I have a dwarf hairgrass carpet for my 20-gallon long OEBT and Bloody Mary tank. Though they're not as visible, I feel they like the extra cover, the babies especially.
No bad experiences after strengthening the sides, and, yes, it does reinforce the bags from bursting when dropped. It was a recommendation that came with the purchase of the bags from MVP.
I bought a similar impulse heater to seal the sides of LongLife breather bags. This is to strengthen them before shipment. I double knot the top, and/or use a rubber band in conjunction.