I was sent an Apera bag for the purpose of review. All thoughts are my own.
To go to baby swim class with Alex, I usually just shoved swim stuff into the diaper bag. It worked alright, but it wasn’t ideal – especially once we had the wet stuff to bring home. So when I had a chance to try a new gear bag from Apera I was excited. The bag can easily be used for the gym, yoga/barre/pilates class, overnight trip or even in place of a diaper bag for day-to-day life!
The bag has a lot of pockets and I was able to easily fit my wallet, phone, diapers, wipes, swimsuits, towels, water bottle and baby clothes/shoes in the bag. (I’m going to admit, after swim class… we often leave with Alex in just a diaper and a shirt. She’s usually starving and ornery, wasting too much time getting completely dressed just prolongs her agony, thus prolonging mine!)
Apera bags are made with an antimicrobial protection inside and out, which makes it so the bag resists bacterial odor. Thus, they don’t stink! There are vented compartments, which allow the bag to breathe and you don’t trap in a funk if you put your sweaty running shoes in there. The linings are all wipeable for easy cleaning. You can keep wet and dry stuff in the bag separate and it won’t soak across barriers, including special padded sections for electronics.
The bag feels kind of large on its own, but I think that as it gets used some of the initial stiffness will loosen up and it won’t feel quite so big. Plus it just looks nice!
Another cool thing about the company? For every 3 bags they sell, they donate one to a Special Olympics athlete. And they don’t just donate bags, they also promise to share their time, energy and resources with local Special Olympics events.
Apera Bags website
Apera Bags on Twitter
Apera Bags on Facebook
Jill Will Run 
I’ve been hearing good things about these bags! They look perfect for athletes who need a carryall bag
WOO! For $109 it better do all those things (and more!) I’m always weary of companies who promise charitable donations up front. I see that the website is copyright 2014 so I look forward and expect to see photos of their employees at special olympic events as well as the special olympians with the bags they’ve promised in the future.
On another note – the bag really is quite sharp!
I’m conflicted on that… on one hand, YES! Share pics of them volunteering and athletes with the bags. On the other hand, just do the good quietly without the need for applause and cheers. But then, do they need to announce the bags given away? In some cases, it might make people more inclined to purchase because they want to support something good. But it may seem a little self-aggrandizing. Stupid fine lines where I don’t know which side I fall on!