About a year ago, I reviewed the Ameribag Healthy Back Bag. My husband used the bag quite a bit for work travel, and I used it to go to the ABC Kids Expo with my (at the time) 10 month old. It was a great carry-on, and held toys, snacks, wallet, phone and my wet/dry cloth diaper bag, but it wasn’t quite big enough for my laptop (I used it anyway, the corner of my laptop just peeked out!)
The Healthy Back Bag is made by Ameribag with a unique ergonomic shape to distribute weight evenly across your back. The bag is available in several fabrics, including the distressed nylon I received.
The bag is available in 4 sizes (Extra Small: 15″ x 8″ x 5.5″, Small: 17″ x 9″ x 6″, Medium: 19″ x 11″ x 7″ and Large: 21″ x 13″ x 8″) that cost between $55 and $78. Other fabrics, like leather and microfiber, cost more.
I received black distressed nylon in a size large, but all sizes feature a non-slip adjustable shoulder strap and tons of organization.
I don’t currently carry a diaper bag. My purse is large enough for a couple extras, like hand wipes & a small first-aid kit, and I keep a wet/dry bag in the car with cloth diapers & wipes. I just grab that if I think I’ll need to change a diaper somewhere. However, this isn’t always practical, like when we’re going to the zoo for the day. We need diapers, wipes, snacks, change of clothes etc. We typically just take a backpack, but then it’s really difficult to find things, plus you have to take it off to get anything out of it.
AmeriBag does make a baby bag ($75), with a separate area in front for the parent’s stuff, wet item bag & changing pad. The large Healthy Back Bag is perfect for us, since it’s not always used as a baby bag, and we already have wet bags & changing pads!
The double zipper to the main compartment makes it easy to get at your stuff, and the outer gusset pocket is perfect for a water bottle.
The outside of the bag has both zip and Velcro close pockets, making it the perfect place for things you need to get quickly (plane tickets etc.) The bag expands to fit bulkier items inside.
The strap adjusts to make the bag comfortable for anyone, and it actually has non-slip material on the underside to keep it in place.
The Healthy Back Bag has an amazing number of inside pockets (5-6 depending on size) to keep your stuff totally organized and easy to find. I love love love the key hook. I get so tired of digging in my purse for my keys! There’s also a handy gusseted pocket inside for your sunglasses.
Every cloud has a silver lining, and so do Healthy Back bags. The silver bag lining means your stuff is easy to find & doesn’t get lost in a deep, dark corner of a bag! The pockets are angled so they are just right to see and use when the bag is on your shoulder. Just slide it over to your hip to peek in.
I was able to fit 10, stuffed, one-size pocket diapers inside the bag, along with wallet, checkbook, keys, wipes, first aid kit, cloth wipes and spray bottle inside, with room left over and the outside pockets totally empty. Even with all the diapers in the bottom, none of the pockets were blocked, and I had plenty of space for a changing pad & wet bag.
Until we received the AmeriBag, my husband used a backpack to tote his junk back & forth to work, class (before he finished his Master’s Degree) and in airports & planes on business trips. All his stuff would get “lost” in it, and his Ray Ban sunglasses were left on an international flight after they fell out of it. It was also highly inconvenient to take off his back, and naturally if he wore it on one shoulder, the weight became painful.
The laptop was a tight squeeze, but it all fit and he was super excited about all the pockets. It actually made me laugh a little. We are polar opposites when it comes to organization, so seeing my messy, disorganized husband excited about pockets was pretty funny.
They have lots of other bags, including a Gabardine hobo that has two outside pockets, an outside zip pocket, interior organization, key hook, cell phone pocket and attached cosmetics case. Their earth collection are environmentally friendly bags made with recycled PolyEthlene Therephthalate. If buying local is important to you, they have a collection of items made in Kingston, NY!
Shop AmeriBag and receive free shipping on orders over $30. Don’t forget to check out their clearance section, and sign up for their newsletter for special offers. “Like” AmeriBag on Facebook, follow AmeriBag on Twitter and follow the AmeriBag blog.
FTC compliance: I received a product sample for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.
Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 18, 14 and 11-year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air. Read More »
