6 Military Tricks for Packing a Diaper Bag Efficiently

What does a Navy SEAL and a new dad have in common? They both have to carry around a lot of specialized gear. Sure, the SEAL may be dealing with a demolitionblowout and the new dad with a diaperblowout, but they both need access to critical gear quickly.

The military has invested millions in developing rucksacks for soldiers in the field, and diaper bags have also gotten incredibly high-tech in recent years. But it’s not just about having the right bag (though that obviously makes a huge difference!). It’s about packing the bag efficiently for the mission. This is something the military has perfected.

For any dad who has wasted time hunting for wipes or a spare onesie, here are military tricks that will take your diaper bag packing to the next level.

1. Run Diaper Bag Drills

One part of basic training is running “ruck packing drills.” The practice drills help soldiers memorize where gear is located in their bags so they can access it quickly when needed. You can do the same thing with your diaper bag.

When running your diaper bag drills, remember the military quote by Helmuth von Moltke. Just as he famously said, “No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy,” your diaper bag packing strategy might not survive the first blowout.

To ensure your strategy is solid, simulate real-life diapering scenarios—such as getting gear while holding your squirmy baby on a tiny bathroom changing table, or while using the over-the-knee tactic on a rainy day.

2. Reverse Packing

The military utilizes the principle of reverse packing, or layered packing. This means whatever you need last goes into the bag first.

To make reverse packing work, lay out all of your baby gear. Put items you need first (such as a changing pad and diaper) into pile #1. Items you need next (wipes, creams, and wet bags) go in pile #2. Items that you need last or might not need go into pile #3. 

Pack so items in pile #3 go in first, followed by pile #2, and items in pile #1 go on top. Alternatively, you can utilize exterior pockets to ensure #1 pile items are always easily accessible. With this approach, you’ll never have to rummage for items again.

3. Embrace the Ranger Roll

The ranger roll is the military practice of rolling instead of folding clothing. You might not care about whether your baby’s clothes end up wrinkled, but the ranger roll can still help with diaper bag packing.

The ranger roll keeps all those tiny baby clothes packed up in neat little bundles so you can see exactly what they are. The method also prevents other small items, such as tubes of creams or pacifiers, from getting lost in loosely-folded baby clothes.

4. The Bag within a Bag Approach

Soldiers utilize the bag-in-a-bag approach to packing. They group similar items together in smaller bags or pouches. Those pouches then go inside their rucksack.

Utilizing this approach will keep your diaper bag much more organized, such as if you keep all feeding items in one pouch and diapering items in another pouch. Alternatively, if your diaper bag has lots of exterior and interior pockets, you can group items by pocket. Seriously, you can never have too many pockets on your diaper bag!

5. High Speed, Low Drag

In military slang, “high speed, low drag” means keeping gear to a limit so you can move around efficiently. This same mentality can be applied to your diaper bag packing. Having too many items will make it harder to stay organized.

Ironically, the practice of packing lots of “just in case” items can make it impossible to find those items when you actually need them.  So, while you want to have all the essentials and backups, resist the urge to go overboard with extras.

6. Go with MOLLE

MOLLE stands for “Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment.” Virtually all modern military rucksacks utilize this system because it allows soldiers to attach gear pouches to the exterior of their packs. Yes, MOLLE is one of the things that makes a great diaper bag!

Switching to a MOLLE diaper bag will make it easier to follow the “high speed, low drag” approach to packing.  Instead of keeping everything you might need in your pack, you can put certain items in MOLLE pouches and only attach them when needed.

For example, instead of hauling around rain gear in your diaper bag every day, you could keep rain gear like waterproof booties and a baby poncho in a MOLLE pouch. Cloudy out? Just attach the pouch to your pack and you are ready.

By integrating these military packing approaches, you’ll turn your diaper bag into a well-oiled, efficient machine—ready for any dad mission.

About Author:

Sam Jacobs is a writer, and chief historian, at Ammo. As a self-proclaimed outdoorsman, it’s his responsibility to use his knowledge and experience to educate others about ammunition, the outdoors, and conservation.