Snaps vs. velcro

One of the major differences between the various diaper brands will be the use of either snap closures or velcro.  Both have advantages and disadvantages.  In the middle of the night I'm a fan of the velcro (hook and loop fasteners) closures. I don't have to fumble around counting snaps to make sure the diaper is going to fit.  I can just slap down the velcro tabs do a quick fit check and if all goes well I'm back to bed before I completely wake up.  During those first few months of cloth diapering we exclusively put our daughter in velcro closure diapers for that very reason.  The obvious drawback to using velcro is that it's not the friendliest of things once in the laundry.  While most diapers have some easy way to close the velcro tabs during the wash they will inevitability come open on occasion.  This isn't the end of the world but it's an annoyance that you will have to deal with.

Now snap closure diapers are great for a couple of situations as well.  The snap closure diapers are easier for day cares to deal with.  You can set the diaper to the appropriate settings and the day care workers need only snap them back together the same way you sent them.  This makes it easier for the day care to get used to how cloth diapers fit.  In my experience the fit around the waist should be loose but the fit around the leg should be snug.  You will probably find that day care workers will try to provide a water tight seal between your child and their diaper given the option.  They don't realize that this isn't how cloth diapers are supposed to fit.  Now I should make mention of the only problem that snaps have had in the laundry is during the drying process.  We have had 3 snap fatalities using the drier.  Granted it's probably the drier's fault but none the less it happened so it's something you should be made aware of.

As in the past my advice on the subject is to get some of each kind.  The ability to be flexible and adapt to your situation is invaluable when dealing with anything let alone diapering your children.