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I’ve always been a pocket-diaper girl. My main reason for loving pockets? Easy to customize the absorbency! But with even less time on my hands these days, I’ve noticed I’m reaching more and more for the one-piece diapers in our stash, and there are three that I consider to be outstanding in terms of absorbency. (It’s no fun having a one-piece diaper that you have to boost every time, since then it’s not one-piece, is it?) My three favourite AIO diapers are all the same style, featuring a pocket and a “tongue-style” attached soaker that you tuck into the pocket. So yes, you do, ultimately have to stuff them, but since the insert is attached, you don’t have to root through the laundry basket.
Let me introduce you to (from left to right), the three all-in-ones that we use the most:
The TotsBots V4, the Bummis AIO & the Blueberry Simplex
Now, take a look inside:
The primary difference in construction would be that the TotsBots has a soaker that is attached at the back of the diaper, while for Bummis and Blueberry, the soaker attaches at the front. Both Bummis and Blueberry have a stay-dry synthetic layer on their soaker, meaning you can lay it on top of the diaper if you want that layer against baby’s bum, like so:
The Blueberry Simplex has a pocket opening at both ends, while the TotsBots and Bummis have only the opening where the soaker is attached. The Bummis and Blueberry both come in snaps, while the TotsBots V4 is only available in hook and loop.
Bummis AIO
Specs:
- $31.99 CAD
- made in Canada
- organic cotton and stay-dry polyester
- 8-35 lbs
- snaps closure
- option of folding insert on top of pocket for stay dry layer
- pocket opens at the front
What gets me most excited about the Bummis AIO (available at Well.ca) is that it is made in Canada with North American textiles, including organic cotton, and is the same price as a Rumparooz diaper which is made in China with only synthetics. Of course, the price is of little consequence if the diaper doesn’t do its job. The Bummis AIO is brand new on the market, so I’ve only tested it on Little Miss Cub. My full review is here, but in a nutshell, this diaper is super absorbent even without adding a booster. If I want to use it overnight, I have been adding a cotton booster to the pocket. When we are leaving the house, this is definitely one I reach for!
TotsBots V4 AIO
Specs:
- $26.95 CAD (special “Frugi” prints retail up to $36.95)
- made in Scotland
- “binky” inner (a blend of polyester and bamboo)
- 8-35 lbs
- hook & loop
- comes with a booster that snaps on to the insert
- pocket opens at the back
Ours TotsBots V4s (available at Lagoon Baby) are the diapers I reach for most for Little Miss Cub. She has fit them well since she was 8 lbs! With the included, snap-on booster, two-year-old Cub was able to wear our V4s for twelve-hours overnight. I’m definitely grabbing a V4 with a booster when I’m heading out of the house with the Little Miss. While hook & loop closure isn’t everyone’s favourite, TotsBots’ hook & loop closure is the most robust on the market. Papa Wolf will always reach for the TotsBots in the pile. Some children get to a point where they will rip their diapers off, and hook & loop diapers are much easier for these diaper-rippers, so this is a complaint I have heard from otherwise satisfied Tots users.
When I was using the V4 on Cub, I liked that the attached insert unstuffed from the back of the diaper since the pee was always concentrated at the front. Now that I’m using them on Little Miss Cub, who is producing runny breastmilk poops, I’m not as much of a fan since the messy poop is kind of in my way. (Using an HE washer, I always have to unstuff my diapers.)
The major disadvantage of the TotsBots V4 is its low rise. She’s only 6 months old and 26 inches long, but Little Miss Cub can wear her TotsBots completely unsnapped. You bet your bottom dollar that Cub outgrew these long before being potty trained. He’s taller-than-average, a 90th percentile kid, so this won’t be the case for every kid.
Some users don’t like the lack of a stay-dry layer in this diaper. (You can use a fleece liner if this is a problem.) Another thing to consider is that if you line-dry your diapers, this diaper dries crispy. I put all my diapers in the dryer.
While this diaper (unless you choose the Frugi prints) sells for less than the Bummis and the Blueberry, it also may not be big enough to fit your child til potty learning.
If you’re interested, you can find my original review of the TotsBots V4 on Cub when he was almost two years old.
Blueberry Simplex AIO
Specs:
- $32.95 CAD
- made in the USA
- birdseye cotton & stay-dry microfleece
- 12-35 lbs
- snaps
- option of folding insert on top of pocket for stay dry layer
- pocket opening on both ends with insert attached at the front
Blueberry’s Newborn AIO was one of my top two newborn diapers (the other one was our TotsBots). The one-size Blueberry Simplex AIO (available at Lagoon Baby) was my very first experience with a “pocket-style” AIO diaper when I received it for Cub in November, 2014. (You can read my original review of the Blueberry Simplex AIO on Cub when he was two years old.) The Blueberry Simplex has a much taller rise than the TotsBots, and, in fact, Cub has worn it recently on a potty-training off-day. (He’s about 40 inches tall now.)
Different from the Bummis and TotsBots, the Blueberry has a pocket that opens on both ends. This helps speed up dry time.
While the TotsBots fit Little Miss Cub soon after birth, the Blueberry Simplex isn’t even designed to fit on newborns. She was fitting into it nicely probably around 14 lbs. My one complaint about the Blueberry’s design is the lack of leg casing. Essentially, the cotton inner can roll outwards, so you have to make sure you tuck it in when putting the diaper on baby.
You can see what I mean in this picture of the three diapers together:
The Blueberry Simplex AIO is the most expensive of the three diapers, but the price is reflective of its “made in the USA” status.
Conclusion:
Overall, the “pocket-style” AIO design lends itself to boosting, which is why I choose these three AIO diapers in my stash as my best performing. When the inserts are attached like flaps, without a pocket (the style of a BumGenius Freetime or Thirsties AIO), it’s simply not easy to add boosters for naps and overnight. Furthermore, you’ll note that all three of my favourite diapers combine natural fibers (bamboo or cotton) with synthetics. The downside of natural-fibre AIOs is mainly that they take longer to dry.
Of the three, it’s the TotsBots V4 with its included booster that I find to be the most absorbent. That said, throw a booster inside a Blueberry or Bummis and they’d be on par.
While I’m reaching mostly for our TotsBots V4s, it’s important to consider that I have a whole bunch of them, and only one Bummis and one Blueberry. (And that Papa Wolf only uses hook & loop diapers.) If Little Miss Cub sprouts up and is tall and lean like her brother (though it’s looking like she’s more of a 50th percentile baby), she might also outgrow our Tots.
Check out all my All-in-One Diaper Reviews!
What is your favourite all-in-one cloth diaper?
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