"I'm the backpack (not) loaded up with things and nick naks too" (Dora the Explorer Insulated Back Pack Lunch Bag)

Member Name: karalouk

Product:	Dora the Explorer Insulated Back Pack Lunch Bag
Date:	05/09/09 (86 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks cute, nice for dora fans, adjustable straps, keeps lunch cool, okay for small lunches

Disadvantages: Too small, can't fit much in it, no pockets etc, not very unisex, hard to find places that sell it

This wasn't just an impulse buy for me, I had been looking for the insulated backpack for a while as my daughter loves Dora The Explorer and I thought the backpack would look so cute on her! I first spotted the backpack being worn by a little girl in Tesco and searched for it weeks afterwards with no success. I eventually found it by chance whilst walking past the shoe shop Brantano and snapped it up right away. I paid £10.00 for it which probably was a bit steep for a tiny lunch bag but not too expensive.

Since then I still haven't seen the insulated backpack being sold in shops but I have noticed a few online shops which are selling them - and I do mean a few. Silly really as I think this would sell very well if it was widely available.

First off, backpack is quite girlie and isn't really for boys. If you are looking for a boy version of this lunch bag then I suggest you look up the Diego insulated rescue pack lunch bag (It's similar to backpack but is orange and is a character from 'Go Diego Go!').

The bag has adjustable purple straps which makes the bag suitable for very young/small children and older/bigger children. Infact I think children are more likely to grow out of Dora The Exlorer before they grow out of the bag.

The insulated backpack lunch bag is great for Dora The Explorer fans as Backpack is an essential Dora character and is easily recognised. They may also feel like Dora by wearing it as Dora wears the exact same backpack! The backpack appears exactly as it does on the television - purple, with 2 eyes, a big smiley mouth and yellow eyebrows. It also has a Dora The Explorer badge on the flap. As the bag isn't covered in Dora The Explorer writing and pictures I would say it's suitable for children that don't even watch Dora and the bag can even still be used after a child has outgrown Dora.

The bag itself is quite large on the outside but on the inside it isn't very spacious, I guess because of the insulation which pads it out quite alot. For me this is a big let down. I would say there is just enough space for a small lunch but nothing more than that. I wouldn't recommend it for day trips or anything that requires lots of food and drink.

There is also not enough space in the bag to pack any extras or essentials - such as a cardigan etc. This is a big pain as it means I usually have to take an extra bag out with us, which means carrying around 2 bags. On many occassions I have just ditched the backpack altogether in favour of one bigger bag. Another downside is that there are no pockets or little compartments to keep small things safe.

On the upside the bag does seem to keep my daughters food (and drink) cool and fresh for a few hours after I have packed it and does serve as quite a good little school lunch box which can convienietly be carried around on a childs back.

Summary: Cute and cool but not very big.