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frequent long haul travelers w/ babies aka shop w/ me? long haha
Hi! I know I haven't been on here much lately, but life got so busy w/ baby.
We did a short flight earlier this year down to Miami for a week and it made me realize i really want a diaper backpack. I thought I could just use a regular backpack as a diaper one, but I think I want the specialized compartments. I figure if I get a really useful one, it'll last through toddler hood and possibly beyond.
We're leaving in a few weeks for 2 months in Australia. We'll travel for 3 days roughly before we get there (1 day flying from our home to the west coast of the US, and then the 13-14 hour overseas flight plus an overnight in LA).
Any suggestions for a bag that you love?
So far, these are the ones I like most so far. All are pricier than I'd like, but i really want great function plus i'd use it w/ the camping and short trips we'll do while over. we used to go every other yr, but now w/ baby we might go yearly so i will use it often,
Things i have to carry w/ me: Pump bag (I medically have to pump every 4 hours), Cooler w/ pumped milk + bottles, travel docs,laptop, sometimes purse though i like to combine that w/ other bags but sometimes i carry a large one & use it as easy access to stuff i want @ seat w/o going in overhead bin. I'd love to say I'd just pack less, but I'll be honest, I'm an over-packer w/ carryon. I like my own change of clothes and books as well for the flight, and I want them all in 1 bag if possible.
1. Okkatots Travel Diaper Bag Pros: Love the idea of all the specified compartments and the bag opens several different ways which seems neat for in hotels, airports, etc. Also, might help me reduce the # of bags I tend to carry as it seems to have r for cooler, blanket, etc etc. I like the clean looking outside, not a lot of dangly things to catch on stuff while trekking from plane to plane.
cons - might be huge? not cheap -$104 and not on any website for which i have gift cards. dont know if its too big to have at feet during flight or accessible while crammed in plane. Not a lot of dangly outside spaces might mean harder to put anything easy access?
2. Baby Sherpa (alpha or regular. Alpha has laptop sleeve, which might be useful) Pros: not cheap ($119), but available at stores where I have gift cards. Lots of spots to hook things on outside which could be pro or con, not sure. Looks more like my hiking daypacks - I used the outside pockets a lot on those, but wasn't trying to walk down aisles of crowded planes, in restaurants, etc. It was just me and the trees when I used packs w/ stuff dangling. 
might be easier to reach in at seat (??) but will stuff get lost in bottom of backpack as it doesn't open up as far?
3. Columbia Trekster or Fisher Price Fastfinder: both MUCH smaller, MUCH cheaper around $39 & available at stores where I have gift cards. Pros - smaller, more compact. (Pro or con, not sure - would i still end up carrying a ton of stuff separate then?) Might be more useful on a daily basis, but still feel like I might have to carry the milk cooler out of the bag plus my travel gear in another bag? (dh will have a backpack w/ his laptop, our video cameras, etc probably unless I find a way to get it all in one)
Con - might be too small. Fabric on the fastfinder bag seemed a lot less durable than I anticipated - i bought it for a friend's shower off her registry and didn't love it as much as I thought i would.
WHat say you?
I know I'm overthinking this, but I'm trying to convince myself not to spend $$ on the okkatots bag - plus it might be too big anyway. I can't find it listed for sale used anywhere as I like buying stuff like that used and cheaper. On the other hand, it's got great reviews and maybe I'd use it longer where the cheaper ones might only last a year or less?
other favorites?
Re: frequent long haul travelers w/ babies aka shop w/ me? long haha
I really wanted a diaper backpack, and think I may go this way when I need something bigger. I had looked at some of these before, but just checked them all out again.
The Columbia Trekker just looks too small and doesn't have much of a leg up on a regular backpack. You mentioned not being impressed with the quality of the Fisher Price one, and other people's reviews also mention this so I would stay away from that one.
The anal retentive side of me likes the Okkatots one because it looks so organized, but let's be honest sometimes things like this can end up more frustrating because then there isn't a spot for the one extra thing you decided to carry! However, it also looks really big and bulky.
I would pick the babysherpa as it seems like a good size and durable. It's also weather resistant which is a plus. You don't have to hang all the things on the outside, but it is nice to have the outside pockets so you don't have to dig into the bag to find key items. It also looks like something you can use for a long time. I think this may fit under your seat, just depends how full it is.
I just took a look at all of them because in the future I may be wanting something similar. I have to say - the Okkatots one really seems like it's the best, although I agree with you that it also seems big. But I had LO in a baby bj?rn going to the States over Christmas and ended up having to refunction a fairly large bag as a diaper bag because my actual diaper bag was waaaay too small to handle what I needed on the plane.
If you're just thinking of using it for traveling and not day to day use (when the big size might be a pain, then I think I would shell out the cash and get the Okkatots one, especially if it got great reviews. If it really was too bulky, I think people would have complained about it.
I personally am going to save the link and might put it on a list for mother's day ;-)
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I love my north face daypack from college, but it's just trashed now. We use it nearly every day hauling stuff to and from work.
I like the idea of wheels too.
I'm considering tucking a large purse (like a big open bag style) in the backpack and putting some basics in there and then trading items out as needed/restocking.
*sigh* you guys were supposed to tell me how silly option #1 is.
It's my favorite so far too. I really like the diaper holder at the bottom w/ tons of diapers fitting. I'll keep thinking for a little bit, and I MORE THAN WELCOME links to other bags/suggestions! I'd really like option 1 to have wheels and a pull handle!
I have no advice - I just used my normal diaper bag on the plane (petunia pickle bottom) and had a backpack with extras of everything.
I just wanted to say - if you have any time in Sydney let me know - would be great to see you & meet your baby!
I will : )
I'm not so sure we'll make it to Sydney this trip. Our flights are in and out of Brisbane this time, which is great b/c it's closer to where we'll mostly be. My folks are coming over for the first time, and we've got them lined up w/ a campervan so they'll be driving south but I think we'll just hang around the NSW/QLD border.
also - just reading through the above replies...
I think its good to have a smaller bag under the seat in front of you with what you need on the flight - a couple of diapers, snacks, a few toys, etc. I just used my diaper bag for this (you could do a big purse like you said too though) and they put my 'spares' bag up top - so I could still access it if I needed it, but just had the small bag down by me for the majority of the flight. I had my spares in a big backpack that I wore on my back, then I stuck my diaper bag on the back of the stroller. GL deciding
at the end of the day - I think the most important thing is just to bring enough spare of everything to be prepared for anything! I met a Mom at LA who was also flying to sydney - she had been delayed 1 night and had run out of food for her baby (who was newly on solids) - all bad!~
I like that first bag you had a link for - but like you said, what good is it if you can't put it at your feet? unless you could slip a purse inside and have a few things at your feet -but gosh that'd be a hassle. I'd personally rather just have 2 bags - there's no way I could fit everything I need in a bag that'd fit by my feet, and it was too much of a hassle to always have to go into the overhead bin to get stuff.
This, exactly. On my overseas trips with DD when she was still in diapers, this is what I did. Now that she is diaper-less, I still use a big-arse backpack to put in a change of clothing and an arsenal of stuff (loads of extra snacks, for example, which come in handy during those annoying delayed take-offs when we end up sitting on the runway for hours and hours) and then keep a large purse under my seat with a regular amount of snacks, coloring books and other activities for the flight.
That Okkatots one is not legal for international hand luggage. Qantas for example has a 41 in allowance and that bag is 43 inches. Plus, with a baby you have the bulkhead seat and there is no under-seat storage. You can only have what fits in the pocket on the wall.
Don't forget that they weigh your carryons, so don't put another bag inside that bag. A ziplock is lighter and see-through so you can see that you're grabbing the changing kit, not the extra snacks or your fresh underwear pack.
I like ziplock bags and drawstring bags for keeping everything straight. I also have one backpack and one wheeled bag. Wheeled bag gets long term supplies, like fresh clothes, most of the nappies, the extra wipes, most of the snacks, extra toys, books, camera, etc. The backpack has about six hours worth of stuff and I replenish it as needed from the big bag. Documents live in the rolling bag because when a baby is on your front it's hard to get into a backpack, and on transfer trains/buses or in airports the backpack is not secure.
While these are good points there are more airlines in the world besides Quantas. We have flown on many international carriers and never had our hand luggage weighed. Ever.
You aren't guaranteed the bulkhead row, even with a baby, so that point could be moot.
Oh Knitty, way to butt in and give people stupid information yet again!
I've never flown with kids, so I don't know if suddenly they get way more restrictive, but my carry on luggage has NEVER been measured or weighed. Not even on Easyjet. If you look at what kind of odd size, weird, humongous things people take as carry-on (it pisses me off sometimes), bringing a somewhat larger carryon backpack with you to carry your baby's stuff, shouldn't be an issue.
Also, I have no children and I sit bulkhead regularly while people with babies/young children sit behind me somewhere, so baby in bulkhead is definitely not standard either, unless you ofcourse pay extra for it and buy those specific seats.
Also, if you're in bulkhead you can't have luggage by/under your seat during take off and landing, but in between you're fine to have it there, and so far flight attendants have always been extra helpful finding an easily accessible place for luggage for bulkhead passengers when I sat there.
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Eating our way through (northern) Italy on vacation
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Home DMy carry has never been weighed either. But Knitty knows everything so perhaps we should all worship her.
So I don't have a kid, but I do have an awesome LL Bean backpack from 7th grade, we are talking 20 years old and still kicking! It has a good deal of pockets and I know the new ones have more. I know it fits under seats if not stuffed as I have taken it on QANTAS in fact amoung other airlines.
If it breaks they will replace, LL Bean FTW.
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bulk heads are first come first serve - points first, then to the youngest babies first
I only got one one way on our last trip - dd was 11 months
so don't count on that - if you don't buy a seat they sure don't guarantee it!
I have had my carry on weighed - but that was like 10 years ago
Is weighing carryon's either very new or very old becuase I have never had that happen ever. I have had them ask me to shove it into one of those little containers to make sure it fits the size requirements but never weighed.
I do agree about ziplocks being handy, though. I also use an LL Bean backpack for air travel with the kids.
Meh. I had my carry-on weighed at O-Hare by Swiss airlines back in June 2010. It was over but the lady gave me a pass since she knew I was moving. US carriers usually don't weigh carry-ons because they allow 30-40 pounds. I think Swiss had a limit of 7 Kilos for a carry on bag, so like 12-15 pounds.
I watched a girl try to stuff her giant trekking backpack into the metal size things while at the gate in Zurich too. That girl was pissed and crying all at the same time. But seriously it was a big backpack that you would use if your were traveling for a summer as a back packer. She should of know better. But it was funny watching her think she could get it to fit in there. haha
Oh and as far as the bag being to big by an inch. If it's a non hard shell it really shouldn't be an issue unless you had it stuffed.
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They make a point of weighing carryons on the US-Australia flights because of all the Americans.And yes, you often get a pass, but do you really want to be standing there in LA at 10pm while a check-in agent having a bad day tells you to choose what you need and check the rest?
LOL. No, bulkhead is no extra, unless you count the fact you've paid for the lap baby. And you do need to request it, and some people don't want it so they don't. They don't see someone with a baby and automatically put them in the bulkhead seat.You can't have junk by your feet during take off or landing which is when your baby will start to scream or when the fasten seat belt light is on, which is generally about 50% of the total time on a trans-pacific flight.
You'd look like less of a moron if you checked your facts before claiming to know anything. You're welcome!
Because of all the Americans...and their big bags? I don't get it. They weigh them based on the majority nationality of the passengers?
As for the bulkhead, I've never flown US-Australia but I flew US-Japan in August. I had requested the bulkhead and mentioned it when I got to the gate, but they were all taken by people who had a higher status than I did. My baby was the only baby in our section of the plane (the economy comfort area of Delta) but we still weren't given a bulkhead seat. A woman sitting there ended up offering to switch me and I did take her up on it. In all honesty though, I didn't prefer it at all. I am too small to reach the mesh net area in front of me without getting up so putting stuff tehre was of no use. In a plane my feet don't hit flat on the floor so they are kind of dangling in the bulkhead area whereas in a normal seat I put my bag under teh seat in front of me and can rest them there. V only slept about 45 minutes in the bassinet (of 14 hours) so that wasn't much use either.
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You do realize you aren't the only person on this board who has flown to Australia from the US right? I have done it twice in fact and neither time did I have to have my carry on bag weighed. Take the know it all stick out of your a*s and realize you aren't always right Knitty, no matter how hard you try to be.
Does anyone actually ever agree with your posts?
Oh and I just did a transatlantic flight with two children less than a month ago and had the bulkhead and at no point while the fasten seatbelt light was on were we required to remove stuff from the floor except for take off and landing.
See? Again, you are not 100% correct. I am not sure you should be calling anyone a moron.
Actually, why do you come on this board? No one actually likes anything you post. Or believes it.
Oh honey, you calling me a moron is the nicest compliment I've had in a long time!
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What I'm looking forward to in 2012:
Eating our way through (northern) Italy on vacation
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Home Dand I'd like you to know you are COMPLETELY wrong about airlines not selling bulkhead seats
I had an absolute meltdown on my last trip from LA to Sydney because they had sold all the bulkhead seats and wouldn't give me one, even though I had a lap baby, and instead they gave me a window seat in a normal 3 seat aisle. I had a meltdown and then they miraculously found me 2 empty seats instead. But they DO sell bulkheads now, unfortunately, and money means more to them than me riding with my baby in the bulkhead - I know that for a FACT. i requested it with my booking, at checkin, etc, but still didn't get it
also its only in the bulkhead you aren't supposed to have stuff at your feet, however other than takeoff & landing they always have let me have a small bag down there. You think you know everything, but guess what - a lot of us have done these international flights too - we aren't just making this stuff up for fun
ooooh my boring post got a little controversy!
1. I've had bulkhead quite a few times w/o baby and they've let me have a bag at my feet. Which is great since it's a footrest. (Or the wall in front of me as I'm short enough where my feet straight out just rest on the wall). There's a good chance we'll have the bassinet seating as when we called to make the request, they sounded like there was a VERY good chance she'll be the youngest on the plane as she'll only be 6 months old and priority goes to the youngest. Even if they don't allow pack at the feet, I'd likely have it in the overhead anyway as any bag is a nuisance down. The "purse" i have for down the floor is a lightweight bag that I usually pop in any in-flight essentials, so I bet it would work w/ kiddo but not take up much space. I always use ziplocs to divide stuff w/in the luggage, but still prefer something to hold the ziplocs. Incidentally, at bulkhead, you usually can fit a decent sized purse/bag right under your seat, just behind your feet.
2. Carry-on - it's w/in 4cm (less than 2") of the regulation, which won't matter as a soft pack not stuffed full. (not flying Qantas, fyi) I think I read the bag is 3lbs w/o stuff inside, so that still leaves about 12lbs. I have never been on a flight that weighed carryons, and I do this flight 2x every other year for the past 12 years. My parents have had carry on luggage weighed but that was to the Galapagos and similar small islands.
3. I definitely need to plan supplies in case we're stuck at an airport. My planes break. ALLLLL the time. I've been up to 72 hours late getting to Australia when we've been in and off the planes, stuck on the tarmac for 10 hours (prior to the law changes), stuck in terminals for overnights. I always thought everyone had broken planes. I didn't realize until traveling w/ dh after a few years that it doesn't usually happen to people w/ every flight they take. Here's hoping for better luck this trip as I've always pitied ppl w/ kids on the broken planes.
4. They're out of stock in red until after our departure.
I don't like boring colors, lol. I'm so shallow. (and it looks like all vendors are out of it in red)
lol, can't remember anything else i was going to type. started this days ago and just haven't had time to come back to the post haha.