Ickle Bubba Stomp Luxe Changing Rucksack & Mat review: a spacious changing backpack with a place for everything

The backpack design and padded shoulder straps help keep the Stomp Luxe comfortable to carry on family outings

How we tested the Ickle Bubba Stomp Luxe Changing Rucksack & Mat

Holly tested the Stomp Luxe 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 changing rucksack five or six times on a variety of everyday 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 Stomp Luxe across eight key criteria: performance, quality and durability, ease of use, value for money, comfort, portability, capacity and ease of cleaning. She also considered how well the bag's multiple compartments, included changing mat and backpack design worked in day-to-day family life.

How does the Ickle Bubba Stomp Luxe Changing Rucksack & Mat look?

The Stomp Luxe is a traditional backpack-style changing bag designed to keep your hands free while you're out and about with your baby. Available in black, it has a simple, understated look that should work well with most pushchairs and everyday outfits.

Like the Ickle Bubba Lyra Luxury Changing Rucksack, the backpack design makes it comfortable to carry and practical for busy days out. The structured top opening is designed to make it easier to see and access the contents inside, while multiple external pockets help keep essentials close to hand.

The bag arrived ready to use straight out of the packaging, with no assembly required. As it's designed solely as a backpack, it can't be converted into a shoulder bag or tote. Of course, backpack-style changing bags aren't for everyone. If you'd rather carry your changing bag over your shoulder or hang it from your pushchair, a more traditional option such as the Bugaboo Water-Repellent Changing Bag could be worth considering.

Holly liked the black colourway but wasn't completely sold on the structured opening. She felt the wiring around the top gave the bag a more rigid appearance than she would usually choose, although she could see the practical benefits when packing and organising the bag.

How easy is the Ickle Bubba Stomp Luxe Changing Rucksack & Mat to use?

Holly found the Stomp Luxe straightforward to use from the outset. There’s no assembly required, and the backpack-style design makes it easy to grab and go when heading out with your baby.

One of the bag’s biggest strengths is its storage. The Stomp Luxe features multiple compartments and pockets, giving parents plenty of options for organising nappies, wipes, bottles, spare clothes, snacks and toys. Holly found there was enough room for everything she needed for running errands with her son, with space left over for a few small shopping purchases along the way.

The flip side of having so many storage options is that it can take a little while to work out the best system. Holly initially stored her wipes, nappies and creams in the front compartment, only later discovering the dedicated wipes pocket built into the side of the bag. She felt this was a genuinely useful feature once she found it, but admits she would have made use of it much sooner had she spotted it straight away.

The large number of compartments also meant Holly occasionally found herself forgetting where she had put things. As she explains, "There are lots of compartments so you can be organised and find things quickly, but I think there were almost too many options for me. I didn't always know what to put where and sometimes forgot where I'd put things."

The Stomp Luxe also performed well in everyday conditions. Holly was caught in light rain on a couple of occasions and found that the contents stayed dry throughout. While she didn't test the bag in particularly heavy downpours, it felt reassuringly practical for day-to-day family outings.

The structured frame helps the Stomp Luxe maintain its shape, making it easier to organise baby essentials inside

How comfortable is the Ickle Bubba Stomp Luxe Changing Rucksack & Mat?

Comfort was one of the Stomp Luxe's stronger points during testing. The backpack design keeps your hands free while you're out with your baby, and Holly found it comfortable to wear on family outings.

She says, "It's easy and comfortable to carry around." The padded shoulder straps helped distribute the weight of the bag, making it comfortable enough to wear for longer periods while carrying the usual baby essentials.

Despite its generous storage capacity, Holly found the bag remained manageable when packed for a typical day out. She generally wore it on her back but found it was also compact enough to fit underneath her pushchair when needed.

Like many changing bags, the Stomp Luxe isn't designed to function as a hiking backpack or carry particularly heavy loads. Holly felt it worked well for its intended purpose but says, "I probably wouldn't want to put super heavy things in there though as I'm not sure how ergonomic it is, but that's not the purpose of this bag."

A wide-opening design and multiple pockets make it easy to see and access what you've packed.

Is the Ickle Bubba Stomp Luxe Changing Rucksack & Mat easy to clean?

The Stomp Luxe is designed to be easy to maintain, with a wipe-clean exterior that can be quickly cleaned after everyday spills or marks. The manufacturer advises against putting the bag in the washing machine, so any deeper cleaning would need to be done by hand.

Holly didn’t need to clean the bag during her testing period, but she found the material practical enough for everyday use.

Is the Ickle Bubba Stomp Luxe Changing Rucksack & Mat good value for money?

At around £35 (with regular sales on Amazon), the Stomp Luxe sits at the more affordable end of the changing bag market, and it offers plenty of features for the price. With multiple compartments, a dedicated wipes section, padded shoulder straps and a changing mat included, it provides the kind of organisation many parents look for in a changing bag.

For Holly, the value came down to how well the backpack style fitted into her routine. She appreciated the amount of storage and liked having dedicated places for essentials but ultimately found that a different style of changing bag worked better for her when she was out alone with her son.

She explains: “I’ve found a rollout-style changing bag works better for me day to day, as I can open it and access what I need with one hand while looking after my son. That’s particularly useful when I’m out on my own.”

That said, the Stomp Luxe does offer plenty of practical features for the price. If you like the idea of a backpack changing bag and prefer having separate compartments to keep everything organised, it’s a spacious and comfortable option for everyday outings. For parents who tend to share one changing bag between them, or who like knowing exactly where each baby essential is stored, the organised layout could be a real benefit.

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.