If you’ve been reading styleberryBLOG for a while, you know I am a minimalist when it comes to baby stuff. Not baby clothes, but baby stuff. ;) Cloth diapers are no different. I want a simple stash. Not too many brands. Nothing complicated. I need it to be simple & efficient. Just like everything else in my house.
I have been a fiercely loyal FuzziBunz One Size diaper user since I began cloth diapering almost two years ago. They are my everyday workhorse diaper. I never thought I would find anything that I liked as much, nor was I willing to invest the time, energy & money into finding another product if the one I was using fit all my needs. But there was one need that the FuzziBunz could not meet: morphing into a diaper I could use when I was traveling & did not have access to a washing machine. I tried the Flip Hybrid Diaper (and wrote all about it here) & was just not happy with the results. So I asked the super helpful group of cloth diapering mamas over on my styleberry facebook page what they were using when they traveled. & boy did they deliver. (thank you!!!!)
I decided, in a matter of hours, that I was going to give the GroVia Hybrid Diaper a try. I liked what I saw & needed something, quickly. I called Liz at Go, Baby, Go! & was able to go pick a couple up right away. She is here in San Antonio (but you can order online) & she offers a 10% military discount! So, after a few weeks of putting this diaper through the ringer & using it WITH my FuzziBunz stash (not instead of it) I have quite a few things to share. I really like it. Here’s the scoop:
WHAT IS GROVIA?
GroVia is a brand of cloth diapers. There are many different styles under the GroVia brand. I am going to talk about GroVia’s Hybrid diaper. Specifically the GroVia Shell Snap Closure.
[you are looking at the snap sizing system & the snaps that secure the waist]
[the elastic is nice & tight, which I found to be a good thing. also note the two snaps on each tab, allowing for four points of attachment to the waist snaps.]
WHAT IS A GROVIA HYBRID DIAPER?
A GroVia Hybrid Diaper is a diaper with options–both cloth and disposable –with a reusable shell. All of the parts are sold separately, so you can buy what you need to & use it how you want. The company says you should need 2-4 shells per day & I would say that is true. I used each shell about 8 times before washing–which means I can easily get by with just two! I purchased:
- The GroVia Shell Snap Closure (2)- this is a shell only, & it is lined with mesh. It has a snap sizing system, which means it is a “one size” diaper that will fit most babies 10-35lbs. There is a sister product that looks the same but uses velcro. I am just not into using velcro, so I chose to buy the snaps. It is waterproof.
- The GroVia Organic Cotton Soaker Pad (2-packs of two)- this is a CLOTH insert. It has two snaps on the back that allow it to easily snap into place in the shell & stay put. It has a waterproof back. & it is gusseted with cotton. It needs to be primed before use–launder 3-5 times to allow the slick coating to wash off of the cotton & to increase absorbency.
- The GroVia BioSoaker (1-50ct, 1-20ct)- this is a DISPOSABLE insert. It has sticky tabs (much like a maxipad) that are used to stick it into the shell. It is fragrance & dye free, plastic & chlorine free–none of the harsh toxins used in disposable diapers. It is also biodegradable & compostable. My favorite feature: it is gusseted and hugs the baby very well.
HOW DO YOU USE THE SHELL’S SNAPS?
The GroVia Shell Snap Closure is very simple to use. It has a number of sizing options using the snap system.
- LENGTH & LEGS: you can use snaps to lengthen the diaper, making it usable for newborns (of 10lbs) up to toddlers (of 35lbs). I typically do lot like a snap sizing system, but the way this one is designed allows for minimal bulk when sized all the way down. The legs tighten up well, when the snap sizing system is used.
- WAIST: the GroVia has two horizontally placed snaps on each side, allowing for a good secure waist band. The diaper stays put & the tabs can even be folded over one another if you are fitting an infant with a tiny little waist. It is elasticized in the back.
HOW DO YOU CARE FOR THE SHELL?
GroVia recommends washing your shell like you would any cloth diaper. I highly recommend using Rockin Green Cloth Diaper Detergent (I use Hard Rock, Rage Against the Raspberries). If you need some help learning how to wash cloth diapers, be sure to check out the “how do you wash them” section of my post: Cloth Diapering for the Modern Mom. GroVia recommends line drying and the shell should dry completely within 2 hours. (great for hand rinsing in a hotel, then hang drying).
HOW WELL DOES THE DISPOSABLE BIOSOAKER INSERT WORK?
I am REALLY happy with this product! As you read before, I had a failed attempt at using the G-Diaper Disposable insert with the Flip Diaper. This is a totally different product-leaps & bounds above anything out there. Here why I love the disposable BioSoaker:
- it actually STICKS in the shell. You peel off paper to expose two sticky spots (one in front & one in back) and they stick to the mesh so the insert does not move.
- it has a waterproof back. Unlike the G-Diaper insert, this one will not saturate the reusable shell, because of the waterproof backing. Baby pees & poops, waste goes where it should & shell can be reused.
it has gusseted sides, keeping the crotch area well protected against leaks. What this means is that when you have a big #2 diaper, everything stays on the disposable part & should not touch the reusable shell. We had several giant #2’s & nothing touched the shell. SUCCESS!
HOW WELL DOES THE ORGANIC COTTON SOAKER PAD WORK?
Well. It is absorbent. I like that it, too, has a waterproof back so although it may be saturated, the shell still remains clean & dry. I like that it snaps in & doesn’t move. I like that is it wider in the back than the front, where most of the saturation occurs. I also like that it has gusseted sides.
However, because it is so thick, it does take a long time to dry in the dryer & a couple of days to hang dry inside…at least down here in South Texas where it it fairly humid. When it is wet, it feels wet to the baby because there is nothing (like the fleece on the FuzziBunz) between the saturated pad & the baby. The Soaker Pad does need to be washed 3-5 times prior to use, on hot, and NOT with any other cloth diapers. There is a coating that washes out & maximum absorbency is achieved after about 10 washes.
I did not buy this diaper to use as a true cloth diaper, but I’ll tell you why I would consider it: since there is no fleece protecting the saturated pad from touching the baby, the baby will feel wet. I like this for a toddler who is starting to potty train. I don’t love this for an infant who may sit in it overnight.
THE GROVIA HYBRID VS. THE FLIP HYBRID
These two diapers have the same end goal, but are designed with a few big differences. Here’s what you need to know:
- SIZE: The Flip is long & wide without tight elastic. The Grovia is shorter & narrower and has a nice elastic waist & legs. I prefer, very strongly, the fit of the Grovia. It is a very similar in size & shape to the FuzziBunz One Size diaper.
- WAIST SNAPS: The two waist snap systems are very different. The Flip diaper uses the BumGenius snap system, and has two vertical snaps that stretch across. The Grovia has two horizontal snaps on each size, giving a much sturdier fit to the waist, as the waist is secured in four separate snap points. I prefer the GroVia based on waist fit.
- SNAP/STICKY ATTACHMENT: My biggest struggle with the Flip was that the disposable insert would not stay put. If I were to use the cloth insert that is sold for the Flip, it does not have any mechanism to secure it either. The GroVia inserts are secured, whether you use the disposable or cloth options. The disposable option sticks after removing two peel off tabs, much like a maxi pad. The Organic Cotton Soaker Pad is secured to the diaper using two snaps, one in front & one in back. It doesn’t move.
DISPOSABLE OPTION: I used the G-Diaper disposable inserts with the Flip & my two complaints were that (1) they did not have a waterproof back, so the pee soaked right through to the liner on to the shell & (2) they were flat & easily bunched up, making it difficult for them to catch a #2 on the insert itself. The GroVia disposable BioSoakers solved both problems: they have a waterproof back, so the urine does not touch the shell even if the pad is saturated and it has gusseted sides with a sticky back, hugging the baby nicely & sticking to the shell so it stays in place.
[behind the GroVia Snap Shell is the Flip diaper on the left & the FuzziBunz One Size diaper on the right. The GroVia is almost the exact same size & shape as the FuzziBunz OS]
USING GROVIA WITH FUZZIBUNZ
I have been able to nicely combine the two brands to make a very versatile stash, with many options. Here is how I have experimented:
- FuzziBunz OneSize shell (nothing stuffed in the pocket) + a GroVia Disposable BioSoaker stuck to the fleece. This worked nicely & worked a lot like the GroVia shell. Might eliminate the need to buy the GroVia shells if you need this temporarily–but it is trickier to wash the FuzziBunz shells because I think it is more difficult to wash waste out of the fleece than out of the GroVia mesh if there is a little accident & you do not have access to a washing machine. GroVias are easier to wash in a sink.
- FuzziBunz OneSize shell + one FuzziBunz microfiber insert + one GroVia Organic Cotton Soaker Pad for double stuffing overnight. This worked better for us than two FuzziBunz microfiber inserts for heavy wetting overnight. *be sure to put the GroVia soaker pad BEHIND the FuzziBunz microfiber insert–as the GroVia has a waterproof back that nothing soaks through!
WHY WOULD I USE A HYBRID DIAPER?
Like we talked about with The Flip, you might want to use a hybrid diaper:
- when you are traveling & do not have access to laundry facilities
- when you are traveling & do not want to carry the bulk that comes with a CD stash
- when a friend or babysitter is watching your CD’d baby–this way they can throw the mess away!
- for a daycare that will not take CD kiddos
- for when you (oopsie) run out of CDs because you forgot to do laundry :x
- for moms or dads who are not yet ready to make the full plunge to CDing, but are looking for something inbetween CDs & disposables
- for parents who work outside the home, who cannot wrap their heads around another couple loads of laundry per week, but still want something other than a typical disposable diaper
- for moms who cannot convince dad that CDing is the way to go…& needs something to break him in ;)
WRAPPING UP
A couple more innovative uses:
- as a SWIM diaper! I use the shells, prefer the GroVia, as a nice diaper to put on the baby for the pool. (no inserts)
- I have also heard that these make great training pants for your potty training toddler.
You should also know that GroVia is having a promotion right now where you can buy 3 shells and get 1 FREE through April 30th! Might want to jump in & take advantage of the sale!!
If you have anything more to add about your favorite Cloth Diaper for traveling, please share as a comment! If I missed something or need correction, please don’t be shy–I learn SO much from all of you. I’d love to hear what you have to say!
VIDEOS
Ohhkay. Some of you requested video to go along with this post, so I brushed off my point & shoot’s dust & broke it out to film a few things. You will find three separate videos of three separate topics. Hope they are helpful & thank you for all your support of styleberryBLOG & the styleberry YOUTUBE channel!
THE GROVIA REVIEW by styleberry
THE GROVIA VS. THE FLIP HYBRID DIAPER by styleberry
USING GROVIA WITH FUZZIBUNZ FOR A VERSATILE CLOTH DIAPERING EXPERIENCE by styleberry