I did a side-by-side comparison this past season using some 24-7 (I think) grow bags off e-bay, and same variety started at the same time in 5 gallon bucket. There were slight differences in growth patterns and production, but overall they didnt live up to the hype for me. I will say this though, when I pulled the plants at the end of the season, the root balls in the fabric pots were very healthy and extremely dense, but not in a matted way. Due to the fact that they are black, breathable, and relatively small, keeping them watered in my hot climate was quite a chore, which in turn quickly washed out any nutrients that I put in, etc., etc. So, in cooler areas I think they would be great, not so much if you have extremely hot Summers. BTW, I used 7 gallon bags for the test. I did use a couple of 55 gallon bags for my growdown plants and they performed beautifully. They presented none of the problems that I had with the smaller ones. Just my two cents.