Cuddlz and ABU Super Dry Kids - Review/Comparison

Hey all, Daddy here! As promised, here is a review of both Cuddlz and ABU Super Dry Kids nappys!

 

As you can see, folded up, they both are roughly the same thickness - however, the Cuddlz (left) are packed much tighter than the ABU - they will fluff up a lot more once opening!

 

Cuddlz have a rounded padding on the front and back, and apart from the elastic waistband, it's all padding on the front and the back. The leg guards are fairly high, and ensure a close fit around the legs. Whilst the picture doesn't show this, they have two small tapes. I have heard that Cuddlz might be the same manufacturer as Bambino - or at least they appear to be incredibly close.

 

The ABU have a more rectangular padding, and there is no elastic waistband, so I can't help but feel they could have put more padding - especially on the front. They also have the single large tape, but it is very low, leaving the top of the nappy as wasted plastic.

  

 As you can see, the Cuddlz have a plastic landing zone, running across the front of the nappy. I have also been told by Cuddlz that they are planning to add a printed design this year! The front wings also folds around the body really well, ensuring a tight fit.

 The ABU also have a plastic landing zone, but the wings are a bit shorter, so don't wrap round as far. The wings are also a bit thinner than the Cuddlz, and are prone to tearing.

Again, the Cuddlz have a plain front to them, but the landing zone is massive. However, the wings will tear instantly if you try to remove the tape from them - so aim for the landing zone! The crotch area keeps it shape really nicely, and is wide enough to create a noticable waddle!

Credit to ABU, they certainly have cracked the babyish print - whilst I don't remember the nappies I wore as a child, these certainly cater to the AB side of me! The actual nappy plastic is much softer than the Cuddlz, which feels a lot more like a baby nappy. However, the crotch bunches up too easily, so walking is easy - they just aren't as thick as Cuddlz.

 

As mentioned earlier, the wings are really wide, and the tapes will easily reach round the waist for a tight fit! The leg guards create a snug fit, and help avoid leaks. However, they do feel a bit too firm, so can cut into the legs if not arranged right.

Both the ABU and Cuddlz are a "Medium" size, but whilst the Cuddlz will tape round almost on my stomach, the wings on the ABU just aren't long enough. The tapes only just reach round far enough to hit the landing zone - it might be that I need a "Large" - however I only have a 36" waist, so I don't know if this would be fixed with a new size. However, the leg guards on the ABU feel a bit more elasticy, and I think they give a better fit than the Cuddlz.

Absorbency

Cuddlz will easily take 2-3 large floods, and with each wetting they get incredibly soft and squishy - I can easily fall asleep in a wet Cuddlz, then wake up all happy and soak it again. I've also spent a morning in a wet Cuddlz, only changing when it wouldn't hold any more, and they were still comfortable.

ABU will bunch up and go firm after one wetting, which makes them really uncomfortable to wear for a long period of time. They also feel a lot thinner than Cuddlz, and I'm not sure they could hold a second wetting without leaking.

Fit

Cuddlz are incredibly snug around the waist, with the elastic waistband helping a lot. The bottom tape allows a good fit on the legs, then the top tape will secure around the waist. However, the tape position is key here, as a bad taping will make it far too loose on the waist. The crotch is incredibly thick, and definitely causes a waddle.

ABU have a good fit around the legs, with the leg guards helping here. However, the tape is too low on the waist - the top plastic (where the padding stops) is far too loose, you literally can fold it back inside. This means they do not hold to the body well, and need a pair of plastic pants or a tight onesie to stop them sagging.

Final Impressions

I will definitely be buying Cuddlz again. The absorbency and fit is unprecendented, and with a baby print, and softer plastic, they would be perfect. Whilst I initially thought one-tape was the way to go, Cuddlz just fit really snug with the two tapes. If it was possible to get a snug fit with one tape, then I'd want that on the Cuddlz. But until then, two tapes are great.

The ABU look and feel like a baby nappy on the outside - the soft plastic brings back baby memories, and the print is perfect. But I was let down by the poor fit, low absorbency, and I didn't get on with the waist at all.

In conclusion, for prolonged wearing, Cuddlz win. But if I was being babied, and would get changed very quickly, then ABU complete the AB picture enough to warrant buying. I would suggest that the ABU were used as a treat, and then Cuddlz for night time or multiple wetting.

I think the ultimate nappy would be the Cuddlz on the inside, but the ABU print and soft plastic feel on the outside. If one-tape can be fixed to give a greater fit, then I'd like that purely for the baby feeling - but until that happens, the two tapes are miles better.

In the UK, Cuddlz can be bought direct from www.cuddlz.com and ABU from http://www.bigbabyfun.com. Both are incredibly discrete, however Cuddlz seem to respond to emails quicker - I think bigbabyfun might just be someone running it from their house.