Find me the perfect diaper bag!
July 3, 2010 10:15 AM Subscribe
I need a new diaper bag, I'm open to any and all suggestions.
I am convinced my right bag does not exist. Here's what I'm looking for:
- Big. I carry a lot, I like big bags. I'm talking like 15x13, at least 4-5 inches wide
- Stylish. I am a priss, I own this. I do not want a bag that has Winnie the Pooh on it, cute as he may be.
- Zip out, wipeable/washable lining. I'd love to be able to whip everything out if there's an incident.
- Leather? What do you guys think? I get the impression it's sturdier and easier to keep clean, but I could be way off base.
- Lots of interior pockets. Babies have a lot of crap, I'm not too keen on digging through mounds of it to get to what I want.
- Stroller straps. Convenience FTW!
- Solid base with feet. I need to be able to set the bag down to look into it without it flopping over.
- Wide open top. No zippers that prevent the bag from opening all the way.
At this point, price is no object, but let's not get silly here. Does this magic bag exist?
I am convinced my right bag does not exist. Here's what I'm looking for:
- Big. I carry a lot, I like big bags. I'm talking like 15x13, at least 4-5 inches wide
- Stylish. I am a priss, I own this. I do not want a bag that has Winnie the Pooh on it, cute as he may be.
- Zip out, wipeable/washable lining. I'd love to be able to whip everything out if there's an incident.
- Leather? What do you guys think? I get the impression it's sturdier and easier to keep clean, but I could be way off base.
- Lots of interior pockets. Babies have a lot of crap, I'm not too keen on digging through mounds of it to get to what I want.
- Stroller straps. Convenience FTW!
- Solid base with feet. I need to be able to set the bag down to look into it without it flopping over.
- Wide open top. No zippers that prevent the bag from opening all the way.
At this point, price is no object, but let's not get silly here. Does this magic bag exist?
Tumi used to make a very good diaper bag that meets almost all of your criteria. I don't see the diaper bag on the Tumi website now, but you can find them in other places online (here's one on eBay).
posted by devinemissk at 10:34 AM on July 3, 2010
posted by devinemissk at 10:34 AM on July 3, 2010
Fleurville diaper bags are pretty sweet. I don't know about the zip-out liner but otherwise they match your criteria.
posted by drmarcj at 10:38 AM on July 3, 2010
posted by drmarcj at 10:38 AM on July 3, 2010
Don't dismiss this without hearing me out: Chrome Metropolis.
I used a regular diaper bag for a while, and we got by with it. I also had this freaking sweet messenger bag that I used for carrying all kinds of stuff around while I was commuting via bicycle. It's one of the default bags for messengers for a reason. There are a lot of good bags out there with different features, and choosing one over the other is a sort of religion for some folks. I had to once use it as a diaper bag when our bag got toddlerized once, and it was great.
The bag sits very comfortable on one shoulder. If that's a game killer for you, then read no further. The padding is very comfortable. When you order you can choose right or left shoulder.
The interior is made of a sort of heavy duty vinyl. It's waterproof and can easily be wiped completely clean. It holds a ton. It has a few little compartments, but mostly it's One Big Cavernous Bag.
Personally, I don't like compartments, I like stuff sacks.
The bag doesn't have "feet", but it does say put when you plop it down. The best part, though, is that you can swing the bag around and easily pull something out without having to put it down or take it off. I mean, that's 50% of why a messenger bag is designed like this.
So...
big...check
stylish....personal
washable liner....check
lots of interior pockets........miss, but lots of room
stroller straps...........miss, but shoulder strap is easy to adjust to keep it on a stroller
solid base with feet........miss, but the bag is solid. it doesn't flop over
wide open top............holy shit yes. this thing gapes when you want it and is supa tight when you don't. velcro for convenience and plastic buckles if you need the extra security.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 10:49 AM on July 3, 2010
I used a regular diaper bag for a while, and we got by with it. I also had this freaking sweet messenger bag that I used for carrying all kinds of stuff around while I was commuting via bicycle. It's one of the default bags for messengers for a reason. There are a lot of good bags out there with different features, and choosing one over the other is a sort of religion for some folks. I had to once use it as a diaper bag when our bag got toddlerized once, and it was great.
The bag sits very comfortable on one shoulder. If that's a game killer for you, then read no further. The padding is very comfortable. When you order you can choose right or left shoulder.
The interior is made of a sort of heavy duty vinyl. It's waterproof and can easily be wiped completely clean. It holds a ton. It has a few little compartments, but mostly it's One Big Cavernous Bag.
Personally, I don't like compartments, I like stuff sacks.
The bag doesn't have "feet", but it does say put when you plop it down. The best part, though, is that you can swing the bag around and easily pull something out without having to put it down or take it off. I mean, that's 50% of why a messenger bag is designed like this.
So...
big...check
stylish....personal
washable liner....check
lots of interior pockets........miss, but lots of room
stroller straps...........miss, but shoulder strap is easy to adjust to keep it on a stroller
solid base with feet........miss, but the bag is solid. it doesn't flop over
wide open top............holy shit yes. this thing gapes when you want it and is supa tight when you don't. velcro for convenience and plastic buckles if you need the extra security.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 10:49 AM on July 3, 2010
I had to once once had to use it as a diaper bag when our bag got toddlerized once, and it was great.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 10:51 AM on July 3, 2010
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 10:51 AM on July 3, 2010
Something I'm glad I thought of when my wife and I got a diaper bag: make sure it's also something a man doesn't mind carrying around. I'm sure I'll get disagreements here, but since I ended up carrying stuff as often as she did, (since she usually had enough to carry, and sometimes I went out without her), it was nice to have a bag that didn't look dumb for a man to carry. We found an Eddie Bauer backpack model in a neutral color.
posted by monkeymadness at 11:01 AM on July 3, 2010
posted by monkeymadness at 11:01 AM on July 3, 2010
Studio Cherie has a variety of diaper bags that have received rave reviews. Dig further into her site and there is a line of bags that also double as changing pads.
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:14 AM on July 3, 2010
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:14 AM on July 3, 2010
We used a standard day sized backpack. They come in a wide assortment of sizes and styles and continue to be useful for years after the kid no longer needs diapers. I'm not sure what stroller straps are but we used to hang ours off our stroller with the regular shoulder straps keeping it in place with the chest strap. Ours wasn't easy to wipe out but the whole thing could be tossed in the washing machine. Anything that could leak/spill was kept in 1 gallon ziplock bags anyways; I don't remember ever needing anything past that.
posted by Mitheral at 11:21 AM on July 3, 2010
posted by Mitheral at 11:21 AM on July 3, 2010
I've just discovered this store called baby on the hip and there are some crazy diaper bags there.
Leather + wipeable inside may be a tough combination to find.
posted by pick_the_flowers at 12:22 PM on July 3, 2010
Leather + wipeable inside may be a tough combination to find.
posted by pick_the_flowers at 12:22 PM on July 3, 2010
Seconding spikelee... I used an old plain black messenger bag for my daughter's changing bag for a year or so with great success. Now she's older, I just have this large-ish handbag with a couple of her essentials in. I fully intend to go down the same route for number 2 child.
posted by dogsbody at 12:45 PM on July 3, 2010
posted by dogsbody at 12:45 PM on July 3, 2010
Vera Bradley - wonderful diaper bags that will fit your needs and are washable. Straps will fit across the stroller handles. Lost of interior pockets and several on the outside. Comes in a variety of "priss" patterns! I should know I have 2 of them!
posted by pamspanda at 12:46 PM on July 3, 2010
posted by pamspanda at 12:46 PM on July 3, 2010
I've got the Skip Hop which I find very functional if unnecessarily big, but it meets many of your criteria!
posted by tetralix at 1:32 PM on July 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by tetralix at 1:32 PM on July 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
I have been a huge fan of Queenbee Creations for a long time, and have a couple of their bags and a wallet. They're out of Portland (originally Olympia, WA), everything is hand-made in the USA. Their products are made of very sturdy, wipe-able vinyl, with serious stitching. They have a line of parent products called Chickpea Baby. They have two diaper bags styles - one with a flap (based off their "Trucker" messenger bag) and one with a zip top (based off their "Rita" bag). You can't remove the liner, but the pockets are mesh and it looks easy to clean.
posted by radioamy at 4:20 PM on July 3, 2010
posted by radioamy at 4:20 PM on July 3, 2010
Best answer: Yes, your dream bag does exist: it is the Oi Oi Leather Hobo diaper bag.
I have the black leather bag and I LOVE it. By far, it was one of the best purchases I made. It has everything you are looking for: leather, wipeable interior, solid base with feet, interior pockets, and stroller straps. It was a bit pricey, but you won't regret it.
I get loads of compliments on my bag and I never feel like I had to sacrifice style for function. Plus, I figure I'll be able to continue using it long after I need to tote around baby/toddler gear.
posted by msmanners at 7:21 PM on July 3, 2010
I have the black leather bag and I LOVE it. By far, it was one of the best purchases I made. It has everything you are looking for: leather, wipeable interior, solid base with feet, interior pockets, and stroller straps. It was a bit pricey, but you won't regret it.
I get loads of compliments on my bag and I never feel like I had to sacrifice style for function. Plus, I figure I'll be able to continue using it long after I need to tote around baby/toddler gear.
posted by msmanners at 7:21 PM on July 3, 2010
Of course, if canary yellow is not your style, you may want to view the other colors: Oi Oi Luxury Leather collection.
posted by msmanners at 7:25 PM on July 3, 2010
posted by msmanners at 7:25 PM on July 3, 2010
Seconding queenbee creations! Fabulous, look awesome, incredibly durable.
posted by purenitrous at 10:04 AM on July 5, 2010
posted by purenitrous at 10:04 AM on July 5, 2010
I was so wrong about the leather. Here is a list of "stylish diaper bags" the Oi Oi is not not mentioned, but seriously, you've got to look at these bags.
posted by pick_the_flowers at 1:30 PM on July 6, 2010
posted by pick_the_flowers at 1:30 PM on July 6, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
It doesn't meet all of your criteria but most of it.
posted by gnutron at 10:30 AM on July 3, 2010