Ju Ju Be Bff vs Be Prepared

[peafive]

I want a new diaper bag before my 2nd one arrives. I have a son that will be 2 when the new one arrives, and he isn't potty trained yet. I love the Ju Ju Be bags, but I don't know if I need the BFF or Be Prepared. I think I tend to pack everything. Right now I'm at the point where I want to bring less, but with another one coming, I know I'll be packing a lot for her. Any advice will help. Thanks!

[goldenpig]

I also was deciding between the BFF and BP when I had #2 and went with the Be Prepared. Can you order both and return one before taking the tags off? That's what I did--I ordered from Amazon and returned the BFF after trying to stuff everything I needed into it and it didn't fit. I am definitely an overpacker and the BFF was too small for me. The BP is huge though--just warning you. DH groans every time I bring it out. It's almost luggage sized (I wish it had wheels!). It's great for airplane trips and all-day outings, but is a little bit big and heavy for day-to-day or short errands like trips to the grocery. I could only find one pic of me with the BP--I rarely carry it on my shoulder for long periods because it's so big and heavy--it's usually attached to the stroller.


I used a Diaper Dude for shorter outings, which worked well, but now our nanny is using the Diaper Dude and it's getting kind of old/grungy, so for #3 I splurged and got a Kate Spade Stevie diaper bag--it looks like a big purse but has diaper bag features (wipeable, stroller straps, changing pad, etc). It's the perfect size for baby and 1-2 older kids if you leave some stuff in the car. I think it's probably in between the BFF and Be Prepared in size. Here's a pic of the bag for size reference:


FYI right now in the KS bag I have: changing pad, wipes, 6 newborn dipes and 2 pull-ups, extra outfit for baby (I leave the older kids' change of clothes in the car), hats for the older kids, nursing cover, paci, wallet, lipstick, sanitary pads, camera, iphone, a few snacks (granola bar, two mini packs of bunny grahams, two applesauce squeeze pouches, and a milk and soy milk box) for DD/DS1, water bottle for me, two burp cloths, sunscreen, hair brush, and pack of crayons and Thomas train. That is just for half-day outings like to go to ballet or swimming and the park, where we have easy access to the car. And that is packing pretty light for me, so if I was going to the zoo or something I would bring the Be Prepared, esp. when the baby gets older and starts needing his own snacks or drinks.

Hope that helps--I would definitely try on both for size if you can. Congrats on the upcoming arrival!

[Staraglimmer]

I have both. I prefer the be prepared. It is big, but I find the BFF to be a bit too small. I think as DD gets older and I carry less, I will like the BFF more. There are videos comparing what fits in both. It really depends if you are a over packer or not.

[peafive]

Thanks for the advice. I might try to get both and see how I like them. I have the Ju Ju Be Be Tween and it just seems so small. I don't need to carry as many things for my DS so it's working now. I just need to figure out which one is best for me!

[BayGirl2]

I started out with a Be Prepared when my kids were your kids ages. But I quickly learned to pack more efficiently and it was way too big for simple outings (and I use cloth). I agree the BFF can be tight at first for 2 kids for a long outing. But if you are using a Tween right now the BFF will give you a lot more space. A lot of it is how you organize too.

I prefer a BFF for regular trips out for a few hours at a time. For all day travel I'll either bring a backup bag in the car or use a bigger bag. Maybe a Be Prepared if I need an entire day of stuff and can hang it on the stroller. Actually I prefer the original Be Right Back (BRB 1.0) for air travel, its a very comfortable well organized backpack. I'd never haul a Be Prepared on a plane as a carry on. I use one to pack my kids clothes when we go on road trips.

Ordering both off Amazon with free returns is a good option. If you need accessories like Be Quicks or Be Sets to help pack more efficiently the JJB BST group on FB is a great place to shop.

[jennilynn]

Now any deals on the BFF? I'm convinced I want one but they are $$$

[ebp913]

Now any deals on the BFF? I'm convinced I want one but they are $$$

You could try the jujube B/S/T group on Facebook or Ebay. I had seen a black and silver BFF on Amazon that was open box for $114 but I don't know if its still there or not.