Hybrid cloth diapers are an excellent system from an economical, space-saving and diversity perspective.
I’ve recently been discussing what a Hybrid Fitted is which is entirely different from the Hybrid system.
Hybrid cloth diapers consist of a PUL shell and an absorbency piece that is changed out. This absorbency piece can vary from a snap-in or lay-in insert, prefold or disposable insert. The PUL shell can also double as a cover over fitted cloth diapers.
Hybrids are economical because you are not paying for an entire diaper each time. You buy a few shells that you rotate throughout the day and the n0-frills inserts of your choice.
They are space-saving because inserts are trim and the covers are practically flat. This makes the Hybrid system great for traveling.
The diversity of a Hybrid system is experienced when you use the shell as a cover fitteds or underwear during potty training or place a disposable insert inside.
Two very popular shell/insert cloth diaper systems are Flip Diapers and Best Bottom Diapers.
**** Edited to add: Please excuse my full-term pregnant brain!! Best Bottom Diapers are not considered a true hybrid but rather and AI2. A hybrid is one in which the company also makes a disposable insert. That would include Flip Diapers, GroVia and gDiapers. However, Best Bottoms can still be used as a hybrid system by using another brand of disposable inserts in the shell. ****
Gwen recently asked via comment:
Hi I have a couple questions I’m having another baby in February this will be my 3rd child and I’m planning on doing cloth I’m going for hybrid because that’s what will be easier for my husband and I both but every time I go to order I end up stuck between flips and best bottoms and cant make up my mind and there really are no bad reviews on either the only difference I see is one insert snaps in and one doesn’t and flips are almost 4 dollars cheaper a piece I’m planning on buying around 12 new inserts and then a bunch prefolds cause I can buy them used down the street from me but cant seem to pick a shell… any suggestions and any ideas on how many I need I don’t want to be stuck with no clean diapers and don’t want to have to keep buying more
This is a great question. I really hate trying to pick between two seemingly equally good candidates.
Both brands have several benefits.
Pros of Best Bottom Diapers:
- Cute prints and contrasting color/piping combos
- Leg gussets
- Tight fit
- Double layer of PUL
- Made in the USA
- Snap for insert prevents bunching
- 4 rise settings
Pros of Flip Diapers:
- Great stretch allowing for wider fit range
- Wide range of colors
- Flexible PUL fabric
- 1 Year Warranty & 30-day Money Back Guarantee
- Comfy butterfly closure
Differences in price:
- Flip- covers $13.95, stay-dry inserts $4.95, organic inserts $7.95 Flip Diapers Day Pack: 2 covers + 6 stay-dry inserts = $49.95
- Best Bottom- covers $16.95, stay-dry $3.95, organic inserts $5.95, overnight inserts $6.95
Recommended number of shells and inserts is 8-10 shells and 18-24 inserts (via Best Bottom Diapers). I’d agree with that recommendation. If you are cloth diapering more than one child you would need to add more.
So far, nothing I have written is going to help Gwen make a decision.
My personal experience has me leaning towards Flip Diapers. The reason is fit. Best Bottom Diapers do not stretch at all and have a short rise. I love the flexibility, stretch and diversity of Flip covers.
Yes, Best Bottom covers have a snap which keeps the insert in place and the leg gussets for extra protection. But, honestly those key characteristics can’t overcome the smaller fit and inability to fit over a wide variety of diapers. Covers in my stash need to be multifunctional.
Flip covers also have a couple of cons: poop smells tend to linger if you hand wash and after using them extensively on my very skinny Sterling and having to always pull tight the elastic did loosen quite a bit. But, with the excellent Seconds sales and other sales that Cottonbabies offers it makes it easy to replace your stash on the cheap! (click banner to check out the inventory still available in the seconds sale!)
Both brands can be used successfully overnight. With Flip Diapers double up the inserts or lay 2 Hemp Babies under the stay-dry insert for a trimmer fit. With Best Bottom a hemp overnight under the stay-dry is highly absorbent.
I hope this helps you in choosing which Hybrid system you will go with.
Autumn is a wife, mother, homeschool teacher, friend and most important a follower of Christ.
Mary says
I love my flips. I have been using them on my son for 7 months now and they work great. Overnight I just throw a second pre fold in there. I haven’t used their inserts because the pre folds have worked so well. I never tried another brand because the flips work well. I have used them since he was born with no fitting problems 7lbs 14 Oz.
Mary says
I have BestBottoms and a baby with a long rise, and they barely fit. I like that they snap in, though, and now that he is getting so much more mobile and difficult to change, it is great to have the inserts that snap in!! Putting a cover with trifolded prefold on him right now is like torture because he is so wiggly. This is why I bought the BestBottoms instead of Flips because I remember going through this with my older son – I had to change him standing up for about a year when he refused to lie down. I figured I would be able to do this with Best Bottoms since they snap in!
Sierra says
Neither of theses systems will work with a newborn. As an fyi, I really like the look of softbums but I haven’t use any of these 3 systems. I used GroVia with my first. I really did like them but I think they are too expensive for how easily the velcro gives out. I also don’t think they are the best cover if you want to also use prefolds in them.
i would agree that 8 covers with 20-30 inserts should be good for most stages of babyhood. When the start fitting an EBF baby may still have too loose of stool for a AI2 system to reuse the covers. Might be best getting those prefolds and snappi them on until it get less frequent and harden.
Hannah says
I have both flip and bb. I hate the flip covers and rarely use them. BB are my go to diapers and fit my small 2 year old great. I often use my flip inserts in other covers though.
Jessica says
I’m new to CD-ing and I’m confused how this is different from the AI2s like Ragababe?
Autumn Beck says
Best Bottoms are not different system-wise from Ragababe 2-steps :) I edited my post to clarify my preggo brain fogginess.
anna says
I really love my grovia ai2’s. I didn’t like flips because the insert would bunch and move around. Best bottoms are ok but if you have a chunky legged baby they can cause red marks. They also are stiff and not streatchy at all which I hated. I know you didn’t mention them but I would suggest the grovias over either of the other brands of ai2’s.
Sierra says
How do you find the flip cloth inserts stay in place in the covers?
Heidi says
I have both and prefer Flip covers. I don’t use the Flip inserts, prefolds instead. I almost never use my BB covers because I hate the short rise on the snap version and don’t really like the stiff velcro on that version. And they don’t work well over a prefold. I end up using my BB inserts inside Grovia covers. So far I haven’t found any hybrid system to be perfect.
Windi says
I also love Flips (and BG products in general), but one thing to keep in mind (IMO) is they don’t fit younger/smaller babies well- we found they didn’t really work for us until at least 12lbs (but more like 14lbs).
Rachael says
I’ve never used either flip or bb. I have bummis and thirsties and like both. I like the bummis because they are sized, whereas the thirsties have two sizes, and a snap down rise.
Everytime I trifold a prefold or fold a flat into a cover and put it on, the prefold or flat always gets bunched up, the cover folds in, and Little Boy’s belly gets all red and irritated from the velcro. Might be just my boy’s shape and/or activity level. But if I actually put the prefold or flat (or fitted, etc) on him, with pins or snappie, everything stays in place much better. That would lean me towards a cover that lets inserts snap in, in general.
Mel gil says
I should add that I use the bb inserts in my flip diaper for a more trim fit.
Mel gil says
I have used both flip and bb. I swapped my bb cover for flip cover. I held onto the bb inserts though. The bb diapers leaked poo up the back. We have only had two poo leaks with flip in the 7 months we have been using them, but bb’s leaked up the back every time. I also thought bb were too stiff. I like that the flip diaper has a flap in front and in back of the shell. I had a h/l bb shell, the h/l was very stiff/ridged, my son always had a deep red mark when he would sit up from the diaper digging into his tummy. The flip diaper is a lot more flexible and moves with baby.
Traci C. says
I like Best Bottoms because the inserts come in different sizes. The flip inserts are ginormous (huge) and when you fold them down to fit a baby they are pretty bulky. I hate bulk. The best bottom inserts are sized, so you can buy small ones that fit great on babies, and move up to medium or large inserts for your toddler. The BB inserts offer more flexibility since there are microfiber ones, hemp/cotton ones, and overnight ones, plus doublers. The hemp/cotton ones absorb a ton.
Now with all this being said, I do like the Flip covers better for fit since they do stretch a bit and aren’t quite as stiff. So I wish I could use Best bottom inserts in a Flip cover. They won’t snap in, but it might be okay. I like the inserts snapping in so they don’t move around in the cover. :)
Kristina says
I’m on the BB side of things. I have used BB from about 10 lbs. My baby is a little thing, 17lbs at a year, and she’s not yet on the highest rise setting. She has never had a poop blow-out with BB covers, where my backup Flip covers have blown out, esp. with an insert instead of a prefold. The leg gussets on the BBs sell me I think, as they fit so well around her little legs. However, if I had a bigger baby, I would probably feel differently.
I use the BB covers with the MF inserts, the hemp inserts, and prefolds. We mostly used prefolds before she started solids, as they extra folds around the legs kept the poo from getting on the fabric edges of the covers. Now we use the hemp inserts the most. I love them! Oh, and the BB inserts fit nicely inside the Flip covers too, and I haven’t had any bunching, so I agree that the snaps aren’t indespensible.
Robyn says
I use Flips also and love them! They are my favorites, now granted, I do not have very many types or brands of cloth diapers, but I love these even more than the pockets I have. The fit really is great – fits my skinny little boy and is not bulky at all, so doesn’t take up much space in the drawer. I have a number of various brands of inserts and prefolds that all fit very well and I have no problem with the inserts moving around (so I don’t think a snap is necessary). I was fortunate enough to get them on a Cottonbabies sale for buy 2 get one free, so I got 3 for $27!! One thing also is that they do not stain! I didn’t have a lot to work with, so bought Econobum, which work well, but the white inner lining stains from poo. I have never had to sun my Flips – they stay so clean. Best part is that they are one-size, so I can hang onto them (hopefully) til my LO is out of diapers!
Elizabeth says
I have always loved the flips, and have tried the Best Bottoms. The print was adorable, and I expected it to be one of my favs, since it does have the two gussets. Unfortunately, I was not impressed with the fit, and as Autumn said, it was especially bad with my little skinnys. Good luck finding what you want! I always say try both, because every kid is different. What I like with my first I hated with my second.
judi says
I have one flip cover and it doesn’t fit over all of my fitted diapers. I’ve never tried best bottoms so I can’t compare but if you wanted to add that versatility that’s a factor to consider.
Cara says
I have not tried Best Bottoms, but I do have a large Flip collection & LOVE them!!! I’m obsessed with my latest purchase, the “Albert” print. Only wish Cottonbabies had more prints for boys.
My biggest reason for loving the Flip system is we have never had a leak using the organic Flip prefolds in a Flip cover! Just last night I was out of covers and had to put my 13 month old in a Seventh Generation overnight diaper, of course he woke up today 45 minutes earlier than usual soaking wet & cold from head to toe :( Overnight we always use 1 organic cotton Flip prefold & 1 Hemp Babies size L diaper doubler in a Flip cover. Our very heavy wetter has never leaked with this system.
I have never tried the stay dry Flip inserts because I had bad luck with stink with my Bumgenius 4.0 pockets which have the same synthetic insert material. I also have never tried the disposable inserts because we just use Seventh Generation disposables in a pinch, although that is rare.
Mandy F says
I like the cuteness and snap-ins of the BB, but found the covers stiff. The breaker for me was the laminate of the PUL right against my LO’s skin. Yes, it allows for wiping between uses, but it also made him instantly sweary where it touched. I don’t like how the inserts can bunch and move with Flips, but they are soft, very adjustible, fit well, and usually don’t allow the laminate side to touch the skin. Prefolds probably wouldn’t bunch as badly. I prefer Thirsties Duo inserts in my hybrid shells. I like the snap together, stay-dry features, and they seem to do better with not bunching than some other things I’ve tried.
Jennifer says
I’ve wanted to like best bottoms but they just don’t fit my baby well. She was over 20lbs at her 6 month checkup and has been on the largest rise setting on her flips for several months now. She’s 7 1/2 months now. I finally tried another best bottom and is just too short for her :(. We love the fit of our flip covers and I think they are the softest that I’ve seen.
Karen C. says
I have never tried the Flip diapers (don’t love the BG diapers I have used/tried, and I think it is the same company). I do have one Best Bottom diaper and three stay dry inserts. The thing that I like about the Best Bottom is the wipe clean inside. I used to own a GroVia and it was very similar, except that with the mesh inside it really needed to be hung dry between uses and washed if poop got on to the cover. I have, in a pinch, just wiped the BB cover with a wet wipe and put in a new insert. I rarely grab for this diaper as just a cover, but I have a bunch of Thirsties that I love for that. The prints at BB are really cute and as my little guy is outgrowing a part of his stash, I am wondering if I want to add a few more of these into our diapering stash. I guess I will also take another look at Flip diapers to see if they seem like they will hold up better than the BG pocket diaper that I have.
Karen C. says
Oh, and I have a BB with snaps. Good to know that the Velcro is icky (that is one of my gripes about BG, too).
Courtney Roybal says
Try the BG snaps. They are one of my favorite diapers, I agree that BG doesn’t have the best hook and loop.
Rachel says
I have only used Flip but I love them. The covers are my absolute favorite after wool an they can be used with a wide variety of insets, fitted or prefolds. My vote is for Flips!
Erika says
I have one Best Bottom and I hardly use it because the Velcro is terrible quality. It sticks ok but collects a lot of lint in the wash and warps its shape quickly. I can’t remember if it has a laundry tab- if it does, it doesn’t work very well. I reach for this diaper last! I will say that the hemp insert is very absorbent though.
Melissa says
I love my flip covers. I don’t have any of the best bottoms but I will sat I have never had a leak with my flips. I love the flaps to tuck the pre fold under. I use the flip cover for the overnight cause I know it will hold better then the other covers I have.
Courtney Roybal says
I agree with the flips only because I have one cover as of recently but am a big cotton babies fan most of my stash is a mix of cotton babies brands. I have not tried best bottom but I wanted to in the past, I do have the grovia hybrids and they snap in like the best bottoms. I usually use whatever insert I chose typically a flat in my grovias and my husband always grabs the snap-in inserts he likes them I’m nt a huge fan of snapping : / lazy more than anything I think.
Oh but I just remembered I do have best bottom inserts and those thing soak so much and are very trim!