When researching diaper bags, a friend told us that when you are carrying a baby around your hands will be full so get a backpack diaper bag if possible. We followed this advice. And it is definitely easier to carry the bag on your back. Also, this bag was one that my husband didn't mind carrying around. It's not too girly and doens't look like a diaper bag upon first glance. This diaper bag has plenty of pouches and pockets. One of the side pockets is insulated to keep bottles cold or warm. I found this feature to be helpful. One negative thing, that too me is a significant drawback is that the main zipper becomes stuck on the inner lining quite frequently. It is a nuisance to have to keep unjamming the zipper. In fact, now I can't seem to fix it. At least the back unzips from both sides so it is still usable.

dianemarie77

Manchester, CT

The Columbia Trekster is a good looking backpack. This is mostly the reason I picked it out, being that most bags will probably perform equally. It is easily portable, being styled as a backpack, and that was another plus. I can take it anywhere because the size is not too big as to be bulky. That said, there is plenty of room inside. I can fit a day's worth of diapers and wipes, a changing pad, a change of clothes, an extra bottle, some toys and pacifiers, and a few rags without doing too much cramming. The zippers are easy to get open and one of the compartments comes with insulation to keep a bottle warm or cold depending on what you want. The only thing that I wish was different is the straps. The pack itself is on the small side and the straps are too. They do fit on my shoulders but they're a bit tight and it's hard to get both of them on. It was clearly designed for a smaller person and it fits my wife perfectly but it's a little small on me. It doesn't look silly on me but it's a bit small and tugs at my shoulders. I usually end up just carrying it as a bag instead of putting it on my shoulders. It carries out its bag duties admirably, however.

tonygxp

Fredericksburg, VA

When my husband and I created our baby registry, we wanted different things when it came to diaper bags. He won out - we registered for this Columbia bag and I went ahead and bought a cute canvas tote from Lands' End anyway. Fast forward: our son is one, we use the Columbia diaper bag every day, and the Lands' End bag was used once or twice last summer to tote beach toys. Columbia really hit the nail on the head with this bag. It's masculine, so my husband doesn't mind carrying it. It's a backpack, so it's not going to fall off your shoulder while you're holding hands with your new little walker and bonk him in the head. It's got many different zippered pouches which Mom loves for keeping things organized and a much larger "free" space in the middle that Dad loves to shove things into willy-nilly. (It's not THAT big, Mom, don't worry - you'll be able to sort it all out later.) One side is a sort of cooler compartment which can keep a bottle cold for a little while, but don't count on it to work all day.  And it's a great size. In ours we keep the following so it's ready to go out the door when we are: 5-6 diapers, soft pack of wipes, receiving blanket, changing pad, first aid case with all the essentials, extra set of clothes, anti-bacterial wipes (in the tall, round tub); zippered pouch with books, a coloring book and markers, and a couple toys; a few small bags of snacks (think 100 calorie pack size), single serve applesauce, set of toddler silverware, and a bib. All of that fits very comfortably with a little room to spare (sometimes I throw my wallet and a set of hat/gloves in there, too). This is a great bag! Highly recommended!

kharris030

Plymouth, MI

We got the Columbia Trekster Diaper Bag when we had our first child.  We wanted something that my husband wouldn't be embarrassed to carry.  (And I'm not into frilly things either!)  Several of our friends had this bag, and they recommended it with reservations. I like the bag.  The colors are good.  I love that it's a backpack.  It makes it so much easier when you're bending over to tend to the baby.  It's a good size (unless you use cloth diapers like we do). On the negative side:  The large compartment only has two small elastic pockets inside.  You really have to dig around to find what you're looking for.  While I haven't experienced it personally, I've heard that the insulated lining in one of the side pockets can rip with little effort.  In the other side pocket, there are mesh pockets.  I find the mesh pockets annoying in that the comb and other small things I put in there tend to get caught in the mesh. Overall, I'd recommend the bag.  But, I wish there were a better alternative.

quiet1IN

Anderson, IN

This diaper bag is great for my husband when he spends time with my son away from home. The bag fits well on his back and it also has nice back support. The bag has enough room for me to fill it with all of the diapers and accessories that my husband might need for my son when he goes out. The bag has zippers that are easy to open when my son wants to grab something out of them. This bag has a great portable changing pad that makes changing my son convenient and easy. The diaper bag also has a handy mess bag so that my husband can put any dirty clothing or bibs that my son messes up. This bag costs a lot of money, but for such a great bag, it is worth it. This bag is easy for me to clean when it becomes dirty. If my husband wants to carry the bag, it has a nice handle on the top of it for easy grip. All in all, this is a really nice bag that is especially great for males when they go out with their children.

pantene53

Norwich, CT

  Sometimes the time comes when the Dad has to be the one in charge of the diaper bag, and when those instances occur, the Dad needs his own diaper bag to take around town.  That is exactly what I have in the form of a **Columbia Trekster Diaper Bag**.  It's not the typical diaper bag that you might see a new mom carrying around, but rather a really "cool" bag that any man is able to carry around without losing any of his credibility.  That's a nice thing to, because I am not the biggest fan of purple or turquoise bags used to carry around our daughter's diaper changing needs.  This isn't just a diaper bag for the style aspect though, because it has a lot of functionality as well.  It comes with a thermal bottle chamber that is insulated to keep a chilled bottle cold, it has a portable and padded changing mat that comes with its own bag for disposals, and it has multiple organizer pockets to keep everything in its place when you aren't using one of those many changing time tools.  There is also a little pocket for pacifiers as well as a larger area to store diapers, blankets, or anything else you might want to carry around with you that could be needed at a moment's notice. I think I like this diaper bag better than the other ones in the house because it doesn't even seem like a diaper bag unless you open it up.  It can be worn like a back-pack with some great (padded) shoulder straps, or carried by the nice thick (and durable) handle on the top of the bag.  The bag is also waterproof, so you don't have to worry about any of the contents getting wet if you get caught in the rain, or want to use the bag to help out the baby on a long hike.  Easy to carry, built really well, and made with a million pockets and holders, this is one of those tools that make it more fun for a guy to lug around the baby products.       

SpokaneMan

Spokane, WA