In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Skip Hop Mainframe Wide Open Review

This easy-to-clean and practical bag has a unique stay-open feature that makes access simple but is not as comfortable to carry
gearlab tested logo
skip hop mainframe wide open diaper bag review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $75 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Skip Hop
By Juliet Spurrier, MD and Lindsay Selig  ⋅  Nov 29, 2022
70
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#4 of 11
  • Storage - 35% 6.0
  • Quality - 35% 7.0
  • Ease of Use - 30% 8.0
  • Style - 0% 7.0

The Skinny

The Skip Hop Mainframe Wide Open is an innovative bag that can stay open once the sides are pulled open, which is convenient for diaper changes with your little one. We like its easy-to-clean vegan leather material, exterior organization, and multiple carry options. It is a convenient, easy-to-use bag, and for a great price. While the interior lacks pockets and the straps need more padding, we think the durable quality and pocket-friendly price make it an attractive option for parents on a budget who want a top-ranked diaper bag.
REASONS TO BUY
Easy-to-access interior
Great price
Nice exterior organization
REASONS TO AVOID
Lacks inner pockets
Straps uncomfortable
Editor's Note: We updated the Skip Hop Mainframe Wide Open diaper bag on November 25, 2022. With new contenders added to the competition, we wanted to ensure that the information here is still correct.

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Best Value Award  Top Pick Award   
Price $75 List
$74.99 at Amazon
$95 List
$95.00 at Amazon
$30 List
$29.99 at Amazon
$50 List
$41.99 at Amazon
$50 List
$43.96 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
70
67
59
53
37
Star Rating
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Pros Easy-to-access interior, great price, nice exterior organizationLightweight, lifelong use, large capacityCompact, easy to use, travel-friendlyAffordable, spacious, comfortable to carryThick material
Cons Lacks inner pockets, straps uncomfortableNot well structured, limited carry optionsOnly room for 1 cloth diaper (compared to 4-6 disposable diapers)Zipper issues, not well structuredUnpleasant smell, main pocket harder to close, lacks interior organization
Bottom Line This easy-to-clean and practical bag has a unique stay-open feature that makes access simple but is not as comfortable to carryA roomy backpack style diaper bag with the potential for lifelong use, but limited useabilityA convenient well-made traveling changer with only enough room for the bare necessitiesAn affordable backpack with enough pockets to organize your daily supplies, but low-quality constructionBetween its unpleasant off-gassing smell and lack of organizational pockets, this diaper bag contender didn't impress
Rating Categories Skip Hop Mainframe... 7AM Voyage BK718 Skip Hop Pronto Ruvalino Backpack KeaBabies Original
Storage (35%)
6.0
6.0
2.0
8.0
5.0
Quality (35%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
2.0
2.0
Ease of Use (30%)
8.0
6.0
9.0
6.0
4.0
Style (0%)
7.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
Specs Skip Hop Mainframe... 7AM Voyage BK718 Skip Hop Pronto Ruvalino Backpack KeaBabies Original
Carry Style Backpack/Crossbody/Tote Backpack Wrist Strap Backpack/Tote Backpack
Dimensions 14.8"W x 14.2"H x 6.2"D 17"W x 12"H x 5"D 12"W x 8"H x 3"D 12"W x 17"H x 8"D 14"W x 16"H x 7.5"D
Weight 1.8 lbs 1.7 lbs 0.75 lbs 1.9 lbs 2.15 lbs
Insulated Pocket/Cooler Yes, 2 insulated pockets No No Yes, 2 insulated pockets Yes, 3 insulated pockets
Included Accessories None Stroller straps Wipe case None None
Cleaning/Care Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild detergent Machine wash cold and tumble dry on low heat setting Spot clean with a damp cloth and mild detergent Wipe clean Spot clean or hand wash and drip dry

Our Analysis and Test Results

Skip-Hop was founded in 2003 by new parents, Michael and Ellen Diamant, who were less than pleased with the diaper bags on the market at that time. With Micheal's background as a tech advisor and Ellen's as an art director, they designed diaper bags that were more fashionable and functional. They have since grown the company to include additional baby gear items and sell products worldwide.

Performance Comparison



skip hop mainframe wide open diaper bag review - skip hop mainframe wide open
Skip Hop Mainframe Wide Open
Credit: Skip Hop

Likes


The Skip Hop Mainframe Wide Open is designed with durability, price, and versatility in mind. It is lighter (weighing 1.8 lbs) than some of the other bags we tested, which can be helpful when loaded with all of the necessary baby gear.

skip hop mainframe wide open diaper bag review - the skip hop mainframe wide open has plenty of interior space and...
The Skip Hop Mainframe Wide Open has plenty of interior space and will stay open to easily see inside.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

One of the cool things about this bag is its structured framework that allows you to open the top, and it will stay open. No folding down on itself, no open close, open close. Need to grab diapering supplies? You can reach in with one hand to grab a diaper cream without reopening the bag. It has a light fabric interior to help contrast the interior supplies to make them more visible. When you are ready to close up, the zippered top helps to reassure you that everything will stay inside.

Large front zipper pocket is the perfect spot for your essentials.
Large front zipper pocket is the perfect spot for your essentials.
Plenty of room for wallet, phone and more.
Plenty of room for wallet, phone and more.

We were pleased with the amount of exterior storage this bag offers. We could pack away all our diaper bag essentials with some room to spare. We love the two open side pockets, perfect for fitting a water bottle and your child's sippy cup. The front zippered pocket is ideal for a wallet and other parent essentials and sports an additional tech pocket for your phone. We are also pleased with the two insulated bottle pockets, perfect for a long day away from home.

skip hop mainframe wide open diaper bag review - we were happy to have a pocket for our water bottle.
We were happy to have a pocket for our water bottle.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The bag is a nice balance of versatility with a tote or backpack carry option. The cost of the Skip Hop Mainframe is very reasonable, making it an excellent choice for your diaper bag purchase.

Dislikes


While we were pleased with multiple aspects of this contender, no product is perfect.

skip hop mainframe wide open diaper bag review - the interior, while large, was lacking internal organization pockets.
The interior, while large, was lacking internal organization pockets.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

While the exterior of this bag is loaded with multiple pockets and a thoughtful design, the interior doesn't share the same functionality. While there is a slot for your changing pad and two stretchy pockets for diapers, and a pack of favorite baby wipes, that is all the organization features you will find inside. The downside? Unless you invest in some organizational bags, all of the gear you load inside will be floating around, waiting to be shuffled from side to side. We feel like the roomy interior could use an upgrade to keep items in their place with additional pockets or zippered compartments.

skip hop mainframe wide open diaper bag review - straps were rather uncomfortable and could use some padding.
Straps were rather uncomfortable and could use some padding.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Compared to the best diaper bags, this contender has uncomfortable straps. While they are durable, they are severely lacking good padding. With the amount of gear you need to fit into a diaper bag, it must be comfortable to wear and carry. The straps seem similar to seat belts but not as thick and wide.

skip hop mainframe wide open diaper bag review - the thin unpadded straps dug into our shoulders.
The thin unpadded straps dug into our shoulders.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

If you choose to wear the bag as a backpack for a long time, these straps could dig into your shoulders. To balance out the discomfort, you can loosen the straps, which can create other comfort-related issues. We suggest trying it on with some added weight in the bag to determine if it will work for you. We wish Skip Hop would return to the drawing board and create some straps with adequate padding to make this more comfortable to wear.

Should You Buy the Skip Hop Mainframe Wide Open?


The bottom line is that the Mainframe is a roomy, versatile, durable bag with an attractive price tag, making it a contender to consider, especially for those with a limited budget. The bag can be toted or worn as a backpack to fit your style, and we appreciate that you can open it, and it will stay open, which comes in handy when managing a diaper change.

What Other Diaper Bags Should You Consider?


If there's room in your budget, we think you should look into either the Ju-Ju-Be Be Right Back or Ju-Ju-Be B.F.F.. Compared to the competition, these bags rank higher and offer better organization and quality.

Manufacturer Video



Juliet Spurrier, MD and Lindsay Selig
 

You Might Also Like

Honest, objective reviews. Led by a Pediatrician.

BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.

Learn More