wag bag wag bag a wag bag is a plastic bag used to carry human feces out of a wilderness area. wag is an acronym that stands for waste alleviating gel. typically, human feces can be buried in the backcountry. however, in certain places, such as popular hiking areas or in winter, human waste can accumulate and therefore wag bags are used to carry out the feces to dispose of later. wag bags are always a commercially manufactured product that contains a specialized gel which renders human waste non-infectious. use of a wag bag is a part of the leave no trace etiquette. examples of use wag bags are legally required on the mount whitney trail because it sees so much use. rock climbers use wag bags when sleeping in a portaledge. wag bags are one method of safely packing out human waste from remote areas and places without facilities.