The best bag to live the “one bag lifestyle” as a busy mom with baby, toddler and little kids. The Knack Pack is the perfect backpack for hands free travel that can be easily organized to separate kid essentials from mommy gear, like for the gym.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

For quite some time now I have been eager to retire my diaper bag, which has lasted me over 6 years! I can’t believe that I was able to hold on to it for that long. It has been through the works and is barely surviving. But I’m excited to share with you the Knack Pack, which has really fulfilled all my mommy needs beyond expectations!

I was ready for a transition – something that I could carry that really “checked all my boxes” for what I needed in a bag to fit my lifestyle of being a fitness-loving busy mom.

Having a diaper bag only left room for my wallet and my phone and that’s about it for mommy space in a typical diaper bag. Not good enough for me.

I needed something that could take the place of a gym bag and a diaper bag. What I needed was a diaper bag and a gym bag smashed together into one.

I definitely needed a backpack, because with having 4 kids (including a toddler and a baby) I don’t have any free hands to carry a bag and I can’t have my bag slipping off my shoulders (like typical diaper bags do when your toddler all of the sudden yanks your arm in the parking lot and the bag rapidly slips all the way down to your wrist, ouch!)

Back to my “catch all” bag criteria…I want to share with you what I needed in my everyday bag as a mom and how the Knack Pack fits my needs meeting all the criteria I had set.

1. Versatility

When you’re a mom, you need to have versatility. Every day is a new adventure when it comes to mom life! I needed a bag that could be suitable for all kinds of different scenarios (trip to the gym, short outings with the kids or even weekend trips).

Related: How And What To Pack For The Hospital: Mom-To-Be

For me, I love how the bag can be separated into two completely different bags. The front main compartment I love as a diaper bag and the back expandable compartment is perfect for my own personal items, specifically for the gym.

When I go to the gym, I don’t need to carry my diaper bag and a gym bag, because I am able to fit it all into the Knack Pack. The hidden suitcase compartment is deep enough to fit 2-3 outfits, shoes, toiletries and anything else personal you might need for the gym. There’s a secret water bottle compartment on the side that doesn’t take up any space from other compartments.

 Traditional backpacks that have the water bottle mesh net on the outside of the bag were often clumsy to lug around because of how the bottle would stick out from the bag. Not to mention how if the bag got tipped or laid down, the bottle could fall right out. This bag does away with that whole dilemma!

But even with all that space for myself, I have tons of room in the front for all my diaper bag needs. You wouldn’t be able to tell from the outside how deep and wide the main compartment is in the front, but it was shocking to me how many kid supplies I was able to fit in that one compartment.

And not only is it perfect for combining the diaper bag with the gym bag, but I love how I can use it for so many other mommy moments: days out at the park, visits to the children’s museum or going on a day trip for a family adventure. And what I’m most excited about is using it at an amusement park with the kids. I’ll definitely be able to pack a ton of snacks and a cooler container within the hidden suitcase compartment.

2. Organization:

This is what I was most ecstatic about. I love staying organized, and it is quite difficult to keep a diaper bag organized when you have 4 kids’ worth of stuff shoved in it. The Knack Pack has so many compartments, zippers and dividers that it makes it very easy to keep things separated and organized. It’s really difficult to be digging through a bag looking for the wet wipes container that has fallen all the way down to the bottom under piles of other multiple baby items. When I need a wet wipe, I need it right now! And the compartments in this bag make it so easy to grab it in an instant.

The other day when I went to the gym for a quick workout, I was able to put all my stuff in a completely separate compartment from my kids stuff. I didn’t have to worry about crumbs from my kids crackers getting into my phone. My water bottle was securely separated from the rest of my items in the bag, which reassured me that water would not spill out into the other compartments.

Related: How To Find Time To Exercise As A Busy Mom With A Baby

When I need to change out my clothes, I can quickly go to the compartment where everything is nicely folded and secure with no possibility that my blouse will get stains from one of my kids’ wayward markers!

3. Compartment Sizes

For how compact this bag is, I was shocked at how deep and wide the compartments were. You wouldn’t be able to tell from me wearing it, but once you open the zippers, the compartments expand where you can comfortably pack a lot of essentials. I have 4 kids, and I was able to fit in everything that I need for a day out with my little cutie pies (plus room for mommy gear!)

4. Comfortable

When I slipped the bag onto my shoulders for the first time, I was amazed at how perfectly it fit on my back. It was extremely comfortable, and I didn’t need to make any adjustments when I got it. The design is really well thought out. The Knack Pack is designed ergonomically to put less strain on the low back, and as a Physical Therapist that puts a huge smile on my face!  I just absolutely love the way it feels when it’s on.

5. Light Weight

I couldn’t believe it when I found out how light it was. It’s only 2 lbs. 11 oz., and to be honest, it really feels closer to 1 lb and not 2.  Having a lighter bag to begin with makes it easier for when you need to stuff it to the max. You won’t have to worry about it being too heavy on your back, it’s barely noticeable. The Knack Pack is super light on your shoulders and very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I’m excited to wear it when I go hiking with the family during our next trip to West Virginia.

6. Easy To Use

Zippers are quick and easy to pull open and shut. It’s also easy to find each zipper. They are not hidden under the fabric like some other bags. When I need to grab a tissue really quickly to wipe my kids’ nose after a huge sneeze, I can quickly with one hand open up the zipper with one quick pull.

6. Attractive For My Husband To Use

There are several different choices in color options but I chose the Stealth Black. I like how it can coordinate with practically any outfit, and it’s really sleek looking. I also love the fact that I can hand my husband the bag before he takes the kids off on a daddy-daughter date and not have to worry about how it will look on him. With other diaper bags (like my last one which was purple) I would have to say, my husband looked quite silly carrying it around when he took the girls out by himself. And I really don’t have the time to move all the contents in my diaper bag into his own personal backpack. So that’s why I love this bag for both moms and dads.

The Bag That Simplifies Mom Life

When it comes to mommy life, simplicity and versatility are key when selecting the bag you choose to do life with!

I highly recommend the Knack Pack – it would be great for you because it is the perfect option if you are looking to condense your “mom gear” into one space to leave your hands free so that you can carry your baby and hold your kids’ hands when walking through the parking lot.

This bag decreases my stress in venturing out of the house, because everything I need is organized and readily accessible within a split second.

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Jena Bradley, DPT

This post contains affiliate links. Knack Bags gifted a Knack Pack for review. For more information, see my disclosures here.

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