The Best Backpack Diaper Bags

If you have multiple children and simply need a bag that will hold everything, the Bag Nation Backpack is for you.

The best feature of this bag is that it unzips all the way, so grabbing items stored at the very bottom is as easy to access as the last thing you packed. The side pocket can hold an extra large water bottle, and the wipes pocket is easily accessible while wearing the backpack.

This backpack includes a sundry bag, which is convenient to use as a mommy pouch or to hold soiled items.

However, it is definitely bulky when packed. And when filled to the brim, there is a good chance this bag will tip over.

Why You Should Trust Us

The team behind this review is Katie Scott, mom of two and former investigative journalist, and many parents who were polled for their top preferred features in a diaper backpack. Parent comfort and safety weighed heavily in the testing process.

Now, safety is not usually top of mind when it comes to backpacks, but it should not be overlooked. Many of the bags we purchased for review include stroller clips or straps to allow parents to hang their backpacks from stroller handlebars. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against this because it is a tipping hazard. For this reason, we did not do a handlebar test. We did make sure all the diaper backpacks can stow in a stroller’s basket.

In the same vein, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers tips for backpack safety for teens that can be applied to adults as well. The agency recommends using bags with wide, padded straps that evenly distribute weight.

Based on our research, we conducted and evaluated more than two dozen tests and features that we then organized into five categories.

• Storage (25% weighting)
• Comfort (25% weighting)
• Convenience (25% weighting)
• Quality (15% weighting)
• Style (10% weighting)

Who Should Get This

Any parent who values being hands-free can benefit from a diaper backpack. Baby’s essentials can fit into many different styles of bags, including crossbody and hand-held. But backpacks undoubtedly offer the most convenience and storage.

When reviewing each backpack, we also kept in mind parents of toddlers and older kids who are beyond the diapering stage. We ranked bags that had longevity and better quality, albeit more expensive, higher than those that may only last a year or two of wear and tear.

How We Tested

We scoured the internet to find diaper backpacks that topped baby registries, as well as those that are popular in the mom influencer community and those that are new to market.

We evaluated 30 bags but whittled down our product review list to 15. We rejected those with negative reviews that overwhelmingly dealt with durability issues. We also capped backpacks at $200. From our research and experience, bags over that price point offer a brand name but not much more quality.

First and foremost, we wanted to see how much the backpacks could hold. As a mom of an infant and toddler, I am traveling with quite the load.

On most days, I am at a minimum carrying in my backpack:

• Diapers for baby and toddler
• Wipes
• Extra clothes for baby and toddler
• Bottle
• Water bottle for toddler
• Sun hats
• Sunglasses
• Light blanket/car seat cover
• White noise machine
• Toy for baby
• Snacks for toddler
• Burp cloth
• Face masks
• Hand sanitizer
• Sunblock
• Chapstick
• Wallet, keys, hand lotion, lip balm, water bottle for mom

With all of our diaper bag essentials laid out, we took our backpacks on outings and tried to create as many real-life mom moments as possible.

Product Ratings, Tests and Specs

	Best Overall	Budget Choice	Upgrade Choice		Recommended
	TWELVElittle Peek-A-Boo	HapTim Multi-Function Backpack	JuJuBe BFF	Ruvalino Multi-Function Diaper Backpack	Bag Nation Diaper Backpack	Skip Hop Forma	ECOSUSI Diaper Bag	Itzy Ritzy Boss	Land Diaper Backpack	Freshly Picked Convertible Classic	Babymel Robyn	Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy	Derjunstar Portable Crib Backpack	Skip Hop Mainframe	Fawn Design Original
	Amazon	Amazon	Amazon	Amazon	Amazon Walmart	Amazon Walmart	Amazon	Amazon	Amazon	Amazon	Amazon	Amazon Walmart	Amazon	Amazon BedBath&Beyond Walmart	Fawn Design
Test Lab Score	85	84	84	80	79	75	74	74	69	64	63	63	62	62	61
Storage	73	90	75	86	85	69	83	70	70	63	49	57	70	65	51
Quality	85	75	90	65	70	80	50	75	50	80	75	80	30	75	90
Comfort	90	90	80	80	90	85	80	75	75	45	45	40	60	45	30
Convenience	91	81	80	81	72	71	73	81	68	67	78	80	68	64	78
Style	85	80	92	85	65	70	75	63	85	85	90	70	85	70	82
Specifications
Dimensions	13 L x 6 W x 15 H	13 L x 8 W x 17 H	14 L x 7 W x 12 H	12 L x 8 W x 17 H	14 L x 8 W x 17 H	14 L x 8 W x 16 H	12 L x 8 W x 16 H	11 L x 7 W x 18 H	11 L x 8 W x 17 H	13 L x 7 W x 15 H	11 L x 6 W x 14 H	13 L x 6 W x 12 H	12 L x 8 W x 17 H	14 L x 6 W x 15 H	14 L x 7 W x 13 H
Number of interior compartments	5	10	14	10	7	7	7	7	8	7	4	10	7	4	7
Number of exterior compartments	5	5	5	6	8	11	4	7	5	4	3	5	6	5	5
Separate changing pad compartment	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Material	Fabric and Vegan Leather	Water-Resistant Fabric	Fabric	Fabric	Fabric	Polyester	Polyester	Vegan Leather	Fabric	Vegan Leather	Fabric	Canvas	Fabric	Polyester	Vegan Leather
Backpack weight	2lb 3.3oz lb	2lb 1oz lb	2lb 1oz lb	1lb 12oz lb	2lb 3oz lb	1lb 1.5oz lb	1lb 8oz lb	3lb 4.4oz lb	1lb 6oz lb	1lb 14oz lb	1lb 12oz lb	2lb 8.4oz lb	2lb 4oz lb	1lb 11oz lb	3lb 11oz lb
Additional features included	Changing pad, wipes case, stroller clips	Changing pad, stroller clips	Changing pad, stroller hooks, shoulder strap	Changing pad, stroller hooks	Changing pad, stroller clips, sundry bag	Changing pad, storage cubes, stroller clips	Changing pad, stroller clips	Changing pad, stroller clips	None	Changing pad, stroller hooks, shoulder strap	Changing pad, insulated bottle holder, stroller clips	Changing pad, stroller straps, shoulder strap, wipes case	Changing pad, bassinet, stroller clips, USB charger	Changing pad, stroller clips	Changing pad, shoulder strap, stroller hooks, pouch
Sits upright	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Sometimes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

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Value

Diaper backpacks vary widely in price. We reviewed bags as affordable as $30 and as steep as $195. There is a noticeable difference in materials and quality with a higher price tag.

But an expensive bag doesn’t necessarily equal function. In fact, we found some serious comfort issues and storage flaws with the pricier backpacks like the Freshly Picked Convertible Classic.

For at least the first two years, your diaper backpack will likely go with you any time you leave the house. It’s wise to invest in a bag that will keep up with you and your kids.

Storage

Most of the bags we tested fit all of the diaper bag essentials listed above. But a few fell short: The Fawn Design Original Backpack, the Freshly Picked Convertible Classic, the Skip Hop Mainframe Backpack and the Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy Backpack.

No matter how many times we packed and unpacked and how we wrangled the zippers, these four bags simply could not hold all the items up above. If you are only packing for one child, storage capacity should be adequate.

We also took note of whether bags had a separate compartment for the changing pad. The changing pad is likely the dirtiest thing you carry in your bag. Not only do you change diapers on there, that changing pad is also coming into contact with changing tables in public places. It’s best to keep that separate from baby’s bottles, pacifier and toys.

A majority of the the diaper bags we reviewed have a separate sleeve for the changing pad at the very least. Some, like the Ruvalino Multi-Function Backpack, had completely separate compartments that you could store diapering essentials, which is an even bigger bonus.

Organization

Now storage is important but so is organization. We looked at how easy it was to find and access items. A roomy interior is great, but is it so cavernous that things get lost? Or in a spit-up emergency, if that burp cloth is packed near the bottom of the bag, will I need to unpack everything to grab it?

And more so than the number of interior and exterior pockets (though we noted that, as well), we carefully considered how the pockets were designed and if they were helpful or useless.

As noted in our recommendations above, the TWELVElittle Peek-A-Boo Backpack had far and away the most well-thought-out and versatile features we’ve seen in a diaper bag. For example, the front pocket holds a wipes pouch, but by moving the center magnetic snap divider, it becomes a regular pocket and items are not falling through the hole. Genius!

We appreciated bags that also had dedicated compartments for smaller items. When carrying a diaper bag, there’s not always room to carry a separate purse. That’s why “mommy pockets” are especially handy.

The JuJuBe BFF Backpack has the best “mommy pocket” design. There is a clip for keys, room for wallets and cards, even a microfiber sleeve for sunglasses so you don’t need to carry around a bulky sunglass case.

The ECOSUSI Diaper Backpack scored surprisingly high for organization due to the design of exterior pockets and main compartment which unzips completely.

Quality

We examined the zipper quality, seams and material of each backpack. Unsurprisingly, we noticed issues with the construction of the more affordable bags and were impressed by the premium materials of the expensive ones.

As it relates to zippers, we looked at how easy it was to zip and unzip with one hand while holding a baby. We found wide mouth bags, such as the Land Diaper Backpack and the Skip Hop Mainframe Backpack, were difficult to open and close with one hand because the framing does not extend to the outer corners of the zippers.

The pricier bags scored highest in the zipper rating category.

Comfort

Shoulder straps and the backpack’s weight and size ruled this category.

The bag that received the lowest mark in this category is the Fawn Design Original Bag. This backpack is admittedly beautiful, but the vegan leather bag weighs a whopping 3 pounds 11 ounces empty. The shoulder straps are also not padded and were extremely uncomfortable.

The Skip Hop Forma was the lightest bag of the bunch, weighing in at just 1 pound 2 ounces. It was also comfortable to carry. Because of its unstructured material, the Forma is able to hold a lot but difficult to open and close the main compartment one-handed.

Below is how the bags stacked up when it came to shoulder strap comfort.

Convenience

This category covers the widest range and included the most tests. We looked at ease of use, ease of cleaning, included accessories and additional features, such as luggage sleeves, grab handles and more.

Ease of Use

When considering ease of use, we conducted the following tests: reaching for items on the side pockets while wearing the backpack, finding items packed near the bottom of the bag, opening and closing the bag with one hand, stowing and pulling the backpack out of a stroller’s undercarriage and more.

Here are our findings:

Backpacks that have dedicated pockets for items to stay organized and those with wide main compartment openings scored the highest. The B07L1F1XQKItzy Ritzy Boss Backpack features both very well. Inside, mesh pockets allow you to store smaller items and see what’s inside. The interior side pockets also have extra elasticity so they can still hold essentials even if the exterior pockets are used.

But keep in mind, the Itzy Ritzy Boss Backpack is taller than most at 18 inches, so the fit may be awkward on a shorter person. The bag is also on the heavier side, weighing 3 pounds 4 ounces.

Ease of Cleaning

From crumbs, milk and bodily fluids, diaper backpacks will deal with all kinds of messes. It is essential they are easy to clean.

It pained us to crush up puffs, dump them into the backpacks and pour liquid on them inside these sparkling new bags. But we did it to determine how easy or difficult it was to clean up the mess. 

The B096WCZSNYJuJuBe BFF scored the highest since it is the only bag we tested that is machine washable. The only bag that even left a temporary water mark was the Bag Nation Diaper Backpack. All others have a water-resistant exterior and the crumbs were easy to clean up as well.

Also factoring into the overall convenience score was whether bags included additional features, such as changing pads, luggage sleeves, laptop sleeves and more. Take a look at the Product Ratings, Tests and Specifications graph above for a full breakdown of included accessories.

While accessories can be convenient, beware of bags that over-promise. Take the Derjunstar Portable Crib Backpack. The idea of having a traveling bassinet and changing station built into a backpack seems like a great idea. But it adds an incredible amount of bulk to the bag. The outer compartment stores the retractable poles for the bassinet, along with the mesh sides. It appears construction quality (namely, the zippers and seams) suffered as well because of this added feature. Let a diaper bag be just a diaper bag!

Style

And lastly, we considered the overall look and design of the bag. We stuffed each with our diaper bag essentials and evaluated if the backpacks looked overly bulky or cumbersome.

And because many partners also carry diaper backpacks, those that are gender-neutral and offer a variety of colors and designs scored higher.

Can I hang my diaper backpack from my stroller handlebars?

If you ask the American Academy of Pediatrics and stroller makers, the answer is no. The AAP advises against hanging bags from a stroller’s handlebars because it is a tipping hazard.

According to the AAP, two children go to the emergency room every hour after being injured by a stroller or carrier with most injuries happening when a child falls from the stroller or the stroller tips over. For this reason, pediatricians insist diaper bags and other heavy items sit in the stroller basket.

That said, many parents (and diaper bag manufacturers) ignore this warning. Most bags come with D-rings to clip onto a stroller, and some even include the straps themselves. Hanging a bag from a stroller handlebar is definitely convenient by having all of baby’s items within arm’s reach.

If you do take the risk, make sure you always have a hand on the stroller to balance the weight. Remove the bag from the handlebars first before placing a child in or taking him out of the stroller.

Is it better to carry a backpack or a diaper bag?

This comes down to personal preference. Some people like the style of an over-the-shoulder tote better than a backpack. However, wearing a backpack diaper bag allows you to have both arms free to scoop up your children.

And if you carry a backpack with padded straps and padded back, it is definitely more comfortable for longer wear.

What should I look for in a backpack diaper bag?

Criteria for a backpack diaper bag will differ per mom and per family. It really depends on what your needs are. But asking these questions may help you narrow your search.

Will you be carrying a backpack diaper bag for long periods of time?

Comfort may not be of great importance if you are simply carrying a diaper backpack from your house, the car, then to grandma’s. But if your family goes for long walks to the park or to Disneyland, you’ll want to find a backpack that has wide padded straps and support for your back.

How many kids are you packing for?

If you are packing for one child, you can get away with a backpack with a smaller storage capacity. It’s a no-brainer that with more kids, you’ll have more stuff, so a larger backpack will work best.

What are the kids’ ages?

The ages of your children also come into play. If you have an infant under 1 who still drinks bottles, backpacks with insulated bottler holders may be very convenient and necessary. That feature is less important if your children are older and can drink room temperature water.

Another thing to note: diapers take up a lot of room in bags. If you have multiple kids still in diapers, you’ll want to take that into account and opt for a bag with more extensive storage.

Do you typically carry a separate purse or pouch for your belongings?

Some mothers still like to carry their own separate purse in addition to a diaper bag. Others don’t have enough arms to carry another item. If you’re in the latter group, look for a bag with a dedicated mommy pocket. Even better if that pocket comes with built-in organization for your keys, wallet, phone, etc.