Review of Bare & Boho V3 One Size Nappy (and a discount!)
When I first saw Bare & Boho reusable nappies on Instagram, it was love at first sight! But there is no use buying a load of beautiful nappies if they don’t also perform well, especially when they are some of the more expensive options out there. To help you decide whether these gorgeous Aussie fluffs are worth your hard-earned money, I’ve reviewed them in detail.
I’ve used Bare & Boho nappies for over a year - originally the version 2, but more recently the version 3, which is the latest version of the nappy. I’ll be reviewing the version 3 today, but some version 2 nappies are still available preloved, so if you want to know how they differ, take a look at ‘Recent Changes’ below. If my opinions change over time I’ll update this post to let you know.
Summary
Type: All-in-two
Absorbent material: hemp and cotton or bamboo with polyester fleece
Reliability: Excellent
Slimness: Reasonably slim
Size: Slightly smaller than average for a birth-to-potty nappy
Drying time: Slightly slower than average
Natural? Yes. The bamboo insert has a layer of fleece but otherwise natural.
Ethical? Yes. Ethically manufactured and Sedex certified.
The facts
The Bare & Boho One Size Nappy is an all-in-two reusable nappy that’s made up of a PUL waterproof cover and snap-in soaker pad. There are two soaker types available - one that’s 55% hemp and 45% cotton, and the other where the soaker is 70% bamboo viscose and 30% cotton with a layer of polyester stay-dry on top. As with any all-in-two, if the cover isn’t dirty when you come to change the nappy, you can simply switch out the soaker and/or booster, both of which you can purchase separately. The nappy uses a popper (snap) closure.
The nappies are sold in packs of three for £49.95 (hemp) or £46.95 (bamboo), and the soaker pads are sold separately. The hemp soaker retails for £8.50 and the bamboo for £7.50. There are also two nighttime trifold inserts that retails for £9.95, and add additional absorbency if you want to use your nappies overnight. You can get 5% off these prices if you buy at Real Nappy Life.
These birth-to-potty nappies have three rows of rise snaps and are designed to fit from 8lbs - 35lbs (8kg - 16kg). A mini version is also available for newborns.
Bare & Boho recommend washing the cover at 30° and the inserts at 60°. Personally I have never had a problem with PUL degrading when washed at 60°, but be aware that doing this may invalidate the 6 month warranty. The soakers can be tumble dried, though like all nappies tumble drying too regularly may shorten their life.
Recent changes
In 2020 Bare & Boho redesigned their nappies to take customer feedback into account. The main changes for version 3 are:
The cover has more structure and an elongated shape. In particular, the elastics and the tabs are slightly elongated for a better fit over the top of the thighs. There are also panels of soft PUL inside the shell so that less of the waterproof layer sits against baby’s skin.
The inserts are longer and slimmer so lie flatter inside the shell. They’re also less prone to shrinking and bunching up when washing, so fit better in the shell and don’t cause the cover to be misshapen when trying to fit the nappy.
The new version 3 is also less expensive than previous versions (yay!)
What it does well
Absorbency: This is one of the more absorbent daytime nappies I’ve tried, especially considering how trim it is. This excellent absorbency is partly down to the design of the soaker, which feels dense but isn’t bulky. The bamboo version of the soaker isn’t quite as absorbent as the hemp, but is still excellent. I’ve also used these successfully overnight with the nighttime trifold, though I don’t think they would work for very heavy wetting children. While I do love the Bare & Boho soakers, more recently I prefer to use the shells with flat nappies like the Thirsties Hemp Prefold, Wee Impees Hemp Flats, or Bright Bots Cotton Flats, for a similar level of absorbency and faster drying time.
Appearance: The prints are beautiful, and will particularly appeal if you’re into natural and earthy colours which tend to be uncommon in reusable nappies. The nappies are also pretty slim.
Containment: The elastics on the nappy are very effective at containing poos, particularly pre-weaning when babies are prone to poonamis! The fact that the soakers are shaped also helps with containment and can even help to contain poos to the soaker, allowing you to reuse the cover more often. As with any all-in-two, this nappy may look a little intimidating to new cloth nappy users or childcare settings, but in reality it is very straightforward and shouldn’t cause any problems at change time.
Fit: Fit was something that people found difficult about the previous version of the Bare & Boho nappy. It had a tendency to leave red marks on baby’s legs due to the strength of the elastics, and the fact that the insert shrunk caused the front of the nappy to pull down. Bare & Boho have taken this feedback into account in their redesign and I do think this is a much easier nappy to fit. That being said, it does still leave marks on my little one’s legs, though they aren’t angry looking or very red. These ‘sock marks’ are common with reusable nappies, and particularly all-in-two nappies like Bare & Boho. They are fine as long as they fade within half an hour, so I’m not worried about them, but some parents may want something gentler.
What it doesn’t do well
Drying time: The downside of excellent absorbency is that the soaker and booster take a while to dry. We’re in London, in the UK and they took longer than 24 hours to dry indoors. That being said, Bare & Boho is an Aussie brand so has probably been designed with a warmer climate in mind. If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere with sunshine then you’ll likely find the drying time very manageable. Also, Bare & Boho say the soaker and insert can be tumble dried, which is great if you need a clean nappy in a pinch. Though as with all reusable nappies it’s worth limiting tumble drying if you can, as it can wear them faster and isn’t great for the environment. To help with the drying time, I prefer to use flat inserts (like prefolds or flats).
Cost: All of that absorbency comes at a cost, and these aren’t particularly cheap nappies. If you know your little one is an infrequent poo-er, you also have the option of buying only a few full nappies and a bunch of extra soakers, which would work out cheaper. But there are more affordable options out there, which could be worth considering.
You can see me fitting a Bare & Boho nappy in this video:
overall view
This is an excellent nappy, though will only be practical if you are able to wait for it to dry (or you live in a warm climate where drying time is manageable!) That means having the facilities to line or tumble dry, having a large enough stash that you don’t mind waiting longer, or using it alongside faster drying nappies (such as pockets or prefolds). If you already have a fast drying option in your stash, this would be a fantastic addition for situations where you need the assurance of zero leaks - the combination of absorbency and the double gusset makes for one of the most bomb-proof day nappies out there.
My fear for these nappies was that I would just be paying for pretty designs and they wouldn’t perform well. I’m happy to say I’ve been proven wrong! While costly, these nappies are excellently designed and made, and in my opinion, are worth the money.
Personally I prefer the extra absorbency and natural-ness (!) of the hemp insert, but if you want something a little quicker drying, or the stay-dry effect, then the bamboo would be the one to try.
Where to buy
You can get these at Real Nappy Life with 5% off.
I have an ongoing relationship with Real Nappy Life. This nappy was purchased with my own money and the article is not sponsored. This page contains affiliate links, which earn me a little bit of commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
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