Skip Hop Bento

By Published On: December 26th, 2011

The Skip Hop Bento bag is, in a word, awesome. […]

The Skip Hop Bento bag is, in a word, awesome. Its black and gray color scheme (my combo of choice) give it the look of a large handbag—no sign of diaper bag here! My husband even likes carrying it. The numerous pockets make it ideal for organization. The bag is of high quality—the material is sturdy and wears well. All zippers and snaps are strong and durable.
prd_293102_expThe bag is slightly heavy before it’s loaded, but I think this has to do with the extra 8-piece mealtime kit that’s included. The bag holds enough for a day trip, possibly a weekend trip. This bag is all about organization – the bag’s user will appear to be the queen of organization, even if it’s not completely true. The large zipper pocket contains mesh pockets lining the inside of the compartment and a pocket on each end that will fit a bottle. Even with all those pockets, there is still a large amount of space left over but not so much that items get lost. The lining material is a light gray color making it easy to find things in the bottom of the bag. There is a zipper pocket at each end of the bag as well as two other zipper pockets on the outside. The smaller zipper pocket is the perfect size and location for keys and cell phone. There is a back pocket that has a magnetic closure. The zipper pocket on the bottom of the bag holds the mealtime kit.
The bag is comfortable to carry, and can be carried in several different ways. It has two handles that can be snapped together. It also has a shoulder strap that is adjustable and can be worn on the shoulder or across the body. It includes stroller straps that are easy to use and work with all strollers. The material used for this bag is easy to wipe clean when needed—inside and outside. The wider and flat base allows it to stand on its own.
The details:

  • There are six exterior pockets. Five close with zippers and the sixth has a magnetic closure. The two pockets on the ends are insulated and will hold a bottle.
  • There are seven interior pockets, five of which are mesh. These pockets do not close.
  • The main compartment of the bag zips closed.
  • The bag comes with accessories—it includes a padded changing pad and an 8-piece mealtime kit. The mealtime kit includes 3 food containers with lids (containers can be put in freezer and microwave on low and are top-rack dishwasher safe). The containers click together if desired. It also holds a reusable gel freezer pack. The bag that holds the mealtime kit has a wipe-clean, insulated surface as well as a pull-out tab and elastic handle to hold a juice box or water bottle.
  • The bag does not have feet on the bottom.

There are a few things I would change about this bag. First, the snaps used to hold the handles together are almost impossible to snap and also difficult to unsnap. Not everyone will use the snaps, but it does help to keep the handles a little more organized. The difficulty of the snaps might lessen over time, but for now it’s a hassle to open and close. I’d also change the outside pockets. The main compartment is great, but the other two pockets on the front are smaller and seem to be randomly placed. The size of the other pockets are limited by the large main compartment.
Overall, I would say that this bag can easily be my sole diaper bag—I don’t have another one and don’t feel the need for one any time soon!
Price: $99
To buy: skiphop.com