Bananafish Madison Review

Name: Bananafish Madison
Brand: Bananafish

Budget-friendly backpack for pump supplies and personal items but quality control is lacking

Bananafish Madison Review — Credit: Abriah Wofford

Price: $40 List

Manufacturer: Bananafish

By Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz ⋅ Dec 19, 2019

OVERALL
SCORE

Ease of Use - 35% 5.0
Quality - 25% 2.0
Weight/Bulk - 25% 7.0
Style - 15% 7.0

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View at Bananafish

Our Verdict

The Bananafish Madison is a cute backpack style pump bag with lots of pockets. This inexpensive bag has a younger style to it than most of the fare in this review making it a good choice for younger moms with more casual workplaces. It will hold most pumps but the design means larger pumps won't fit in the pump locations and will take up more storage space than you think. This bag fits a small laptop and lots of personal items, but if you plan to use it as your only bag you might need to pare down your supplies or accessories to fit it all in. This bag also struggles with quality control issues as many users report problems with zippers and stitching. We like this bag and for the price, it could have a place in your pumping supply lineup if your style and life are casual.

REASONS TO BUY

Budget minded

Backpack carry

Lots of pockets

REASONS TO AVOID

Bad zipper

Inconsistent quality

Doesn't fit larger pumps

Our Analysis and Test Results

Bananafish started over 15 years ago with baby bedding and nursery decor. The company prides itself on bringing trends and styles to traditional and contemporary design. They are dedicated to products that offer comfort and quality, but also delight. Bananafish is part of the Betesh group that includes BabyBrezza.

Performance Comparison

The Madison has a pump location on the front for smaller pumps and a... — The Madison has a pump location on the front for smaller pumps and a place for a photo of your little one to help with let down.

The Bananafish has a roomy main compartment and lots of spaces for... — The Bananafish has a roomy main compartment and lots of spaces for organization.

Ease of Use

The Madison is a backpack style bag that fits most breast pumps on the market. The pump can fit in the side or front pocket depending on the brand and may or may not need to be removed from the bag to operate it. The bag has several internal pockets and places for putting almost anything as long as it is smaller in size. The front pocket has a mesh compartment for small pumps or tubes and accessories and we like that there is a place for everything so you don't lose items in a single giant space.

The fabric on the Bananafish is somewhat water repellent, but you... — The fabric on the Bananafish is somewhat water repellent, but you need to act quickly if you plan to wipe it clean.

The zippers and pulls on the Bananafish are nice looking if somewhat... — The zippers and pulls on the Bananafish are nice looking if somewhat cheaper feeling.

Quality

This bag struggles with some quality control issues as some folks report torn seams and hard-working zippers. It looks good on the surface but the potential for tears and stitching problems means you probably don't want to overfill it and place undue stress on connection points.

bananafish madison - the madison is a more compact option that will work better with... — The Madison is a more compact option that will work better with smaller pumps.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Weight/Bulk

This bag feels on the smaller size even though it is about average with the other bags in the review. At a weight of 1.3 lbs, it is slightly lighter than other options and the size is smaller than the average by several inches which results in it not working for larger laptops.

The Bananafish backpack has a flat bottom and casual design that is... — The Bananafish backpack has a flat bottom and casual design that is less professional than some of the competition.

The tote straps on the Bananafish work well but are on par... — The tote straps on the Bananafish work well but are on par quality-wise with the price of the bag.

Features

The Madison has backpack carry straps and a top opening that makes it feel roomier than it is. It will hold a 13-inch laptop without the case and nothing larger will fit. This bag fits most pumps but its size will dictate where you can put it. he exterior and interior have lots of small pockets that can help you feel more organized but they are all on the small side so you may not be able to fit what you want anywhere but the larger main pocket. If you plan to use this as your only bag, it will be filled to the max which could make it hard to find what you are looking for.

Style

This bag has a young and fresh style that might be best suited for younger moms or those outside the professional business world. The bag is cute and looks nice, but working professionals may find it more casual than they want for workdays, and might use it more for weekends than the workplace.

— Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz