Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy Backpack

Review by ALEXANDRA S WONG : Best diaper bag so far

This diaper bag is of excellent quality,easy to clean, practical to carry and pretty roomy to put in my baby things in there and still have more space. Highly recommend it!

Review by Beth rules! #1 "oh. yeah." : I loved it, I hated it, now I'm somewhere in the middle.

I first bought this bag when my son was just a few days old. If you have ever been a new mom, I imagine you know what sorts of things I thought I needed to cram into my diaper bag every day, so I of course I needed the biggest diaper bag that I could get my hands on. I saw this pattern at a local boutique and fell in love with it, so I forked over the cash and brought it home. To my dismay, I couldn't fit all of the things I needed in it. I was so disappointed. I used it a few times and ended up hating it so much that I contacted Petunia Pickle Bottom and arranged an exchange for a different bag.

Fast forward to a few weeks later: As I got used to my baby and started to learn what I really needed to carry out of the house with me, I realized that this bag would have been more than adequate- in fact, I exclusively breastfed for the first seven months, so it actually was too big for most day trips.

Pros:
-It's huge. I mean, massive. I had at least the following crammed in there: A dozen newborn diapers, a container of wipes (not the black wipey case that comes with it, an entire container), two extra outfits (winter ones, at that), two pairs of socks, an extra shirt and nursing bra for me, a nursing cover, 2-3 burp cloths, 2-3 flannel receiving blankets, a small wool blanket, a snack and bottle of water for me, my wallet, my keys, my phone, my iPod, a travel packet of tissues, a tube of Desitin, hand sanitizing wipes... I know there was more. The thing was crammed so full that the Velcro was almost bursting (and I say almost because it's super strong Velcro so it held tight).
-The patterns are even more beautiful in person than online. I actually think this particular one is a bit masculine, which is ok with me because I'm not really into super feminine stuff, and the few times we did use it, my husband wasn't embarrassed to carry it.
-It could totally double as a laptop or school bag. Just a thought, in case you are hesitant to drop the cash on it.
-It has a bunch of pockets- not useless pockets thrown in just for pockets sake, but really useful ones that are perfectly sized.
-I love the backpack straps. My shoulders slope downward a bit, just enough to be annoying, and the backpack straps allowed me to carry the bag without having to constantly hike it up. It comes with a long shoulder strap and two shorter backpack ones.
-The material is waterproof and wipes clean really easily.
-It is super high quality, you can tell by the feel of it that it is constructed well.

Cons:
-This particular bag is the glazed material, which while beautiful and waterproof, it quite heavy. If you feel one of these bags empty vs. one of the same in a brocade, there is a noticeable difference in weight. It may not seem like a big deal, but once you get this thing crammed to the hilt, another pound or two could make all the difference in the world.
-The straps are a slippery webbing material, kind of like car seat-belts, and it contributed to the shoulder-sliding thing I mentioned.
-It doesn't come with stroller clips (Valet Clips) and I know for sure that the JJ Cole ones do not work with it, I'm not sure about other brands. I ended up with a few other Petunia bags, so I have the clips now, but it was a pain to try to loop this thing around the stroller handles.
-When it is packed really full and you are wearing it with the backpack straps, it doesn't really lay nicely on your back, it kind of tugs and gaps. If you take some of the stuff out and have it packed to a reasonable level it lays flatter.
-I hear a lot about the Velcro being really loud, but it didn't bother me at all. The Velcro is nice because if you have so much stuff in it that you can't get the zipper closed, then the Velcro will keep it all contained.


Overall, if I had to go back I would not have returned this bag. Now that I am bottle feeding and carrying around snacks and toys in addition to bottles and food and diapers and wipes and fresh clothes and everything else, I think this would be the perfect bag for all-day trips. I wouldn't take it for a quick trip to the grocery store (see Petunia Crosstown Clutches, there is a reason I own three of those), but it can hold the stuff your little dude/dudette needs for a long day away from the house, all while you look totally fabulous.

Review by James Waller : Pricey but Purposeful

Despite the price, this is a tremendous bag and a worthwhile investment. We are currently traveling overseas with our newly adopted baby, and we needed a high-quality bag. This is our fourth child, and the fourth diaper bag that I have tried. Usually, they wear out after each baby, and I have tried everything from the economical $30-40 dollar range bag, to a $75 dollar bag. I was VERY reluctant to spend so much money when I have always held an "all bags are the same" mentality (except for the asthetic design). Still, after scouring the Internet for hours, asking friends and doing research, we decided to go ahead and spend the money. We have used the bag for several weeks and are very pleased. It's spacious, and versatile and I love the fact you can strap it on your back, hook it on the stroller, or use the shoulder strap.

We have been walking roughly 4-7 miles a day in the city where we are staying, and we can pack enough items for the day (and even a picnic for my husband and me). I will say, the bag is giant, but that's what we wanted. Also, when it initially arrived I was taken aback by the loudness of the velcro. I thought it would wake the baby up if I had to open it, or be a disruption at church or in a quiet place. It hasn't been an issue at all though. The bag may be difficult to stow away under a stroller basket (if you don't have the hooks), and our diaper wipes container does not fit any of the pockets in the front area (designated for that). Other than those minor things, there have been no other drawbacks for us! The diaper pad is soft and the front pocket area offers plenty of pockets for our mini-changing station. I like that it's a seperate compartment from the rest of the bag also. In addition, there is a hook where you can hang your keys, and a removable, smaller zip pocket on the inside. I also like the glazed finish and bright design.

For us, it was a sacrifice to spend this kind of money on a bag, which is why I didn't give it the full 5 stars (I don't think the price is necessarily justified). However, overall I would say it's been a worthwhile bag and I highly reccomend it!