Ickle Bubba Lyra Luxury Changing Rucksack review: a spacious changing backpack with practical storage

The Lyra comes with a matching changing mat included, so you're ready for nappy changes from day one.

How we tested the Ickle Bubba Lyra Luxury Changing Rucksack

Holly tested the Ickle Bubba Lyra Luxury Changing Rucksack for approximately one month, using it with her son from the age of almost eight months to nine months old. During that time, she used the bag seven or eight times on a variety of family outings, assessing how practical it was to pack, carry and access while caring for a mobile baby.

As part of the review process, she scored the Lyra across eight key criteria: performance, quality and durability, ease of use, value for money, comfort, portability, capacity and ease of cleaning.

The Lyra is available in three colourways: Black, Stone and Chestnut.

How does the Ickle Bubba Lyra Luxury Changing Rucksack look?

The Lyra is available in three colours – Black, Stone and Chestnut and Holly tested the Stone version. Made from soft-touch leatherette with gunmetal trims, it has a more polished look than many changing bags on the market and feels slightly more upmarket than the Ickle Bubba Stomp Luxe changing backpack she also tested.

That said, Holly admits the design wasn't quite to her personal taste. She preferred the look of the black Stomp Luxe, although she felt the Lyra had a smarter overall finish.

The Lyra is a traditional backpack-style changing bag and can't be converted into another bag style. Size-wise, it's comparable to a standard everyday rucksack, but Holly found it had plenty of room for everything she needed on a typical day out, including toys, snacks, drinks, changing essentials and even a few extra shopping items.

How easy is the Ickle Bubba Lyra Luxury Changing Rucksack to use?

Holly found the Lyra very straightforward to use from the outset. There’s no assembly required beyond unpacking it and deciding where you want to organise everything, and she was able to start using it straight away.

One feature she particularly liked was the built-in wipes pouch. Unlike the Stomp Luxe, where she initially overlooked the dedicated wipes compartment, Holly says she was able to spot the Lyra's wipes section immediately and found it much more intuitive to use. The front compartment allows wipes to be dispensed without having to rummage through the main body of the bag, which proved useful when she needed quick access while out and about. She also found the softer opening easier to work with than the more rigid frame of the Stomp Luxe, making it simpler to slot items in and out when packing for a day out.

The Lyra doesn't include the additional baby cream and nappy storage sections found inside the Stomp Luxe's changing compartment, but Holly didn't see this as a drawback. She explains that her family doesn't use those pockets very often, so the simpler layout worked perfectly well for them.

One feature that did leave her slightly puzzled was a small, padded insert included with the changing matt. Holly assumed it was designed to act as a pillow but says she and her partner "didn't ever quite figure out how best to place it." Despite the Velcro at either end, they couldn't work out exactly where it was intended to attach.

The leatherette outer material also performed well during testing. Holly was caught in the rain on a couple of occasions and found that water simply rolled off the surface rather than soaking in. She didn't experience any issues with the bag or its contents getting wet, which made it feel very practical for everyday use.

How comfortable is the Ickle Bubba Lyra Luxury Changing Rucksack?

Comfort was one of the Lyra's stronger points during testing. The backpack features adjustable shoulder straps, allowing parents to tailor the fit, and Holly found it comfortable to wear on family outings.

She says, “The Lyra is very easy and comfortable to carry around", even when packed with the usual baby essentials. The Lyra is designed with plenty of storage, including six pockets, insulated bottle holders and external drinks compartments. While Holly found it comfortable when carrying the items she would normally take on a day out, she wasn't convinced it would remain quite as comfortable if heavily overloaded. As she puts it: "I wouldn't want to carry super heavy things in this one either as I'm not sure it's ergonomic, but it doesn't need to be."

Unlike some changing bags, the Lyra doesn't include integrated stroller clips, so Holly couldn't attach it directly to her pushchair. Instead, she either wore it on her back or stored it underneath their stroller. Fortunately, its slim profile meant it fitted comfortably into her pushchair basket when needed.

The Lyra's wide opening and multiple compartments make it easy to organise nappies, wipes, bottles and other baby essentials.

Is the Ickle Bubba Lyra Luxury Changing Rucksack easy to clean?

Holly admits she didn't actually need to clean the Lyra during her month of testing, which she describes as "surprising since it's an off white Stone colour!"

That in itself is a positive sign. Despite being used regularly for days out, the Stone-coloured bag didn't pick up noticeable marks or stains during testing. The Lyra's soft-touch leatherette exterior should also make it relatively straightforward to maintain. Unlike fabric changing bags that can absorb spills and dirt, the smooth outer material can be wiped down quickly when needed.

While she wasn't able to test how well it handles more stubborn messes, the wipe-clean finish suggests most day-to-day spills and marks should be easy to deal with.

Is the Ickle Bubba Lyra Luxury Changing Rucksack good value for money?

At around £45, the Lyra sits towards the more affordable end of the changing bag market, although Holly felt the price was slightly higher than she would ideally like to pay. That said, she could see where the extra cost comes from. The Lyra offers a more premium finish than many budget changing bags, along with practical features such as insulated bottle holders, a changing mat, multiple storage compartments and a dedicated wipes dispenser.

Holly also found several aspects of the bag worked particularly well in day-to-day use. She explains: "I do find this bag slightly more practical than the Stomp Luxe as I'm able to more easily fit things in it, I found the best place for the wipes quickly, the wipes dispenser feels better generally, and I love the two drinks holders."

Despite those positives, she still felt £45 was a little expensive, saying: "I think I'd say it was good value if it was £30." Ultimately, whether the Lyra represents good value will depend on what you're looking for in a changing bag. If having plenty of storage, dedicated compartments and easy access to essentials is a priority, there's a lot to like here.

About the author

Tammy Jacks has over 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, holding key roles such as Managing Editor and Health & Beauty Editor for Woman & Home magazine in South Africa, and Assistant Editor for Living and Loving - a parenting title focused on children’s health and development.

She has contributed to a wide range of lifestyle publications (including magazines, journals and newspapers) and has edited books for fitness influencers and health professionals. As a researcher and writer, Tammy specialises in children’s development, wellbeing and safety. Over the years, she has reviewed countless toys and developmental aids, as well as essential baby products for everyday family life, from baby monitors and sleep aids to feeding equipment like highchairs and breast pumps alongside baby travel gear such as baby carriers, child bike seats and lightweight strollers.