The Best Diaper Bags of 2023

The cheapest bag on the list turned out to be one of our favorites. Similar to the Ruvalino, the HaloVa is an attractive backpack that you might want to use when you’re not taking care of a small human, too. It has many handy compartments, but the zipper drops down deeply on each side, which means items will fall out if the bag is overpacked.

Thankfully, the HaloVa has a thoughtful zipper opening toward the bottom of the back panel of the bag so that parents can access the contents of the bottom of the bag without disturbing the items on top. That secondary opening is also lined with a waterproof compartment and functions as a small wet bag to transport wet clothes back home.

The inside of the bag opens into a square shape, with side pockets for diapers, which keeps them from falling into the bottom of the bag. There are also three therma-lined bottle compartments in the front pocket, which fit bottles up to 9 ounces. One of the outer pockets has a slot to make wipes accessible, too.

The big downside of this bag: It doesn’t last for long. After just a few uses, the strap broke.

The KiddyCare is similar to the Ruvalino, but less pleasant to carry. Despite being slightly smaller, it’s actually heavier. The extra weight was noticeable, but not uncomfortable, especially compared to the other bags on this list.

The elastic on the insulated bottle holders was much tighter and difficult to get bottles out of, and the tissue pocket’s opening was small enough that our wipes packet didn’t line up like it did in the HaloVa. These subtle differences added up to us preferring the Ruvalino. However, a lot of what we loved about the Ruvalino still applies to the KiddyCare, so you wouldn’t be disappointed with either.

Our original tester used this diaper bag backpack for six months, so she has plenty to say about its pros and cons. It’s comparable in price to the Ruvalino and HaloVa, but less stylish than either. There’s also the issue of durability: A strap broke after about six months of use.

The color scheme feels fairly gender-neutral, and the bag is big enough to hold a weekend's worth of baby gear—but the gear often gets lost in the bottom of the bag, and sometimes you have to dump everything out to find a particular item. Inside the bag, there’s a larger pocket for a changing pad, plus several smaller pockets for diapers.

The front pocket is a good place for a wallet and keys, and the side pockets offer room for even the tallest bottles—but they’re not cooling and can be tough to clean out.

The HapTim excels during long schleps with its wide, comfortable straps and a cooling panel that keeps the bag away from your back. But overall, this bag is all about basic function, no frills.

The Skip Hop Diaper Bag includes several useful features: a stroller attachment strap, laptop slot, changing pad, insulated bottle pockets and a cell phone pocket, cushioned back straps, and more. It’s also lightweight, water repellant, and is made with a lightweight and quilted material.

The deliberately small Kibou diaper bag looks like a fanny pack with added features for baby and parents’ needs, like a credit card holder, waterproof wipes pocket, and included changing pad.

We like the idea of using a fanny pack during quick trips to the park or while hiking, but found that the Kibou is really best for parents of toddlers and older children. You can adjust it to wear around your hips or over your shoulder, but the bag is too small to fit many diapers and it also doesn’t have space for a bottle.

And if you stuff your own cell phone and credit cards into the front of the fanny pack, you’ll find that you don’t have room for much more than a granola bar and some wipes for your kiddo. Still, the Kibou’s stylishness might make it appealing for parents who want a minimalist vibe with a bit of extra storage.