Magnetic Magazine's Review of the Beau Pack R1
If you are a parent or on your way to becoming one, one of the first pieces of gear that you will need is a bag to carry all your stuff in. We are big believers in taking your kiddo with you whenever you can, and the Parenting Pack R1 is the perfect bag for on-the-go parents who need a good all-purpose pack that can hold it all. The R1 is cool-looking (or at least unassuming), comfortable on longer stints, and doesn't become irrelevant after your child gets older. The bag features 24L of capacity, sturdy hardware, three compartments (even one for your laptop). So once your child is on autopilot, you have a great everyday carry bag that you can use and not another piece of gear for the giveaway pile.
The bag is built from 100% recycled fabric and overall built to take a beating, and believe us, you will use this bag every day, so it needs to be tough. There are two insulated accessory pouches, three pockets in the main compartment, a soft phone pocket, and a nine-pocket organizer compartment. Too many pockets, NEVER.
The pack has nicely padded straps and a back panel with good airflow and comes with a changing pad with a mesh pocket to hold wipes, diapers, a flask (kidding, kinda). Being able to rip out a changing pad, grab a diaper and get it done is clutch. The insulated pouches are also super handy for porting food, and can be slipped into the water bottle pockets on the side for quick access.
This bag does lean more to the masculine side, but we wouldn't go so far as to call it a Dad Bag, but some women might not want a techy-looking backpack - so it will probably end up on Dad's back. Yeah, maybe it is a Dad Bag - but we will let you decide.
CONCLUSION:
The R1 is a well thought out bag for parents that evolves with you and your child and has all the critical accessories integrated, and as far as bags go this is probably one the best ones we have seen for active parents that want to put everything in one place, carry it comfortably and have it fairly easy to access.
Pro Tip - When you start using the bag as a couple or even solo, remember always to put your stuff in the same spot and keep essentials at the top and easy to access - otherwise, you will be digging, frustrated, and maybe muttering expletives to yourself.