When it comes to a diaper bag, do you just tough it out with the flowery one your wife got at a baby shower? Or do you go for one yourself? Do you get something that is an actual "diaper bag" or just a messenger bag? How about a backpack? Some makers offer diaper backpacks, or will a general purpose daypack do?

Let's talk about the features that we are looking for, or specific models that we like or dislike.

I posted a question like this on twitter and got a lot of responses. Evidently there are some strong feelings out there. I got a Diaper Dude, Dude Pack to try out and I like it. We're going to shoot a segment on it, so that motivates creating the thread.

I am a huge fan of Timbuk2 products. We have a classic messenger bag I carry when we are both going out (because I will be the one carrying the bag). My wife liked the paisley bag for the first year or so, but now that our boys are 2, my wife even tends to take Timbuk2 instead of green paisley. The cross strap is wide and confortable and doesn;t haave a big decorative metal buckle in the middle (man that thing hurts).

The great thing about Timbuk is that if we over-fill it with winter coats while we are walking around in stores, the straps are long and strong enough to hold our bag closed and secure.

I always put a caribiner on my bags as well (computer for work and my photography gear bags) because they come in incredibly handy. Bag full but still need to carry a water bottle? Hook a nalgeen on the caribiner! Its all about customizing to meet your individual needs, and a Timbuk2 allows just that

I have gone with industrial design. Maybe I should just be Daddy Frugal. $25 is about my limit on what i can tolerate and so far it's worked. My previous find was $14.99 at Baby Depot. It was a black diaper bag, just right for a single baby. When the second was imminent, I found a Jeep branded bag that was about 50% larger for $19.99. It's a little sparser with the extras, but I get a messenger format with cavernous space in the center. It's worked so far.

I don't plan to get more than 6 months out of there. 20 months beat the first one to a pulp. But I think that had I spent the big bucks, it would be no different.

The main reason I bought a Timbuk2 is because they hold up so well I plan on using this one for years to come. My first Timbuk2 was purchased in college when I didn't have a car and rode a bike everywhere (working at a bike shopped helped). The bag will be 15 yrs old this spring and is still my go to bag. Handmade quality that lasts. I love it.

This thing always makes me laugh
Diaper Vest

I'll be interested to hear the DL take on diaper bags. I've been looking around at the dedicated diaper bags geared toward men and, if I were to go that route, I like the Diaper Dude "Green Dude" and the Fleurville "DJ" bags, mostly due to their eco-friendliness. But at $90-100, I would rather get something that is more of a multi-use bag. One that I could use for school, groceries, etc. My other thought, although it is actually considerably more expensive, is going with a Bailey Works messenger bag, as I could use it essentially for the rest of my life. They're super durable and waterproof. They're not as eco-friendly material wise (except that they last forever, so no need to keep buying new bags), but they are handmade in the town that I live in (Portsmouth, NH). They are really great bags. If you want to check them out, go to baileyworks.com

@halldur

I'm really leaning toward recommending that you go with a general purpose messenger bag or a backpack. The convenience factor and features that you get with a "diaper bag," are counterbalanced by the utility, durability and style of a non-specific bag, and it looks to me like the pricing comes down to being about the same.

So I like your idea of the Bailey Works bag. The Timbuk2 bags also look great. One thing I notice is the use of buckles instead of velcro, which I really like. Lots of baby stuff sticks to velcro. The velcro strips get all fuzzy and I think that looks like crap. That said, we do like the DadGear and Diaper Dude bags. And these bags look good enough that you can use them as general purpose bags when the baby is big.

For the purpose of the comparison piece we just did, I bought a North Face Surge backpack. At REI, this pack is at the same price point that you are talking about. I love all the features of this thing. I’m using it as my everyday work bag. I think it would make a good diaper bag as well. Not as good on instant access as other bags, but really good on storage, durability and utility after the baby is bigger.

By the time our third child came along, we could get all the required diaper bag contents into a gallon ziplock. This could be passed back and forth between parents. This system is perfect for North Face or Bailey Works strategy.

Lil' late to the party here... Didn't we discuss this once before, I couldn't find it - maybe it was chatting on the live show...

ANYWAY...

I'm a luggage fiend. I dig a cool bag. But it's gotta be a bargain too, my paycheck requires this feature. So, thrift stores, yard sales, what have you... I've been able to curb the purchasing of bags recently, even with a recent flood ruining all but one piece o' luggage... but a Samsonite briefcase for $7, or a retail $50 Canon camera bag for $3, yea, I'm gonna bring that home for sure. Sorry Honey.

I agree that multi-use is key, and if it's labeled as a diaper bag "first," for some reason it seems the price will be close to double. (Backpack at $25 will be a $40 or $50 diaper bag.) My neurosis loves the idea of a special lil' pocket for each item, however, practical everyday experience has shown me, that is easy to overcome and doesn't matter at all. We are actually still using the 'freebie" from the hospital. The essential diaper gear, one meal and one change of clothes still fits (though tightly). I have a specific backpack diaper bag ($3 baby consignment) that I used a few times, because it was so much cooler than the black purse looking freebie, but in order to have 2 bags, you have to have 2 sets of everything. Switching items from bag to bag was irritating, more so if you forgot something. So now, I accept carrying the "purse," as long as I'm carryin' TheBoy too. (The purse won out for the ONE bag, 'cause TheWife didn't like the backpack.)

The freebie certainly would NOT be big enough with 2 kids in diapers, and carrying 2 of them would really suck. So that'd be a reason for sure to get a bigger bag. I've seen Moms with the roller airline bags. Seems like an efficient alternative to me.

Our next one will likely see the Canon camera bag as his/her "daddy's" diaper bag. Plenty big, and convertible "walls" inside. Very cool. Even cooler if I ever put the skate patches on it, which I threatened often with the first kiddo, but never did.

Should you buy a Diaper Bag for Dad?Oh I definately have some strong opinions on this topic.

Check it out!

Should you buy a Diaper Bag for Dad

Sometime I think don't buy a diaper bag and instead just get a bag you really like.

These bags are made by a dad who is a hard core traveler. A diaper bag that can be mauled by a croc and still survive

www.saddlebackleather.com/

I've since quietly replaced the "purse" looking freebie with the backpack bag now. 100%. With no resistance from TheWife. I think she decided it wasn't worth the effort... Woo hoo!!

But the reason I came to this thread today was to actually post up a funny write up from kidswoot.com for a diaper bag. It's for a gr8x Signature Satchel Diaper Bag. Disclaimer: I hate the bag though, even in red with a black racing stripe, it looks like a purse. But the write up reminded me of the Labs...

Daddyblogging With Gordo

What up, y’all—it’s Gordo here, back with another piece of primo daddybloggin’ for all you bros with progeny. Now I know a lot of you guys who read my product reviews are probably new to the whole fatherhood scenario, so let me just tell you one thing straight up: It gets better.

I know, I know, at first you’re just like “WTH, man, this little dude just cries and cries ALL THE TIME, and he basically can’t DO anything!” I hear you. It’s true, dawgs, under a certain age, your kids are just not very much fun. You just can’t really involve them in the stuff you like. They won’t do it. They can’t. Ask me sometime about the day I tried to have a catch with my first son. Oh, man, his moms went CRAZY, and I wasn’t even throwing him the serious heat or any breaking balls either!

Anyway, that’s just how it is for the first little while. But don’t worry, once you get through the passive drooling period, your kid will be able to partake in all kinds of awesome fun activities. The trick is to endure this initial period, and before you know it, you and Mini-You will be dirt-bikin’ together and going on turkey hunts and taking turns driving the boat while the other one rides in the tube and all kinds of great stuff.

One thing that helps with this boring early stage is if you can pick up some cool gear. For example, you’re going to need a bag for your baby stuff. And I bet I don’t have to tell you that they make some UUUUUGLY ones. You’ve probably gotten some as shower gifts! But look, just because you reproduced and took on some domestic-type child-rearing responsibilities doesn’t mean you have to get full-on emasculated, dawg. So hang up the pastel happy-face flower-print bag and get yourself something classy looking like this GR8X Signature Satchel.

It’s got adjustable, detachable shoulder straps for your comfort and convenience, a changing mat, a place for your phone, all kinds of handy features. But dude—DUDE. I have to warn you about this, because no one warned me when I had my first, and I wish somebody had:

It’s not actually for carrying the baby around. It’s just for the baby’s stuff. I know, I know, he totally fits, and it looks perfectly comfy, but for whatever reason people go NUTS at the grocery store if they see you loading junior in there. Just FYI.

OK, see you next week, bros, when I’ll be field-testing some of the newest bath toys on the market. We’ll see how they stand up to jello wrestling night at Marv’s Sports Grill! Should be pretty rad. PEACE, fly-daddies!

Holy crap, that was one of the funniest reviews I have ever read. Almost makes me want to buy that diaper bag

I keep forgetting... I bought a new bag on our trip out East. Got a back-to-school special backpack for $8 and it's worked perfectly. It has mesh on each side which has handled bottles and sippies. It has a fold down flap pocket that holds 2 of each of the diapers we're dealing with at the moment plus a travel wipe box. It has an ID pocket that's easy to get to and a small top pocket that is now filled with pacifiers and pacifying toys (cars, chewies, explosives). $8! We've had it over a month, now. It's been in 5 states with absolutely no problems.

That's what I am talking about. I bought my jansport backpack almost 8 years ago as a diaper bag for my first son. It's evolved from a diaper bag, to a fun filled bag, back to a diaper bag with my 2nd son, to a fun filled bag and back to a diaper bag again with my daughter. I've collected pins and buttons that adorn the outside and expect to have it with me to build memories for years...a diaper bag can't do that.

I have two diaper bags.

The first bag is a small LL Bean toiletry bag. It is big enough for 3-4 diapers, a small travel pack of wipes, a roll up changing pad, and a couple of proportioned formula packs. This bag is used when we go for a walk or a quick run to the store. No reason to shlep the big one.

The big one is a 1200 cubic inch day pack that holds a Costco brick of wipes, a dozen diapers, a change of clothes, baggies, creams, toys, etc... It is used for longer shopping trips and days out.

I am contimplating a third 2400+ cubic inch bag that will carry everything in the "big" bag plus act as a carry on for travel and have room for the insulated lunch bag we use for bottles.

I'm getting send a couple of bags to test. One is a diaper bag and one is a camera bag from Lowepro. I'm going to do a crossover test. How well does the camera bag work as a diaper bag and vice versa.

Should be an interesting test.

JustDiaperBags.com is the one-stop shop for all types of diaper bags. Here moms and dads or other caregivers can find right bags that will carry everything for their little toddler. Yet these bags have a fashion touch in them. These bags can hold baby bottles, food and sippy cups.

diaper bags

Time & leslie diaper bags

I'm running the Maxpedition Stika Gearslinger. It's a one-Strap Backpack and slides around to chest level, leaving my hands free when in use.