When does a diaper bag become something more akin to a lifestyle accessory rather than than just a diaper bag?
Well, when it is a fantastic piece of well constructed apparel that makes toting around a bunch of stuff effortless and easy. It has to be style neutral and feature rich. It would also be a good idea that this bag be constructed to withstand the rigors of both travel and poopies.
If you are looking for such a bag… look no further and check out the Slider and Messenger totes from Daddy & Co.
Recently Daddy & Co. procured the licence and the patent on the Go Gaga diaper bag line. These bags were pulled from the market a few years ago to the horror and sadness of millions of moms. Restructuring and changes to the buyers at several major big box stores (Buy Buy Baby and Babies R Us) led to a product flow issue for the original designer and she shelved the product to pursue another career path. But the industry and many moms were devastated. Seriously, to this day, I see four and five year old versions of these bags on the shoulders of industry persons as they move about trade shows and travel to events in our industry, even after being off the market for three years. And you will still find people searching for the bags online.
Why would the industry people still carry a 4 year old bag around when they don’t have children in need of diapering and can get just about any bag on the market for their use? Well, it is pretty simple…. this bag rocks.
It is all about the strap:
First up is the patent. The bags feature a patented strap that disperses the weight of whatever is in the bag across your shoulder and back. You think you understand that this might be nice but until you actually put on a fully loaded bag and feel the difference this strap makes you will not grasp how revolutionary this strap really is. You will be blown away. The strap was designed with an eye to appropriate ergonomics. When a parent is carrying a heavy bag with a thin strap (even 2 and 3 inch straps are thin compared to this) the weight of the bag creates a lot of pressure on the shoulder and back and neck. We have all had this experience. Ever notice people in the airport transferring their bag from one shoulder to the other over and over as they walk down to the gate. A thin strap with a lot of weight just hurts. This strap alleviates most of the pressure and you find this bag comfortable from empty to full of heavy items. Recently I took this bag on a trip and loaded it down: two ipads, two 1 liter bottles of water (over 4 pounds of water), an air plane pillow, a large camera, two iphones, chargers for all of the above, two sets of large over ear headphones, a kindle, 2 books, and more. Seriously this bag was loaded to about 14 pounds, and it was comfortable throughout a long day of traveling.
Beyond the Strap:
These bags are produced by the same factory that makes much of the Patagonia product. So you find great attention to construction detail and the materials are wonderful. Every seam is finished and everything just feels like quality throughout. The bags are designed and constructed to last for years of abuse and people tend to repurpose them beyond just a diaper bag.
The styling is simple and ergonomic and modern. You will not find big trendy patterns or graphics all over these bags. They look like what a modern mom in a urban center would use, not what someone takes to the country club to show off their ‘trendy taste’. These bags are about function, use and longevity, not to display your knowledge of the difference between an icat and a damask.
Both the sling and the messenger totes feature exterior INSULATED bottle pockets. The design is so that a bottle can be reached easily but remain secure in the bag. I can easily fit a 1 liter bottle in each of the exterior pockets. Ice cold water in these bottles doesn’t sweat all over the contents of the bag and the water stays quite cold throughout the day. A couple of baby bottles will be a breeze to secure in the deep pockets. I’ve even seen a wine bottle or two being toted in these pockets. The inside of the bags are full of nice dividers and each of the bags also ships with a padded changer pad and a wipe holder.
The big picture
The Go Gaga bags by Daddy & Co are designed with function in mind. If you are looking for something to save your shoulders, provide great storage and features, easily adapt to babies and work and travel, something your husband will use and want for himself and something constructed to withstand the stressors of living in a modern world you should do yourself a favor and check them out. If all you want is a cute diaper bag to show off at the country club: don’t bother.
