5 Best Disposable and Reusable Swim Diapers
Our top picks for keeping little swimmers comfortable (and contained) all summer long.
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When I had my first infant, I didn't understand how swim diapers worked. Why couldn't I use a regular diaper? I found out the day I let my baby dip in the water in a normal diaper, and it swelled up like a 5-pound water balloon.
I bought some disposable swim diapers, but I was still confused: How could anything so thin contain urine? Short answer: It can not. Your baby might pee in the pool. Also, you can't use a swim diaper as a regular diaper on dry land—your baby will pee right through it.
A swim diaper is only designed to hold poop, so if your child has a number-two accident, the pool doesn't have to be shut down for cleaning. (I've seen it happen, and you don't want to be that parent.) The goal is to keep the water as clean as possible for everybody, which is why many public pools, swim school classes, and water parks require swim diapers.
Major diaper brands sell disposables, and many smaller companies make reusable swim diapers. At the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, we evaluated swim diapers using a mix of prior Textiles Lab diaper testing, feedback from parent testers who tried select styles at home and on vacation, and analysis of online reviews.
Our top picks:
- Best overall: Huggies Little Swimmers
- Best value: Pampers Splashers
- Best set: Alvababy Reusable Swim Diaper with a Matching Top
- Best reusable: Charlie Banana Reusable Swim Diaper
- Premium disposable: Hello Bello Premium Swim Diapers
Pros
- Cute Finding Nemo design
- Easy to pull on and rip off
- Snug fit does a good job holding in a mess
- Great for vacations
Cons
- Only available in Nemo theme
These Finding Nemo-themed swim diapers were easy to pull on my two kids, and equally easy to rip off—the sides open up if you give them a good tug. A consumer tester agreed, saying, "These feel like the best swim diaper on the market. They are easy to get on, fit well, and are easy to tear off when you're done using them and they're wet."
After tests of daytime diapers by our Textiles Lab, Huggies Snug & Dry Baby Diapers were named the best overall diaper in part for the secure fit. I noted that the Little Swimmers also fit nice and tight, which is necessary for keeping messes contained.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: "They held in some major poops while we were at the beach," said another tester, who took them on vacation. I liked them for travel, too, because you don't have to clean them (you just toss them after use) and can return home with a little more room in your suitcase.
| Sizes | 3, 4, or 5–6, 16 lbs to 32+ lbs |
| Price per diaper | $0.55 (size 3, 20 count) |
Pros
- Slightly cheaper than other disposables
- Stretchy waist for wriggly kids
- Easy to tell the front from the back
Cons
- Can have leakage
In addition to sometimes being slightly cheaper than other reusables, Pampers Splashers have a very stretchy waist that can comfortably accommodate wriggly, active toddlers. These, too, can be pulled on and then ripped off when it's time for a diaper change.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: The design features a cute cat enjoying the beach. "It's a nice design and so easy to tell the front from the back," a consumer tester told us.
Our consumer testers did warn, however, that these can leak for some kids. The best advice is to size down for a tight fit.
| Sizes | 2–3, 4, or 5+ (13 lbs–31+ lbs) |
| Price per diaper | $0.50 (size 2–3, 20 count) |
Pros
- Saves money if used often
- Multiple snaps help you adjust the fit
- Comes with a top, so no need to buy an additional swimsuit
- Alternatively, buy a set of two bottoms for $10
Cons
- When there's a mess, you'll need to wash them well
The diapers have three rows of three snaps for three possible thigh adjustments, plus multiple waist adjustments. We like that this one for girls is a two-piece set that comes with a matching top. You'll save even more money, because you don't have to buy an additional swimsuit!
For boys, you can get a set of two bottoms for $10 and always have a backup. (Sizes are S for 0–2, 10 to 40 pounds and L for 0–3, 18 to 55 pounds.) And again, no need to buy additional swim trunks.
Alvababy reusable swim diapers are made of polyester and spandex and the brand says they are UPF 50. The only downside is you will need to wash them after each use and sanitize them if there's a number-two accident.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: One mom tester told us she swears by the Alvababy Reusable Swim Diaper because with all the snap configurations, you can adjust it to grow with your baby over a couple of years. "They're great if you have a string-bean baby, like my second child, because you can make them as tight or as loose as you need them to be," she said.
| Sizes | 0–12 months to 1–3T (10 lbs–40 lbs) |
| Price per diaper | $13 (if you reuse this set more than 26 times, it will cost less than our top choice) |
Pros
- Saves money and makes less waste
- More than half a dozen designs
- Can be used as your baby's swim bottom
Cons
- You will have to clean these
Families who frequent the pool or beach can save money and make less waste with a reusable swim diaper. The Charlie Banana brand has been around for more than 15 years and offers more than a half dozen designs so cute, you won't be tempted to cover them up. Just add a baby rash guard and use this reusable diaper as your baby's swim bottom.
Snaps on each side make it easy to put this on and take it off, helpful when wet or if there's a number-two. To clean, you can empty the contents into a toilet, rinse the diaper clean and then you can either hand-wash it with detergent or run it through the washing machine.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: "I was always surprised how well this reusable diaper contains messes," said one GH staffer whose son wore the same Charlie Banana diaper for two summers. "I love how the side snaps make it quick and painless to remove—which particularly came in handy for those times when the diaper was full and I couldn't get my kid to stay still for long."
| Sizes | XS, S, M, L (9 lbs–34 lbs) |
| Price per diaper | $20 (if you reuse this diaper more than 40 times, it will cost less than our top choice) |
Pros
- Cute lobster print
- Softer than other disposables
- Brand says they are hypoallergenic
Cons
- Testers said they run large
These disposable diapers are similar in style to the Huggies and Pampers brands, with stretchy, rip-away sides. We like the cute red lobster print, and the easy-to-understand small-medium-large sizing.
WHAT TESTERS SAY: "I would recommend using these once your baby is in the middle of one of the weight ranges specified," a consumer tester told us. "Even though my baby was in the range, the diaper seemed large and it took some effort to make it snug."
In addition to being durable, we found these to be softer than other disposable swim diapers. Hello Bello markets them as hypoallergenic. The brand also says the swim diapers are made without parabens or phthalates, but the other disposables on our list also claim to not have those.
| Sizes | S, M, L (16 lbs–40 lbs) |
| Price per diaper | $0.75 (size S, 20 count) |
3 More reusable swim diapers we like
• Happy Nappy, by Splash About is mandated by some swim programs, moms told us. A Happy Nappy has additional leg and waist coverage. Often, a swim program asks parents to first put on a disposable swim diaper, then put a Happy Nappy over it.
• Green Sprouts Swimsuit Diaper is a cute, affordable reusable, and we have some staff members who are fans. But another told us, "This only snaps on one side. That makes it much more difficult to remove when the child is wet. And if your kid poops in there, you have to be super careful trying to slide it off."
• Petite Crown Swim are pretty pocket-style reusables sold on the brand's site. You can't put any insert in for water use, but you can add an absorbent inner insert when taking your child to the pool or beach, then pull it out when it's time to hit the water.
How we choose the best swim diapers
We started by looking at notes from diaper testing conducted in the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab as a jumping-off point for well-designed diapers and leading brands. Then we focused on what makes swim diapers work well: a snug fit, minimal leakage, and the ability to easily pull or snap them on.
We gathered input from our Lab experts who are parents and from consumer testers, who were able to test some of the swim diaper brands at home and on vacation. We also researched online reviews to see how swim diapers perform for parents before making our final recommendations.
What to look for when shopping for the best swim diaper
✔️ Disposable vs. reusable: The difference is pretty obvious. Disposable diapers keep you from having to deal very directly with a mess—you throw each used diaper away. Reusable swim diapers save money and prevent garbage waste over the long run.
Even if you use disposable regular diapers, you might be up for using reusable swim diapers. Your baby won't be wearing one nearly so often, so it's not the same time commitment for cleaning and maintaining.
"My daughter has worn a reusable swim diaper every week for the last year for swim lessons," one tester told us. "She hasn’t yet had a bowel movement in one."
✔️ Where you're going to swim: If you're on a vacation or even in the splash area of your local park, disposables are easy and sanitary. You'll never have to rinse out a soiled swim diaper in a public bathroom or hotel room.
Some swim classes ask parents to first put their baby in a disposable swim diaper, then layer a reusable one over it, for double protection. In that case, you'll have to buy both.
✔️ Size: Parents have told us that if your baby is on the edge between sizes, you should size down in swim diapers. The goal is the tightest fit that's still comfortable so that accidents are contained.
Reusable swim diapers with multiple rows of snaps let you customize the fit and widen the diaper as your child grows.
✔️ Your baby's swimsuit situation: Often parents put on a swimsuit over a disposable swim diaper, but you don't have to. With reusable diapers, parents usually use the diapers as a swimsuit bottom and just add a protective rash guard as a top.
How many disposable swim diapers do I need?
A pack of 15 is probably all the disposable swim diapers you need for a one-week vacation, since your baby is unlikely to go through more than two a day.
If you plan to use disposable swim diapers all summer long, nearly everyday, you may as well start with a bigger pack, like this 40-count of Huggies Little Swimmers.
What's the best way to use swim diapers?
The most important thing to remember: Swim diapers are built to not hold liquid!
✔️ Don't put your kid in their swim diaper until they're ready for swim time. For instance, if you're trying to drive to baby swim class with them already in their swim diaper and swimsuit, they might pee right into the car seat. It's an extra step, but it's best to change them out of their regular diaper and into the swim diaper right before you hit the water.
✔️ These are made to be able to go on while your toddler is standing up. Per the above, you'll be getting your kid into their swim diaper and swimsuit right before water play, and you might not have a changing table available. Being able to quickly pull a diaper up underwear-style, or snap it in place if it is reusable, is helpful.
✔️ Don't size up when buying swim diapers. Parents told us that kids do best when they size up in overnight diapers since a larger size might offer extra absorbency. But swim diapers are different; you're looking for a tight, snug fit because you're going for containment, not absorbency.
✔️ Watch for signs that your baby has gone number-two. Then get your baby out of the water ASAP and throw out the diaper, or clean it. The main point of swim diapers is to keep poop out of the water.
✔️ There is no swim diaper alternative. You can't use a regular disposable diaper or even a cloth diaper instead. Both are designed to absorb liquid and will fill up, weighing your baby down. If you want your kid to have a spontaneous dip and have no swim diaper, they're better off going commando than swimming in a diaper that will grow heavy and drag them down.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Contributing Writer Jessica Hartshorn frequently covers parenting and pet topics. She was a senior editor at Parents magazine and American Baby magazine and has raised two kids of her own.
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