Keeper of the Home's Pocket Diaper Review
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Keeper of the Home’s Pocket Diaper Review

johanna-in-red-cloth-diaper

Why pocket diapers?

For over 4 years, I used fitted diapers with covers, and I was happy with them. Yes, they could be a bit bulky but I didn’t have any major issues. They were simple to use and cost effective to buy.

Then I discovered pocket diapers. I have been a bit like a kid in a candy store. I’m in love. Here’s why:

  • Pocket diapers are more trim and fitted.
  • They come in so many adorable colors and designs.
  • In my experience, they have kept my babies drier and more free of diaper rash
  • They can be stuffed with various sizes and styles of inserts and doublers, making them very versatile for different situations (day or night, nap or car ride, light or heavy wetter).
  • They’re super simple for Dads and sitters to use.
  • There are many adjustable one-size options available, good for use from newborn up to potty training.
  • They have considerably cut down on the space that I need to store my diapering supplies, as I use mostly one-sized diapers now, rather than having so many different sizes from my fitted and covers days.

Yes, they’re a bit pricier than some options. But the ease, simplicity and flexibility they offer, and the comfort for my babies (all with sensitive skin), makes them so worthwhile for me. I have transitioned over and will probably never go back. My only exception to this is the very early newborn weeks, when prefolds and covers just make sense.

Cost comparisons:

I am not comparing based on price, because within the realm of pocket diapers, I have found the prices to be very similar. The pocket diapers that I am reviewing all go for about $17-19 on average (US prices), depending which store you buy them from. Occasionally I will find something on sale for around $14-16. It is best to buy them in bulk, in package deals of 3, 6 or 12 at a time for the greatest discounts.

It’s really about searching for the right deal, for the particular diaper that you’re interested in. I have found great deals on almost every diaper at one time or another.

How I reviewed the diapers:

I thought it best to create a simple chart that would compare each diaper on the same elements. Here’s an explanation of what I was considering as I reviewed each diaper:

explanation-of-diaper-review

Diapers are rated on a scaled of 1 to 5, with 1 being terrible and 5 being amazing. And honestly, none of them were terrible. I would stop using them if they were. Some were simply better than others, and the fact is, there are lots of other great diapers out there that I haven’t yet had an opportunity to try.

I’ve chosen some of the most popular and well known pocket diapers on the market, including mostly one-sized and a few perfect size (S,M,L) diapers. These are all diapers that I personally use, week in and week out, on my sweet girlie pictured above and some have also been tried out on my 2 1/2 year old son.

BumGenius 3.0 One-Size

new-bumgenius-reviewbum genius blue diaper

BumGenius was the first pocket diaper that I fell in love with. It started to fit my newborn within about a month of her birth, and right from the start gave a great fit due to it’s velcro closures. They fit very well around the legs, with no leaking. And the colors are bold and adorable.

After much wear, the inner and outer fabric on my BumGenius diapers looks and feels great. Very little pilling. The elastic is still going strong.

I wish I could say the same for the velcro. It may give a great fit, but it is this diapers worst feature. The front velcro strip is getting quite pilly. The side velcro fasteners are showing a lot of wear and I have to clean them off frequently. They will need to be replaced before the next baby, but thankfully BumGenius supplies replacement velcro tabs for free if you call and ask for them.

My one major complaint is that they don’t get big enough to necessarily fit all the way through potty training. For some smaller kids, they’d be fine. For a real chunky monkey, probably not so much. At 7 months and probably 18-20 lbs, Johanna is almost in the largest setting (although that setting will fit her for a long time- my little guy did wear them briefly after he turned 2).

Fuzzi Bunz One-Size

fuzz-bunz-one-size-new-reviewfuzzi bunz one size red

I wasn’t sure that I could love another diaper as much as I initially loved my BumGenius, but I was wrong. The new Fuzzi Bunz one-size is hands down my current favorite diaper.

It uses a unique cinching system with the leg elastics that allows you to change the size from the inside, rather than using a snap system on the front of the diaper (like most pockets). This ultimately means a less bulky, funny shaped one-size- hooray! It also keeps the legs fitting snugly, no matter what size your baby is.

I haven’t had my Fuzzi Bunz One-Size for as long as some of my others, but so far they are holding up pretty well. I do notice that Fuzzi Bunz inner fabrics tend to pill in general, but this doesn’t really affect their use. They take slightly longer to dry than some of my other pockets (I air-dry mine).

Best of all, they are quite large and should definitely last well into toddlerhood for most children. Truly a one-size fits all. I’m a happy mama.

Fuzzi Bunz Perfect Size

new-fuzz-bunz-perfect-sizefuzzi bunz perfect size blues

These are the predecessor of the Fuzzi Bunz One-Size. They come in x-small, small, medium, and large. They fit VERY generously. The small is supposed to fit a 7 lb baby, but it took my daughter several months to be able to fit it well enough to prevent leaks, and in fact, my petite 2 year old could actually fit into it. At 7 months (and somewhat chubby) my daughter is still easily in the small, and is just beginning to fit the medium on it’s smaller settings.

That said, with the correct sized diaper, they still give a great and leakproof fit. Due to their “perfect size”, they are slightly less bulky than the one-size option, though I don’t feel the difference is very significant.

I find these ones a little easier to stuff than a lot of the one-sized pockets, and easier to dump the inserts into the diaper pail without having to reach in and grab them (usually a good shake will do the job). They are also one of my fastest drying. But, they have seemed to stain/wear the most on the inside, and I am even seeing a bit of strain on the PUL (outer layer) of 2 of mine (this is after about 6 months of continuous use).

*Thanks to Just Bumming Around for all the Fuzzi Bunz diapers to review!

Happy Heiny’s  One-Size Snap

happy-heiny-new-reviewhappy heiny snap diapers

These also come in a velcro version, but I got these when I was really curious to try some snap-only diapers and see if I liked them better, as I was getting frustrated with the velcro while washing.

This is another one with lots of room to grow. These shouldn’t have any problem accommodating most toddlers. Only problem is that they don’t offer a great fit on newborns or young babies. They have plenty of snaps (more than any other), so in theory you should be able to achieve a good fit.

I just found that there was too bulk around the waist and though they technically “fit”, it wasn’t until she got to be about 12-13 lbs that I felt they started to fit more comfortably (and now that she’s bigger, they fit really well and are becoming one of my favorites- who knew?).

Also easy to stuff and wash, and fairly quick drying. High quality, these wear well and are a good pick.

Wahmies One Size with Snaps

new-wahmies-reviewwahmies one size

One of my favorite aspects of this diaper is it’s velour lining. It is so soft and usually feels quite dry to the touch when I change Johanna out of it. I’m not sure if it’s just a fortunate diaper that has never seen a lot of #2, but it is as clean and snow white as the day I got it still!

These have great fitting leg elastics, though I do worry that they might get slightly tight as she gets really big. There isn’t a ton of room to grow, which is my major complaint with this one (and the reason for the low Value rating). I really like it, but I can’t see her fitting into it past 2 years old (but I could be wrong).

Unlike many other diapers, this one only has one row of snaps along the front. This isn’t a really big deal, but I find that two rows offers a more snug fit and less bunching in the front. The snap version of Wahmies (which is what I have- I haven’t tried their hook closure style) has some elastic near the belly button and by the top of the bum as well, I presume to improve fit and comfort. To me, it doesn’t make much of a difference, but maybe it would have if I got it when Johanna was a newborn?

These do wash and dry very well, and they offer a nice, trim fit and seem to be quite well-made.

Rocky Mountain One-Size

rocky-mountain-new-reviewrocky mountain diaper

I remember being so surprised when I pulled this one out of it’s package and saw that the inside was blue! Every other pocket diaper I own is white on the inside. Although the color choices are limited, I like that there are different color options for the inner layer, and this will help to keep it nice looking over time while white inner layers get somewhat stained.

Another neat feature is that the inner layer is a type of suedecloth. It is very soft, keeps baby quite dry, and seems to wear better than others. It also dries quite quickly and washes well.

Similar to the Fuzzi Bunz One-Size, these diapers have inner elastic systems that tighten the legs. Rather than a button system like FB, Rocky Mountain uses a snap system that works quite well. These diapers definitely get a good fit around the legs and avoid leaks. But, like the Wahmies, they have only one set of snaps across the front, so they can also bunch a bit from time to time, which is why I couldn’t give a 5 for fit.

Lastly, although these are nice and roomy for a growing baby, they sure do have a narrow opening for stuffing inserts! Definitely a little bit harder to stuff and sometimes (yuck), I have to manually pull the wet insert out rather than simply shake it out.

DryBees Sized Pockets

new-dry-bees-reviewdry bees three diapers

I used the size small when Johanna was a newborn. It was great to have a pocket diaper that really, truly fit her when she was so small.

Unfortunately, there were a few things about these diapers that just weren’t too great. I had issues with the velcro top curling down a bit, and sometimes the velcro would rub on her tummy (not so nice). I had to really pay attention to how I put them on to try to minimize the chances of this happening.

My other issue was in washing them. The velcro tabs are supposed to stay in place while washing, but without fail, they would come open and attach themselves onto other diapers in the load.

I did speak to a company representative about the issues, and though they couldn’t replace my diapers (because I knowingly bought them from a clearance site without a warranty), she did say that these issues don’t usually happen, so perhaps these seconds (as in, not perfect diapers, hence the deep discount) that I got just had particular issues with their velcro.

Otherwise, they were great to use, as far as easy stuffing and cleaning, quick drying, and nice fit around the legs on a little baby.

DryBees Fleece Night Times

dry-bees-night-fleece-new-reviewdry bees night fleece

After speaking with the DryBees rep, I decided to take a chance on reviewing their fleece night diaper, to see if I was any fonder of it. The answer is definitely, it’s been much better!

I haven’t had  any velcro issues as far as rubbing on the belly or curling down (though the sides still sometimes open in the wash). They seem much more comfortable for her.

This diaper is unique in that it is fleece, and does not have a waterproof PUL outer layer. I didn’t know what to think of this, but surprisingly have found that it really does make a great nighttime diaper! It’s nice and soft, with really sturdy and well-reinforced leg elastics, to prevent nighttime leaks. The only leaking I have had is if she’s been up nursing many times during the night, and she probably would have leaked in any pocket diaper on those occasions.

This diaper can be a bit bulky, so I choose to use it only for nighttime. These are also fitted, not one-sized. As with the other Dry Bees diapers, they fit just as their fitting chart says that they will.

*Thanks to Cloth Diaper Company for the Dry Bees Fleece Night Time, Wahmies, and Rocky Mountain Diapers to review!

Haute Pockets One-Size

haute-pocket-new-reviewhaute pocket green

I felt that out of all the diapers with velcro, these ones had the highest quality velcro. It seemed to withstand washing well, and have the strongest grip. The front strip has stayed in great condition, while my BumGenius has gotten more frayed and pilled.

One feature that I liked in these diapers was the shape of the front of the diaper. Others have a more rectangular shape in the front, and the Haute Pocket has a nice curve to it. It also has inserts that are not just long, but also have a wider curve on one end to sit exactly into these front curves. I’m not exactly sure why, but I like it and feel that it gives a bit better front coverage.

These really do fit nicely. Very trim elastic around the legs, and the velcro gives such a perfect, snug fit in the front. Although the ones I have are hot pink, I did use them on my son (shhh, he never needs to know these details of his infancy) when he was over two, and they still worked really nicely on him.

I did have a problem with the PUL on mine, that neither I nor the customer service reps could understand. It unfortunately made them not as waterproof, relegating my once beloved Haute Pockets to being used as mere backup diapers. Customer service would have happily replaced them for me, but they were a gift and I had no receipt. Alas. I will most likely get more in the future (with a receipt, this time!), to give them another go. And maybe not in hot pink. 🙂

I’m sure many of you have your own opinions and thoughts about many of these pocket diapers, and perhaps other brands. Feel free to chime in and let us know what you think!

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28 Comments

  1. I got a few pocket diapers just to try them when my first was born and loved the convenience when we were out running errands or if a sitter was watching her- a pocket diaper with velcro isn’t so scary for someone who has never cloth diapered a baby as prefolds with covers. But I haven’t been happy with how they’ve held up and now I never use them. I’m glad you’ve had better luck!

    I have bum genius and the replacement velcro is not a good as the original. I’ve redone it twice and they still aren’t amazing. I probably like my Fuzzi Buns with snaps best but I don’t think they are as absorbant as prefolds. Sorry to be negative, but just passing along my experience hoping it will be helpful to someone.

  2. I recently received some OS Happy Heinys pockets. I love them! They are so soft on the inside and the inserts seem pretty absorbent. I love the convenience of One Size diapers when going out, especially with two in cloth diapers. I can simple throw a couple in the diaper bag and know that no matter who needs the diaper change I have a diaper that will fit. I agree that I also need less diaper storage space with OS diapers.
    .-= Allyson´s last blog ..Lefty Loops Giveaway Winner =-.

  3. We love pockets! I wish I had found them with my first. SO fast with the wash/dry time. But we do pocket fitteds, with a CPF as the inner soaker layer, and wool on the outside since my babe can’t do PUL. I use pins too- just because I was too lazy to put snaps on (I made my pocket fitteds from diaperkit.com’s pattern) and I really dislike velcro in the wash. But I love that they’re easy and ready to go, but don’t take forever to dry like AIOs
    .-= Cara @ Health Home and Happiness´s last blog ..SCD/GAPS: Chicken Pancakes =-.

  4. Great reviews!

    I only have Bum Genius pockets- 5 of them. 3 are old style 2.0 and 2 are new style 3.0. I really like them for leaving with others to change the baby (as rare as it happens) or for long car rides to ease the car changes that often happen.

    But…I don’t like how poop seems to ease out/explode out…even in older babies/toddlers. Compared to prefolds with covers. It doesn’t always happen, but sometimes…and I would imagine this would be similar to a disposable that way.
    They are also showing way more wear than I would think they should, considering that they are used very little (we mainly use prefolds).

    When I used them on my daughter around 2.5 and just under 30 pounds, they no longer fit well (2.0). My 1 year old at 19 pounds is on the biggest setting too, and she is petite and fairly skinny- healthy but not chunky at all. I’d rather have my prefolds and covers any day.

  5. My youngest is turning 4 yo soon, so my big days of CD’s are past so I used earlier versions of what you posted about. But I have to say that my most long-lasting diaper still in occasional use today as a nighttime pull-up for my youngest dd is a size large Fuzzi Bunz. Back when I was buying they were the “utilitarian” diaper and didn’t really have the “cool factor” but really it has stood the test of time for us! I think I bought it like 4 years ago for my oldest, it still looks good! I would definitely try the one-sized FB the next time around.

  6. I tend to like pocket diapers more than pre-folds. So far I have only used Bum Genius and have been fairly satisfied. My only problem so far with them is that they suggest not using any diaper creams with them. That could not be avoided with us, so it did end up staining the lining and I had to do some extra work to get the spot out. I was going to buy some more soon for the next baby coming, but I think I might try the Fuzzi Bunz this time around because of your review 🙂
    Have you used wool soakers before? No matter how many layers I put in pre-folds or the Bum Genius my little guy would leak out every night! We ended up using disposables at night because they were the only thing that would hold all night. I think I am going to get some wool soakers this time around, but they can be so expensive I like to hear other’s reviews on them before I get any.
    Thanks!

    1. @Sheri,
      If you know how to crochet or knit, making your own soakers can be quite affordable. I got a soaker and a pair of longies from one skein of fisherman’s wool using Amy’s tutorials (http://withatangledskein.blogspot.com/2008/02/little-fire-crochet-soaker-pattern.html). My baby isn’t born yet so I can’t tell you firsthand how they will work but other mama’s have said they work well.
      .-= MacKenzie´s last blog ..MSM: More Wooly Wonders! =-.

    2. @Sheri,
      I just cut some strips of fleece to use with the bum cream, and that worked quite well. I had some leftover from a sewing project, so it was free!

    3. @Sheri, I have heard amazing things about wool soakers. I actually did buy one when my daughter was born this summer, but would you believe I never got around to using it because I kept forgetting to buy some lanolin so that I could lanolize it??? She outgrew it before I got around to it! So I guess it will have to wait for the next baby, unless I stumble upon a bigger one. 🙂

  7. Wow, great reviews!
    I used Bum Genius diapers for about 11 months, and the velcro was pretty much shot. Thankfully the company replaced them for me with no problem. I sold them and bought Fuzzi bunz instead, which I’m much happier with.
    .-= Rebeca´s last blog ..San Sebastian del Oeste =-.

  8. My favorite OS diaper is Happy Heiny with aplix (velcro). I think it is the best velcro out there, and I prefer the velcro for my wiggly one year old right now. The one thing I would tell people is not to load up on any one type of diaper. As my kids have grown, different things about different diapers have been appealing. My favorite changes based on the stages the kids are in!!

  9. I love Bumgenius 3.0 and I guess I have always disagreed with the velcro issue. We have been using them all along and my daughter is 2 1/2. She did day train at 20 months and we just use them at night now. In anycase, I have a large rotation of them so maybe that is the key. Though I have only been using a rotation of 10 since June at night for her and they are holding up. I don’t think that I am doing anything special either! I guess I just got a good batch. As for the sizing, my daughter is short but not skinny and we still have room. I can see if she is still not night trained in a year that they might become too small then, but I am hoping that she night trains this summer.
    I do like Haute Pockets onesize, however I think the fit in the leg area is a little odd and I didn’t like stuffing them. Blueberry diapers are nice and easy to stuff however I only had their sized pockets and I didn’t think that the two that I had held up very well at all. I really liked DryBees sized pockets, but I used the older style.
    Carrie

    1. @Melissa, I’ve been having trouble with my rumparroz leaking at night. My son is now about 11 pounds, and we switched to the “small” liner arrangement, and it might be worse. Do you have any tips for fending off leaking? I do love these diapers!
      Megan

  10. I LOVE pockets. We have a few fitted with covers, but I mostly use pockets. I have an assortment, BG 3.0’s, Fuzzi Bunz perfect fit, Mommy’s Touch, Happy Heiny’s and Tweedlebugs (there may be another one, but the baby is sleeping…). I agree about the BG’s not fitting into potty training. My daughter is 18 mo. and is VERY long in the rise and she is almost too long for them. Maybe I can get her potty trained before she grows out of them because they comprise the majority of my stash!!

    About the BG velcro – I loathe it. I replaced all 10 of mine and actually think the replacement velcro is better than the original. However, I got so fed up with it (and my daughter constantly taking her diaper off – even with clothes on, she could get the velcro undone), that I am in the middle of converting all of mine to snaps. A friend loaned me her professional snap press and I am in heaven! They are SO much better with snaps! I have 2 left and then I’m going to convert the 2 Happy Heiny’s I have!
    .-= Laura´s last blog ..Menu Plan Monday – March 29th =-.

  11. I use GAD’s (Green Acre Designs) and they are amazing for so many reasons. They have elastic around the front and back and are a fabulous fit, especially for my tummy sleeping boy. The elastic was very important to me and I knew GAD’s were my dream diaper when I saw them. Others with velcro fit fine while he was laying down but when he sat up, he would burp and even spit up because they were too tight. If I loosened them, he would leak right out the top, especially during naps. I was so frustrated…until I found GAD’s. They have been so perfect for us. They come in GREAT colors on the outside AND the inside too. Shannon, the designer, is great and has quantity discounts and 10% off if you pay with money order or cashier’s check.

  12. Also check out Swaddlebees (great quality, but were cut wrong for my son so they leaked….a friend swears by them) Tiny Tush Elite (my FAVORITE BY FAR) and Knickerknappies.

    On the bad side, Yucky Duck was another brand I tried—the velcro fasteners are really small and don’t hold very well, the fleece is cheap, and the PUL separated on every single one. And they are cut really wide in the crotch, so there was always weird bunching in the middle that made buttoning his clothes hard.

  13. I agree about the Fuzzi Bunz one size! I love them for my 2.5 year old and they’ll soon be on my baby. The other thing about these is the elastic can Easily be replaced, whereas the Bum Genius had to be re-sewed to replace the sagging elastic after 1 year and I had to have a friend who knows how to sew do that… I didn’t like the Happy Heiny’s because there were SO many snaps to do each time. That got frustrating. Happy diapering and thanks for your reviews!

  14. You should try gdiapers! So in love with them! I make the pads for them but you can also buy them. The plastic liners come out and everything 🙂

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