Pacapod Bags -- kinda genius, if you ask me.

One fun thing about blogging is that I sometimes get a chance to experience products I might never have experienced otherwise. And if there's one thing this mom likes to take for a test ride, it's diaper bags. This is a really cool one, and I'm excited to show you some of its clever features.

But first: let's take a moment to acknowledge that I am A) wearing normal, everyday clothes in these pictures, and B) not  in some charming photo location, and C) not made up to look like some supermodel supermom. I'll admit that a bit of insecurity set in while planning this post--I thought to myself, "The nice people who sent me this bag will probably be disappointed when they see this post with a very normal-looking mom in very normal-looking clothes standing against her very normal-looking living room wall. They probably hoped for some Pinterest-sensation wowza photos." 

And then, a lightbulb moment. They ostensibly visited this blog before writing to see if I'd like to test out their bag. I assume they peeked around and realized within about 3 seconds of browsing that I am not a Pinterest-sensation wowza supermodel type of blogger. If anything, I actively resist pretending I'm that person, because yuck--who has the time to keep up that kind of charade?

And more than almost anything else in a mother's life, a diaper bag is, above all, utilitarian. And I think that is represented here today. I didn't fuss up for the sake of photos, or try to put on some show for you (or for Pinterest) here. This is real, everyday life--at home, in my living room, using a useful product in a very practical, useful way. And that's about as good as it gets for me :-)

So, let's break it down. What you see before you here is the Pacapod Cromwell bag. I love its sleek look and outer buckles. The gold hardware is a nice, trendy touch, and the fabric would be incredibly easy to wipe down and clean. It's so spacious inside, and that slim outer pocket is a handy touch. I love that it doesn't look like a typical diaper bag--I'm not sure I'd have guessed it was a baby bag if I saw it out in the wild.

What really sets Pacapod bags apart, though, is that it has a 3-in-1 organization system. You have, of course, the typical large diaper bag, but . . . 

. . . it also has a completely separate section on the outside of the bag that zippers open to reveal a changer pod (complete with a changing pad and inner compartments to store diapers, wipes, and rash cream), and a feeder pod (which is insulated to keep milk and snacks cold and hygienic). These separate pods fit perfectly into their zipper section, and can be removed and handed off to whoever else wants to take their turn with a feeding or a diaper change (might as well be optimistic, right?).

I love how easy it is to keep things organized here--no loose diapers floating around in the inner part of the bag, no mad search to hunt down a bottle cap or the tube of rash cream. It's all tucked away exactly where it belongs, and easy to find and utilize when you need it.

The bag also comes with a longer strap so you can wear it crossbody, as well as shorter, removable straps to hang it from a stroller.

My only complaint about the bag is that I wish it had more interior organization in the main portion of the bag--it's a large space and easy to 'lose' items inside of. Although I imagine that could very easily be remedied with a bag organizer, the likes of which you can find for all of $5 or so online, which makes this a relatively minor complaint. Just something to be aware of, if you're shopping around and comparing bags.

The pod system is totally genius, especially if you are bottle-feeding a baby. My kids are old enough that the feeder pod isn't an absolute necessity for me, but I think it would have been a life saver when Darcy was little. Such a clever design.

Visit Pacapod to see more of their bag designs, and check out this video if you'd like to see the bag in action.