Parental Unit in Aubergine (dark purple) Ballistic.
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$215.00


Color: Aubergine Ballistic/Wisteria 200 Halcyon

In Stock

Available Color options

Cool bag; holds diapers, if you want.

13 liters / 825 cu. in.


Parental Unit

Aubergine Ballistic/Wisteria 200 Halcyon

01.

Description

Our design mission was this: a brilliantly useful diaper bag that could be used even beyond the diaper stage.

The Parental Unit is the result of Tom's resolve to build a "diaper bag" that does more than just assist parents with changing diapers: it'll help organize and mobilize any parent or parents that participate in the modern world with their young kids. Unless you're just letting them go feral out on the back 40, you're likely to appreciate how the P.U. can make trips to the store, to the in-laws, daycare and even the museum less stressful and perhaps just as much fun as they should be. Plus you won't look like a dork with some huge encumbrance slung over your shoulder, whacking nice people in the face as you navigate the narrow aisles of public transit or cozy restaurants. We particularly eschewed goofy printed fabrics: if you want a bag that screams "I'm a parent!", you'll have to look elsewhere. The Parental Unit was designed to be as svelte as possible, and equally stylish for all genders: long after the kids are out of diapers and on their way to college, the P.U. might still be your favorite go-to bag for everyday carry.

The P.U. is a shoulder bag, intended to be carried over one shoulder or with the strap cross-body, like a bike messenger bag. It comes with the Standard Shoulder Strap, but you can upgrade to the Absolute Shoulder Strap

In terms of organization, the Parental Unit has it in spades. It is 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 dividers themselves are more generous at their tops so that the wearer can easily see down into the 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. Both front and back have smallish zippered pockets that are nonetheless more than adequate for big phones or even phablets, a wallet, keys, etc.

And while we’re on the topic of organization: inside The Parental Unit are 10 O-rings — small, round, plastic rings to which you can secure Key StrapsOrganizer Pouches, and other accessories for custom organization. We've included one 8” Key Strap in Black.

The center compartment opens with a top zipper with two zipper sliders. We assume you'll leave that unzipped most of the time for fast access to a toy or a spit-up cloth, but you can zip it shut in bad weather or if you need to stow it during travel. Two billowy open-top pouches are sewn front and back inside this main compartment—you can choose to leave them empty and just take advantage of the large space, or you can use them to further organize changes of clothes and more diapers, or stash food, wipes, rags, etc. The outer surfaces of these pouches have zippers that allow you to join them together, dividing that one big space into four smaller separate ones (we know that's hard to picture—see the images above). You might find that our Travel Stuff Sacks keep changes of clothes better organized, but of course zip-lock type bags are fine too.

Two simple 1” / 25mm webbing handles can be found inside the zipper of the main compartment. These two handles give you an easy way to grab and move or carry the Parental Unit while its main compartment is zipped open. This is mostly to use while loading the Parental Unit: say, moving it from the kitchen to the nursery, for example. Because the handles are sewn inside, they politely disappear when you zip the bag shut.

Outside, near the top on the back, is a 1" / 25mm flat triangular snaphook: if you require fast access to your keys you'll appreciate this, but Junior would probably prefer you put a small teddy bear or binky there instead.

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. 

Interior

bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® certified 200 denier Halcyon/nylon ripstop
— or —
bluesign® certified 210 denier Cerylon 6,6 Ripstop nylon

Zippers

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

Interior Divider Zipper: #5 YKK Vislon Molded Tooth Zippers

Components

Duraflex®, Nexus, and Woojin buckles and related components

03.

Specs

Dimensions

16.1” (w) x 9.6” (h) x 7.9” (d) / 410 (w) x 245 (h) x 200 (d) mm

Weight

Ballistic: 1 lb 3.8 oz / 560 grams
400d Halcyon®/420d nylon ripstop: 15.3 oz / 433 grams

Volume

13.5 liters, 825 cubic inches (ASTM Standard Measure)

04.

Choosing an Exterior Fabric

You like choices and we like to give you choices! That's why the Parental Unit is typically available* in three different exterior fabrics. Our Materials Glossary explains each fabric in great detail, but here are some quick facts that may help you decide which to choose. And we're always here if you have questions: emailus@tombihn.com

1050d High Tenacity Ballistic Nylon

Weave:
2x2 “ballistic” weave
Fibers:
1050 denier type 6,6 (high tenacity) filament nylon
Coating:
medium urethane
Made in:
U.S.A.

Choose this fabric if

  • You want a super-tough fabric – originally designed for use in bullet-proof vests.
  • The weight of your bag isn’t a huge concern (though it’s worth noting that 1050d Ballistic is still lighter than cotton canvas or leather).
  • You want a smooth surface that won’t collect pet hair or sweater fuzz, slides easily into and out of the overhead bin, and fits in whether you're traveling for work or leisure.

High Tenacity Ballistic Nylon

Weave:
2x2 “ballistic” weave
Fibers:
Type 6,6 (high tenacity) filament nylon, twisted
Coating:
heavy urethane
Made in:
South Korea with Canadian Yarn

Choose this fabric if

  • You want your bag to be soft and supple yet tough as nails.
  • You want a fabric that's stately enough to be at home at work, the mountains, or a nice hotel.
  • You don't want your bag to collect pet hair or abrade your clothing.
*There may be times when one of the exterior fabrics mentioned here isn't available. Even with our best efforts, the demand for our bags occasionally outpaces our production capabilities: at times, some products, color combinations, or fabrics might be temporarily unavailable or "In Production." See the In Production color combinations as a guide to what our factory crew is making and what will be available next.
4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
Based on 50 reviews
100%would recommend this product
50 reviews
  • Justin
    Verified Reviewer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Good Storage Size, Versatile, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship
    Yesterday
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Good Storage Size, Versatile, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Emphasis on "unit"

    I don't think I've met a TB bag I didn't love but this might be my favorite. We had been using a backpack as our primary diaper bag but wanted to be able to travel with our backpacks and would need a messenger style like this for baby. In packing for a recent trip I moved everything from the backpack into the Unit abd still had room for spare bottles, toys, extra diapers, and books. The bag is so thoughtfully designed and punches well above its weight in capacity. I couldn't believe I could get all of the zippers closed even with every compartment stuffed full. Well done, TB.

  • Brian N.
    Verified Reviewer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact
    Yesterday
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great bag for after diapers too

    I got one of these 10 years ago, and it was very good for my twins first few years. After that, I converted it to a fishing bag for afternoons with the kids and quick after work casts. Still going strong and doesn’t scream “diaper bag”!!

  • Matthew L.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Versatile, Thoughtful Design, Good Storage Size, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable
    2 weeks ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Versatile, Thoughtful Design, Good Storage Size, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great bag for parents!

    As a first time parent, you never quite know what you need to keep in your bag! How big of a bag is too big, how small is too small?! There are so many choices! This bag feels like the best option out there! I ordered (and returned) tons of other bags from other brands before settling on this. It’s sleek, roomier than it looks and construction is such a step above the others. You won’t regret this bag! The interior organization and dividers are perfect for all the gadgets, diapers, clothes and more you’ll need to carry. Thanks for a great bag that will last a very long time!

  • Jen
    Verified Reviewer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Durable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Thoughtful Design
    1 month 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.

  • Maureen V.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Good Storage Size, Versatile, High Quality Craftsmanship
    4 months ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Good Storage Size, Versatile, High Quality Craftsmanship
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great toddler bag

    Got this bag to haul all of my 3 year olds stuff! I can carry a change of clothes, pull ups, toys and snacks with ease. I still have room. This bag can easily hold my 14 inch laptop and iPad as well.

Lifetime guarantee image

05.

Sewn in Seattle

Our bags are designed and sewn right here in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.

That allows us to be control freaks in the best way possible; we have direct control and oversight of the quality of our materials, our products, and the jobs and working environment that we help create. It also offers us a unique spontaneity: when we have an idea for a new product or accessory, we can design it, figure out how to build it, add it to our website and be ready to ship it out our front door all within just a few weeks. How cool is that?

Intrigued? You can find out more about the unusual way we do business on our Company Philosophy page.

06.

THE BIHN Guarantee

Everything you buy from us here at TOM BIHN is satisfaction guaranteed. We’ve been in business since 1972 and we stand behind what we make.

If something goes wrong and it's our fault, we'll fix it for free. Repairs due to normal wear and tear or due to other things that are not our fault will be performed, when possible, at a reasonable charge right here in our Seattle factory where your bag was made. Defects in materials or workmanship are uncommon and almost always evident while the product is still new. Keep in mind that bags and packs are often subject to extreme wear in everyday use: do not expect them to last forever. Only true love lasts forever! You can expect a TOM BIHN product to give years and years of hard service.

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