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View Full Version : New mother needs help with diaper bag. Lends End, other affortable brand?



kitty0898
06-23-2004, 05:33 PM
I am totally overwhelmed with the diaper bag choices so I am going to ask several questions. :)

The Baby Bargains book recommends diaper bags from Lends' End and I saw some discussion on the Little Triper. What about their Do-It-All bag or the backpack? A friend of mine told me a backpack would be more convenient than the traditional kinds because it frees your hands. But then I have heard it's rather hard to dig things out of a backpack and it is also too bulky so people mainly use it for long trips.

Here are my questions:

1. Is LE's Little Triper something you will recommend for daily use?
2. What's your experience with LE's Do-It-All bag and/or backpack?
3. What other diaper bags would you recommend?

Thanks so much in advance!

Kitty

Emmas Mom
06-23-2004, 05:50 PM
Personally I LOVE the LE Little Tripper. It's great for running around with my 10 month old DD. I also have the larger Updated DIA diaper bag & I love that one too, for longer outings & such. My only complaint with that one was the lack of decent shoulder straps...which they have now added. I did order their back pack too but returned it because I liked the DIA better. Yes, it's more difficult to access a back pack but the hands free convenience is nice. I think you'll find that as your baby gets older you need to carry less around. Plus you should also consider keeping a stash of diapers, wipes, change of clothes, etc. in your car, thus eliminating the need for carrying quite so much in your diaper bag.

Other bags that are highly recommended (that are REASONABLY PRICED) are the Skip Hop www.skiphop.com & Ameribag Tote http://www.ameribag.com/products/tote.html. The Fleurvilles are very popular but they are also pretty pricey. :)

Hope that helps & good luck!

Momof3Labs
06-23-2004, 11:37 PM
Do you plan to bottlefeed or breastfeed? A bottlefed baby needs a bigger diaper bag than a breastfed baby.

I like the Little Tripper quite a bit for short trips. Haven't tried any of their other bags.

For a larger diaper bag, I really, really like my small Timbuk2 messenger bag - I got it at www.sierratradingpost.com for a great price. www.timbuk2.com has some other styles available, too.

boys2enough
06-24-2004, 12:07 AM
Hi, the LE DIA has gone through many different versions: it seems that they are forever improving it, and some people would say not for the better. Their updated version of DIA opens wide and has a light blue interior (so you can see), but for some reason, they didn't give it a shoulder strap. Someone just posted here saying that they now come with a shoulder strap, so that is good news.

For my first boy, I had just one diaper bag--the LE backpack diaper bag. And that has gone through several versions as well. I was happy with it, though I did find it difficult finding things around. It was also a pain to have to stop, take the bag off of my bag, in order to get anything out of it.

One mom here (Mia's mom?) has their delux version of backpack diaper bag, and she is very happy with it.

It really depends on what kind of bag style you prefer: tote? shoulder strap? or messenger style (like a sling)? Backpack?

LE also makes diaper totes now. I remember reading a review here: one mom has the black one and she loves it. Right now you can find the tote in pink stripes at the LE NOT QUITE PERFECT section for $14.50 (instead of $39.50). I got one, though I haven't had a chancec to use it, for that price, I am happy with it. ;-) The only defect is this snag in fabric. I only noticed it b/c LE put a piece of yellow tape next to it.

http://www.landsend.com/cd/ov/prod/0,,2_17275_22674_17275_105707_84154.html?sid=28290 94718660116000

You can't beat LE's customer service and that's why I love their products.

IMHO, you may want to stick with not so $$$$$ ones in the beginning since you are still figuring out what you need to bring with you and what your "comfort level" is like. I mean, some people have to bring everything but the kitchen sink with them... lol. Once you know your preferred style, then you can go for THE ONE. :) In the mean time, you can experiment. FYI, there is a diaper bag SWAP, you can sell and buy used diaper bags there. Since many here have a collection of diaper bags at home, most of these bags up for sale are barely used. ;-)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybags/

HTH some.

Cheers, Lin
Mom to 2 wild boys
D 3/98
G 11/02

http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/kao/otn/pnoodles.gif

newmomto1
06-24-2004, 01:40 AM
For what it's worth...I love backpacks. I have one from Lands End & one from Eddie Bauer. The one from Lands End that I have has been discontinued, but here's my EB one:
http://www.eddiebauer.com/eb/product.asp?cm_cg=T1&product_id=20492&nv=5|21462|1033
I have a black one with black interior. I have not had any problems finding things in this bag or having things sink to the bottom. You can fit a lot in it, but I don't think it seem too bulky (JMO)
I had ordered one of the Lands End Backpacks that are available now, but returned it because it was REALLY big IMO.
You'll really need to try some out for yourself & see what you're comfortable with.
At least EB online orders can be returned to their stores & now Lands End can be returned at Sears....so maybe you should just order a few & see what works best for your needs :-)

amp
06-24-2004, 11:43 AM
I don't personally prefer backpacks, so I've never used one for a diaper bag.

I have 2 Eddie Bauer diaper bags bought at Target. One is rather large and the other is smaller and I was using that everyday until recently. It worked fine from my son's birth until now. Actually, it was still working for me, but I was bored with it after a year. And he was bottle fed, so even though it was a tight fit with bottles and stuff, it worked out ok.

I just bought a Skip Hop bag that I love. I bought it on sale for $46, but they generally cost around $50. This is a tall, very narrow bag, but it works for me and I like the look of it.

I also just bought an updated LE Little Tripper and like that fine too. I think I would have had more trouble using that with a bottle fed newborn since it's narrower than my EB bag was.

I also just ordered the old LE Little Tripper, which is on sale on the LE Overstocks page for $12.50. Can't beat that! And I wanted to get it before they were gone. I can always return it if I don't want it. I'm going to probably use it as a spare, or in the back of my car to replace the hospital issue formula bag I was given.

kitty0898
06-24-2004, 04:15 PM
Thank you all for the wonderful feedback! I just placed the order for the Little Tripper. I figure I should give it a try since so many of you like it. The price is so good also. I ordered the older version because I like the short handles and don't really care too much for keeping any bottles outside. (I might change my mind once I start to use it. :) ) I am sure I will end up having more diaper bags. This is just a starter. :)

Thanks again!

Kitty

jenniferblake
06-24-2004, 05:54 PM
I ordered the Lands End delux backpack diaper bag in blue before my little guy arrived. My husband wanted a backpack and I figured the hands free option was a great idea. We had registered for the EB backpack at BRUS, but the LE seemed more durable and zipped as opposed to tied. It is a nice bag, but is pretty huge. We only use it for overnight trips. However, it does come with an AWESOME changing pad that is totally removable. I use it with my EB small square diaper bag that I carry everywhere. The EB bag can hold everything that I need for my 6 month old, plus my wallet, phone, keys and sunglasses. I have been carrying the EB bag since day one. I am, however, breastfeeding so I only have to carry 1 bottle or sippycup. It has worked nicely for carrying babyfood as well though.

Just my 2 cents...

Jennifer Blake

shp
06-24-2004, 06:03 PM
May I ask what the major differences are between the old LE little Tripper and the updated LE Little Tripper in addition to their prices? Does the old LE little Tripper have any insolaion pocket for bottles inside the compartment? I was thinking about buying a little tripper, but couldn't decide which one to get. Thanks in advance.



Shu-Hua

Mom to Jacqueline, 3/20/04

Emmas Mom
06-24-2004, 11:59 PM
The updated LT is a little bit bigger, has just the adjustable shoulder strap, has a light blue interior (no "black hole" syndrome), & three mesh/elastic pockets inside (two are pretty small & the other fits a couple diapers & small bag of wipes). The front zip pocket has some organization pockets inside it too. The dirty duds bag is black.

The older LT has the shoulder strap & tote handles, has a black interior, two mesh/elastic pockets inside & a zip compartment on the inside as well. One of the mesh pockets can fit two 8oz. playtex nurser bottles & the other fits 2 stage 2 baby food jars (to give you an idea of the size of them). The front zip pocket is just a pocket. Plus this version comes with an opaque dirty duds bag.

Neither have insulated pockets. Both have a back "open" pocket where the changing pads go (they both come with them).

Hope that helps! :)

newmomto1
06-25-2004, 12:04 AM
as long as we're on the subject...which do you like better & find more user friendly???

Emmas Mom
06-25-2004, 12:10 AM
WELL....I guess right now I'm liking the Updated one better. Just cause it looks more like a purse to me & is a BIT bigger. I suppose I'll keep the older one in DH's car cause it's one he won't be "opposed" to using. And you know...it's SO important to get a diaper bag your DH likes (insert sarcasm here)! ;)