Baby Sherpa Diaper Backpack Review
Backpack Diaper Bag Innovative, Built for Travel and Everyday Use
Oct 7, 2006
The Baby Sherpa diaper backpack has a splendid design, and a convenient spot for everything. While many diaper bags require that most baby gear be thrown together, the Baby Sherpa has useful sections. This includes a spot for the parents' electronics, and a built-in bottle cooler.
Putting the Baby Sherpa to a Real-Life Test
I took this diaper backpack on a test outing, stuffing in necessities for infant twins and a 3-year-old. Not only did everything fit, but it was all easy to find (with the possible exception of clothes stuffed in the very bottom).
The babies' bottles and a cooler pack slid into the cooler at the bottom, and two juice boxes fit easily into a side cooler pouch. A water bottle for us fit into a pouch on the other side. The babies' diapers tucked into a quick-grab and large pocket inside the top inner lining (actually designed to hold electronics like a camcorder or breast pump). The toddler's just-in-case pull-up diaper fit in another pocket.
Small items like pacifiers and toys were popped into the netting just inside the top. I didn't even need to use a zippered pocket nearby. I stuffed blankets, as well as backup clothes for all three children, into the main interior section. Just when I thought I might not have room for my wipe packet (about two-inches thick), I discovered the criss-crossing bungee cord on the back. The wipes slid right in, and I tightened the cord to hold them in place.
Wearing the Baby Sherpa Diaper Backpack
Personally, I hate carrying a diaper bag. They get heavy, and usually flop all over the place. The Baby Sherpa stays put. It's not just because it is a backpack, which is just by nature handier than a shoulder diaper bag. It also nestles close to the back, and features a sternum and waist strap that are handy for hiking or climbing with babies.
Using the Baby Sherpa Diaper Backpack
This is where the real test comes into play. Even in high-pressure moments like sudden diaper-changes on the go or babies screaming for bottles (both at the same time, of course), it was easy to get right to what we wanted. I discovered the top actually has a double zipper, allowing you to unzip one side or the other or to expose the whole innards.
The only downside I discovered was that the bag was a bit top-heavy when setting it down. This was mostly due to the cooler being on the bottom, and it containing only two bottles (although it's built to hold a few and/or several soda cans and/or some snacks for the kids). I also had to put the bottles in sideways, so I screwed the tops on tightly to avoid leaking. While this is an issue, I can't really think of a way to change the design to address it short of creating a backpack so long you wouldn't want to carry it.
Bottom Line
The Baby Sherpa diaper backpack is just well-designed. It was also clearly created with real-life parents in mind, and with traveling parents in mind. It gives you a hands-free option, instead of pesky shoulder straps that flop whenever you bend over to kiss a boo-boo or whenever you need to dig for tickets at the airport.
This is a must-have if you will do heavy-duty traveling with babies. But even for weekend road trips, day-trips or, really, just regular about-town use, this outshines most diaper bags on the market. Plus, Brad Pitt has one. How cool is that?
