Deciding between 3 bags for toddler and newborn

[Caroline1124]

Has anyone ever compared what fits in a LB Superstar vs a Skip Hop Dash vs a T&L Large diaper bag? I'm torn between these 3 bags. I like that the SH is a little less *Mommy* so DH won't be balk at carrying it. Also that it is cheaper and can hang on the stroller.

For DS#1 I usually carry 1-2 diapers, small wipes container, pencil case with 48 crayons, small paper tablet, sometimes a board book, and a sippy. With #2 I'll have to add 4-5 more diapers plus changes in clothes and other newborn essentials.

The Superstar is a little out of my price range, and I don't like any of the fabrics, but I like that it may be easier to clean (I'm notorious for ruining bags with spills inside and out). I have an opportunity to get a TL for just a little more than the Skip Hop. I also like the magnetic closure vs the velcro SH. And I have a feeling I will want the extra room, so I'm wondering if I decide to go with the SH or TL (b/c of price and color), if it will be big enough for what I want to carry for my boys.

Please help!

[Ohio_Mom]

I have had all three of these bags at some point when I was doing lots of comparison shopping to find the perfect diaper bag for a toddler and a newborn.

The Timi and Leslie large bag is seriously beautiful, but I found that it really wasn't very practical. It is stiff and boxy, and even though it is very large and bulky to carry, it is not very stuffable because the fabric doesn't have any "give" to it. So you end up with a large and heavy bag, but you really can't fit as much into as you can fit into a Dash or a Superstar.

The Dash was all right. It wasn't big enough for me, and I didn't like the velcro closure, and I disliked the dark interior because I found it easy for things to get lost inside the bag. But for the price, it was okay. I also wasn't too fond of the canvas fabric; I wanted something waterproof and wipe-clean because like you, I'm also bad about spills and such. I think I would have ended up getting the Dash very dirty and yucky in a short amount of time.

I ended up deciding on the Superstar. It is more expensive, but you can always find a coupon code out there if you're willing to look. The message boards on mommieswithstyle.com have a forum specifically for posting coupon codes at designer diaper bag retailers, so there is certainly no reason to expect to pay full price for one. The Superstar is a big bag and you can't hang it on the stroller, but it's very comfortable to carry, cleans up easily, and the fabric has so much flexibility that you can stuff it to the gills without the bag becoming too heavy and uncomfortable. Whereas the T&L bag was very heavy, the Superstar is very light. I also liked the magnetic closure.

If the Superstar is out of your price range but you're not too keen on some of the features of the Dash, I would recommend you look at the Silver Line Fling, a new bag on the market that is similar to the Dash with a few improvements, and the cost is identical to the Dash:




For one, it's made of microfiber that wipes clean easily, unlike the canvas of the Dash. It also has a magnetic closure instead of the velcro. And the interior of the Fling comes in nice, bright colors so you avoid the "black hole" effect, which is very nice. Unlike the Superstar, it also has the stroller attachments. It's not as big as the Superstar, but it does seem more stuffable than the Dash, and others have agreed that it will hold more stuff than the SH bag does. The Fling actually has 12 pockets to hold things in! You can look at the specs of the Fling on the silverline website, http://www.silverlinebabybags.com/collection. It comes in several cute colors, as well as a basic black if you want something more daddy-friendly.

The retailer http://www.letsgostrolling.com is having a promotion through 2/28 where you can get 15% off a Fling with the code Mom1015. Enter the code in the comments section when you check out, and they will deduct the 15% before your card is charged (it will not automatically appear in your shopping cart).

I hope that gives you some helpful feedback! Good luck! :-)

[Caroline1124]

thanks so much for the feedback! The Fling looks just like what I need.. especially since my DH has absolutely vetoed the Timi & Leslie. now the problem is, what color?!? LOL

[sophiesmom]

I like the Fling too! I'm deciding bewteeen that and a big splurge for the Lexi Barnes Superstar. I'll have 3 kids soon. DD is 4 1/2 and potty trained, DS is a little over 2 1/2 and will hopefully be trained w/in a few mos. I'm wondering if I can do it w/ the Fling. Someone before had suggested the Dash may be too small for me, but the Fling sounds like might hold a bit more.
I think I like the chocolate/pink one!