Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Funky Fluff Athletic Wicking Jersey Diaper Review

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Note: Funky Fluff diapers are no longer sold.

Over the years, Funky Fluff has expanded to include new fabric and insert options, while always maintaining a cute and trim fit, and an array of really cool color combos. This system consists of one-size waterproof covers (or shells) and inserts that you can either snap, stuff or lay in the covers.

You can choose from 3 different inner fabric linings for the cover:

Today’s review is of the Athletic Wicking Jersey shell, which is one of the newest options. The Joyful Giraffe diaper shop sent me a shell in the Kryptonite color (gray with green snaps), plus a set of deLUX inserts, in exchange for a review.

There are 4 size settings on the front rise of the diaper, which I would estimate as newborn/xsmall, small, medium and large. Crossover snaps at the waist may enable you get to a snug fit on a newborn or very skinny baby.

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Athletic Wicking Jersey (AWJ) isn’t just for basketball shorts anymore; it’s a polyester fabric that has turned out to be ideal for cloth diapering because:

  • It pulls moisture away from the skin
  • It’s less prone to staining than natural fibers
  • It’s soft, supple and stretchy
  • It can help keep the skin feeling cool and dry
  • It dries very quickly
  • It doesn’t pill like microfleece

I’ve been using Funky Fluff diapers for years, so I pulled out my others to give you a comparison of the inner fabrics:

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The picture above shows that none of the PUL (polyurethane laminate) waterproof material underneath touches your baby’s skin, no matter which inner lining you choose.

Here is the Funky Fluff diaper shell opened up. It can be used in 4 different ways. Tuck inserts inside for a pocket diaper. Snap inserts in and then tuck in the pocket to make a stay-dry AIO (All in One). Snap inserts in but leave them outside of the pocket for an AI2 (All in Two). Or, just do like I do many times, and use the diaper as a cover, with Funky Fluff inserts, flats or prefolds laid inside.

There is a snap at either end of the shell to hold inserts in place, if you choose to use that feature.

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Here’s what the diaper looks like with an insert snapped into the shell, AI2 style:

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Pictured here are the bamboo terry LUX soakers (includes a small and a large) and the bamboo/hemp deLUX soakers (includes a small and a large). All Funky Fluff inserts are double stitched around the edges for added strength. You can use the inserts alone or attach them to each other with snaps. They DO stay fastened during washing and drying.

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Funky Fluff’s bamboo terry LUX insert has a touch of polyester in it, which adds some extra softness. This counteracts the tendency of bamboo to get a little bit stiff over time and is something that really sets apart their bamboo fabric. These bamboo inserts dry for me in less than 1 cycle.

Funky Fluff’s deLUX soaker set is made of bamboo and hemp, and because hemp takes longer to dry, the inserts are stitched together only at the middle. It takes me 1 full dryer cycle, and sometimes a little more if it’s a big load of diapers, to completely dry these inserts. The deLUX set is my top choice for night time use.

Performance: Funky Fluff diapers are extremely versatile because you can customize exactly to your liking, and your child’s needs. Use 1 insert for daytime, and 2 for naps and nighttime. The pocket opening is easy to stuff for extra absorbency.

Ingrid does well in any type of insert during the day; for a bulletproof nighttime solution I use the large LUX (bamboo) soaker on top and the large deLUX (bamboo/hemp) soaker on the bottom, since it absorbs slowly and steadily.

Even if you have a SUPER heavy wetter, stacking three inserts together for nighttime doesn’t result in a lot of bulk – as compared to doubling up prefolds or using a really plush fitted.

Do the soft fabric linings mean you can’t use the covers more than once before washing? That depends on how much or how quickly your baby wets, or if a #2 mess isn’t confined to the insert. Ingrid does not flood her diaper all at once, so we can sometimes just switch out inserts and use the shell again.

Durability: I mentioned above that we’ve used this brand for several years, so I can assure you they will last for a really long time. We’ve never had any problems with colors fading, failed snaps or elastics or PUL, or poor workmanship.

I find that it’s easier to get stains out of the Athletic Wicking Jersey fabric. And the open weave is breathable and cool to the touch, both of which are great for Ingrid’s skin.

Value: Funky Fluff’s decision last year to make their diaper shells available for purchase separately was a really good move. You can now grab a cover alone for around $15 and give the fit and flexibility of Funky Fluff diapers a try, without having to spend $20 – $25 on a complete diaper (with inserts).

Overall, I think Funky Fluff is a good value for the money, because I can attest to the durability of the diapers AND the fact that they are so versatile. If you spent $25 on a premium AIO diaper, it’s single use only, whereas a $25 Funky Fluff diaper comes with 2 inserts and the different components can be used in different ways.

Fit: The Athletic Wicking Jersey is a little bit stretchier than my other Funky Fluff shells (stay dry and bamboo) and I love stretchy diapers! The stretch also makes it even easier to stuff than the bamboo and stay-dry shells, which is great news for nighttime.

I’ve always been a big fan of the way these diapers fit. They are trim and sleek and highly adjustable, thanks to the double snaps at the waist (you can angle the snaps to tighten or loosen either the legs or the waist). My only issue with Funky Fluff’s design, as mentioned in a previous review, is that a 3rd row of rise snaps would be nice. This would help the front to lie flat and not pucker out, which tends to happen more as my baby starts moving around.

For the longest time, my favorite style was the bamboo diaper, but AWJ now takes the cake. I like the extra stretch, the fact that this fabric is much easier to get stains out of, and the breathability of the open-weave fibers.

At age 19 months and about 22 pounds, Ingrid wears her diaper at the medium rise setting, with one more snap to grow into. There’s also plenty of room left in the waistband.

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Nicki’s Ultimate AIO Diaper Review & Giveaway

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If you’ve always liked the concept of an All-in-One (AIO) diaper and how easy they must be to use, but felt you just couldn’t afford them, well I might just have a solution for you. The new Nicki’s Ultimate All-in-One that was released this year has a tempting price point: solid colors are $11.95 and prints are $12.95. You can choose from snap closure or hook and loop (which is like Velcro). Nicki’s kept the cost low by using microfiber as the absorbent material in this diaper, and also included a few extra features which I’ll share in just a bit.

Back in February, we purchased a few AIO’s to try; my affiliate, Nicki’s Diapers, sent two as well to help facilitate the review. My review includes both the snap closure and the hook and loop closure.

The front rise of the diaper adjusts to small, medium and large – which is roughly about 7 to 35 pounds.

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Here are the measurements:

Rise: 16 inches (unstretched, from front waistband all the way up to the back waistband)
Insert: 15 inches long (adjustable)
Crotch: 6.5 inches wide
Leg Openings: 5.5 to 6 inches (unstretched)

The Nicki’s Ultimate AIO is extremely easy to use. Just wrap it around your baby, fasten the waist, and you’re done. If you are diapering a smaller infant, the soaker pad can be folded under at front. There’s a seam at the front to make it fold down easier.

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The insert snaps at the back with 2 snaps. It’s made of multiple layers of microfiber plus a stay-dry microfleece topper. The shell of the diaper is lined inside with plush microfleece. The waterproof outer cover includes PUL guards on the front and back to prevent wicking and gentle leg elastics to keep messes contained.

So for just $11.95, this diaper has a lot of great features:

  • An ultra plush fleece lining – the leg elastics are lined with it, too, making them very gentle.
  • Depending on which print/color you choose, the inner fleece and insert are dyed to color coordinate with the diaper (fun!)
  • There are 19 prints and 8 colors (so far) to choose from.
  • The soaker is snapped, not sewn, in. That means you can remove it, if needed.
  • The soaker stays fastened securely in the wash.
  • Crossover snaps at the waist for small babies (if you are purchasing the snap-only version)
  • A waterproof PUL guard on the front and back inner waistband. This strip of fabric gives extra protection against leaks.
  • For every Nicki’s diaper that you purchase, 1 is donated to a child in need.

Here are just a few examples of how the insides are dyed to coordinate with the outside color of the diaper. Pretty neat!

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Here are my overall thoughts on the Nicki’s Ultimate AIO after testing.

Performance: I washed our AIO just once before use, since it’s made of synthetic fabric. The multi-layer microfiber soaker quickly proved to be very absorbent; it holds Ingrid (and average wetter) for 3 hours or more in the daytime. Overall, it is more absorbent than other microfiber AIO diapers in our stash.

Ingrid has also worn it overnight, with a doubler tucked underneath the soaker (hemp or bamboo are best), and even the leg gussets were dry in the morning.

How about the hook and loop closure? Well, it definitely makes this user-friendly diaper even easier! My daughter and husband both love the hook and loop, as do her grandmothers (fastening and unfastening snaps can be tricky for some hands). However, I discovered that Ingrid can open it up pretty easily on her own. So I do not use the hook and loop diapers at night since she’ll have unsupervised access for an extended time! 😉

Both the hook and loop tabs, and the snap-in soaker, have stayed fastened in the washer/dryer 100% of the time in 10 launderings.

Fit/Sizing: The Nicki’s AIO is trim and easy to adjust. The wing tabs are good and stretchy, which is something I always like to see in a diaper. I also like the soft fleece gussets around the legs; the diaper fits snugly to your child but doesn’t cause any discomfort.

If you are using the Ultimate AIO on a smaller baby, you’ll likely need to fold down the soaker in front to make it shorter. Keep in mind that this will create more bulk up front, as you can see from the picture below left (purple is folded under, blue is not). Nicki’s has also released a newborn version of their Ultimate AIO. It is much smaller overall than the one-size diaper, even on its smallest setting. The soaker inside the newborn diaper does not have the folding line.

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Now you can see how the Ultimate AIO fits on different babies and body types.

This is my adorable little nephew, Roderick. He’s about 19 pounds and 4.5 months old.

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Ingrid is just over 18 months now and 22 pounds.

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Here are some close-ups on Ingrid and Erik (our 3-year-old).

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Value: If you are looking for an affordable and super easy-to-use cloth diaper, the Nicki’s Ultimate AIO may be your answer. With a price tag of $11.95, it’s well within the reach of most cloth diapering families. This is the perfect diaper to have on hand for caregivers that aren’t so cloth-savvy, or to stash in your diaper bag. It’s also nice to have a few in your everyday rotation (like I do), just to save yourself a little bit of time and hassle. Nicki’s Diapers are guaranteed against workmanship or material defects for 60 days from the date of purchase. The warranty covers seams, stitching, snaps, elastics, or other sewing defects.

Speaking of defects, the first Nicki’s AIO with snaps that I ordered was significantly off in sizing, being much smaller compared to the velcro diaper. I sent pictures and measurements to Nicki’s and they replaced it right away. My sister-in-law had the same experience with the snap AIO, and her was also replaced immediately. Apparently, this was a factory defect in some of the diapers, and they were cut differently.

Where to Buy: The new Nicki’s Ultimate All-in-One diapers are $11.95 for solid colors and prints for $12.95. Shipping is free over $10!

Giveaway CLOSED If you’d like a chance to win TWO Nicki’s Ultimate AIO diapers, use the entry form below. TERMS: Winner chooses prints, colors, closure, etc. If you’d prefer the newborn version rather than the one-size, that’s also an option! This promotion is open to both my US and Canadian readers, and is sponsored by yours truly. Good luck! 🙂

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Nicki’s Bamboo Blanket Review + a Best Bottoms Giveaway

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This post contains affiliate links.

Thank you for visiting the “Hop Into Spring” giveaway hop hosted by The Anti-June Cleaver and Our Piece of Earth blogs. Spring will be here in just a week, and I bet you are all looking forward to warm sunshine, sprouting flowers and singing birds!

My giveaway features two products that we use daily: Best Bottom diaper covers and the bamboo swaddling blankets from Nicki’s.

Nicki’s Diapers now has bamboo swaddling blankets for sale, in both the Imagine and Nicki’s lines (they are sister companies). These high-quality blankets are just as soft and silky and pretty to look at as the expensive boutique brands. Both are very generously sized at 50″ by 45″. The 100% rayon-from-bamboo fabric feels so wonderful to the touch; you and your baby (and probably everyone else in the family, too) will love these blankets.

Ingrid uses her bamboo blanket to snuggle with, as a lap blanket in her carseat and even wraps up her baby doll in it. The lightweight bamboo fabric has a slightly open weave, so it allows for airflow.

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Not a day goes by that Ingrid is without this blanket. It’s one of my top picks now as a gift for new babies and their mothers.

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They are also plenty big enough to use as a nursing cover, especially because the fabric drapes so nicely.

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Nicki’s is also the home of Best Bottom diapers, a versatile AI2 system that can be used in lots of different ways. We’ve used our Best Bottom covers with flats, prefolds and fitteds; we also have a few of the snap-in Best Bottom inserts on hand for really quick changes. You can read my full review of the Best Bottom diaper system here.

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Best Bottoms have even worked on our newborns. Here’s the Pink Giraffe cover on Ingrid at about 1 week of age:

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All Imagine brand products ship FREE from my affiliate, Nicki’s Diapers, as do all their Best Bottoms covers.

The newest Best Bottoms limited edition print is called Hippity Hop, and it was released just in time for Easter. You can win this highly sought after cover, plus an Imagine bamboo blanket in the beautiful “flutter” print by using the entry from below. Good luck! (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

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Disclosure: The Anti-June Cleaver, Our Piece of Earth, and the rest of the bloggers participating in the Hop Into Spring giveaway hop are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.

Magformers Ice World Construction Set Review & Giveaway

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Last year, our older boys were given the chance to try a Magformers building set; today I’m going to share with you a special collection of Magformers that’s geared towards younger children, called My First Sets.

Meet the testers: Benjamin (7) and Erik (3) and Samuel (5).

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We chose to review the 30-piece Ice World set because it’s wintertime and the boys thought it would be fun to create polar creatures and buildings. It retails for $49.99 and includes an assortment of brightly colored BPA-free plastic shapes that stick together with strong magnets. Following the arctic theme, pieces are white and yellow and aqua.

Every Magforners set (over 65 to pick from) includes an easy-to-follow booklet with instructions and ideas. Put two pieces next to each other and they click together at the edges.

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With the Ice World set, your children can create polar bears, seals, snowmen, igloos and more.

An easy way to get started is to lay the project out flat, as shown in the booklet. Then, your builder can fold the pieces up and they will click together.

The whale starts out like this:

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Fold its body up and back; then add blue fins and a tail:

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It’s easy to make him “swim” across the floor because the magnets in Magformers stay together very securely. That makes for frustration-free play time.

Benjamin enjoyed this set tremendously, even though he is older and in 2nd grade. He built the igloo for his little brothers in just under 2 minutes.

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All Magformer sets are interchangeable, and each one you add promises more possibilities. Some Magformer sets even have fun components like wheels and propellers for even more options.

Magformers are “tactile” and colorful. Our children like the clicking sound they make when joined together. Even preschoolers who may be daunted by following instructions will love the simple action of stacking the magnets together.

We’ve enjoyed Magformers for many years, having first discovered them at a local toy store, and I can promise you they are durable and can take a beating. Magformers uses HQABS and sonic welding to ensure the toys are tightly bonded and the magnets really do stay in place. For safety’s sake, the magnetic components are fully locked inside the plastic frames.

If you’d like to try Magformers, the online store is easy to shop. You can also enter my giveaway for the chance to win a set for free!

Giveaway CLOSED

Magformers is giving away an Ice World set, just like I reviewed! This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents. Good luck!

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Super Undies Nighttime Trainers Pants Review & Giveaway

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Night time accidents are frustrating for mothers and children alike, and they can be an issue long after day training has been achieved. This is the case with Susanna, our 4-year-old. Over the past year we’ve tried a lot of different solutions:

  • Disposable pull-ups: They work but it’s money down the drain. In just 6 months we spent almost $100 and now they are sitting in a trash heap.
  • Cloth trainers: They are reusable, but not absorbent enough for night time.
  • Pocket diapers: At 4 years old, every diaper we own is too small for her. Even the brands I consider to be very roomy are not big enough and dig into her legs badly, causing pain and discomfort.

We have found a solution for Susanna with Super Undies. Great company name, don’t you think? We received a pair of Nighttime Undies to try out in exchange for an honest review.

Based on Susanna’s age, weight and measurements, we chose Size 2 with cotton as the absorbent material. Super Undies surprised us with the pretty “Rainbow Bright” print:

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Super Undies nighttime pants are made with four layers of absorbent fabric inside (choose cotton or microfiber), water-resistant fleece leg and waistbands and a fully waterproof PUL outer layer. Sizes go from 1 (age 3) to 4 (ages 9-10+), but for the best fit you should go by their sizing chart. Prices start at $29.95 each.

Inside of the pants you’ll find a soft mesh pocket which is open at both ends. There’s a partially-attached soaker pad which you tuck inside the pocket. To help guard against leaks, you can see how the absorbent cotton insert (when tucked in the pocket) does not touch the leg openings or waistband.

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I prepped the pants 3 times before use since we chose cotton.

PERFORMANCE: Susanna is average and about 3/4 of the time, the pants have done a great job at holding everything in. Over several weeks of testing, she’s only over-saturated them 2 times, and that was on nights where she either drank more than usual or slept in later. With that in mind, I have now started adding a small doubler in the pocket, whether or not she’ll actually need it.

I’m impressed that they have worked so well “as is,” without any additional absorbency. If you have a heavy wetter Super Undies recommends adding a doubler to the pocket (my personal recommendation is hemp). Keep in mind that when you stuff an extra insert into the pocket it will make them fit a little tighter so they won’t pull up and down as easily.

The majority of the time, the insert has not agitated out on it’s own in the wash. I don’t like pulling the soaked insert out of the pocket with my fingers so I’ve just laundered the pants with the insert still in the pocket. I asked Super Undies about this and was assured that it will get sufficiently clean while still tucked in the pocket, since it is only a few layers thick and only partially attached. For a boy, it might be more likely to pop out on its own since you would likely be folding the insert in half and positioning it more up front.

FITt: With cotton inside, the pants shrank a little after prepping so I’m glad we bought size 2.  Susanna is 4 years old and around 40 pounds. She’s on the curvy side so I wanted to make sure the trainers were not constricting.

Susanna wears “real” underwear all day. So when we first put these on her response was “They’re too puffy.” I explained that they were thicker than underwear to help keep her bed dry. She accepted this, and then told me that the Super Undies were very soft and the rainbow colors were pretty. After that initial objection, she hasn’t been averse to wearing them at all. In fact, when bedtime rolls around and her Super Undies are still in the wash, she will say “Mama, I need my rainbow pants.” She puts them on herself at night and removes them in the morning. The only thing she will sometimes need help with is smoothing out the insert at the back opening of the pocket.

I like that there are no snaps on the hips. This was a big problem with other trainers and diapers I’ve tried to squeeze onto Susanna. They would dig into her skin really badly. Since she is a veteran learner, we don’t have to worry about #2 messes, so the need for size snaps (usually important to me) is a moot point. Plus, the lack of snaps help make Super Undies look less like a diaper. This can be important psychologically for an older child like Susanna who continues to wet at night.

That the Super Undies pants are bulkier than your typical cloth trainer is something I would expect. After all, they are meant to last all night, a daunting task. And if all you and your child have experienced are ultra-thin disposables, then naturally there will be some adjustment. As long as the pants fit and keep the sheets dry, I’m happy. It’s a plus that Super Undies colors and prints offered aren’t babyish at all and appeal to toddlers and older children.

Personally, I think these pants are very cute and look forward to picking out a few more for her.

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DURABILITY: Here’s the Super Undies warranty: “We are committed to making a product that will stand the test of time. Our standard warranty covers all parts of the garment for 60 days, but beyond that Super Undies services their products. Pertinent pieces of the Super Undies pants can be repaired free of charge for the life of the product.” The only change I’ve noticed after washing and using our Super Undies are loose threads/fringe around the edges of the cotton soaker. But it hasn’t affected performance, and nothing is coming loose.

VALUE: With the $100 we spent on disposable pull-ups, I could have bought 3 pairs of Super Undies and saved myself (and Susanna) a lot of time and hassle. Changing and washing sheets every day gets really old! Lesson learned. I will be adding a few more to our stash (just found two of them on a cloth diaper swap site today), because I have two more children (Erik and Ingrid) to go. The investment will be well worth it. If the price still seems daunting, then you might try starting with just one pair and then add one or two more over time, or do like I did and buy used. Compared with other nighttime pants on the market, Super Undies are priced very fairly.

You can purchase Super Undies directly from their website. Follow on Facebook for news, sales and promos!

Giveaway CLOSED Super Undies is giving away one pair of nighttime pants in a gender neutral color. Winner chooses size. Enter to win below and good luck!

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