Lululemon New Parent Backpack review: Is it worth the $218 price tag?

Parents have a lot to carry. And while traditional diaper bags are an option, many brands are now introducing bags that serve double-duty.

One of those bags is the Lululemon New Parent Backpack. Over the past few months, I've put this trendy backpack to the test to see if it's worth the money — and if it actually works for parents. Read on for my full review and to shop the newly-restocked backpack.

💵 Price: $218 CAD

⏰ Used for: Two months

⭐ My rating: 4/5

🛍️ Reasons to buy: Two bags in one makes it great for the city, travel and day adventures

✋ Reasons to avoid: It doesn’t have an insulated, temperature-regulated compartment like many diaper bags, so if you have a young infant and need to keep milk cool this bag may not be right for you

This bag has pockets for snacks, wipes, diapers and other necessities, plus a removable pouch with a changing mat for convenience while away from home.

Lululemon shies away from touting this gender-neutral backpack as a diaper bag, giving it the chic name of the New Parent Backpack instead. It indeed comes with all the frills that parents need when on the go with their little ones. The backpack is a good size, but will still fit into larger stroller baskets, and includes a strap for clipping on stroller handles.

This water-repellant bag has plenty of compartments and pockets for all the essentials: bottles, snacks, wipes, diapers and more.

It also features two secure pockets. The hidden, zippered pocket on top is perfect for stashing wallets, phones, cards and lip balm. I use the zippered pouch at the front for easy access to hand sanitizer, sunscreen and other small items I don’t want to go riffling for in a backpack. The backpack also features a removable pouch that doubles up as a cross-body bag.

The Lululemon New Parent Backpack in dark forest.

While I have the backpack in grey, it's also available in classic black as well as the newest colour, dark forest.

The backpack is nice and roomy and can easily fit a change of clothes, a couple of toys, some books and other necessities.

I was immediately impressed with the numerous compartments and pockets both inside and outside the bag. This is a necessary detail for parents trying to organize all the stuff we carry, so it’s one of the first features I consider. I also like that the pockets on the outside aren’t bulky or clumsy, but quite seamless with the bag’s design.

So far I’ve used this bag for our travels, day trips and in and around the city, and it’s worked well for these different occasions. It’s also lightweight and comfy on the shoulders, so I can see myself using it on short hikes with my toddler, too.

What really sold me about this diaper bag is you get two bags for one: A backpack, plus a bonus sleek cross-body bag, which is super-handy for when I'm not venturing as far from home or lugging around as much baby paraphernalia.

The cross-body has a foldable changing pad and just enough space to fit a packet of wipes, a couple of diapers, disposable bags and balm—making it easy for me to carry the bare essentials and do changes while out and about. For example, behind a tree in a park, as I recently discovered.

I like how the cross-body bag slides easily into the backpack, but there is still enough room for me to stash diapers, wipes, a water bottle, snacks, a blanket, a few books and toys and extra clothes.

Lululemon’s Parent Backpack has a 4.4-star rating based on more than 470 customer reviews.

"This backpack is super minimal and lightweight, great for mom or dad to carry around,” one shopper says, adding the price is worth it considering how much it will be used.

"My favourite part of the bag is the top zipper department," added one reviewer who said this is "by far" their favourite diaper bag. "It was so easy to access my items when I stowed my bag under the seat in front of me on the plane ride.”

However, some reviewers aren’t big fans of the zipper, saying that it’s a bit rigid and challenging to open and close. I haven’t had any issues yet, but I do need two hands to close the bag, which isn’t always ideal for parents. Other reviewers say they find the buckles for clipping onto the stroller tricky to open.

Lululemon says they designed this bag for parents on the move — and they don’t miss the mark. If you’re looking for a versatile, stylish backpack that you can use for traveling, city life, small adventures, and various activities with babies and toddlers, it’s a solid choice. My only peeve is that for the price point, I would have loved an insulated pocket.

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