Pockets, AIOs, AI2s, OH MY! Lots of diaper reviews!

Diaper Reviews by Colleen

With the pending arrival of my second child I decided to try out cloth diapering for my 18 month old daughter.  My mom actually used cloth on me but I had to explain to her that it isn't all pins and plastic pants anymore.  Some of my biggest considerations in switching were the financial waste as well as the environmental waste of using disposables.  Also, who am I kidding, cloth diapers can be super cute!

My plan was to test out the diapers on my 18 month old and then determine what worked best to use on both children.  I spent about a month researching online and talking to friends that use cloth to determine what brands I wanted to try out.  After all of my research I decided that the All in Two systems made the most sense to me because I could reuse the shell and also have less to wash.  I also decided to try some pocket diapers as these were most likely to get my husbands and babysitters cooperation.  Eventually, I also branched out and tried a few All in Ones as well.

Due to my very type A personality (professionally I’m a CPA) I also concluded that to really get the most benefit from my research that I would have to keep a log of all of my diaper changes so that I could analyze the data later.  Below is what I've discovered and hopefully you can benefit from all the hard work J

All of the diapers that I tried out were used on my 18 month old daughter who is tall and skinny (19 pounds and 31 inches) during a 2 month period.  I would consider her an “average wetter” and very active.  I did not try any of these diapers at night, so all results are based on day time activities and naps.  Please consider that all babies are different so it will take some patience to find the right diaper that works for your baby.  Hopefully my experience can help you decide what diapers are right to try out for your family.

After using disposable diapers for 18 months something that was very important to me and especially my husband was a trim diaper that was still absorbent enough to last at least 2 hours so I have included my husbands “big booty” assessment for each diaper (1 being the trimmest and 5 being the most bulky).  Below is the review of each diaper brand that I tested, in over 150 diaper changes.

I have included pictures of my 18 month old in each diaper to give a visual of the fit (Note that pictures are true “action shots” of the diapers, you know what I mean if you have ever tried to photograph an 18 month old!).  As we are now transitioning my younger daughter from her newborn diapers to one size diapers, I have also included a picture of her in any one size diapers reviewed here (she is 8 weeks and about 10.5 pounds).  These are just for comparison as the results below are not based on her usage of the diapers.

Peachy Green:

 

Number times of uses: 15

Number of leaks: 1 (at 3 hours)

Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Big Booty factor: Solo Luxe All in One: 1

Big Booty factor: Sprout Up All in Two: 1

Best Use: Day time, out and about, tight clothing (e.g. leggings)

Pros:

•  VERY trim, almost looks like a disposable
• Comes in fun colors and patterns, new colors/patterns released every couple of months keeps it fun and interesting
• Absorbent natural materials
• All in Two version – the shell is reusable

Cons:

•  More expensive than other options
• Soaker can move around and has the potential for leaks

Peachy Green diapers are definitely my favorite of the ones that I tried out.  This diaper is the trimmest of the diapers that I tried.  I discovered Peachy Green diapers late in my trial but loved them from the beginning.

The Peachy Green sized diapers are very trim and fit great.  Although snap down one-size diapers are not my favorite the Peachy Green All in Two is still very trim especially with a sized insert.  I like All in Two diapers, I appreciate that I can reuse the shell and that my laundry loads are smaller. I did find that if my daughter pooped in this diaper that the mess always got on the cover and therefore it could not be reused.  Also although the upfront cost is more, the cost “per change” is very reasonable.

Overall I loved Peachy Green diapers, with a narrow crotch, thin but absorbent insert and thin finished back top of the diaper this diaper is the closest to a disposable in size.  I also like that Peachy Green releases new colors and patterns a few times a year thus keeps the line interesting (this also contributes to sought after colors/prints that resell for more than the original price!).  Although my husband really liked the fit, I think that the All in Two systems are not as husband or sitter/daycare friendly and removing the insert might require touching a wet or dirty spot.  Also as you can see from the picture above my younger daughter did not fit as well into the One Size diaper.  I think it is usable on her but the rise is still a little high for my liking.  I think with a few inches on her it will fit perfectly.

Swaddlebees Simplex2.0 (size Medium)

Number of uses: 6

Number of leaks: 0

Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Big Booty factor: 1

Best Use: Day time, out and about, daddy/daycare

Pros:

• Very trim diaper
•  Insert can be stuffed in pocket or laid in diaper, stuffing keeps insert from bunching
• Cute prints

Cons:

•  More expensive than other options
•  Existing prints are cute but limited

I had heard a lot about Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0 diapers but I was hesitant to try one out due to the price.  In the end curiosity got the best of me and I ordered 2 of them!  While I have only used them a few times I love the diaper and am very glad that I finally ordered some.  The diaper is super trim and the Medium fits my daughter really well.  I like that it is an all in one that has the soaker only partially sewn in (making for a faster drying time) but that it can be stuffed into a pocket to keep it in place.  Another great feature is that the pocket is open on both ends, so that it agitates out in the wash and you don’t have to pull out a wet soaker prior to putting in in the laundry.  Simplex also come in a one size option that I am anxious to try out next.  These are great for daddy and daycare as they are pretty much foolproof.  The soaker can go in the pocket or out (I did have a sitter pull out a microfiber insert from another brand any lay it in the diaper before putting in on my daughter, big no no!) and they don’t have to be unstuffed before going in the pail or wet bag.  Overall a great diaper!

Bottombumpers(Medium):

Number of uses: 7

Number of leaks: 0

Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Big Booty factor: 2

Best Use: Day time, out and about

Pros:

• Trim diaper
• Insert detaches for washing
• Great selection of solid colors

Cons:

• Slightly more bulky at the top in the back than other diapers
• Soaker has potential to get bunched up

Bottombumpers is another diaper that I ordered later in my trial, but I love this diaper and can’t wait to get more.  It is an all in one diaper that has a snap out soaker, this makes for a faster drying time (and I like to line dry my shells and machine dry my soakers and inserts).  It is very trim but doesn’t lay as flat at the top back of the diaper as the Peachy Green or Swaddlebees diapers.  Bottombumpers also makes a one size diaper that I plan on trying soon as the diaper I tried was sized (medium).  Overall this is a great diaper and the price is very reasonable considering that the insides are organic cotton and bamboo velour!

SoftBums:

Omni:

Echo:

 

Number of uses: 38

Number of leaks: 5

Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Big Booty factor - Echo: 2

Big Booty factor - Omni: 4 (pocket and pod)

Best Use - Echo: Day time, out and about

Best Use - Omni: Day time (extended wear) and naps

Pros:

•  Trim diaper
•  Easiest size adjustment of the diapers I tried
• Shells are reusable

Cons:

•  More expensive than other options
• Soaker can move around and has the potential for leaks

SoftBums are another of my favorite diapers that I tried out.  These come in two different types the Echo and the Omni.  The Echo is a true all in two that has a snap in insert.  The Omni is an all in two/pocket combination that has a snap in insert and also a pocket that can be stuffed.  One of the best things about the SoftBums system is that it has a leg elastic that is tightened or loosed with their patented Slide to Size toggle system.  This makes it so that you truly can get a custom fit; I prefer this system to the snap down system used for other one size diapers.  The only con with the Slide to Size system is that once you get it set on one diaper, there isn’t any indicators of the setting (like the Fuzzibunz) that help you set other diapers without having to try it on your baby.  This is a very trim diaper and can fit at a very small size (fit my second daughter great starting around 8 pounds), stuffing the pocket on the Omni does make it significantly less trim though.  Although the covers are reusable I did find that if my daughter had a messy poop in this diaper that the mess always got on the cover and therefore it could not be reused after.  As noted with the Peachy Green, the all in two systems are not as husband or sitter/daycare friendly and removing the insert might require touching a wet or dirty spot.  Softbums also has limited color choices but they do release a limited time diaper color or pattern each month.  This helps keep the brand fun and also creates a market for those hard to find colors/patterns.

FuzziBunz One Size Elite:

 

Number of uses: 36

Number of leaks: 4

Longest wear without a leak: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Big Booty factor: 2.5

Best Use: daddy/daycare

Pros:

• Easy size adjustment
• Narrow, trim diaper

Cons:

• PUL is very sticky, harder to stuff than other pockets
• Leg sizing adjustments are preset in the elastic and therefore not as customizable

Fuzzibunz was one of the first cloth diapers I purchased.  It came highly recommended from a few friends and I liked the idea of the adjustment system.  The one size diaper is sized through the leg elastic.  The elastic is stretched or loosened and secured through holes in the elastic with a button on the inside of the diaper.  While I have not had any problems with the fit of my Fuzzibuns, having set elastic openings makes it so that the sizing is less customizable than the SoftBums.  I had the most leaks with my Fuzzibuns but I should note that most of them were early on when I was still experimenting with the sizing.  Overall once this diaper is stuffed, it is an easy diaper to just put on and go.

Grovia All in One:

Number of uses: 6

Number of leaks: 0

Longest wear without a leak: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Big Booty factor: 2

Best Use: daytime, daddy/daycare

Pros:

• Trim diaper
• No stuffing required as soaker is attached

Cons:

• Take a longer time to dry than other diapers
• One of the more expensive diapers

I received this diaper in a Kissed by the Moon mystery fluff order and I was so excited to try it out.  This was the first all in one diaper I tried and I was pleasantly surprised.  The print is fun and the fit is great.  I like that the soaker is only attached in the back making for a faster drying time but still a longer drying time than the other diapers I tried out.  Overall I really like this diaper, I find that it is a diaper that I reach for frequently but just doesn’t have any features that make it really memorable.

Best Bottoms*:

Number of uses: 20

Number of leaks: 2

Longest wear without a leak: 3 hours

Big Booty factor: 2.5

Best Use: travel

Pros:

• Shells wipe clean and are reusable
•  Have both microfiber and hemp inserts
•  Inserts snap in the front and back keeping them in place
• Double gussets keep the mess in

Cons:

• Inserts are thick and make diaper hard to get on tight enough
• Inserts leave outline on diaper and clothing

Overall I really like the idea of these diapers.  The system includes covers with snap in inserts.  The cover can be wiped clean and a new insert snapped in.  Unlike other All in Two systems reviewed the insert is snapped both in the front and the back of the cover.  The inserts are hour glass shaped so they cover quite a bit and I did not have any leaks on the covers. The reasons that I did not like this all in two system as much as the others reviewed is that the inserts were thick and you can see the outline of them through the cover and I could not get the diaper tight enough and they would always leak out the top during nap times.  Overall though this is a great diaper for the diaper bag as you can just pack the inserts. (On a side note I have been using the best bottoms cover over prefolds and fitted diapers for my newborn and they work really well!)

BumGenius4.0*:

Number of uses: 10

Number of leaks: 1

Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Big Booty factor: 4

Best Use: around the house, daddy/daycare

Pros:

• Adjustable inserts fit all sizes

Cons:

• Insides do not stay tucked into diaper well
• Bulky

Rumparooz*:

Number of uses: 8

Number of leaks: 2

Longest wear without a leak: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Big Booty factor: 4.5

Best Use: around the house, daddy/daycare

Pros:

• Double gussets hold in all messes
• Adjustable inserts fit all sizes

Cons:

• Bulkiest of the diapers that I tried

The BumGenius 4.0 and Rumparooz diapers were my least favorite of the diapers I tried out.  I thought they were very bulky without offering much extra protection.  Additionally for the price I didn’t feel like they performed any better than cheaper diapers.  Overall though I only had one leak with the BumGenius (my sitter unsnapped the rise snaps so I don’t think it really counts) and none with the Rumparooz so they did prove to be a solid diaper with good performance, just not my favorite and nothing really special about them.

Conclusion

Overall there was not a diaper that I tried that did not “work” well (e.g. keep in messes) but there are a few that I preferred over others.  My favorite is definitely the Peachy Green Sprout Up All in Two diaper.  The fit is amazing and I like that you can reuse the shell.  If I was starting from scratch I would also buy a few Peachy Green Solo Luxe, Bottombumpers and Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0s.  These are all great diapers that were trim and worked well.  Although these diapers are perfect for me (the parent that has done all of the research and knows what covers are reusable, what aren’t and if the soaker should be snapped in or not) having a few Fuzzibunz or other pocket diapers on hand are great for my husband, I notice that he reaches for these a lot.  Because I like the All in Two systems and because they really fit the best from birth on I would also invest in a few Softbums for my stash.  In the end I would say that I am glad I have a variety of diapers, they all serve different purposes and it is fun to mix it up.  A perfect stash in my opinion is not made up of all of one diaper but rather a few (or 10 J) different types. 

Once I compiled all of the data I was surprised to see that I used the diapers I liked the least more frequently than the diapers I liked the most.  I explained it to my husband like this: you don’t wear your best perfume to sit around the house you save it for when you are going out and wearing something nice.  My favorite diapers are kind of like that, after I am done with the wash I don’t want to use them and “waste” it on sitting around the house, I preferred to grab my least favorite diapers for times like that.  As I have a newborn and have been spending a lot of time at home I think this helps account for the discrepancy. 

I have really enjoyed my trial and I look forward to discovering and trying more diapers, as long as my husband doesn’t take away my credit card first!

*Note that a picture of this diaper in action is not available as I resold it; one of the great benefits of cloth diapering is that you can sell your diapers.  I chose to buy my diapers and then sell the ones that don’t work for my baby but another great option for trying out diapers is a diaper trial program.