This ludicrously capacious tote puts lululemon’s viral bag to shame

If you thought lululemon’s aptly named Big-Ass Bag was the biggest thing you’ve ever seen, well, think again.

There’s another absurdly oversized tote in town — and this one costs about $258 less.

Earlier this summer, beloved Canadian brand lululemon launched the bag that quickly went viral for its ridiculous proportions. It’s so big that customers joked about being able to carry around their kids in it.

For $268, you can, without a doubt, fit most of your belongings. Measuring 56 centimetres wide, 32 centimetres deep and 83 centimetres tall, it is, by all reasonable definitions, a very big-ass bag.

But then popular Japanese retailer MUJI said: “hold my beer.”

The brand carries (pun totally intended) a canvas tote, the Cotton My Bag XL, that rivals the popular lululemon one and is an unbelievably cheaper alternative, coming in at just $9.90.

And when MUJI says XL, it means XL. The bag measures 90 centimetres wide, 16 centimetres deep and 67 centimetres high, and is, as the brand puts it, “intentionally designed for spacious utility.”

I got a chance to put the gigantic tote to the test when I took it with me on a weekend trip to the cottage.

I was certain I’d be able to pack everything I needed: a book, a jigsaw puzzle, my laptop, cozy socks and sweaters (including a MUJI one, naturally), a swimsuit, my toiletries, and all the other little things you need when you take a mini vacation.

Turns out, once I put all my essential items in the bag, I still had a ton of room to spare.

MUJI says the Cotton My Bag XL was designed as a “solution for transporting bulky bedding, winter duvets, large paintings, or sports gear.” The brand also suggests it can come in handy when moving house or organizing out-of-season wardrobes. Makes sense to me!

But as an alternative to a small carry-on or backpack, it’s maybe not the best idea.

For context, I’m 5-foot-8, and the 75-centimetre-tall bag eventually started drooping down towards my feet, almost brushing the ground. I had to repeatedly swing it back up over my shoulder like I was one of the Seven Dwarfs on my way to work. Hi-ho, hi-ho, this tote is heavy as hell.

Despite it being slightly impractical for my needs, I have to admit: this bag is fun.

My friends laughed when they saw me arrive at the cottage with it. And honestly, that’s part of the appeal.

This isn’t necessarily the bag you buy because you’ve spent weeks researching the perfect item and concluded that this is the one. You buy it for the novelty of it. For the thrill of owning a comically enormous bag. For the views and laughs you’ll get on TikTok.

And because it costs less than $10, you can indulge in the bit without feeling like you’ve made a terrible financial decision.

I even put my cat inside the bag, and he seemed to have liked it.

The bag itself is made from 100 per cent cotton canvas, though the material is noticeably thinner and flimsier than lululemon’s Big-Ass Bag. It also doesn’t have any pockets, zippers or compartments, so you truly just dump everything inside and hope for the best when it comes time to dig around for your keys.

I think this tote is less suited to someone packing for a weekend away and better suited to artists who need to haul around oversized, awkward-to-carry items. Paintings, Bristol board, canvases, or other large creations can fit comfortably and safely in the bag when tossed over your shoulder.

For less than ten bucks, you can’t go wrong. It’s a lot to carry, but not a lot to spend.