Guest Review (Valerie P.): Happy Heinys OS (Aplix)

Diaper:  Happy Heinys One Size - $18.95 (This price includes one large and one small micro fiber insert each)

Materials:  Outer is 100% poly laminated, inner is custom milled fleece. Inserts are micro-fiber.

Fit:  8 - 35 lbs.

How it works:  Happy Heinys are a traditional pocket diaper. The back of the shell is open to allow “stuffing” of inserts. Happy Heinys have traditionally included aplix closures; recently the company released snap closures (though that's not what is being reviewed).

Thoughts from Valerie P.:

Aesthetics -  Happy Heineys have covered the color spectrum. They offer 22 different colors ranging from vibrants to pastels; additionally the company offers several fun prints (ie cow print and silly monkeys). These diapers are cute, no doubt about it – a fun break from the traditional pale blue or yellow offered from other brands.

Functionality - Happy Heinys function basically like any other pocket diaper on the market. Some things to note

Fit:  These diapers are big with a capital LARGE. There is no way this diaper, even snapped to it's smallest setting, would fit my tiny little girl. Even when I used these diapers on my son, up until he was potty-trained, I never needed the largest size. Granted I have small-sized kiddos but at age 2 my son should have been getting close to the large end of the scale. Others I know have used this diaper well past the 35 lbs mark – with multiple inserts. What does this mean for you? Not a good diaper to start on a itty-bitty but an excellent choice if you have larger sized kids, have a late potty-trainer or have a super-heavy wetter. 

Inserts:  Happy Heinys use a specially shaped insert that is tapered in the middle. I assume this is to match the shape of baby. The odd thing is that the diaper itself isn't tapered – not as much as the hourglass shaped insert would imply. Truthfully the “tapered” look on the diaper comes from longer tabs than from a skinnier middle section. Why does this matter? It just seems to make diaper laundry a little more time consuming. 

Tabs:  These diapers have large tabs for a comfy fit for baby. The downside? Chubby toddler hands have a much easier time grabbing and yanking on the tabs than other diapers. If your little one likes to play “Take Off My Diaper” you can expect a naked baby...or worse a yucky mess.

Durability -  The diaper and insert have held up well over the course of use; I have some Happy Heinys I've used for over eighteen months. My issues are mainly with the fleece inner-lining and the aplix closures. I found the fleece “pilled” over time and started looking old before diaper was actually old. It also wasn't as soft once it pilled. Not a terrible problem but still a bummer. I'm not a fan of aplix closures. Actually that's a lie; I can't stand aplix. It's not designed for the long-haul and for almost $20 a diaper I want something that will last. Happy Heineys aplix closures are no different. The tab closures don't stay on the laundry tabs and tangle in the wash. Over time the tabs lost their “stickiness” and just don't stay closed well. Here's the good news: if your diaper is older than 3 months (and therefore outside the warranty for the aplix) you can send it to Happy Heinys and they will replace the aplix with snaps for FREE! 

Initially I was set to give this diaper a C – not a bad diaper but certainly possessing enough faults to exclude it from my list of “must-haves”. And had Happy Heinys not recently changed some things the grade would have stood. However I'm willing to give them another try – the snap closure version of the diaper is a HUGE improvement and solves my biggest issues with the diaper. Not only does that eliminate aplix but it should also make it more difficult for baby to remove his/her own diaper. I also love the customer service; any company who looks out for my well-being at the expense of their pocket-book will get another shot from me any day. With all this new information taken into consideration I'd have to give this diaper a B+ : functional, super cute prints, adequate durability. What keeps me from giving an A? The price of this diaper is a little high when compared to other diapers I like better. Nonetheless Happy Heinys is definitely a diaper to keep in my stash and use in regular rotation.

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A big thank you to Valerie P. for being our first guest blogger.  Yay!!!  Neither Natalie or me own a Happy Heinys diaper so we are thrilled to have someone come on and review it for us.  Valerie helped me in my journey to cloth diapering, and answered my gazillion questions so I value her opinion greatly.  Thanks, Valerie!  -Amanda-