Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 Review

Back in April of this year I reviewed the Smart Bottoms Dream diaper, so you might be wondering how it’s possible that there’s already a Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 available just six short months later. The short answer is that it’s because Smart Bottoms really cares. They care about their customers, they care about their fans, and they care about their products. When one of those products just wasn’t performing the way their customers were expecting, they listened. You can scoop yourself up off the floor now! I know, it can be downright shocking to hear of a company that cares so much about their customers’ satisfaction that they gathered feedback, and implemented changes in such a short amount of time. But that’s exactly what Smart Bottoms did when they heard the same concerns over and over about the original Dream diaper (the OG Dream). Now I could break out into a Eurythmics sing off to tell you just how sweet the Dream 2.0 diaper really is, but how about I spare you and just blog about it instead? Is the Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 twice as nice as the original? Absolutely! 

The Details:

The Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 is an all-in-one (AIO) cloth diaper. This means that all the absorbency of the diaper is attached to the waterproof shell of the diaper. The Dream 2.0 has a PUL outer and a 55% hemp/45% organic cotton blend inner and snap in soaker. The inner lining of the shell consists of two layers of hemp/organic cotton, and the soaker consists of four layers of hemp/organic cotton. The soaker snaps into the back of the shell of the Dream 2.0 and can be folded completely in half to create a total of ten layers of hemp/organic cotton. Because the soaker is quite long and snaps in only at the back, it can be folded in different ways to adjust the level of absorbency where your baby needs it most (up front for a boy or in the middle/back for a girl). At the front of the Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 is a reinforced pocket opening. This front opening allows you to add inserts or boosters to increase the absorbency as needed. There’s a wide band of PUL at the back of the diaper, and a wide band of PUL along the front of the diaper. This front band of PUL is sewn to the hemp/organic cotton inner lining preventing it from flipping up or even out of the diaper.

Like other Smart Bottoms AIO diapers, the Dream 2.0 has wide elastics at the leg openings and along the back of the diaper. The elastic at the back of the diaper is encased in the PUL (ie. sewn into a casing), while the leg elastics are not. The leg elastics are sewn into the outside edge of the leg openings without being run through any casing. This gives the leg openings a slight “puffy” appearance. The Dream 2.0 fits babies from 10 to 35+ lbs. It accommodates that range of sizing with a 4×3 snap rise setting on the front of the diaper. The diaper closure is a double row of snaps, with two snaps on each of the tabs.

Smart Bottoms refers to the Dream 2.0 as having a “no prep natural fibre interior”, meaning that it only needs to be washed once after purchasing and then it’s ready to go on the bum. This is a vast improvement over the Smart Bottoms 3.1 AIO which requires six to eight washes to reach its full absorbency.

How the Dream 2.0 Compares to the OG Dream:

The Dream 2.0 is a really big improvement over the OG Dream Diaper, but in order to really explain those differences, it would help if you were already familiar with the OG Dream. If you haven’t tried one of those diapers or you’re not familiar with them, you can read my complete review of the Smart Bottoms OG Dream Diaper here. Let’s start by talking briefly about the problems I had with the OG Dream. First, it’s super narrow through the crotch. Now this might initially seem awesome because less bulk is better, right? In reality, it turns out there’s such a thing as a diaper being too trim. You see, as nice as it is to have a super duper trim diaper, if it’s so narrow that it’s hard to get a great fit around the legs, it’s a problem. Though Petit Prince was well beyond the runny EBF poop days when the OG Dream came out, I could still see how the super narrow crotch of the OG Dream was going to be problematic for runny poops. You need two things to contain runny EBF poops: snug leg openings, and enough surface area to absorb the poop as it trickles towards the edges of the diaper so it can’t escape. Unfortunately, the narrowness of the OG Dream made getting a snug fit around the legs more difficult and didn’t provide nearly enough surface area to keep those EBF poops from creeping outside the diaper around the legs. The narrowness of the OG Dream also meant there was really minimal overall bum coverage. That may be fine for long and lean babies, but really doesn’t work for chunky babies. This is the first change that Smart Bottoms tackled with the Dream 2.0. The Dream 2.0 is a full 1″ wider than the OG Dream. That width wasn’t just added through the crotch of the Dream 2.0 either. The entire diaper shell is 1″ wider. This not only solves the potential runny poop out the leg problem, but it also solves the inadequate bum coverage problem.

I liked that the OG Dream had a pocket opening to allow for the addition of a booster or using the daytime insert in the pocket with the nighttime insert snapped in on top. Unfortunately, that pocket opening just wasn’t finished off as well as it needed to be. The band of PUL at the front of the OG Dream is open at the bottom. By that I mean that it’s just a flap of PUL that’s not tacked or sewn down in any way. As a result, that flap of PUL always wants to flip up and out of the diaper when you go to put the diaper on. I was able to get the hang of it, but it requires altogether too much effort to ensure that PUL flap isn’t hanging out the front of the diaper. The front of the hemp/organic cotton inner of the OG Dream goes up underneath that PUL flap, but also isn’t tacked/or sewn down at all. The front edge of the hemp/organic cotton is serged and has a tendency to roll inward after it’s been washed and dried. It doesn’t help that the tag of the diaper is sewn into that front edge as well, so it tends to roll out of the pocket too. It’s almost as though the pocket opening of the OG Dream is unfinished. Getting that PUL and the hemp/organic cotton to sit properly inside the front of the diaper is a challenge. Smart Bottoms addressed this with the Dream 2.0. The pocket opening of the Dream 2.0 is completely reinforced. The band of PUL is now sewn together with the top edge of the hemp/organic cotton. In the middle of this seam is the pocket opening. The opening itself is well finished with both the hemp/organic cotton and the PUL folded and sewn down neatly around the opening. The opening is still large enough that stuffing an insert or booster into the Dream 2.0 is not difficult, and there’s the added bonus that you can fit many different boosters in the Dream 2.0 now that the whole diaper has been made wider.

As a result of the changes Smart Bottoms made to the Dream 2.0, it does fit larger than the OG Dream. I took my comparison photos before I washed and dried the Dream 2.0 (and of course the OG Dream has been washed and dried many times), so the difference after washing and drying isn’t as significant, but the Dream 2.0 most definitely fits larger than the OG Dream. If you ask me, I think that’s a wonderful thing! Would the Dream 2.0 fit a newborn well? Probably not, but it’s not marketed as a newborn diaper with a starting weight recommendation of 10 lbs.

How It Works:

Now that I’ve covered the changes you can expect in the Dream 2.0, let’s get right into how it works on Petit Prince. Petit Prince is 2 years old (27 months if we’re still counting), around 25-26 lbs, and approximately 35″ tall. I’d call his build long and lean. I want to start with the fit of the Dream 2.0 as that’s the most obvious change from the Smart Bottoms OG Dream diaper. At first, I tried the Dream 2.0 on the medium rise setting as that’s the rise setting he uses on the OG Dream. The fit was okay on this rise setting, but when he was sitting down, I could see he was getting some gaps at the leg openings. I brought the rise down to the small rise setting, and the fit was perfect both standing and sitting. This isn’t the only one size diaper that Petit Prince wears on the smallest rise setting, so if you’re concerned that the Dream 2.0 will be too big for your little one that is under 20lbs, don’t be! He’s wears his diapers on a much smaller setting than other toddlers his age and weight (for reference, he can still fit into size 1 AppleCheeks). The bum coverage with the Dream 2.0 is perfect. I love that both his bum cheeks are covered in their entirety in the Dream 2.0. One thing that I was worried about sacrificing with the Dream 2.0 is the trim fit of the OG Dream. I’m happy to report that just because the Dream 2.0 is wider doesn’t mean it’s thicker. I found the Dream 2.0 to be nice and trim overall and I’m really happy with the way it fits on Petit Prince. 

The absorbency of the Dream 2.0 is much the same as it was in the OG Dream. In other words, it’s great! I easily get 3 to 4 hours out of the daytime insert snapped into place. Because there’s more surface area in the Dream 2.0, the double layer hemp/organic cotton inner lining of the shell does have a little more absorbency than the OG Dream. We don’t need to add any boosters to bump up the absorbency of the Dream 2.0 for daytime use. I love that the Dream 2.0 comes prepped so I don’t have to run it through half a dozen wash cycles before it’s absorbent enough to use. One wash and it’s ready for the bum. There is an overnight insert available to purchase separately for the Dream 2.0 (it’s the same one that was available for the OG Dream). That overnight insert is normally enough absorbency for Petit Prince, though recently he started super soaking at night. However, with the daytime insert stuffed into the Dream 2.0 pocket and the overnight insert snapped in on top, the Dream 2.0 will last a whole night for him unless he’s got big flood plans for the night. The larger width of the Dream 2.0 means that you can add almost any overnight booster you like into the pocket to bump up the overnight absorbency. If your little one routinely soaks through other overnight diapers you’ve tried, the Dream 2.0 with the overnight insert and your favourite workhorse overnight booster should be plenty to last all night.

Pros:

• Made in the USA
• Natural fibre absorbency: 55% hemp & 45% organic cotton
• “No prep”  so it’s ready to go after just one wash
• One size fits from 10 to 35+ lbs.
• Double row snap closure
• Trim fit
• Strip of PUL inside the back of the diaper and at the front of the diaper to prevent wicking
• Inserts snap into place and can be unsnapped for faster drying
• Excellent absorbency
• Pocket allows additional boosters to be used
• Generously sized pocket will fit most inserts/boosters
• Wider cut for better coverage compared to the OG Dream
• Improved reinforced pocket opening
• Front PUL band stays in place inside the diaper

Cons:

• High price point

Final Thoughts:

I’m really happy with the changes Smart Bottoms has made with the Dream 2.0 AIO diaper. I have to admit that I really wanted to love the OG Dream diaper and I just didn’t. The Dream 2.0 has made this diaper a “love” for me. The absorbency is excellent, the fit is awesome, and it’s easy to get on properly without having to fuss with a rogue band of PUL that liked to flip out all the time. There’s so much room for Petit Prince to grow in the Dream 2.0 that I’m certain it would fit him (and most other children) right through potty training. It wouldn’t surprise me to see it fitting children that are over 35 lbs as well despite that being the expected higher weight recommendation. Not having to spend days prepping a natural fibre diaper before using it is really great news. It’s always disappointing to have the wash a diaper over and over again before you can get a decent length of time out of it in terms of its absorbency. It’s not so much a waste of water here (I prep my diapers with other laundry or even diaper laundry all the time), but it’s just time consuming when all you want is to see that cute diaper on the bum. Smart Bottoms has finally hit it out of the park with the Dream 2.0 AIO and I’m so relieved to see the changes they’ve made really make a tremendous difference in the functionality and fit of this diaper. I love it when a brand really listens to their customers. It’s not always easy to take criticism and turn it into positive changes, but Smart Bottoms has done it!

I wanted to say a few words about the price of the Dream 2.0. The price of the Dream 2.0 is the same as the regular price of the OG Dream (though the OG Dream are now all clearance priced to make room for the Dream 2.0). The Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 costs $37.50 CAD. The overnight insert is available to purchase separately for $14.50 CAD. Although at $37.50 the Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 seems expensive, it’s actually in line with other North American made AIO cloth diapers with natural fibre absorbency (organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp). Other AIO diapers that fit into this same criteria retail for $32 to $35 CAD each. The biggest difference is that all but one of those other AIO diapers are not absorbent enough on their own to last Petit Prince four hours of daytime use now that he’s over two. The way I see it, a diaper that lasts a heavy wetting toddler four hours without a booster is worth paying a little extra for. With the Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 you’re getting high quality construction, diapers ethically made in North America, and high quality hemp and organic cotton absorbency. It’s worth the splurge.

The Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 is available to purchase now from The Baby Footprint! If you’re in the USA, the Dream Diaper is available to purchase from Nicki’s Diapers.

How would you like the chance to WIN a Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 AIO Diaper from The Baby Footprint? One lucky reader will win one Smart Bottoms Dream 2.0 in the exclusive Autumn Air print. Just scroll down to the giveaway and get your entries in for a chance to win. This giveaway is open to Canadian residents, 18+, and closes on October 21st, 2017. Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment. Don’t forget to follow the Frightening Fun Giveaway “hop” and enter the other awesome giveaways linked up below!

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