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My least favorite thing about diaper bags is how massive they are. Do I really need a bag that makes me look like a hobbit wearing Aragorn's backpack? Not that Aragorn wears one. (Real men carry man purses.) It would cramp his style, the same way most diaper bags cramp mine.
The price point is also insane. Diaper bags can retail for over $200, which just feels bonkers for a bag that you'll only need for a certain stage of your kid's life. Maybe you want multiple children and hope that you'll like it enough to use for several years, but even that felt a lot like planned obsolescence.
Originally, I simply set out to find diaper bags that I thought both my husband and I would enjoy using. I ended up finding a few fantastic diaper bags that we'd not only be happy to wear around town, but that I would even take places without my kid. That's a bag worth investing in. (Incidentally, we also have a few other backpacks worth considering if these don't work out for you.)
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A Good Laptop Backpack
Photograph: Nena Farrell
7AM Enfant BK718 Diaper Backpack$95 at Amazon$100 at Nordstrom
7AM Enfant's puffy diaper backpack has become the house go-to diaper bag. It's the size of an average backpack but has a small front pocket with two mesh compartments that's perfect for stashing diapers and wipes. Inside, each side is lined with low pockets perfect for kid snacks, bottles, or more diapers and wipes. Most importantly, there's a laptop-sized pocket where you'll find the included changing pad stored (so you'll want to sanitize that pocket before putting your laptop in there!). It's plenty big enough for several diapers, lots of snacks, a change of clothes, and a myriad of toys, while also fitting everyone's water bottles.
That small front pocket could easily be used instead for something like power cords and lip balm instead of diapers and wipes, though, and the built-in laptop sleeve makes it a great potential work or travel bag. There's a pass-through on the back to slide it onto suitcase handlebars too. It's honestly a great-looking bag, and my husband jokes that it matches his black puffer jacket. The only downside is that the outside drink pockets are really only meant for kid-sized bottles, but the inside drink pockets easily fit my 40-ounce water bottle.
A Mini Backpack
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Calpak Convertible Mini Diaper Backpack$138 at Calpak
Calpak recently launched an entire new line of diaper bags, and the Convertible Mini Diaper Backpack has become my latest favorite diaper bag. It's a nice size increase over my previous favorite bag, the Beis Diaper Pack (9/10, WIRED Recommends), now that my kid is a little older and needs more snacks and larger toys while we're on the go. It has low pockets lining the interior for diapers, wipes, and snacks, plus a tall, thin front pocket I like to use for my wallet and keys. There's no included changing pad, though, so you'll need to bring your own.
I like it so much that I have started using this diaper bag for my own solo outings. The main pocket is just big enough to fit a couple of Dungeons & Dragons rule books and my dice bag; it also fits my 11-inch Macbook laptop with a notebook and charger cords. The laptop doesn't have a designated pocket like you'll find in 7AM's bag, but it's been the Goldilocks of bags for me as a not-too-small, not-too-big backpack. It's larger than other popular mini backpacks like you'll find at Loungefly, but it's a nice little size to fit plenty of things. (Except a big water bottle, but that's no surprise with a mini bag.)
An Organized Camera Bag
Photograph: No Reception Club
No Reception Club Getaway Bag$235 at No Reception Club
The No Reception Club Getaway Bag (6/10, WIRED Recommends) is a pricey but cool bag. It's designed for travel, but the design reminds me so much of how a camera bag is organized. The adjustable interior shelves mean you can create room for just about anything while still keeping certain items separate. There's a side pocket meant for No Reception Club's diaper hip pack, but I found it easier to just throw a couple diapers and a pack of wipes in there.
It's great for keeping toys, snacks, and extra clothes in their own sections. But you'd also never guess it's a diaper bag from first look, since it's not actually designed for diapers, so much as parents who have lots of flexible, growing needs. Nobody would blink an eye if you used this bag without your kid–that's the whole point of the bag.
A Good Stroller Organizer
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Colugo On The Go Organizer$45 at Target$45 at Pottery Barn Kids$45 at Babylist
You already know I love a good diaper fanny pack, so it's no surprise that I liked how Colugo's stroller organizer doubled as a hip pack. The organizer is big enough for tons of things, though it isn't designed for diapers; it's more for kiddo drinks, pacifiers, and your phone and wallet. There's little dividers in the inside, made for two baby bottles or toddler water tumblers to stand up in the organizer, plus a small front pocket and mesh large back pocket. The back mesh pocket is where I stuff the large strap when I attach it to the stroller, but it's also big enough to fit a diaper (though not wipes) or a smart phone.
I wore mine all over the San Diego Zoo and was impressed not only by how comfortable it was to wear around my chest, but how much it just looked like a cool fanny pack rather than a stroller organizer. It was easy to attach to the stroller while on the go, too. I could easily use this bag for years to come, and take advantage of those interior compartments for my lip balms and keys instead of toddler drinks.
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