Parental Unit

$215

Ready to Ship

A brilliantly functional diaper bag that doesn’t scream “diaper bag”—one you’ll still love long after the diaper days are over.

Color & Material

Aubergine Ballistic/Wisteria 200 Halcyon

Burnt Orange Ballistic/Sangria 210 Cerylon

Nebulous Grey Ballistic/Island 200 Halcyon

Nebulous Grey Ballistic/Sangria 210 Cerylon

Exterior Color:
Aubergine

Interior Color:
Wisteria

Exterior Material:
Ballistic

Interior Material:
200 Halcyon

Add a Wheelchair/Stroller Strap - $10.50 Upgrade to an Absolute Shoulder Strap - $25.00

Made in Seattle

Lifetime Guarantee

Parental Unit

Description

The Parental Unit is the result of our determination to build a bag that does more than just help with diaper changes—it’s designed to keep parents organized, mobile, and ready for whatever the day throws their way. Whether you're heading to the store, the in-laws’ house, daycare, or even the museum, the P.U. makes every outing smoother (and maybe even enjoyable). And because we believe style and practicality can coexist, we skipped the cutesy prints—this is a bag that looks good on everyone. No oversized, unwieldy monstrosity here—just a sleek, thoughtfully designed carry that won’t whack strangers in the face as you navigate a crowded subway or cozy café.

Two simple 1” / 25mm webbing handles: located inside the zipper of the main compartment.
Symmetrical front-to-back: both faces have gently curved zippers that open to generous, but not excessive, organizer compartments.
Both of these are further divided into three vertical sub-compartments:
The center of the three is sized to fit most diapers, wipe dispensers (travel or home size both fit) and/or a changing pad.
The spaces on either side are good for baby bottles, water bottles, or snacks. Most parents tend to divide the utilization of the bag by putting food and drink on one face and diaper changing accoutrements on the other.
Smallish zippered pockets on both front and back: more than adequate for big phones or even phablets, a wallet, keys, etc.
We make the Parental Unit in three shell fabrics: 1050d ballistic, 400d Halcyon, and our lighter weight ballistic nylon; and two lining fabrics: 200d Halcyon, and 210d Cerylon. All exterior zippers are #8 YKK Racquet Coil, and there is one #5 YKK Vislon Molded Tooth zipper on the inside.

Exterior

bluesign® certified High-Tenacity 2x2 Ballistic nylon

Interior
bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® certified 200 denier Halcyon/nylon ripstop

Exterior Zippers

5x #8 YKK Racquet-Coil Water-Repellant Zippers

Interior Divider Zipper

#5 YKK Vislon Molded Tooth Zippers

Hardware

Duraflex®, Nexus, and Woojin buckles and related components

Reviews

4.9

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars

Based on 56 reviews

Total 5 star reviews: 53 Total 4 star reviews: 3 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0

Write a Review (Opens in a new window)

56 reviews

Sort

AS
Anne S.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
3 years ago
Bought For Myself
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Hope this comes back into production cycle
This bag has now become my every day carry. All the pockets help you organize the things you use a lot into easily accessible sections, and relegate rarely-used-but-needed items out of the way. Since I have items categorized and sorted away into the pockets, it leaves the main compartment clear and empty, ready to have things stuffed into it for toting. I use an Absolute Strap with it—since for me it has a "front" and a "back"—and it is comfortable even when I load the bag up (I do wish I could shorten the strap up a little bit more since the shape of corners of the bag adds some length). I especially like the outside clip on the back of the bag—the perfect place to clip your keys so you don't lose them at the bottom of the bag. My bag is Taiga halcyon with the dark crossthreads, which I find is a great neutral. I have gotten lots of compliments on this bag when I'm out and about!
Was this helpful?
RG
Rebekah G.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact, Good Storage Size, Versatile
10 months ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact, Good Storage Size, Versatile
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
best bag I have ever bought.
As a blind person, I really appreciate the description area of the prodzct page, and it turned out just like i expected. This is the best bag I have ever bought
Was this helpful?
AL
Amy L.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Unique, Versatile, Durable, Easily Adjustable
1 year ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Unique, Versatile, Durable, Easily Adjustable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
The Parental Unit is my favorite bag ever
I use the parental unit as an everyday carry. It is durable, comfortable to wear crossbody, and full of a ton of helpful pockets to keep me organized. I love bags and this is my favorite everyday carry ever. Please keep making them, Tom Bihn!
Was this helpful?
MR
Mary R.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size
8 months ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
EDC
This has quickly become my Everyday Carry and I am not even a parent. Love the multiple pockets and crossbody style!
Was this helpful?
J
Jen
Verified Reviewer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Durable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Thoughtful Design
4 months ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Durable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Thoughtful Design
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Long lasting
I have owned the Parental Unit for ten years and use it five or six days a week for work. I walk a mile to work, a mile home. Now, it doesn’t look as good as the day I got it in the mail, but it has mostly held its shape and shows minimal signs of wear. So 5 days a week times 52 weeks a year times 10 years, that’s 2600 days I put this bag to the test. As many times as I considered buying a new work bag, there’s just nothing out there as seemingly indestructible as this, with all the pockets I could ever need. This bag will outlast me, I’m afraid.
Was this helpful?

Quality Designs Since 1972

Designed with obsessive attention to detail, we pride ourselves in offering bags in unmatched quality and durability—whether you're commuting, traveling, or navigating daily life. Built to endure, made to move with you.

The BIHN Guarantee

We stand behind every bag we make. If it’s our fault, we’ll fix it—no questions asked. For everything else, we offer honest repairs in our Seattle factory.

Your Bag (0)

Your cart is empty