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If you’re anything like me, your diaper bag is your personal Mary Poppins bag: it looks simple, but holds so much stuff. When it came time to pick the best diaper bag for my two kids, I specifically looked for one that would help me distribute the weight across my shoulders. I also wanted to find a bag that didn’t look like a diaper bag so my husband could carry it, too. I ultimately chose The Honest Company City Backpack because it’s comfortable, adjustable, stylish, and has plenty of pockets for all your essentials.
But sometimes you might need something small to get something done quickly. Or maybe you’re looking for lots of compartments and pockets to keep things organized. With all these different needs and preferences in mind, the Parents team set out to find the best diaper bags in a variety of styles, from fanny packs to backpacks, totes, and more. Over more than two years, we’ve filled dozens of diaper bags, evaluating their design, quality, and value, as well as the little details, pockets, and clips that make them more practical or unique. After countless trips, playdates, and adventures, these diaper bags have proven to be the best.
A backpack distributes weight more evenly across your back, neck, and shoulders than a shoulder bag or tote. This backpack from Lululemon has soft, padded shoulder straps that are easy to adjust and provide a sense of balance and support while you’re carrying it. It gives us the option of carrying or helping baby, and we love its stylish look and ample storage for baby and parent essentials.
To test the backpack, we packed it and took it to the pool, park, festivals, and amusement parks. It features plenty of easy-to-access pockets and helps us keep all of our kids’ (and our own) things organized, as well as help others find things they need. Our favorite storage feature is the hidden zippered pocket on the outside of the bag for storing common items like a wallet, keys, sunglasses, sunscreen, and pacifiers.
Although this backpack is designed for babies, it can grow with you. The minimalist, sporty design makes it stylish enough for parents to use every day or while traveling. We even took it to work and loved how easily it fit our lunch and had a dedicated space for our laptop and charger.
“This full-size diaper backpack is so convenient to carry around, and the fact that it’s also an everyday bag is the icing on the cake. My favorite part is the easy-to-access pockets on the outside, which make it easy to find what I need and change out frequently used items.” —Jessica, mom of 2.5
This bag does not have a dedicated, insulated compartment for bottles. Additionally, the metal zipper on the main pocket is at odd angles when closed and tends to get stuck.
This stylish backpack features multiple pockets and also includes a bonus clutch and insulated bottle holder.
The waterproof neoprene bag comes with a changing table, stroller clip, laundry bag and thermal bottle holder.
Stylish backpack with 10 pockets and a changing table, as well as an additional pocket for wipes or diaper cream.
We liked the easy-access magnetic front pocket, as well as 14 additional pockets, including two for water bottles and a roomy laptop compartment.
This roomy backpack has all the little details covered, including a padded pocket for tech essentials and an external key clip.
Like a modern Mary Poppins bag, this cleverly designed bag holds everything we could possibly need. At one point, we successfully packed over 35 items in there! It can be carried with one hand or slung over your shoulder like a tote bag, and it has all the necessary pockets to store your baby’s essentials. It even has some practical features for parents, including a phone pocket, key lanyard, and laptop compartment.
In terms of design, there are a few features that really stand out to us about this bag. We loved the foldable changing mat (which we used a lot), the insulated water bottle holder, and the built-in luggage cover and stroller clip, which kept the bag handy while traveling. We were especially impressed with the neoprene material, which kept our belongings dry during trips to the kiddie pool. Even when fully loaded, the bag remains lightweight and comfortable to carry, even in the hot Texas sun.
“I was worried this bag would be bottomless, but with all the pockets and zippers, I was able to organize everything efficiently and access everything easily, which made me feel more prepared.” —Carrie, mom of 8 months
While it will hold everything you need and more, it can be difficult to zip up if all the pockets are full. We recommend leaving some room for movement when packing your tote bag for the day.
This spacious bag features a changing table with pocket, a sealed bag, a silicone teether and a pacifier pocket.
Designed in France and machine washable, this bag features a changing mat and 10 pockets, including a large insulated bottle pocket.
This large backpack has a capacity of about 6.5 gallons, which is about 2 gallons more than the Lululemon New Parent Backpack mentioned above, so we think this backpack is best for parents with two kids. It has a large capacity and comes with plenty of dedicated pockets to make it easier for parents to organize their belongings. We also like the removable waist bag and the fact that the backpack comes with a large foldable liner for easy and quick diaper changes.
This bag is fully functional. In addition to the bottle cooler, it also comes with wipes and a pacifier bag. We also like the features designed specifically for parents, including a laptop compartment, keychain, phone pocket, and padded shoulder straps.
“This bag must have been made by a parent. The dividers are genius! The worst thing is when the baby… runs away and there are no wipes anywhere. This bag makes it easy to find what you need.” —Patricia, mom of a toddler
Since this bag is made by a sports brand, it doesn’t feel like a “diaper bag.” We love that parents can wear it as a tote or backpack, and that there are plenty of pockets inside and out for storing items. We also love its modern, unisex design, which makes it comfortable for any parent to wear, and it can also be used as a gym bag or work bag.
The Nike Convertible Diaper Bag is the perfect travel companion for your little one. The bag holds 6.5 gallons and has all the compartments we need, including an insulated bottle pocket, a round pacifier organizer, and a padded phone pocket. We were able to fit all of our essentials in it, and the multiple dedicated pockets made it easy to access. Even when fully loaded, it’s still comfortable and easy to carry, whether you’re heading to the park, strolling the streets of Manhattan, or traveling abroad.
“This bag makes me feel so organized. It has so many clever pockets of different shapes, sizes, and linings. It eliminates the need for extra organizers to store my essentials.” —Nyusha, mom of 2 months
While the various pockets are useful, they also prevent us from using the main storage compartment when it’s full.
This waterproof nylon bag can be used as a backpack, messenger bag or large tote bag, and offers plenty of organized storage space.
The bag can be worn as a backpack or as a large tote bag. It has a large main compartment that opens wide at the top.
When traveling with a baby, there’s not always a guaranteed place to change their diaper. The Skip Hop Pronto Changing Table solves that problem and has become our favorite travel essential. It’s small and portable enough to fit in a diaper bag or luggage, and it comes with a handy strap so you can wear it on your wrist or attach it to a stroller.
In addition to being a great place to change your baby’s diapers, this changing mat also has plenty of storage space. In addition to a storage bag that can hold four diapers, it also includes a clear wipe container (so you can always refill your diaper supply) and a small zippered pocket for diaper cream, hand sanitizer, and other essentials. Plus, this changing mat opens easily with one hand and can be cleaned in seconds with a sanitizing wipe.
Since this changing table is not a diaper bag, there is not enough space for anything other than what you need to change your baby’s diaper.
Once your baby gets a little older and you only need to carry a few essentials when you go out, you can upgrade to a smaller shoulder bag, like this one from Huggies. While it’s compact, it holds up to five diapers, which is more than enough for running errands or playing at the park. It also comes with a built-in changing table that folds neatly into the front pocket.
In addition to diapers, the main compartment has enough space for small items like travel wipes, hand sanitizer, and snacks. There’s also enough room for a phone and a small wallet, and keys can be attached to the outer keychain. We also love the bag’s gold accents and stylish nylon top, which makes it durable and waterproof!
There is not enough room in this bag for bottles or extra clothes, so we do not recommend it for parents with small children.
Fanny packs are back in style, and this one from Tushbaby is both stylish and practical. It has multiple pockets and enough room for all your essentials, including a few diapers, a travel pack of wipes, hand sanitizer, and a fold-out changing table. There’s also a small front pocket that’s perfect for your phone, keys, card holder, and lip balm.
This bag is larger than a traditional fanny pack, and the strap can be up to 60 inches long, so you can adjust the length to your liking for easy carrying. We also like the mesh bottle holders on the sides, which can be stowed in the side pockets when not in use.
Remember, this is a fanny pack and will not help you carry your baby like the famous Tushbaby fanny packs do.
As a mom of two living in Southern California, I lead a very active lifestyle and spend a lot of time outdoors. I needed a durable, comfortable diaper bag that would have room for all the essentials we needed to take on our daily adventures, whether exploring local playgrounds, hiking with the kids, or collecting shells at the beach. At Parents magazine, I rely on my ability to research quality baby products to choose the best diaper bags for my family. I drew on my personal and professional experiences to write this article.
Over two years, a team of parents tested more than 40 diaper bags in a lab in New York City and in homes across the country. We filled a diaper bag with all the usual things a caregiver needs for an outing: diapers, extra clothes, bottles, snacks, toys, and some unusual things: two bottles of Dreft detergent, a Pop-Glitter gummy bear, our lunches, our work computers. We adjusted all the straps, buckled and unbuckled them hundreds of times, weighed them, and put them through their paces with babies and toddlers. Over that time, we evaluated the diaper bags on durability, design, functionality, comfort, capacity, and practicality.
Laura Lou, MS, is a mother of two who lives in Newport Beach, California. As a health and parenting writer, she enjoys helping other parents make smart parenting decisions. When her kids were little, she brought The Honest Company backpack with her on life’s adventures because it’s comfortable, stylish, and has enough room for both kids’ essentials.