Got my Alpha 7 and love it....

[MorganMom]

I"m a new poster but a long time lurker LOL and thought I might give the Alpha 7 another rave review.

I got the Blue Chocolate and I have to say, I absolutely love this bag! I was previously using a diaper bag I'd made myself- it was a simple tote style with three pockets inside. My problem was things were always falling down to the bottom and I'd have to dig dig dig to get anything. Plus I didn't like having my wallet exposed all the time.

The A7 has so many pockets and dividers that I'm having a hard time filling it up! LOL I actually have some empty pockets in the front and one entire divider that is empty inside. Since I'm expecting another baby in December, I'm sure I'll start carrying more and will fill up that empty space.

I really like the exterior-- no more worrying about getting my bag wet or dirty-- and the metal feet on the bottom are great for keeping the bag off the ground in restaurants. I wasn't so sure about the color, but I have to say I really like it. DH even mentioned how nice the bag looks.

My only disappointment is that the backpack feature makes the bag kinda "floppy" looking when you wear it that way. But since I mostly use the bag messenger style I don't mind.

I'm stilly debating on whether or not to order a Loom Bandicoot...but I already have a T&L backpack and a large Bebe bag coming from the co-op! LOL This board is full of enablers...;) Just wondering if I'd like the BAndicoot's backpack feature better.

[masetane]

yeah - i love my blue choc alpha so much. i am probably going to sell all my other bags and nothing is getting used anymore. Only things I dont' like about this bag, and i hope they improve in the redesign, are the too small exterior little pockets. Also, if I have stuff in the front pockets (interior and exterior) it always makes my bag fall "face forward". I try to even out the weight but doesn't seem to work out. Size and material are fabulous though!@!
Where do you put your wallet?? I can't put mine in the inside pockets due to making the bag fall over, gets lost in the middle so unless I have a sippy cup, it goes in the bottle holder
Caroline
http://fool.exler.ru/sm/ma.gif
Isabelle 10/1/00
Nicholas 2/27/03

[mommytotwo]

Just a couple questions on the Alpha 7. Based on all the reviews, I'm really interested in it -- and my DH is not going to be happy... :)

Can you fit an Avent bottle or sippy cup in the interior bottle holder?
Can you fit Avent bottles or sippy cups in the dual exterior side pockets? If not, what do you typically use them for?

TIA!

[priscilla73]

I can only fit a standard size water bottle in mine...and it's tight. I keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer in one and save the other for a water bottle. Other than that, it's pretty useless. It's hard to fish anything out of them, it's so tight.

[jasabo]

I agree with Pricilla - can't fit bottles or sippies in the outside side pockets. I find them pretty useless - they should redesign and make them bigger. I usually put my sunglasses in one and keep hand sanitizer in the other. I can fit a sippy in the interior pocket. Overall, I love my A7. The adjustable strap is awesome and the organization is great. I just got a Mothership a few weeks ago to use on a trip, and I love it but it seems so bulky because I'm so used to my A7. It's great for all day outings (I was able to fit everything we needed for a day of flying/travel). But I think I'm going back to my A7 for daily use.

I have a red canvas A7, which I love, and a pink chocolate which I just received and never used (not as crazy about the pink as I thought I'd be). Still NWT. I'm going to list it on eBay, but if you're interested, let me know.

Lisa - mom to 15 month old twin boys

[mommytotwo]

It's too bad about the small size of those pockets. Thanks for the responses.

Now I'm just tring to decide between the black cord, white cord, and the red canvas. I saw a picture of the white cord Alpha on a different post and it appeared to be very shiny. Is the black cord or red canvas bag shiny? Is the white cord actually shiny IRL?

As I was researching the different colors on various store/Fleurville websites and in this forum, it looked like both the red and black Alpha's weren't very shiny. It also looked like there were some great pictures posted in one of the threads from May, but I don't seem to have enough free memory in my computer to bring them up. I love the houndstooth they have for the MS --- to bad it's not available for the Alpha.

Thanks for your help!

[Chelsey333]

My sippy cups fit in the outside pockets. I use playtex cups and they fit nicely, but snug. I have no problems getting the cup in, but sometimes I have to wiggle it out. But I like it snug so that nothing falls out of the backpack when I bend over. I have had backpacks with loose pockets, as soon as you bend down to pick up something, items fall out of the pockets. I think that is why Fleurville keeps these pockets on the small side.

[MorganMom]

My Playtex sippy cups *just* fit in the outside pockets as well. But I usually just put the sippy into the insulated pocket inside and use the outside pockets for my cell phone and sunglasses.

[priscilla73]

The white cord you saw was most likely a Mothership (they have the vinyl coating) If there were a White Cord Alpha 7, I'd be all over it, but they don't.

I have a black cord Alpha 7 and it is not covered w/ vinyl.

I have a Blue Choc and it's coated w/ some kind of Teflon.