Married to My Diaper Bag: Choosing the Best of the Latest and Greatest

With so many diaper bag possibilities on the market, it’s easy to be overwhelmed! We’ve tested lots of choices, and are ready to offer our advice on which ones we like most. To make things even easier, we’ve broken them down into categories analogous to the men we love to love – you can choose your favorite!

The Working Man:
Ruggedly handsome with a strong back and practicality beyond compare, The Working Man steps in to save the day again and again. Here are our “Working Man” diaper bag picks:

• The Wee Generation Eco-Diaper Bag 
  We love that this bag is sturdy and eco-friendly, stands up on its own waterproof bottom and has a handy magnet closure. And while our testers thought it would be excellent for travel, with its size and upholstery-grade fabric, it felt a bit too much like luggage. Ultra-utilitarian, this bag is perfect for a super organized, environmentally friendly, no-nonsense kind of mom.

• Diaper Dude’s Herringbone Messenger Bag
  This handsome bag is Hip-Dad-friendly, while still being the kind of tote we’d like to own. The messenger bag style is handy and the big pockets offer plenty of necessary storage. The big drawback to our testers was the wool fabric; not exactly the most user-friendly, considering all that most of us have in store for our bags!
  *Bonus point: Testers could totally envision new papa Brad Pitt rockin’ this one.

• JJ Cole Logic Bag 
  Our panel of testers thought of dozens of uses for this ready-to-go urban tote! Perfect for quick outings, or as a back-up to your usual diaper bag, this diaper bag holds the essentials, and nothing but the essentials. We thought both moms and dads would appreciate the easy-on/easy-off hands-free style. We love that it won’t topple an empty stroller, and would definitely want to stash one in the car for just-in-case. The only drawback? If you have more than one child, this little guy might be too small for you.

• Munchkin Jelly Bean Cargo Sling 
  While we’re talking sling style, let’s discuss the ultimate multi-tasker: This baby sling doubles as your diaper bag! For baby-wearing moms, you know that too many accoutrements can have you feeling far too pack-mule-ish for comfort. Slip on this sling stocked with all the necessities for you and baby, and you’re ready to go. While we found the internal bottle holder too small for practical use and the strap difficult to adjust, the padded bottom and mesh ventilation will definitely keep your little one comfy and close in style.

• Kalencom Laminated Buckle Bag
  If you’re looking for a practical bag, look no further. This child-friendly laminated buckle bag boasts an adjustable strap, metal feet to protect the bottom and a big changing pad to keep everything neat and tidy. In addition, there’s a zippered pouch to tuck away things that require immediate quarantine, and a large open center to accommodate every thing we needed and then some. One thing we’d tweak? We’d like a designated pouch to place that potentially sullied changing pad.

Next up? The Pretty Boy…