experience with the 4 bag planting bags?
I haven’t used them myself, but one of my foremen has a set. He really seems to enjoy them. I wouldn’t think they’d give you that much of an advantage for Interior work, but for multi-species stuff on the coast, they must come in handy. I’ll copy him on this email and we can see what he has to add.
Follow-up from my foreman:
Once i moved to the four set bags i couldn't dream of going back, but like so many things in planting, its all personal preference. Scooter is right, it makes a bigger difference on the coast when your working with two, three, or four species at once. Here´s the way i see it:
Negative- they are noticable heavier. You never realize it when they are on you, but then you pick up a three set in one hand, and pick up a four set with the other, and you can tell there is a difference. They are more expensive, but i cant remember by how much. Not a lot.
Positive- they heli-pack just as easy as a three set. If you're the kind of person that likes to carry more than a box, then you never have a problem. The space is unlimited. In my second and third season I would basically never go out with less than a box and a half, but I try not to do that anymore. Mainly I like them because I can spread out my box in all four bags and it evens out the weight, and makes the whole load easier to carry. Loading up the back bags doesn't tire out your back like on regular bags. You can put an entire box in the back two pouches and you don't get that familiar strain that comes with back bagging. Also I'm very much opposed to the rampant use of flagging, so this only applies to me on the coast, but if you're the kind of guy who drops a flag now and then, what you do is drop the role of flag in one of your side-back bags, run the end around your side and pull it through the hole of your flagging pouch. I hope that made sense. Anyway, you've got the loose role of flagging in your back bag and not in that infernal, damnable, godforsaken flagging pouch where its going to get bunched up and caught on itself and generally cause misery. Although this also works on three set bags, i find it just works better on the four set. Flagging is for sissies anyway, but I digress. You can tell that I prefer the four set, but I'm pretty biased. Like I said, its personal preference.
And here's a photo:
