Bumgenius 4.0 Review, Comparison to 3.0 & Giveaway (CLOSED)

I don't usually post giveaways on the weekends, since the internet is closed on weekends and all.  <----According to my Aunt Becky.  <----Not my real Aunt.  I'm going to be a daredevil and do it anyway!

I forewarn you that this post has a lot of yapping and a lot of pictures.  If you want to skip over all my blah blah blah and go right to winning the two diapers above, head to the bottom of the post!

So, before I get started, I'll say I'm underwhelmed.  I'm quite happy about the improved Velcro, but we'll have to see how it pans out in the long run.  I said before and I'll say it again that I think Cottonbabies shot themselves in the foot by making such a big hoopla over such silliness.  If they had just said that a 4.0 was coming out and would incorporate some of the things we asked for, great.  I would have been anxiously awaiting the announcement and ready to buy.

Instead, they were super secretive, leading to all sorts of speculation, insinuating that the "new" product was going to be totally different.  They got their wish, with over a thousand You Tube subscribers on their brand new channel before the announcement was even made.  I'm sure their sales were huge, and their website was a mess with all the ordering going on.

That said, I won't bite again.  They've cried wolf in my eyes.  The next time they say they have some great new thing, I'll just roll my eyes and go about my day.  I'll assume it's a 5.0 with a 4th snap setting and some prints or something.

So here's what was new:

1. 
   
   Slightly larger to fit bigger babies.
2. 
   
   Improved Velcro and laundry tabs.
3. 
   
   Snap closure option.
4. 
   
   More easily replaceable elastic.
5. 
   
   3 extremely pale pastels.  Noodle (yellow), sweet (green) and bubble (lavender.)

I bought myself a 4.0 in Velcro in the "sweet" color.  A winner gets the same, plus a snap closure 4.0 in the "noodle" color.  I didn't buy myself a snap closure diaper, so there's no detailed review of it.  However, as you can see above, it looks nearly identical to the Flip.

I suspected that the sizing would be very similar to the flip, and it appears I was right.

As you can see in the above pictures, the colors (can't speak about "bubble" since I didn't buy one) are extremely light.  It almost gives me a headache to try to focus on the color because they are nearly white.  They almost look like an item made of two different fabrics that start out the same color, but wear differently over time.  Then after a while, they are slightly off. 

As you can see here, the contrast to something white (white paper, the white Velcro, white inner etc.) is what makes the diaper not look totally white.

The story is that "so many" parents were asking for lighter colors that wouldn't show through newborn clothing.  I have never heard anyone say that, just people asking for brights and prints!  I guess I don't understand why they didn't just buy white then?  This is so light, you can see the insert and the insert's tag through it!

I find the color names to be a bit confusing also.  I already had a hard time remembering which blue and green were which. I definitely agree that descriptive color names like chocolate, root beer, platinum, cherry, raspberry, watermelon and the like, are more appealing.  However, it's also very easy to imagine what color you're getting based on the name.  In fact, I would expect that root beer and chocolate may be slightly different colors!  Noodle?  Sweet?  Bubble?  What the heck!  I had to check 3 times before I ordered to try to make sure I knew what I was getting.  That was especially difficult since the website was barely working and most of the images weren't appearing.

OK now I have to apologize in advance for using a 9 month old diaper in my comparison shots, it's kinda gross.  But, it also lets you see what a Bumgenius 3.0 looks like after 9 months!  Plus, if I had bought a new one just for this comparison, the winner wouldn't be getting two diapers.

I had a very tough time photographing the change to the elastic.  it's very hard to see in the photo, but in the 3.0, there is a horizontal line of stitching at the end of the elastic.

Can you see it?  Yeah, me neither.  But it's there.  I just can't get a good photo of it.

The 4.0 doesn't have that additional stitching, which I suppose, in theory, makes elastic replacement easier.  If you do that kind of stuff, which I don't!  Phew.  That was a mouthful.

This was the improvement I was happiest about.  The biggest problems I have with the BG are the stinky microfiber, (easily remedied with an occasional dab of bleach with the inserts only-sorry to the bleach haters, but it works) the &^%^* laundry tabs and resulting curling closure tabs, and all the snagging that ends up on the front of the diapers.

A lot of people end up doing a snap conversion when the tabs bite the dust, especially since their little ones are discovering the joy of rrriippppp-ing the Velcro around that time anyway.  You can also buy refresher kits from Cottonbabies and replace them, but I'm no seamstress.  We prefer Velcro at our house because it's easy and very adjustable.  We just can't go pants-less with them anymore! 

The closures didn't stick to the old laundry tabs very well.  The new laundry tabs actually have the Velcro loop for the tabs to stick on to.  They are quite soft, so I really don't think they would irritate baby's skin.

Hanging the shells to dry seems to do a lot to preserve the life of both the closures and the elastic.  However, if the tabs don't stick well, they will still snag other diapers in the washer.

So what about the sizing change?  I think the changes are subtle.  I'm sure there will be a few people that will have problems with the new sizing, but I may not have noticed without a comparison.  The overall length/rise of the diaper is slightly larger, but it seems the front/wings of the diaper saw the biggest change.  I do think the fit seems to be very close to the Flip. 

I wondered what the size change would mean for the small setting, since a 4th/newborn rise snap wasn't added.  The changes seem slight enough that I don't think they will make much difference for most people.  We started out at about 14 pounds on the medium setting, and I've heard people say they don't start to fit well until around 10 pounds.  So, most people will need to have some newborn diapers anyway.  *shrug*  edit: It took me a while to notice, but the rise snap was moved down slightly on the 4.0, I suppose to make up for the larger size.

Next I compared each size setting on the 3.0 vs 4.0.  This of course isn't an exact science, but I measured each diaper folded, then stretched.  This is a little subjective since depending on just how you flatten/stretch it, measurements can vary a bit.  But, it should give you an idea!

3.0, small setting, folded.

4.0, small setting, folded.

3.0, small setting, stretched.

4.0, small setting, stretched.

4.0 small vs. 3.0 small.

3.0, medium, folded.

4.0, medium, folded.

3.0, medium, stretched.

4.0, medium, stretched.

4.0 medium vs. 3.0 medium.

3.0 large, folded.

4.0, large, folded.

3.0, large, stretched.

4.0, large, stretched.

4.0 large vs. 3.0 large.

I really don't mean to sound like "sour grapes."  In the end, I still like Bumgenius one-size pocket diapers.  They are always the first hubby or I reach for.  They fit well, they are super easy to use and they simply don't leak.  They have their faults like any other diaper, but nothing that would keep me from using them.

Both Rumparooz and Smartipants are coming out with new/improved products over the next few months.  Neither company has given any clue as to what the changes will be, but I'm excited to find out.  Neither has sent a dramatic email saying with "heavy hearts" that they are "discontinuing" their "highly acclaimed" diapers.  While that technically was true, (3.0s were discontinued in favor of the 4.0s) it was misleading.  Yes, they wanted to create the upset of people thinking the new product was completely different because it got them talking and tuning in.  If they had simply stated that they were 4.0s, people wouldn't have been quite as anxious to hear the news.  Alas, customers are fickle and want to be valued and appreciated, not taunted and told to "breathe" or "take a bubble bath."  Cottonbabies wouldn't so much as reassure people that the diapers they loved would still be around, reinforcing the fear that the new product was a big change.

Some people said they had to just be 4.0s.  Others said there was no way they would make such a big deal of a new product if it wasn't something really good.  In the end, we were just taken on a wild ride.  The media circus was totally unwarranted, and I know I'm not the only one who was let down by the non-news.  The whole thing smacked of the neener neener "I-I have a se-cret and I ca-an't tell youuuuu" that I'd expect to hear on a playground. 

4.0, medium setting, ~17.5 lbs

3.0, medium setting, taken the same day as the above

The only appreciable difference to me right now (since only time will tell if the new Velcro is any better) is a slight funky-ness to the elastic placement.  I guess it's from the wider wings?  I noticed it as I was photographing the diapers, but thought it might just be the way it was sitting.  If you look at the 4.0, the elastic stops much further down on his leg.  I may just need to get used to pulling the new, wider wings more firmly or something, I dunno.  edit: I think the difference might be due to the rise snap being moved down slightly.

Flip, medium setting, taken the same day as the other 2 photos.

This diaper is not white.  Okkaaaayyy...

Wait for it...

Riiiiippp...

Leaves little to the imagination, LOL

Lucky they make a good diaper because I hold a grudge.

So, want to win one two Bumgenius 4.0 diapers?

One lucky winner will receive a Bumgenius 4.0 diaper in white "sweet" (pale, pale green) with a Velcro closure (exactly like the one I reviewed.)  That same lucky duck will also receive a Bumgenius 4.0 in off white "noodle" (pale, pale yellow) in snap closure.

Here's how to enter:

You may do some or all of the below.  Leave a separate comment for each entry.  Please be sure to leave your email address in at least one of your comments, if it isn't visible in your profile.  I have to have a way to contact you if you win!  You may enter it in the format of name at host dot com.

1. Leave me a comment.  Anything you like.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

2. Follow this blog

3. "Like" me on Facebook

4. Follow me on Twitter

5. Tweet about this giveaway and be sure to link back to this post.  One tweet per day please.  Use this tweet if you like @chgdiapers has a #giveaway for two @Bumgenius 4.0 #clothdiapers ending 7/28 http://bit.ly/9hDJPE

6. Blog about this giveaway and link back to the post.

7. Share this blog or giveaway somehow.  See the stack of "share the love" icons on the left of the page.  You can use the StumbleUpon, Digg, Reddit, Facebook or Delicious icons if you have account there, you can post about this in your Facebook status (@Fitteds and Pockets and Snappis, oh my! if you do that and please link to this blog post.)  You can tell a friend via email, post on a cloth diapering board or group, "Favorite" my blog on Technorati or even vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs - Mom Blog Directory I'm not picky, just share with someone you think might be interested!  This is going on the honor system, just leave me a comment telling me what you did to share.

This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only.  Sorry Canadians, but I don't know all the rules for giveaways in Canada, and I don't look good in stripes.  ;-)

I'll accept entries until Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 9 P.M. Eastern.  I'll choose a winner with random.org's true random number generator and notify the winner by email (as well as posting it on a blog post.)  The winner will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is chosen.

The diapers pictured are in hand and are the diapers you will receive.