Timi & Leslie vs. Marsupial vs. A7

[louislinus]

Help! Now that I "think" I've picked out the perfect stroller, it's time to find the perfect diaper bag.

Pretty sure I've nailed it down to the T&L large Bebe, Loom Marsupial or A7. I think the A7 is probably the best as far as organization for me, but I am not crazy about fabric choices.

Any opinions are appreciated. I'd also love to see any IRL pictures you have of these bags. The best would be side by side photos of the 3 (but I know that's a bit of a dream).

I know I want a messenger style (if it doubles as a backpack that's great, but not required), something with lots of interior pockets and at least one exterior pocket.

thanks in advance for all your help.

[louislinus]

Thought I would add - I love the Marsupial, but I think it might be a bit to hard for me. I love the T&L, but don't really like the dark interior.

Ahh!! What to do.

[audball]

Don't know if I can help, since I don't have all three (Ohhhh...Marianna? Are you there ;)?). But others here definitely have at least two of what you are looking for for comparison photos. Just do an advanced search on the bag names...

Re. the Marsupial, depending on how tall you are, it may not be a comfortable fit messenger style. A number of people have mentioned that even on the longest strap setting, it doesn't comfortably fit. As a shoulder bag it's great for most. I'm 5'2" and don't have a problem with it messenger style. Love the organization of the interior and the style....

Not all T&Ls have the black interior. Depends on the pattern you choose. A good place to look (other than the timi and leslie site) is zappos.com, as they have some interior shots of some available bags. They tend to be a bit pricey though, you may want to google/froogle a specific bag and style. Also, some people may be selling theirs on the yahoo baby bags swap board.

I have seen the A7 in real life and it's pretty big. Great if you want to stuff a lot fo things into it, but it doesn't stand up on it's own. Some people have mentioned that's a little frustrating when you only have one hand available. The T&L and the Marsupial do stand on their own.

HTH!

[newmomto1]

Well....these are 3 bags I've been comparing myself lately :-)

The A7:
This is what I am using now as my daily bag & it is my absolute FAVORITE! I LOVE this bag! The organization is PERFECT for me. It's a great size, it's cute, & it's comfy to wear messenger style or on my shoulder. I haven't really used the backpack straps yet...not for any particular reason...I guess I just haven't "needed" to. I also love that it easily clips to my stroller with carabiners! BTW, my A7 easily stand on it's own. I have never had a problem with it tipping over (something that drove me crazy with my Skip Hop!). I noticed the PP said people complained about this...I wonder if it has something to do with the way it's packed?????

The Marsupial:
Well, I purchased one during the last co op & ended up selling it. It IS a great bag with great organization. Unfortunately it just didn't work for me. I like to have the option of stuffing a little extra in my bag when I need to...& this bag just isn't "stuffable". In fact...I was barely able to fit in what I normally carry. I guess I wasn't that crazy about the style either. Don't get me wrong, it's a great looking bag. I just don't think the Marsupial & I were meant to be together at this time :-)

Timi & Leslie Large Bebe:
I am waiting for one to arrive (hopefully tomorrow). I ordered the T&L mainly because there are times when I need just a bit more room than I have in the A7 (but not enough more room to justify carrying a Mothership or my LE Large Tote). After reading TONS of posts & reviews...I decided I would try the T&L. Hopefully I will like it. If you decide to go with the T&L...make sure you get one of the newer ones. They have more interior pockets (5 I *think*). The one I ordered is the older style (because it's the color I wanted) & only has 3 interior pockets.

ETA:
Here is a post with a pic that shows the A7 next to a T&L Large Bebe Bag...
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=63&topic_id=14696&mesg_id=14696&listing_type=search

This post has some good interior pics of the A7 & the Marsupial...
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=63&topic_id=7396&mesg_id=7396&listing_type=search

There are LOTS of great pics, reviews, & discussions on these three bags here if you do a search. I feel like I have read them all :P !! It really boils down to personal preference. They are all high quality & well organized.
It's amazing how mind boggling diaper bag comparing / shopping can be.

HTH, good luck with your search :-)

[lmariana]

Hi there! Almost everything been said already, but here's my run down too...

Alpha 7...
PRO: good organization, adjustable messenger strap, backpack option, lots of little pockets
CON: doesn't stand well, velcro closures everywhere = noisy, dark interiors, bad outside bottle pockets, discontinued and being redesigned for 2005

Marsupial...
PRO: great organization, amazing construction, best bottle pockets in the business, great changing pad design, tough, comfortable strap, great magnetic closures, stands well on own
CON: strap too short for messenger use on many people, very formed construction makes it a little boxy

Timi and Leslie LBB...
PRO: good interior organization (esp. the '05 styles), adjustable messenger strap, stands well on own, vinyl covered for waterproofness, tons of great colors to chose from, magnetic snap closure and back zipper pocket
CON: outside bottle pockets are a tad narrow


Overall, out of these three, I'd recommend the Timi and Leslie bag. In know you're concerned about dark interiors, and not all T&L's have dark interiors. It depends which fabric you buy. The Tammy has a red lining, the Red/Pink Gweneth has a rose lining, Jules has a rose lining, Lee has a blue lining, Babe has a red lining...

I'd also keep my eyes open to see the re-designed Alpha 7's this year! I'm sure they have taken mane of our suggestions to heart over the years and made a really great new bag. :)

Hope this helps a bit!

Mariana
Owner of HappyDayBaby
Mother of Gabriel, 08/14/2003
www.heinzandmariana.com (personal site)

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030814/1/5/0/-5/.png[/img] ([img)

[louislinus]

Thanks for all the great comments! I think the T&L may be the one for me.....:)