Small pump bag - was excited but now let down
March 16, 2018
I really depend on reviews when I buy items, so I'll try to be as thorough as I can in hopes it helps someone else.
Color: it only comes in black. I can appreciate that. It's so hard to find a plain, black pump bag that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I wanted a black one to blend in and not be obvious as to what it is when carrying it, but also because I'm in the military and all my bags need to be black.
Size: it's smaller than I imagined it would be but not too small. I would've liked it to be wider like a normal tote bag. It's tall and "skinny".
Pump compartment: although it says it fits most pumps, it most definitely did not fit my Spectra S1. The pump pocket measures 7" wide, 9" tall and expands to 2.5". I'm considering just cutting out the pocket that way I can still access my pump from the side without having to take it out. This was a huge disappointment for me as I REALLY wanted a pump bag where I wouldn't have to actually take my pump out. My Spectra S1 DID fit in the main compartment but didn't leave much room for everything else.
Main compartment: because I had to put my Spectra S1 pump in the main compartment, it didn't leave much room for anything else. As you can see in the picture, it took up a lot of room. Although I was able to fit all the essentials: charging cord in one pocket, milk storage bags in the other pocket, an insulated cooler (also SkipHop brand) next to the pump (although for testing purposes it was empty), a pumping bra, and the pump tubing and backflow protectors. With only the essentials in there, I was barely able to zip up the bag. I may have to figure out how to just clip on the cooler to the outside of the bag.
"Dry & Store" compartment: when empty, it seems huge, but barely fit what I needed. You can see in the pictures I fit 2 flanges, 2 duckbill valves, and 2 bottles into it. Barely. It came above the top of the basket, but still fit just fine into the bottom compartment. I do appreciate that both sides open for ventilation for drying purposes. There is a pen holder on one of the flaps in this compartment; although I'm confused as to why it was put in a compartment meant to store wet parts.
Straps: the idea that I could carry this over the shoulder, cross body or backpack style sounded great. Until I tried it. The over the shoulder straps are fine, though not removable. The same strap is used for crossbody and backpack style. So it's just one adjustable long strap. Which is fine for crossbody style. NOT for backpack style. As you can see in the picture, each end of the strap clips to each side at the bottom of the main compartment, with 2 loops at the top for it to thread through. It was very difficult trying to figure out how to use this strap for backpack style. Once I was able to loosen it to my desired strap length for each side, I attempted to put it on. FAIL. Because the strap goes through loops at the top, once you attempt to wear it like a backpack, the strap will move around, but then make it impossible to adjust while wearing. I would much prefer just 2 adjustable straps that clip to the top and bottom (so that they can be removed if not wanted) instead of one long adjustable strap.
Material: the whole thing is made of seemingly waterproof, wipeable material that can easily be cleaned.
Overall this would be a great pump bag if you have a small pump. Large pumps like the Spectra S1 I have just aren't compatible with a bag this small. Although it does fit all the necessities, I can see myself getting frustrated with it because I could barely zip it closed and would like to be able to fit more. For the price though, it's definitely a great buy compared to other pump bags out there that cost hundreds of dollars.
This product review was collected by the manufacturer.
