Mothership vs. Lexie Barnes vs. Petunia PB

[martycw]

I'm looking for a larger bag - - can anyone comment on the pros/cons of these bags:

Fleurville Mothership (is it heavy? does it need an adjustable strap?)

Lexie Barnes Superstar (should I wait for the new patterns? how is the organization? does it feel less plastic-y?)

Petunia PB Boxy Backpack (is it too shapeless? I may get this one in addition to the one of the others as a "pretty" bag)

Any opinions would be appreciated! TIA!

[jkabopenguins]

Hi, I have a PPB and unfortunately I don't like it all that much. It is so pretty, but organization-wise it doesn't work for me. I find it too much like a bottomless pit. Also, the material catches on things. I have a few snags in it. If I were to do it all over again, I'd go for the Superstar based on reviews. I don't need a big one anymore, so I just bought a Darling. I'm waiting for it to arrive, so I can't comment yet on the plasticky-ness (how's that for a word!) of it. The only thing I've heard from a friend about the Mothership is that it is really big. Good luck!
--Jen :)

[tmrbwilson1998]

Hi! I can comment on these bags based upon others' opinions of them, as I have never really needed a really roomy bag. As for the PPB, the consensus seems to be that it is unorganized on its own and just a "pit," if you will! However, many Moms have found that using cosmetic bags to organize works great for them, and since it is so pretty a bag, very well worth it!

The MS strap is not adjustable and some Moms have commented that they wish it was adjustable since it may hang too high/low on them. If you go to www. babyoliver boutique . com (no spaces) they have a link for Lifestyle Photos, which are photos of women carrying various bags IRL.

As for the LB, I have the Darling and LOVE it! The laminate and fabric are fused together, so not plastic-y in the T&L and Fleurville sense - just one layer and is very pliable. From what I can see in some photos a Mommy posted at the Yahoo babybags group, the main compartment has 2 back slip pockets where she stashed wipes and dipes I believe. On the other wall of the main compartment there are 3 slip pockets. There is a zippered pocket/compartment on the bag and 3 slip pockets on the front of the bag for holding burp cloths, cell phone, bibs, smaller toys, etc.

I think if you are looking for organization, the Superstar looks great and I am not sure about the MS. However, I think that the adjustable strap on the SS and the padding on it is bound to be great, judging by others' reviews and my own experience with the Darling!

HTH!
Tina

[tmrbwilson1998]

Forgot to mention that there are two mesh bottle pockets on the outside of each end of the SS. I cannot tell if these bottle holder pockets are like the Darling, but if they are, then they have an elastic drawstringy-thingy so the pocket holds any size bottle, sippy, or many water bottles (I doubt the Nalgene size, but holds my 20 oz. bottles)!

[omgrown]

I have a LB Superstar and I love it! Its honestly a little big for my needs, but I love the organization and pretty much everything about it. It is kind of a heavy bag even empty and because of its size, I tend to overpack and it gets very, very heavy sometimes.
Its really not a fault of the bag though and for a large diaper bag, I love it.
I actually had the pleasure of meeting Lexie as well and she is such a super-awesome person and mom! It great to be able to carry a bag from someone that I'm proud to support!

[lmcnabbkv]

I had debated between the mothership and the PPB. The mothership is a very large bag but the strap was extremely awkward for me as I could not adjust it to fit comfortably. Plus I didn't care for the plastic look of it as much as the PPB backpack.
I have to say I love my PPB, it does not have a lot of internal organization but I can handle that myself by grouping clothes, diapers etc together when I put them inside. The fabric that I have (sweetie roll) is fragile but I just use it like a normal bag and if it snags, I trim it down and you can't even tell. It still looks brand new and I get compliments on it all the time, I mostly use it as a messenger bag but have used the backpack straps a time or two. One downfall is it is dry clean only but I did spill starbucks on it one day and I spot cleaned it with cold water and a washcloth and the spot which was pretty large came out and you can't even tell that it was ever there. So although it says dry clean only my bag is proof water will not hurt it altough I wouldn't throw it in the washer ;)
I don't have an experience with the LBS so I would have no clue about that but I must say I love my PPB although I wish I could have gotten one of the new spring colors :( Good luck in your decision!

[audball]

I've never owned a Mothership, but I test drove one at our local Hanna Andersson. It did feel a little heavy empty to me, but lately my shoulder and back have become sensitive to heavier bags (hmm...could be the 3+ years of carrying babies!). It's a great bag for heavy-duty packers, but I'm not a vinyl-coated bag gal. That and the lack of adjustable shoulder strap made me shy away from it. Also, it looked pretty overwhelming on me unpacked (I'm 5'2").

I've seen the Superstar on some folks and honestly, I think this would be the bag I would get if I still had two in dipes and was heavy packer. It's shape is a bit more tapered, so it doesn't look quite so huge (unlike the Posh Baby Ultimate - which is a great bag, but can look overwhelming as backpack). The Superstar has external pockets under the flap, in addition to a zippered pocket and I think three small ones in the interior+ 2 large ones on the rear interior? I do know that there are mesh pockets on the side. The interior of most of these bags is a light color and I think Lexie Barnes is coming out with the Superstar in the Stealth and Clover( but you can email her to be sure).

(sigh)...I love and fear my PPB at the same time. I know in my head I should just use this bag more often, but I have other bags to choose from that aren't quite as "fragile". I have scotch-guarded it with no negative results and it has prevented stains and adds stiffness to the bag. I'm another person who doesn't mind the lack of organization. It's not shapeless if you pack it right. If I'm feeling overwhelmed with small stuff, I just pack things into cosmetic bags or use a different bag altogether. The bag makes me feel gorgeous when I look frumpy, so maybe that's worth something! If you are looking for a pretty bag, don't forget to check out onecoolchick.com (new website is up!) for a smaller pretty bag in silk brocade.

Another bag to consider is the Ju-Ju-Be Be All. It's another large bag with lots of features. And dadgear.com makes a nice messenger and backpack too - but they are geared toward a guy's stature, so they may be pretty big.