Huhu Everyday Diaper Backpack Review
In searching for the perfect parent bag, I’ve used quite a few. In that quest, I used the default parent bag everyone gets from Amazon (yuck), outfitted typical enthusiast-level bags, but for parent duty, I’ve used enthusiast-level parent bags. What makes a bag enthusiast-level? Simply stated, it’s attention to detail and the quality of the hardware and materials – it’s the difference between a Toyota and a Lexus. They’ll both get you from Point A to Point B, but one will do so significantly more comfortably, with style and ease of use.
This is a fitting introduction to the Huhu Everyday Diaper Backpack. Why? This pack is an enthusiast-level parent bag designed by an enthusiast but for everyone. I’ll cut to the chase and provide the TLDR summary below.
TLDR: After using the bag for multiple months, including several major trips, The Huhu Everyday Diaper Backpack V2 is one of the best expressions I’ve seen or used as a parent bag. It learns a lot from its predecessor and produces a user experience that is refined, comfortable, and nearly frictionless. Although pricier than the trash people tend to get as a parent bag, the Huhu Everyday will survive the diaper stage into the toddler stage and beyond while also being used for adult use cases like travel, work, or everyday carry. Even without the moniker of being a “diaper bag,” the Everyday is a straight-up awesome pack that should be used even if kids aren’t involved.
Let’s dive into some of the specifics:
The Basics
20L Capacity
2.1Lbs Weight
750D Water Resistant Recycled Poly (Exterior)
200D Water Resistant Recycled Poly (Liner)
The Cool Stuff
Dual Bottle Pockets
Padded Laptop Pocket
Padded and Contoured Back Panel and Straps
Premium Hardware
The Wow Stuff
One-handed Opening & Closing
Multiple Exterior Quick-Access Pockets
Clamshell Opening
Waterproof Lined Stash Pocket
Below are some specifics, details, and expanded thoughts on the Huhu Everyday Diaper Bag.
Exterior
The first time I took the Everyday out of its plastic wrap, my wife and I simultaneously said, “damn, this is nice.” The bag comes in black or what they call “Mid(dle of the)night Black” and “Daybreak Taupe,” or, as I would describe, sand. Our bag was in the Daybreak Taupe (sand) color and was immediately attractive. Aesthetically, it’s beautiful and classy. I did worry about how the color would look over time. The Daybreak Taupe is easy to dirty and after a few trips, you can tell that it has seen some things. Most of it can be wiped away, but it’s not the same. Even though I love the look of the Taupe and think it’s better looking than the black, my anxiety would push me to get the black so that it wouldn’t look dirty so fast.
The exterior fabric feels substantive and weighty to the touch. Unlike so many bags with thin, plastic-like exteriors, the Everyday has a hand feel that is both soft and pleasant yet durable. I like it a lot.
The outside profile is minimalistic and mostly symmetrical, which I enjoy. I will admit that having a bottle in the side bottle pocket does break this symmetry and is slightly more jarring to the eye than bags that aren’t minimalist and symmetrical. Of course, this is a minor gripe coming from someone who is an enthusiast and notices these things. Chances are, no one you know will notice or care.
The front of the pack contains a closure flap secured with a fantastic magnetic locking buckle that is a joy to use. One of the upsides to this method of securing the bag is that it’s operational with only one hand; that’s not something many bags can say – and as a parent, being able to access my bag with one hand is critical. Beneath the closing mechanism is a nice mesh drop pocket. I’ve often touted Bellroy as having the best mesh in the business, but the mesh on this front pocket, also used for the bottle pockets, is perfect. The mesh has the right amount of stretch and looks great even when not in use – it doesn’t get floppy or droopy when not being used.
On either side of the exterior is a bottle pocket. Having two pockets is ideal because, as parents, we need to drink too. And even if you’re using the Everyday as your work EDC, sometimes you have a bottle of water and perhaps some coffee, energy drink, or tea in the other. I will point out that one of the bottle pockets will prevent using the side access waterproof pocket if the bottle blocks the zipper – in essence, you’ll need to plan out what bottle pocket to use if you intend to use the waterproof pocket.
Additionally, on either side of the bag are exterior stash pockets. I often used these for smaller things like my wallet, skittles, hand sanitizer, or other small often-retrieved items. At the top of the bag, there’s a larger zippered quick-access pocket, which also makes the bag easy to use and allows you to gain access to your stuff. Lastly, both sides of the bag have D-rings for use in attaching the bag to a stroller. I personally didn’t use this feature, but I know some folks absolutely love doing this.
Along the back of the exterior, we’re met with an ergonomic back panel that showcases some elevated padding to create air channels, lumbar support, and back support. This is coupled with two straps that do a nice job of balancing width and padding density. Even after hours of walking around Portland, New York City, Boston, Halifax, and Miami, I never felt like the bag was a burden, even though it was definitely packed out with stuff. The comfort of the Everyday alone puts it above other parent bags. It’s obvious Huhu has given comfort a lot of thought.
The last thing I’ll mention here is that the top handle feels nice in hand and is more than capable of sustaining the weight of the pack. The folded-over webbing feels like there’s some additional padding inside – again showing attention to detail.
Interior
Going inside the bag, you’ll immediately be hit with hi-vis blue. It’s a great detail because, with a bag this size, a brighter interior helps to find those small bits that so easily got lost in the shuffle. I also want to note that there’s an exterior fabric and a completely different inner material, which shows the quality and longevity of this bag. So many bags nowadays have one layer of material that is easy to puncture, abrase, and ruin. But with two layers, you have a durable abrasion-resistant layer coupled with the strength of a water-resistant inner material. This will last a while.
Once the locking mechanism is opened, the bag has two symmetrical zippers that can be undone to reveal a semi-clamshell opening. This makes packing or retrieving things significantly easier. Or, you can leave the zipper alone and use the bag as a huge rucksack.
On either side of the inside is a mesh drop pocket, one accessible from the outside from one of the side quick access zips. There’s also a zippered mesh pocket against the back panel, creating a series of suspended pockets that won’t be bothered by items lower in the pack or, as they say, “outside of the crush zone.”
Behind the zippered mesh pocket is a suspended and padded laptop pocket. If you’re not bringing a laptop, this is an excellent spot for a diaper mat.
Now, there’s a neat little trick behind the Everyday. From the outside of the bag, there is a zipper that opens into an isolated waterproof bag. This bag will share capacity with the main compartment, but the fabric crumples into near-nothing when it’s not in use. At that moment, when having a completely isolated pocket that won’t soil the rest of the bag is useful, this pocket is absolutely amazing. In my travels, we got wet with rain, got dirty in the park, and had a food accident. Soiled clothes went into this isolated pocket, leaving the rest of the bag’s contents clean and untouched. It won’t bother you if you don’t use it, but it’s awesome for the moment when you do. This pocket is also good for storing a rolled-up sweater or even some shoes, something you may not need at all or rarely.
Ease of Use
Reviewing bags is incredibly subjective, and what is important to me may not be important to you. Still, I think one thing we can agree on is that we don’t want to fight our bags to get to our stuff. We want an experience that is as frictionless as possible. What do I mean? It means how easily I can retrieve my items and secure my bag. Of course, this is balanced with things like aesthetics and security.
The Huhu Everyday is very close to achieving near-perfection when it comes to frictionless design while balancing security and looks. The magnetic closure is a joy to use, and the zippers are smooth and operational with one hand. The semi-clamshell opening allows for easy packing and retrieval. The two mesh bottle pockets can hold even large water bottles but shrink back down when not used. Also, multiple quick-access pockets round out this package for an easy-to-use the bag with little to no learning curve.
Summary
There are a lot of parent bags out there and even more regular everyday bags. Sure, you can spend $30-$60 on a cheap backpack on Amazon, and it will hold your stuff. But chances are you’ll hate the experience, as will your partner. You’ll find yourself saying, “I can’t wait until I don’t have to carry stuff around anymore.” Or, you can invest in a bag that will be a joy to use, be stylish, and actually be useable, functional, and attractive long after your child grows out of the phases where lugging around their stuff is necessary.
I’ve used a lot of parent bags in the last three years and even more bags in the last five. Still, when it comes to using a bag while traveling anywhere with my kid, I’ve exclusively used my Huhu Everyday. Sure, I have a smaller sling I use for quick trips to the park or the mall, but when it comes to longer trips the Everyday is the bag I reach for now.
If you’re a parent of a newborn, infant, or even a toddler – this is a bag you’ll buy once and never have to worry about making another bag purchase. It's well worth the price.
Plus, you’d be supporting a small maker and designer who is also a mom.
