Having a diaper bag is a MUST as soon as you leave the house with your baby.
Apart from the usual sling or hand-carry style, a backpack is highly popular too because you get to have both your hands free, as well as have all the weight distributed evenly by the two straps onto your back.
There is a vast array of chic and stylish backpacks specially designed to function as a nappy bag with most having a unisex design so they make for some of the best diaper bags for dads.
Top 5 Best Backpack Diaper Bag
The Bag Nation Diaper Bag Backpack is hands down our favourite baby diaper bag backpack out of all that we reviewed.
In a solid black colour with streamlined design, dads will happily carry it around without feeling embarassed. It is definitely the best diaper bag for dads all around!
Made from high quality water resistant twill polyester which is stronger than cloth, the Bag Nation features non-fraying stitches and strong zippers that can last even the toughest use.
We cannot go by reviewing this product without talking about the pockets that this backpack comes with - an astounding 14 pockets!
There is a compartment for simply everything, including an insulated pocket on the side (for you to keep up to several bottles for any instant feeds) and a tissue wipes compartment for easy dispensing.
It also has integrated stroller straps that allows you to hang your backpack onto your stroller when you need to relieve your tired shoulders.
When you have everything properly compartmentalised, you can easily reach for the things you need without having to rummage through what seems like a bottomless pit hole.
And this brings us to our next point - the design. We love how it is not too deep so that you can see what you have inside easily but still has enough space to store the bigger items.
The way its opening is designed, which zips down at the back, makes it easy for you to retrieve things without having to remove the whole backpack from your shoulders .
And the shoulder straps? We absolutely love how they are thickly padded that not only are they comfortable to the shoulders, but they lighten the load of your backpack as well when it is fully loaded.
The changing pad that comes with it is a pleasant surprise in terms of its high quality, as most changing pads that are included with other backpacks that we've reviewed are usually rather poor in quality that we will not recommend using them for your baby.
There is nothing much we can fault the Bag Nation Diaper Bag Backpack, not when it comes with LIFETIME WARRANTY and we can ensure you that it will last a very long use.
You can even use it as a regular backpack once your baby grows up! Definitely the best diaper backpack for dad!
The HaloVa Backpack Diaper Bag is perhaps not unfamiliar to most of you.
Another durable, high functioning diaper backpack that has amassed a huge following, it is not without good reason that this backpack is so popular.
The main compartment opens up to a spacious inside where you can fit most of the necessities such as diapers and toys, but it will also fit in a laptop or iPad without any problem.
The front compartment can be zipped all the way down so that you can see what's inside easily in one glance. It also makes retrieving things easy because there are elasticized pockets designed to hold your things.
We love how both the straps are thickly padded for the ultimate comfort of parents, and not only that, even the tote handle is heavily padded as well so that you can carry it without having your skin digged on.
Best of all, it comes in an array of colour options - you can certainly find it in almost any shade you want so it suits even the fussiest dads who cannot be caught dead carrying a colourful or floral diaper bag.
We've told you, there is a reason the HaloVa Backpack Diaper Bag is regarded the best diaper bag backpack by many!
The Oraniful Diaper Bag Backpack is one of our top favourites simply because of its ergonomical design.
First of all, it opens up like no other thanks to its zipper design. It opens up at the top to a wide opening which lets you see what's inside the bag in one glance WITHOUT the need of zipping it all the way down.
We know how frustrating it can be sometimes when zippers go all the way down because this makes the content of your bag falls out easier. With this backpack, there is no such risk.
Secondly, it comes with multiple pockets including insulated ones for you to compartmentalized your items in a neat and accessible way.
We especially love how it has a back zip pocket to allow you to retrieve things without having to remove the whole backpack off your shoulders.
In this pocket, it has another waterproof compartment for you to keep your wet diapers/clothes separated from the dry ones.
Because of this function, a lot of cloth diaper users love this bag because they can keep their diapers hygienic.
Due to the large capacity this bag has (although it may not look like it!), we think it makes for the best diaper bag for twins or two children with close age gap. It can fit so many things but still look slick without being bulky.
And because of the multiple ways you can carry this backpack, it makes for the best convertible diaper bag as well!
The Oraniful diaper backpack is made from high quality, waterproof material for you to wipe clean easily. It also comes in 4 different colours so plenty of choices for those that do not like a plain black backpack!
Here's another diaper bag for twins - the Lekebaby Diaper Bag Backpack.
Similar to Oraniful , this backpack opens up wide on the top as well with compartments inside for you to separate your belongings.
There is also a compartment that is able to fit a 15" laptop or tablet if these are the gadgets you will be carrying with you all the time.
One pleasant surprise is that the Lekebaby backpack comes with integrated stroller straps so that you can easily attach it to your stroller without much fuss.
It is also made with durable high-tensile nylon stitching to endure tough and long-lasting uses.
Even if you are not having twins but have a baby and toddler that are close at age, the Lekebaby Diaper Backpack is still a good choice for you to carry all your children's stuffs because its large capacity is second to none.
Available in 3 colours to choose from, it is certainly one of the best diaper bag for two!
The The Skip Hop Forma Pack and Go Diaper Backpack is a long time favourite of many parents, although we have to say that this is a pricier option.
The Skip Hop Forma has all that you need for a diaper bag, with compartments in the front and insulated pockets that are big enough to hold bigger bottles.
This is something that we particularly like with this backpack because some may have insulated pockets that are a tad too small to fit bigger bottles.
Apart from that, we also love how the changing pad pocket can hold tablets and laptops up to 15". This means you can keep your gadgets safely secured in a compartment without them moving around.
Again, we find that this is something not all diaper backpacks come with, although they can certainly fit in a laptop, there may not be a compartment to hold it in and keep it separated from other necessities, such as diapers.
However, do note that the Skip Hop Forma is not made from waterproof material. You can, however, wipe the bag clean which some may find it more convenient instead of having to chuck it in the washer or clean it separately.
Nevertheless, the Skip Hop Forma is arguably more stylishly designed compare to other diaper backpacks and it is certainly very comfortable to carry around thanks to its cushioned shoulder straps. It is certainly one top rated diaper bag backpack for sure!
What to Look for to Find the Best Backpack for Diaper Bag?
1. Pockets, pockets, pockets
This is the first thing to look for - the more pockets/compartments there is, the better and more convenient it will make your life be.
The reason is simple - with more pockets, you can compartmentalise your items in a neat and organized way so that you can easily find what you need in a jiffy.
We know how urgent it can be sometimes when you need to find that particular one thing in your bag to pacify a crying baby!
As we know, a diaper bag, be it in the form of a backpack or messenger bag, is usually considerably big in size so that it has the capacity to carry all your baby gears. So imagine the pain of having to rummage through that to find a particular item you need!
So yes, make sure you look for one with lots of pockets - the Bag Nation is one that trumps in this category with its 14 pockets!
2. Padded Straps
For the same reason, a full diaper bag can be very heavy. If the shoulder straps are not padded, they can easily dig into your skin or worse, chaff your shoulders which can be painful and uncomfortable.
A top rated backpack diaper bag, like those recommended above, will be equipped with plush padded straps for its carrier's ultimate comfort.
3. Stroller Strap
To make it on the list of best diaper bag for travel, stroller straps are usually included.
This is for you to hang your backpack onto your stroller for on-the-go convenience so that you can walk for hours without feeling the burden on your shoulders, which is what makes it the best backpack for mom on the go.
Such stroller straps usually come in a pair such as the Bag Nation that can be hooked onto your stroller. Personally, we'd prefer the former integrated straps as we think it is slightly better in terms of balancing on a stroller.
4. Extra features - changing pads, insulated pockets, built-in baby wipes pocket
Now, these are not necessities, but we do think having a changing pad, insulated pockets and built-in baby wipes pocket included are major plus points that make for one best backpack for diaper stuff.
With a changing pad provided like that of the Bag Nation, you do not need to buy a separate one to change baby's nappy while on the go.
Insulated pockets as that provided by Skip Hop Forma will keep bottles warm or cold for hours.
You may not think a pocket specially designed to hold baby wipes is necessary, but until you've used one, you will not know just how much convenience and ease it brings you during those 'emergency moments'.
You do not need to unzip or rummage through your bag to find the wipes but instead, you can simply grab a wipe from the dispensable pocket at the sides.
5. Material and Quality
Water resistant fabric material is the way to go so as to cater for accidental milk or water spillage when feeding baby.
They are easy to wipe clean so that you can keep your bag in an always hygienic state given that it is used to store all your baby needs.
The backpack should also feel sturdy to the hand and the zip not easily broken to ensure a long term use.
6. Capacity and Design
This should be a no brainer, but you should be looking for one that has a large capacity so that you can fit in as much stuffs as you need.
This is especially so if you are the proud parents of twins. Even though you may not fill it to the brim, it is always better to have more capacity. The good ones will be able to fit a lot but still look sleek without being bulky.
Another thing to look for is the design of the backpack.
And we don't mean from a stylish point of view, rather, it is the functionality that should be paid attention to.
A top rated diaper bag backpack should have a big opening so that you can see and retrieve everything inside easily.
The Halova is the best in terms of this as it opens up wide without risking the contents from spilling out from the sides. Having an opening at the back of the bag is another plus point as you won't need to remove the whole backpack off your shoulders to retrieve things.
Benefits of a Backpack Diaper Bag
This is mentioned throughout this review here above, but one major reason we love a backpack as a diaper bag is that it is usually easier to organize compare to the traditional sling or hand carry ones with the many different compartments and zip up pockets it comes with.
It is also awesome to have both your hands free, and you don't have to leave it on the ground if say, you have to utilize a not-so-clean public toilet. But above all, the best reason is that a backpack make for the best mens diaper bag!
Most men, if not all, are reluctant to carry the traditional diaper bags which usually come in colourful or flowery patterns, and we can't totally blame them!
With the sleek, streamlined design that these diaper bag backpacks come in, they make for the best unisex diaper bags, giving no excuse for men NOT to carry the diaper bag anymore!
Also, backpacks are generally bigger in size making them perfect as big diaper bags for twins.
And last but not least, backpacks are generally better for your back as the weight of its content is evenly distributed to both shoulders, rather than having them burdened one shoulder (think sling messenger-style diaper bags).
For those that want to get the most out of it, you can even continue using it as an ordinary backpack when baby outgrows its usage!
