We’re going to be getting into some adult diaper reviews pretty soon here, and I thought it was important to start with a caveat: your mileage may vary!
There are very few absolutes when talking about incontinence products and their performance. Things that seem like fixed mewp_ements — ounces of absorbency, for example — tend to vary dramatically when you test them “in the field,” as it were.
Everyone’s butt is a different shape. Everyone has a different waist-to-hip ratio. Everyone’s urethral opening points at a slightly different angle — and for that matter, any one person’s urethral opening is going to point at any number of different angles throughout the course of the day!
All those things affect how much a diaper can absorb before it leaks. So will the speed at which you urinate, the clothes you’re wearing over the diaper, the position you’re sitting or standing in, and countless other “wild card” factors.
So take adult diaper reviews with a grain of salt. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another. I’ve been let down by very widely-praised brands, and pleasantly surprised by cheap generic/store brands, and I expect most diaper-wearers have had or will have similar experiences at one point or another.
That said, my goal in these adult diaper reviews on this site will always be to focus on product qualities that matter to everyone: price, ease of fitting and adjusting, overall quality control (how often you get defectives, etc.), and yes, absorbency and performance — but with as many random factors controlled for as we can manage.
Enjoy the upcoming reviews, especially some of the side-by-side comparisons we’ve got planned. I think they should be helpful, especially if you still haven’t found that perfect brand or model yet.
But bring your grains of salt along, because your mileage may vary. Count on it!
The image above is from UK Diaper Girls.
Good picture….lol. So those look like the M4. I’ve tried them for the first time this week due to Bambinos changes and waiting on their shipment, and my personal experience is they’re no match to Bambinos. Secondly, has anyone seen the updates from Bambino? Does that mean they’re going cloth backed?
Hi Bambino,
I also noticed that on their site and it looks like they mean the inner lining of the diapers, not the outer shell. They have already tried to go to cloth-backed at one point (Bellissimo I believe) and it was a horrible flop. They wound up going back to the plastic-backed style. However, if the new lining is softer and stronger, I am all for it and will hold of on my big yearly order until then :). I’m down to my last 150 Bambinos…LOL.
Take care,
Colin
Hi Colin,
Thank you for your response. I think your right. Those changes sound good and I’m looking forward to it if they are stronger and more comfy. I love the plastic backed so I hope they stay that way.
I’ve tried both the L4 and the L3 Abena Abri Form Premium, and while I appreciate the absorbency and leakage protection of the L4, I find the L3 to be more discreet, and less noticeable when worn under pants. Another thing I would appreciate are stronger tapes. When I woke up this morning, I needed to change out of my wet Abenas, but one of the bottom tapes had already come undone! That should not happen. The only time they should come undone is when you undo the tapes.
The plastic-backed L-4s are better, I think. I was using the newer, cloth-like outside Abenas and found myself awaking to a very damp outside. Turns out they wick thru after becoming soaked which I do to my diaper nightly. So on the advice of XP Medical, I switched to the all plastic L-4. No wicking, and the tapes held much better.
I agree. I haven’t seen the plastic backed L-4 Abenas in stores. All the Abenas I’ve seen have had cloth-like backing. The way I’ve always seen it, cloth like backing is fine for cloth diapers, but for disposable diapers, it has to be plastic, or nothing.
Try XPmedical.com which has the plastic backed and every other quality diaper and accessory you’d ever want! Also, read the bio on founder and owner Gary Evans which adds to the credibility of the site. I’ve asked his advice many times, and he has been quick to respond.
Thanks. I’ll check it out. 🙂
Hi Jason I have also tried those diapers last year and found the same problems as you pointed out with them, I recently got the chance of trying a new product called Abena delta form L2 these diapers are actually quite good quality although they do have some in herrent draw-backs.
l will start with the advantages in this review firstly very absorbent although don’t over do it as I’ll explain later, and they are quite comfortable to wear as well as coming in a handy pack of 20 diapers, next they have easy to use tabs/tapes that are like velcro good considering they are fabric backed.
And then there’s the fact that they are soft and easy on the skin that is to say they don’t grate/chaife as much as other products I have tried and they don’t rustle when you walk so that’s a good thing when wearing them in public under your normal clothing.
Because they are fabric backed they breathe a lot better than the original plastic backed products that came out 5-6 years ago when I started having problems with my bladder as per my original reviews.
Also because they are fabric backed they do tend to not budge as much when wet although they have a wetness marker on them that turns blue when it’s time to change them.
Cost they don’t cost as much as the Tena slip or abena M4/M3 diapers and as I live in the UK on a limited budget this fact makes all the difference as they cost me £16.97 instead of £28.98 and that’s including V.A.T/value added tax which I have mentioned in my earlier product reviews.
Now I come to the part I didn’t like about these products ie the disadvantages or draw-backs or problems with the over all design of this product/diapers.
One of the most immediate draw-backs is that they don’t hold as much urine/liquid as the Tena slip or abena M4/M3 range of diapers so as I stated earlier it’s best not to over do it when filling them up if you can help it I have tried the other products mentioned above and can personally vouch for them as they have saved me countless times from embarrassing situations and this is not something I can unfortunately say about this product.
Secondly I found them to be a little in personal as in the fact they remind me of hospital grade diapers of which I have experience in wearing,they are dark green and have no other print on them except the name of the product of cause there is the option of personalising them if you order them on-line you can add your own sents/ smells or other prints but those extra’s don’t come cheap so watch your wallet if your going to take that option or road.
The other thing that really bugged me about this product was that they rip open too easily if they are tightened to much or even overly re-adjusted and this can lead to embarrassing situations, there where other faults as well one of the other big ones was although they have very good leg-gaurds or leakness barriers/gathers as and other usefull features they don’t have an elasticated waistgaurd which means you guessed it they leak from the top ends which can also be embarrassing.
They are also very thin and whilst this is good for avoiding un-nessisaray attention by being more discreet than other products out there on the adult diaper market/shops it also means if you really want yo avoid the embarrassment of leakage you have to wear more than one diaper at a time all of which if your a heavy wetter like me adds to your silotte and can make you feel more worried about people seeing your wearing diapers, Stigmitizum/ bullying by those who don’t really under stand you sucks no matter how or who by its still very painful and embarrassing.
Summery:
But to be really fair there are as many advantages as disadvantages with these diapers and I only got the chance to try them because I desperately needed a diaper on that day as I had run out of my stash and it was an emergency and I had to resort to buying them from a shop called Cowper’s Mobility which is in the Penrith area of Cumbria.
Anyway got to go now as I am going to get ready for a skiing holiday in the alps so I’ll keep you posted on any other products out there that I may encounter in the next few months.
As ever
Kwan Ming
I agree. Every diaper has its advantages and disadvantages.
Hi everyone. I have tried the Depends Adjustable medium and they just did not hold enough for my needs. I then switched to the Abena M4 and love them. When I get close to the end of my supply I will wry the bambions and let you all know how they work for me. As early said ever one is different and with that said I will let you know. Thanks so much for this site.
I agree. I’ve tried Depends Underwear, and they didn’t work very well. They were fine for barely dribble wettings, but how many people wet like that? My wetting habits are like a garden hose with its water setting at sprinkle. It’s not very strong, but it’s consistent. By the time I’m done peeing, how well it keeps my underwear or pants dry matters *a lot*.
Ok, sorry but I had a funny thought and question from the picture.
How many of us would pick her up hitch hiking in a diaper? Or would most keep driving?:)
I would rather she wore pants over her diapers.
I’m glad that you will be providing some usable information. Maybe there’s no perfect diaper for everyone, as I agree thar everyone has their own needs, but your comparison will provide good insight.
I have been a cloth diaper wearer for YEARS, but I have been dealing with and trying to heal a very Nasty rash. It started as “diaper rash”, but has turned into a fungal infection that has proven to be very difficult to heal and deal with… I have had to wear the thick Abena X-Plus during the day, which has been difficult to conceal because I can’t stand to wear snug fitting panties or briefer over to help conceal due of the rash. Also I can’t wear cloth or thinner disposables as they don’t pull the wetness away well enough and makes the rash worse. I have tried corn starch, baking soda, different medicated powders, and the like, but nothing really helps. I have been to my general doctor and a specialist, but creams don’t seem to relieve the pain and itch for long. I’m also on antibiotics for the rash and a urinary infection that has caused me to lose most of my control, which I pray is temporary, not that my control has every been that good…
I have tried to use Poise pads so I can go without the wet diaper on my skin, but my loss of control is too much for the pads and they leak. Having a wet diaper next to my skin for even a short time drives me up a wall and makes the rash worse.
I have tried wearing the Abena with a soaker pad at night, but I simply can’t tolerate the wetness that is on my skin. For the last week, I have used corn starch inside triple cloth diapers, and have found that enough to allow for some sleep, though they fit snugly under my plastic pants and makes sleeping on my side very uncomfortable.
If anyone has any good idea how I can get through this, PLEASE HELP!!!
I agree. There are no “perfect diapers” for everyone. Everyone’s needs are different. Some need more absorbency, while others need less. I need more absorbency, since I tend to pee alot.
Ellyn, have you tried the Abena AbriSan pads? The #7 is similar in absorbency to a normal diaper and the #11 is about as absorbent as a premium diaper.With the abri-fix cotton stretch pants you get almost as much protection as a full diaper but complete breathability to help your skin heal. Check out XP Medical if you are interested.
While there is no perfect diaper that fits everyone, I have been very pleased with the diapers available to me over the years. I started buying depends and generic drug store diapers about ten years ago and they were ok – just ok. Soon after, I discovered premium adult disposables from online suppliers and have not looked back. I tried Abena xplus, Dry 24/7, and Bambino diapers and settled on Bambino Teddy and Bellissimos as my diaper of choice. I love my diapers thick, absorbent, crinkly and babyish, and these Bambinos fit my needs well. Having said that, I look forward to these upcoming reviews to learn of new products and discoveries.
I don’t need to wear diapers for medical reasons. My bladder is functioning perfectly. And if I’m near a restroom when I need to pee, or even poop, I’m in good shape. Nor do I have a fetish for them. I don’t consider myself an Adult Baby or Diaper Lover. The only other things I’d wear besides diapers would be cloth diapers, plastic pants, and onesies.
@ MikeyABDL: My favourite diapers are Molicare Super Plus and Abena X Plus.
Same here, I don’t see myself as an AB or DL. I don’t have a medical reason to wear diapers. I simply see Diapers as an Underwear or pair of shorts to wear. I simply see Diapers as my preferred underwear or short shorts. Wearing diapers for me, let’s me get through the day without having to think about using the bathroom.
Hey Nicky. I agree. If I can’t be near a restroom and I need to pee, that’s where diapers come in handy.
Diapers to me are nothing more than a pair of shorts and an underwear. I use them for their Intended purpose. Diapers for me, let me forget about the bathroom and let me get on with the day.
That’s exactly how I see diapers, as underwear, as a makeshift toilet. That being said, if someone wants to play Daddy to me, I’d play baby for him. But otherwise, I’m just an adult who wears diapers.
That’s like me, I simply see diapers as just an underwear and a pair of shorts in a toilet. Their’s nothing AB or DL about wearing diapers. Diapers for me are just a pair of clothing I choose to wear.
I agree. It’s the same with me. 🙂
Me too!!
Ellyn, sorry to hear about your current discomfort. I think the best advise is to follow your physician orders. The antibiotics should help with the bladder infection, and make sure that you drink lots of water to dilute your urine. I know from your prior posts that you mostly wear cloth diapers and I would recommend wearing them or training pants during the day without plastic pants and change as soon as you are wet. More laundry but better skin care until your rash and fungal infection is cleared. Perhaps a more liberal application of diaper rash cream with zinc oxide would also help. At night, if you wake and know you are wet you should get up and change rather than simply go back to sleep in a wet diaper, even if it doesn’t feel wet at the time. When life gives you lemons try to make lemon aid and maybe your husband can help to change you and apply the diaper cream. I hope that you begin to feel better soon.
I agree. Listen to the doctor and follow his/her advice, and you’ll be fine.
@Ellyn,
I read your post and felt so bad for you; I had a similar problem last summer. What appeared as diaper rash soon became something a lot different (the fungal infection you mentioned), and even my dermatologist was surprised. It happened after I had to start wearing 24×7 due to my nerve damage getting worse. That, coupled with the heat made for a very bad time. There were several things I had to do to shake the infection, and it took about four weeks to get better:
* I switched to the Aloe Vesta line of products for skin care. You need to get away from drying powders for a while. I still use the cleaner foam (#1) and moisturizer (#2) along with the protectant cream (#3) occasionally. Get all three…they are that good. Your skin really needs to stay EXTRA moisturized through the healing process or it will crack and get worse. Especially since it is winter and the air is a lot drier anyway. I also got new wash rags to clean up with since my older ones were rough and scratching my skin.
* My doctor prescribed Ketoconazole cream 2% to use twice daily. I used it three times: after my morning change, after my workout shower and before bed. I also bought Coloplast Micro-Guard powder with Miconazole Nitrate 2%. I sprinkled that in my night diaper and it is just an extra step that worked for me. I used it with the moisturizer, protectant cream and ketoconazole. Powders and creams together make a mess, but night diapers have enough moisture through the night to mitigate that problem somewhat.
* I hate to say this, but while you heal you will need to spend a lot less time in cloth and plastic pants. The plastic pants are the big problem…your skin can’t breathe. Especially in Leakmaster pants. I use the GaryWear PUL active pants along with the Abena Abri-Fit fitting products, but since you don’t like briefs over your diaper you may want to skip these. the PUL pants breathe and will reduce your sweating inside the diaper. You MAY be able to get away with a thin cloth diaper like this. If you can go even a couple hours a day without a diaper (and maybe rest on a disposable underpad with your bottom slathered in protectant cream) that can help too.
The biggest things are keeping it clean, NO powders except Micro-Guard, and moisturize. It’s going to take a while…but get Ketoconazole ASAP since fungal infections if left untreated will create a lot of pain and possibly cracked bleeding skin with no chance of you wearing protection. I’ll check back to this thread to see how you’re doing…
Take care,
Colin
Thank you Colin!!
I have not been able to get this under control. I have another doctor appointment, a different dermatologist scheduled for tomorrow.
I don’t think I have EVER been more miserable! I still have bladder issues that turned my very weak control into near complete lack of control. My doctor is now talking about a catheter to deal with the infection and prevent urine from reaching my highly irritated skin. I’m using a prescription cream on all irritated skin, antibiotics, told to drink as much water as I can hold, NO COFEE!!! Medication for horrible itching. Powerful sleep meds. Triple cloth diapers at night. X-Plus with a booster during the day which highly restricts my away from home activity. Luckily I work from home for the most part.
Thank you again. As soon as I get over this, I will be MUCH MORE CAREFUL to protect my skin!!!
So far, I haven’t had much in the way of skin irritation. I keep mine as clean as possible. That’s the best one can do. I don’t drink coffee (I could never stand that stuff anyway), I don’t smoke. I drink mostly water, except for lunch, dinner, and when I first wake up.
I change my diaper asap, because for a while a wet and/or messy diaper gets to b uncomfortable after a while.
I agree. I don’t wear the same diaper all day after I’ve wet it. It would not only feel uncomfortable, but it also smells bad.
I agree.
Hi Ellyn,
You’re welcome…I am sorry your skin got to the point it did – I know at one point I had a hard time walking and at night I slept with no covers on two waterproof pads (it’s so much fun to wake up cold on a cold wet pad…). I got used to using Caldescene powder and took it for granted that everything would work out as far as my skin as long as I cleaned with soap and water. I was wrong…my skin dried out, got irritated and then infected.
Hopefully you have the plastic-backed X-Plus if you have to walk a lot during the day since they help me when I work out, especially on the elliptical. The plastic slides well against the extra skin protectant which I put between my thighs. I work from home too; in social settings I was able to barely tolerate the rubbing of cloth-backed Depend Real Fits on my cracked skin.
I used to use catheters every night for maybe 6 months (when I had a hard time dealing with the fact I needed to wear diapers to bed) and you’ll sleep great since you’ll never get up to pee but be ready for some more sleep meds if you’re not used to them. If you do have to go that route, here’s a few tips.
First, insertion has to be very sanitary to avoid yet another infection…a bladder infection. You will need Hibiclens soap at the very least – don’t use other cheap soaps near your damaged skin. Then, you’ll need a collection bag with extension tubing hanging from your bed, or wherever you may roam :). I used a Bard 4 litre bag that I hung from an old coat belt that I put on my side of the headboard so it was discreet and 2 litre bags when I was up and about. I cleaned and sanitized mine every day with StarSan sanitizer so they would last two months before any discoloring happened. It saves a ton of money cleaning them. Allegro Medical has the best prices for catheters and supplies. Also, get some catheter plugs. You can kind of ‘cheat’ and just plug (or clamp) your catheter and go without a bag if you want a couple of hours without a bag and simply want to drain into a toilet intermittently. Don’t go too long or you could ‘back up’ and develop a kidney infection (isn’t incontinence great? LOL) Also, with catheters your control will go down a bit more but should strengthen over a little time. I don’t use them much any more…waking up hugging your warm urine line isn’t a great way to start the day and I have a piercing that gets in the way a bit. A wet diaper isn’t great either, but at least I don’t have to clean it…just me :).
I wish you luck today for a great doctor and I hope your skin improves quickly! I’ll check the thread to see how you’re doing 🙂
Colin
Thank you again Colin!
I went to a new dermatologist today and was diagnosed with a fungal infection, which was the same info as my first doctor.
I was given yet a different cream and a special soap/moisturizer. I have another appointment with my urologist tomorrow, though the weather here is horrible so I may need to reschedule. I’m not crazy about using a catheter again, though I need to get this infection cleared. I used a catheter years ago when I had surgery to try to correct my control problems so I know what I’m in for…
I’m praying for relief from this cream, which seems to be helping already, though it has an anesthetic in it to relieve the symptoms.
In the meanwhile, X-Plus (yes, plastic) with a booster I have tried the disposable at night, but I tend to flood at night now and don’t wake to change, which irritates my skin very badly. I’ll stick with the triple cloth for awhile, which seems to keep me pretty dry, though stresses my hips because of the bulk.
The doctor recommended stopping the medicated powders and corn starch and let the cream do its’ thing.
Again, thank you for your suggestions and help!
You’re welcome Ellyn 🙂
I’m glad your symptoms are clearing already…and kudos for being a cloth devotee! I tried but couldn’t get past the wet feeling I got in the middle of the night. Unfortunately I have partial bladder control (maybe 50/50 at best) so if I woke up even a bit wet in cloth I had to change. The polymers in disposables tend to give a dry feeling for me.
My dermatologist told me the same thing…stop using powders to treat infections – they make them worse due to drying. They are a preventative and even then a good moisturizing skincare system is a must for incontinence. Switching to creams during temperature extremes helps since the skin hates severe hot and cold conditions. We both know this now :).
I’m curious about the ointment you use…I had a mix of miconazole and ketoconazole. I recently found a place to get spray 10% lidocaine which is the BEST invention ever for skin pain even though it has to be used with petrolatum in the lower regions. Wish I had it last summer. The neurosurgeries that were supposed to give me my control back failed (1 neck with 4 vertebrae fused, 2 low back with 2 vertebrae fused and bone graft) so I’m happy where I’m at now…LOL. At least I can still lift weights and I’m not paralyzed :). Everything else got fixed. Now that you mention it I used catheters a lot during surgery recovery times.
You’ll lick this one…I feel for you because the infection is agonizing at times. Good luck!
All the best,
Colin
I’ve always been interested in cloth diapers, pull-on, pin-on, and/or Velcro, but I could never find any place that sells them. I’ve always hated buying online, but that seems to be the only way to buy.
Does anyone know what those diapers are called that are next to the 24/7 on the cover picture?