Outgrowing Baby Bag...need ideas

[got15]

Hey! We are outgrowing our current SkipHop baby bag We are a family with 2DS (6&turning 3). We don't need a bag for holding bottles anymore, or the diaper changing pad- but for a change of clothes for both, pull-ups, wipes, and a place for personal items. Another thing we loved about our current baby bag is that it had stroller clips- which came in handy and left the bottom stroller compartment for storage. Im hesitant to buy another bag.. but don't know what people do during this transitional time. Any suggestions please. Thanks in advance!

 

[glassslippergirl]

Interesting question. We will be embarking on this phase on our next trip, too. We have a Diaper Dude bag. Not a very novel solution, but I'm thinking of just taking out the changing pad and diapers and continuing to use it. I like the convenient front pouch that perfectly holds a pack of wipes for easy access. It will hold a change of clothes and snacks, and the shoulder strap fits over the stroller handle (like your stroller clips). Also, it's already been through the wringer, so I'm not worried about it getting dirtier. Interested to hear what others use.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I just went to backpack after the diaper bag.

 

[mjkacmom]

Lol, my 5 are all teens, and I still use my Lands End backpack diaper bag as a trip bag! Sunscreen, water bottle, change of clothes when they were little? I'm an under packer, by the time I finished up with my twins, I'd just keep some diapers and wipes in the minivan if we were local.

 

[DisneyOma]

Why not just use a backpack? The straps hang over the handles on a stroller.

 

[Sydney2977]

Once ours got out of diapers we went to a Jansport backpack. I can't remember the model name (got it in 2003) but it lasted as our trip bag for all vacations, DH took it overseas a couple times, DS's took it on a couple school trips, and it finally started getting rough so I got a new smaller one for this trip. It had lots of compartments, side mesh pockets for water bottles, good strap padding so was easy for DH or I to carry. The new one I got was under $30 on Amazon so I'm sure you could find a good deal on a bigger one there. Plus they have a lifetime warranty (I'm just too lazy to send our old one back and I probably don't have the receipt).

Funny side note about the warranty: older DS was going on a week long backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail and younger DS had just gotten a brand new backpack that he'd only used once when he bridged up to Boy Scouts. He convinced him to let him use the new one because it was a few pounds lighter than the same model he had from four years earlier. Well during the trip a bear came in to their camp area and was rooting around for food and ripped the whole bottom section of the pack off, along with knocking some of their food down that was tied up in trees before tumbling down an embankment and running off. DS had to tie the pack together for the rest of the trip and when he got home we sent the destroyed pack back to Jansport. They sent us a brand new one back!

 

[unrequited23]

Third vote for a backpack. Use ziplocs to keep it organized. One for clothes-you can put the dirty/wet ones in it. One for diapers/pull ups. One for sunscreen/other stuff that might make a mess.

 

[Mousemommy1]

We just used a backpack.

 

[heath92681]

Hey! We are outgrowing our current SkipHop baby bag We are a family with 2DS (6&turning 3). We don't need a bag for holding bottles anymore, or the diaper changing pad- but for a change of clothes for both, pull-ups, wipes, and a place for personal items. Another thing we loved about our current baby bag is that it had stroller clips- which came in handy and left the bottom stroller compartment for storage. Im hesitant to buy another bag.. but don't know what people do during this transitional time. Any suggestions please. Thanks in advance!

I use this exact bag in the parks because of those stroller clips! I've never found anything better!

 

[scrapquitler]

Hey! We are outgrowing our current SkipHop baby bag We are a family with 2DS (6&turning 3). We don't need a bag for holding bottles anymore, or the diaper changing pad- but for a change of clothes for both, pull-ups, wipes, and a place for personal items. Another thing we loved about our current baby bag is that it had stroller clips- which came in handy and left the bottom stroller compartment for storage. Im hesitant to buy another bag.. but don't know what people do during this transitional time. Any suggestions please. Thanks in advance!

I never ever used a diaper bag for either of my kids. I always just used a back pack that I bought at Walmart or Target for about $25, in a solid color that Dad wouldn't mind carrying for times when he was hauling the kids around.

 

[AspenLL]

We have the Fisher Price FastFinder backpack and also have the mommy hook.

 

[Mickeycrocs]

I bought a backback off of the Zulily website, it has a fold over flap and lots of pockets inside as well as out. I find it very convienient, and also I don't know if its still available now but my son was able to get one with a character and his name on it.

 

[squirrel]

I use a backpack. I add a few carabineer clips from the $1 store and clip on hats. I also added them to the stroller and hung a water bottle to the stroller.

 

[CharleneR]

When my oldest was born I had gotten a Land's End Diaper Back Pack in addition to having a traditional diaper bag. He will be 11 on April 1st and we still use it for all day trips to amusement parks etc and it will be coming to Disney with us in August. The only thing "diaper" about it was that it had a folding changing pad that went in a area in the back and when my boys didn't need diapers anymore we just took it out. It has nice padded straps, two insulated bottle holders which now are used for water bottles and plenty of storage. One of the best products I ever got because of the versatility!

 

[epsmith921]

I'm personally a messenger bag girl for the parks. Me + backpack + Orlando heat = nope.

I recently found a Patagonia messenger bag I wanted desperately to buy but it's about $60 on ebags and I have way too many bags already. But that's the sort of thing we go to. Though I do use a backpack in the airport. I just don't love having to basically take off the whole thing to get at anything.

 

[ReyFan]

We went to a camelback backpack. Ours has tons of pockets, but it's not bulky. We fill the water bladder with ice and just a little water in the morning and at meal breaks. Lots of ice cold water for the kids. Then when kids were still in a stroller we usedcaribeaners to attach it to the stroller.

 

[jeepnjudy]

We never bothered with a diaper bag and used a backpack all the time so no transition needed. As others have mentioned, I would use a backpack.

 

[NinaBella]

What do you mean you are "outgrowing" your current bag? 1) Is the bag too small and you want recommendations on a larger bag or 2) You feel you no longer want a diaper bag because your kids are older and you are almost out of that stage?

Also, are you looking for something for a man or woman to carry, or both?

I would not purchase a new diaper bag given your kids ages.

 

[mernin]

Another backpack user. We moved out of a diaper bag early as I was tired of carry it. We used a toddler size backpack got small outings, and a lager backpack when we need more space.

 

[Bluegrrl]

I use a large Vera Bradley bag (tote, not diaper bag). It looks nice, I can wash it, and it fits like - everything!! I also use a hook (not the mommy one, but one that Velcros on and has a twisty type hook to prevent it sliding off or someone just grabbing bag)

The other bag I use is a fossil purse/tote and it's my Tardis bag. It looks small, yet fits a ton of stuff in it! I've put about six diapers, wipes, wallet, cell, change of clothes and bib+silverware in a relatively tiny bag.

I would recommend buying a Planetwise wet/dry bag as well. They are incredibly handy. I put dry clothes in them until I need them, the switch out and put the wet clothes in.

But I agree with some others, a backpack + florida = icky. I'd rather a pretty tote that I can reuse for myself later on.