5 out of 5 from Ye Gads

This bag’s features include:

·         Removable/interchangeable front panel.

·         Quick-access wipes window under the front panel that integrates with a refillable wipes container

·         Integrated stroller hangers

·         Two large pockets on the interior for nappies and food. Each pocket is large enough to also hold two wide mouth baby bottles.

·         Changing pad in a separate pocket to eliminate cross contamination.

·         One skinny pocket for creams or lotions under the wipes window.

·         An additional zipped pocket inside the bag for storage of larger items.

·         Dimensions: Height 30cm, Width 33cm, Depth 10cm

·         Available in several colours and styles.

·         Cost:  £55

This is a smaller version of the popular DadGear messenger bag. It incorporates their "hands free" approach which allows you to change, feed, and entertain your child without ever having to set the bag down. This bag has a removable and reversible front panel which allows for easy cleaning. Hanging this bag from any stroller is easy with our integrated stroller hangers. This bag is available in several colours and styles

Our verdict

 With baby number one I used a rucksack type changing bag when on the move which was really useful so I was reluctant to change when baby number two arrived, but as soon as I opened this bag I knew the rucksack would be resigned to the loft.

The revolutionary integrated quick access wipes case stands out as being the one feature that makes your life so much easier. Wipes are the one thing that you need to grab fast, and the one thing which you can never find when you most need them.  The Dadgear designers have solved this with an easy to fill, one hand opening wipes case. You can be fastest on the draw when you urgently need a wipe, very impressive when in the company of females, who tend to be the first to offer advice if they think you are doing it wrong.

Smaller than the messenger bag, this is still large enough for all your essential baby kit, the interior pockets hold handfuls of nappies with plenty of extra pockets for creams, spare clothes, wallet & mobile phone. I found that the smaller outside zipped pocket was great for nappy bags and there is a separate zipped pocket on the back for the changing mat. Even when filled to the brim with a days worth of baby changing equipment, we still found space for half a dozen beer bottles, so dad does not have to go thirsty.

The sport bag has been out on many trips and I find it’s small size an advantage over the rucksack type bag, especially when carried in tight spaces (busy shops, buses etc) where a rucksack would be knocking into people.  The sports bag also fits easily onto your pushchair with the integrated hangers, and despite being easy to use without being put down, it has a heavy duty base and works just as well on the ground. In pubs and restaurants it’s small enough to hang on your chair without the waiters having to squeeze past it and in most cases they don’t even know you have carried a baby in due to the lack of associated clutter which gives the game away.

Replenishing the supplied wipes holder is a regular occurrence, and is best achieved by opening the wipes holder from the inside, once done you have your own stash that can’t go walkabout – priceless in my opinion. It can take a mini pack of wipes in the wrapper, or for the serious refill I recommend taking a good handful from your bulk wipes pack as this will last longer. Alternatively you can simply swap the wipes case for a big wipes pack of your choice, beware that some of the hard plastic openings won’t fit the hole in the sport bag so if in doubt stick to peel back flaps, the larger packs also reduce the space in the bag for changing items so bear this in mind.

Initially I thought it could do with a “laptop bag” style shoulder pad which would make it more comfortable when full of baby food however once I used it I did not find it uncomfortable as the strap seems to be ample wide enough.

In summary this bag is a great product, despite the price it is worth the money alone just for the quick access wipes feature, the reversible front panel is the icing on the cake, and either in plain or camo mode it’s a real blokes bag.

 For more information check out the DadGear Website www.dadgear.eu