Itzy Ritzy Diaper Bag Reviews, The Dream Series

Is the Dream series a dream come true? We put these diaper bags to the test.

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  By: Tali Ditye, Ph.D., Co-founder

  Updated: November 26, 2023

Mommyhood101 independently tests and curates baby gear to help you make informed decisions. If you buy products through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Itzy Ritzy recently released the beautiful new Dream series of diaper bags, including the versatile Dream Backpack diaper bag and the roomy Dream Weekender. We conducted a full hands-on review of these new diaper bags and came away with an amazing first impression of their style, quality, and features!

With stylish and lightweight designs, well-designed pockets and hardware, and the quality reputation of Itzy Ritzy, these diaper bags were racking up gold stars before we even took them out of the box!

Here is a photo of the Itzy Ritzy Dream Backpack diaper bags, which are super convenient around-town diaper bags with some awesome styles and features:

And here is a photo of the Itzy Ritzy Dream Weekender bags, which maintain the beautiful puffer style while adding a truly cavernous main compartment, while staying lightweight and versatile:

At the top of our list of the best diaper bags, we think the Itzy Ritzy Dream series would make an excellent addition to your baby arsenal, and highly recommend them for parents looking for style without compromising quality, comfort, and versatility!

Overall, we came away with a very positive impression of the Itzy Ritzy Dream diaper bags and are very grateful to have gotten our hands on them for testing.

Itzy Ritzy Dream Backpack Diaper Bag: Overall Impression

Nobody wants to read through an entire article to get to the conclusions, you've got more important things to do! So here are our findings, right up front.

Spoiler alert, we love the new Dream series of diaper bags and think it really stands out against an increasingly competitive array of premium diaper bag options!

Here is a summary of what we loved about the backpack diaper bag and some things that could be improved.

✔️  Designed in the USA.
✔️  Beautiful designs.
✔️  Insulated bottle pockets.
✔️  Strong hardware.
✔️  High-quality zippers.
✔️  Full-open front zipper.
✔️  Soft puffer padding.
✔️  Lightweight design.
✔️  Rubber bottom water protection.
✔️  Well-organized pockets.
✔️  Laptop pocket.
✔️  Key clip, phone pocket.
✔️  Tote handle.
✔️  Comfortable backpack straps.
✔️  Convenient cinching pocket.
✔️  Includes changing pad.
✔️  Includes stroller straps.
❌  Made in China.
❌  Somewhat pricey (about $150).

That's a lot of amazing features, making this a fantastic backpack diaper bag option for discerning parents.

We love that it includes all the essentials that you should be looking for in any diaper bag: insulated bottle pockets, phone pocket, and key clip, stroller straps, adjustable and comfortable shoulder straps, and a portable diaper changing pad.

In addition to the essentials, the design is beautiful, all the zippers and hardware are very high quality, smooth, and quiet, and we love how Itzy Ritzy has managed to maintain a super lightweight (about 2 pounds) design.

For functionality, we think it does a fantastic job! It has two zippered and one cinching outside pocket, and on the inside, it has two zippered, four non-zippered, and one big laptop pocket.

While the fabric seems to have some water-repelling properties (we misted it with water!), more importantly, the bottom of the bag is covered with a thick rubber material that helps keep it from getting soaked when placed on a wet surface; the rubber bottom also helps the bag stand upright on its own. 

It's the perfect size (about 0.8 cubic foot total in our measurement) to fit some day-trip baby essentials: baby bottles, diapers and baby wipes, pacifiers, a baby wrap and receiving blanket, and some of your own stuff too - your phone, keys, wallet, and even a laptop!

With all that stuff, there was still room for a small breast pump or tin of baby formula, or anything similarly sized that you might want to bring on your journey! 

The only little downfalls are its price, coming in at about $150, and the fact that it's made in China.

Regarding price, it's well-positioned in the market alongside other premium options, so we're not very surprised by the price and think it's a fair ask.

Regarding where the diaper bag is made, we didn't see any evidence that the quality is suffering at all - in fact, we were very impressed with its overall quality. Itzy Ritzy is a small US-based company, headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, but some parents might be looking for baby gear made in the USA, and we respect that sentiment.

Feel like an expert on the Itzy Ritzy Dream backpack now? You should! But if you're still uncertain, continue reading to see how we reached these conclusions! 

Itzy Ritzy Dream Weekender Hospital and Travel Bag: Overall Impression

Nobody wants to read through an entire article to get to the conclusions, you've got more important things to do! So here are our findings, right up front.

Just like the Dream backpack, we think the Weekender is truly amazing and really stands out against the competitive range of weekend and hospital bags available on the market!

Here is a summary of what we loved about the Itzy Ritzy Weekender Hospital Bag, and some things that could be improved.

✔️  Designed in the USA.
✔️  Beautiful leopard or black designs.
✔️  Huge insulated bottle pockets.
✔️  Strong hardware.
✔️  High-quality zippers.
✔️  Soft puffer padding.
✔️  Lightweight design.
✔️  Rubber bottom water protection.
✔️  Well-organized pockets.
✔️  Laptop pocket.
✔️  Key clip, phone pocket.
✔️  Tote handle.
✔️  Comfortable shoulder strap.
✔️  Convenient cinching pocket.
✔️  Cavernous main pocket.
✔️  Convenient bottom storage.
❌  Made in China.
❌  Somewhat pricey (about $199).

Reading through the list, you'll notice that it has a lot of similar features to the Dream backpack, and that's not entirely surprising. The overall style and design make the backpack and Weekender versions fit together in familiar styles and features.

The Weekender fulfills a slightly different role than the backpack. With its cavernous storage areas, it's well-suited for longer journeys, maybe an overnight trip or weekend stay in the city or at the cottage. It also makes an excellent hospital bag, perfectly sized to fit a few days of essentials for both you and your baby-to-be!

The main storage compartment is absolutely huge, coming in at about 1.25 cubic feet, and containing a perfect number of zippered and unzippered pockets. The bottom storage compartment is perfect for a makeup bag, shoes, and other accessories, and adds another approximately 0.3 cubic feet. 

Along with the huge side pockets, the Weekender packs about 1.6 cubic feet of space (according to our own measurement)! 

We loved the versatility of switching between a tote and shoulder strap, the thick waterproof rubber bottom, the beautiful and sturdy hardware, and the huge insulated bottle pockets (you could probably squeeze two bottles into each!).

The real question is how in the world Itzy Ritzy managed to keep the bag at only about 3.5 pounds, which is super lightweight for a bag of this size, quality, and features!

The only little downfalls are its price, coming in at about $199, and the fact that it's made in China.

The price might seem steep but when you compare it to other premium travel bags (hospital bags and weekend bags), it's right on par with what we'd expect.

Itzy Ritzy itself is based in the US (Illinois), and its products are designed here, but they are manufactured in China. We didn't see any evidence of compromised quality, but we do realize that some parents prefer US-made baby gear.

Feel like an expert on the Itzy Ritzy Dream Weekender now? You should! But if you're still uncertain, continue reading to see how we reached these conclusions! 

Dream Backpack Diaper Bag Review

We begin with a full review of the Itzy Ritzy Dream Backpack diaper bag, but you can also skip ahead to our review of the Itzy Ritzy Dream Weekender.

To be 100% transparent, Itzy Ritzy sent us samples of the Dream diaper bags for testing (thank you, Itzy Ritzy!).

That doesn't necessarily bias us; in fact, nearly half of what manufacturers send us does not make it onto our site due to quality concerns.

Shipping took about 4 days from order confirmation to arrival at our doorstep (near Boston, MA) - not bad, and the shipping was free! 

The Dream backpack diaper bags arrived sealed in large branded plastic bags, and the diaper bag itself was stuffed with some craft paper, making it look great even out of the box (so it will look nice for a baby shower gift!).

Taking it out of the packaging, our first impression was that the fabric was soft and padded and felt easy to wipe clean, the bags were super lightweight (and compressible if needed), and the style was on point.

The hardware visually comes together nicely with the fabric, and we think they look great!

Zippered Front Mom-Pocket

We hate to call this a mom-pocket because it can be for dads or anyone else using the bag! Maybe let's call it a user pocket, indicating it's more for you than for the baby!

No matter what you call it, the zippered front pocket is the perfect place to throw items that you want to keep close and accessible but also securely zippered.

Here's a peek inside:

Inside you'll find a pocket perfectly sized to fit your cell phone, a key clip on a stretchy rope, and a space big enough to fit your wallet, sunglasses, and a couple of other small items.

Large Outer Pocket

A second, even larger outer pocket is located above the zippered pocket, using two drawstring cinching-style cords. 

This pocket is a perfect place for putting easy-access items in a less secure location, maybe a book, receiving blanket, diaper, and wipes.

Inside the pocket, you'll find a large open space that's reasonably padded from the outside and inside.

Zip-down Main Compartment

One of the features we really loved was how the front compartment could be fully unzipped, allowing easy access to everything in the main compartment.

No more fishing around from the top of the bag trying to find that tiny pacifier or lip balm, this is much more convenient!

Inside the main compartment, there are two zippered mesh storage areas on the front panel, four adjustable-size pockets, and one large pocket that's perfect for a laptop (a 14" laptop fits perfectly).

In the above photo, notice how much stuff the main compartment can fit!

We put in two tins of baby formula (Loulouka and Kendamil), a full pack of baby wipes, and a battery-powered breast pump. Not that you'll be carrying exactly those things, but most people know how big these items are, so they provide a good size perspective!

By our measurements, the main compartment measures about 12.5" wide, 6" deep, and 15" high. That equates to about 0.7 cubic feet of space, which is plenty large for a diaper bag backpack!

We also liked the little Good Vibes message inside - nice touch!

Included Changing Pad

Like every good diaper bag, the Dream backpack includes a convenient portable changing pad.

But this one is different in a few ways. First, it's pretty darn adorable! Second, the changing surface is super easy to wipe clean and a bit padded to keep things comfortable.

Third, we love where the diaper changing pad is stored - in a little zippered pocket on the back of the diaper bag behind the shoulder straps. 

This is great because it keeps it from taking up room in the main compartment or pockets and keeps it out of the way. But it also provides some extra padding for your back!

Waterproof Bottom

On the bottom of the diaper bag is a thick rubber material that helps keep the fabric and bag contents protected when the bag is placed on a wet surface.

In addition to providing a water-proofing capability, it also helps provide a stable bottom surface to help the bag stand upright on its own. 

And the logo is a little bonus!

Other Notable Features

Some other things worth mentioning are:

There are two insulated baby bottle pockets, one on each side. They are large enough to fit wide-mouth bottles or taller bottles.

The bag includes easy-to-use and adjustable stroller straps, one on each side.

We love the little details, like the brushed metal accents on the drawstrings and clips, the inspirational message printed inside, and the beautiful printed or solid fabric that's easy to wipe down for cleaning.

In case you're wondering about outer dimensions, we measured it at about 14.5" wide, 8" deep, and 16" high.

Some Little Cons

There are only a couple cons worth mentioning.

First, it is designed in the USA by an American-owned and operated company, but the bags themselves are made in China. They are super high quality and there doesn't appear to be any evidence that their origin influences the quality.

Second, the bags can be wiped down with a clean damp cloth (we used baby wipes!), but they cannot be machine washed. We did try out handwashing and hanging one of the bags out to dry (the leopard print one), and it turned out completely fine. We do not suggest putting it in the washing machine (though we might try the gentle cycle and let you know how it turns out), especially not in a dryer due to the rubber bottom.

Finally, it is a bit expensive, coming in at about $150. However, for a premium diaper bag with this level of style and quality, we think that is a perfectly reasonable price!

Interested? We think you should be! Click the image below to check out the available styles and options at the Itzy Ritzy site!

Dream Weekender Hospital and Travel Bag Review

We now turn to our review of the Weekender model, which uses the same general stylistic elements as the Dream series backpack but offers a truly cavernous space for supporting longer excursions.

As with the Dream backpack, Itzy Ritzy sent us samples of the Weekender bags for testing (thank you, Itzy Ritzy!).

That doesn't necessarily bias us; in fact, nearly half of what manufacturers send us does not make it onto our site due to quality concerns.

Shipping took about 4 days from order confirmation to arrival at our doorstep (near Boston, MA) - not bad, and the shipping was free! 

The Dream Weekender bags arrived sealed in large branded plastic bags, and the bag itself was stuffed with some craft paper, making it look great even out of the box (so it will look nice for a baby shower gift!).

Taking it out of the packaging, our first impression was that the bag is truly massive and we were excited to open it up and see what we could fit!

The fabric was soft and nicely padded (like a light puffer coat!), felt easy to wipe clean, and despite the size the bag was surprisingly lightweight (just over 3 pounds).

It's hard to tell how large these bags are in the photo, but they measure roughly 21" wide and 18" high on the outside.

Here is a photo of a woman carrying the Weekender hospital bag, for some size perspective!

Yes, it's big! It's not your typical diaper bag, but rather something that you would take for an overnight (at least), a weekend trip to the city or beach, or as a hospital bag to hold all the essentials to prepare for your little one to arrive!

The style was perfect, with all the hardware elements coming together nicely with the fabric, and we think they looked excellent for a large weekend or hospital bag!

Zippered Front Mom-Pocket

This could just as easily be a dad pocket or anything else, of course! The critical part is that it's more for you than for the baby!

No matter what you call it, the zippered front pocket is a huge spot to throw items that you want to keep close but also secure.

Inside the pocket, there are two smaller pockets that can each fit a large cell phone, a key clip, and tons of extra space for anything else you might want to store inside (wallet, sunglasses, baby sunscreen, a hat, and more!). the perfect place to throw items that you want to keep close and accessible but also securely zippered.

Here's a peek inside:

This pocket is surprisingly large, measuring about 18" wide and 14" high!

Huge Bottle Pockets

We love the insulated baby bottle pockets on the Weekender!

They are huge and adjustable with a drawstring cinch. Here is a close-up:

If you're using something like Dr. Brown's narrow bottles you could easily fit two of them into each bottle pocket, and we were also able to squeeze in two Tommee Tippee bottles as well.

A little tight with that configuration, but another nice option is to put in one baby bottle, a pacifier, and/or some towels for spit-up.

Large Lower Storage Area

A second, even larger storage area is found at the bottom of the bag.

Opening the zipper running around the perimeter of the bag just above the rubber bottom, reveals a huge storage area that's perfect for shoes, a makeup or toiletries bag, and any other items you might want to keep separated from clothing.

Again, it's hard to represent size in photos, so we threw in a couple of familiar items. In the first image, two full-size packs of baby wipes, and in the second image size 7 women's boots.

We love the idea of this bottom compartment, something you usually only find on large wheeled duffle bags.

The Cavernous Main Compartment

Now for the main event: the enormous main compartment!

The top zipper opens to reveal a truly enormous main storage area, measuring about 18" wide, 8" deep, and about 15" high.

For those keeping track, that's about 1.25 cubic feet of space, or nearly twice as large as the Dream backpack's main compartment.

When you combine that with the lower storage area, it's about 1.6 cubic feet of space in total, which is an awesome size for a weekend bag!

Inside the bag you'll find some serious storage!

There are two large zippered pockets, both large enough to fit paperwork or a laptop, and several non-zippered pockets that are perfect for keeping things organized.

To show how truly large and versatile the inside space is, we put a few things inside:

This included two large tins of formula, two packs of baby wipes (on the bottom), and a portable breast pump (put on top of the baby wipe packs). 

Notice how there is still a huge amount of space left in the bag, both vertically and horizontally, for you to fit plenty more clothing, diapers, and virtually anything else you might want to bring with you!

We love this! It's the perfect size for a two- or three-night trip, perfect as a hospital bag for the prepared mom-to-be, and generally a great travel bag even for after your little one grows up.

A couple of additional notes about the main storage area: the zipper opens up nice and wide to reveal a highly accessible opening, all the zippers open and close very smoothly, the stitching is high quality, and we love the inner lining material (very easy to wipe clean).

Attaching to a Suitcase

Also known as a trolley sleeve, the Weekender has an awesome sleeve on the rear that allows you to attach it to a retractable trolley handle.

This design makes it much easier to pop the bag atop of a wheeled suitcase without worrying about it falling off. Nice touch, especially the little snap button to secure it!

Other Notable Features

Some other things worth mentioning are:

There is an adjustable (unpadded, fyi) shoulder strap.

The clip-on cord charm is pretty cute and on-trend - another nice touch by Itzy Ritzy!

Just like with the Dream backpack, there is an awesome rubber bottom that helps keep the bag and its contents dry, while also helping it stand upright on its own.

In case you're wondering about outer dimensions, we measured the outside dimensions at about 20" wide, 8.5" deep, and 18" high.

Some Little Cons

There are only a couple cons worth mentioning.

First, it is designed in the USA by an American-owned and operated company, but the bags themselves are made in China. They are super high quality and there doesn't appear to be any evidence that their origin influences the quality.

Second, the bags can be wiped down with a clean damp cloth (we used baby wipes!), but they cannot be machine-washed or dried.

Finally, it is a bit expensive, coming in at about $199. However, for a premium travel or hospital bag with this level of style and quality, we think that is a very reasonable price!

Interested? We think you should be! Click the image below to check out the available styles and options at the Itzy Ritzy site!