Bumgenius 3.0 One Size Hook & Loop Review

As a newbie to cloth diapering, I landed on Bumgenius 3.0 OS with velcro. It seemed like the easiest to take care and the easiest for other diaper changers to use, ie the most like disposables. I used them with my boy and girl twins from a little after one year old until a little after 2 years old, so by the time I started, they were using less diapers each per day and having less BMs per day too.

Let's review the features of the BG 3.0 OS:
PUL outer cover with "stay dry" suede cloth liner
Snaps on the front for adjustable rise
Hook & Loop closure (aka velcro)
Laundry tabs on inside to attach velcro wings for washing
Two microfiber liners - one infant and one regular size
Large pocket at back top for stuffing
Single leg gussets

These diapers are real work horses. Some people have commented that the velcro stops working after intense use or the laundry tabs pill so much that the tabs don't stick, but I never found that to be the case. I loved the velcro because it was easiest for daddy/grandma/babysitter to use without teaching how. I machine washed and machine dried the diapers every other day for over a year with no problems. I sold my used BG OSs for a great price because they were in such great condition. Take care of your diapers and they'll take care of you.

I did find that once the twins were holding their pee longer, I started to get some stink on the microfiber inserts. I discovered it was due to minerals in our water (aka hard water). I stripped the diapers with baking soda and vinegar, then switched the regular detergent to Hard Rockin' Green. Stinkies gone! I was also able to get the inserts back to nearly bright white before I resold them, using oxy clean powder and vinegar.

I can't comment on the use with newborns as I started with the twins when they were in 12 and 18 month clothes. I do imagine it could be quite bulky on a tiny newborn though. The one size feature is nice as you don't have to buy different sizes as your baby grows. I did have to stop with our son at about 26 months old because he was over the weight limit and the leg gussets were leaving red marks on his thighs. I continued to use them on our daughter at night though because she said disposables were "scratchy" and would take them off at night. I had to stop using them with her during the day at about 26 months also as she would hold her pee so long that she would pee through two full size liners when she went. I was changing her clothes several times a day. I imagine that could be fixed with the use of different, more absorbent inserts.

My twins never seemed to dislike wearing them and my daughter definitely preferred them over disposables. I will say that they are quite bulky when double or triple stuffed. The width in the crotch area can appear a little wide, but like I said, my twins never complained about it. The fabric is durable and soft, although I wouldn't call it plush.

As far as washing, it was very easy to clean and stuff these diaps. One hot wash/cold rinse with detergent and a quick rinse/spin was enough to clean the diapers. They are able to be machine dried. I would stuff all the diapers after they dried instead of stuffing with each change. It doesn't seem like work when you stuff and fold diapers while watching TV in the evening.

These diapers were a great financial decision. They are about middle of the road as far as cost goes (from $17 to $24 each) but the quality is great. It took about 4 months to pay back the initial investment. After that, we were saving $60 a month on buying disposables. I was then able to sell them for $11 each used. When I was purchasing, they only had solid colors available, but in the last two years, they've come out with the artist series that has cute prints.

Overall, these were excellent starter diapers. They're easy for parents who are new to using cloth diapers. You can reuse them for several kids over many years, even using the same diapers on two different aged/sized kids. They hold their resale value too.