ABU Tape Lock

Has anyone tried the ABU PreSchool Plastic with the "ABU Tape Lock" clear tapes yet?

They haven't come to the Simple quite yet it seems, but I'm wondering if anyone has anything to say about the new tapes (which I guess are currently available on the PreSchool plastic)

I don't know if that's the name for these tapes, but my most recently bought case of preschool plastic surprised me to have clear tapes. They don't LOOK clear, you don't notice it until you peel them up and then all you see is clear tape with the blue pull. They do stick well, maybe better than before, I'm not sure. They ARE harder to peel off the back to start with though, I did notice that this morning.

I believe ABU went with either a different supplier or a higher quality of tape after their recent "tape the tapes" problem. I personally didn't get a bad batch, not that I noticed anyway.

bambinod said:

I don't know if that's the name for these tapes, but my most recently bought case of preschool plastic surprised me to have clear tapes. They don't LOOK clear, you don't notice it until you peel them up and then all you see is clear tape with the blue pull. They do stick well, maybe better than before, I'm not sure. They ARE harder to peel off the back to start with though, I did notice that this morning.

I believe ABU went with either a different supplier or a higher quality of tape after their recent "tape the tapes" problem. I personally didn't get a bad batch, not that I noticed anyway.

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Yeah they are calling the clear tapes "Tape Lock" apparently.

Have you had any issues with them seperating from the wing where they attach to the wing? That's the problem I keep encountering with my Simples. No problem with them sticking to the landing zone here, but they'll come off on the other side of the tape.

ClickyKeys said:

Yeah they are calling the clear tapes "Tape Lock" apparently.

Have you had any issues with them seperating from the wing where they attach to the wing? That's the problem I keep encountering with my Simples. No problem with them sticking to the landing zone here, but they'll come off on the other side of the tape.

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I'm about through my first bag and I haven't had any problems with the tapes at all. Are you sure you're not taping them too tight? You might try moving the tapes up, I attach mine within 1/4" of the top of the taping panel. Get them up near the waist stretch area so they can help keep your diaper snug around the waist without stressing the tapes too much.

bambinod said:

I'm about through my first bag and I haven't had any problems with the tapes at all. Are you sure you're not taping them too tight? You might try moving the tapes up, I attach mine within 1/4" of the top of the taping panel. Get them up near the waist stretch area so they can help keep your diaper snug around the waist without stressing the tapes too much.

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Yeah I always align my top of the top tapes with the top of the panel. It's the bottoms I usually have the issue with though.

ClickyKeys said:

Have you had any issues with them seperating from the wing where they attach to the wing? That's the problem I keep encountering with my Simples.

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I too have had this exact issue with my Simples. I'm kinda bummed about it too. I tried a few samples without issue and bought a case (my first experience with ABU). Very soon I had issues with tapes separating from the rear wing. I would wake up and find one or two of them had separated. It wasn't very long after that that ABU identified the tapes as the issue. I've been "taping the tapes" for the entire case and am growing tired of it. I'd really like to try some Simples out with the new tapes, and hopefully they will be effective. It kinda hurts to see that the same product I ordered is now extremely discounted. My batch has all the same problems but I paid full price. Grrr, timing is everything.

Llayden said:

I too have had this exact issue with my Simples. I'm kinda bummed about it too. I tried a few samples without issue and bought a case (my first experience with ABU). Very soon I had issues with tapes separating from the rear wing. I would wake up and find one or two of them had separated. It wasn't very long after that that ABU identified the tapes as the issue. I've been "taping the tapes" for the entire case and am growing tired of it. I'd really like to try some Simples out with the new tapes, and hopefully they will be effective. It kinda hurts to see that the same product I ordered is now extremely discounted. My batch has all the same problems but I paid full price. Grrr, timing is everything.

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I have the exact same issue with my Lil Pawz and feel the same way. For me it's always a lower tape as well making it very prone to leaking.

tdlrfootedpjs said:

I have the exact same issue with my Lil Pawz and feel the same way. For me it's always a lower tape as well making it very prone to leaking.

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There is no pattern of tape failure that I can discern for myself. Sometimes its one tape, others its two. Sometimes it's both the bottoms, other times it's both the tops. Sometimes it's the right side, other times it's the left. It really is so disappointing. They feel fine and secure for an hour or so, then all of a sudden there's that horrible gut wrenching feeling of "looseness" below. The tapes aren't "popping", which is a common failure for a product that is either too small, too tight, or both. These tapes just...quit. And it's sudden too, no to very little warning.

I always seem to have issues with sticky tape tabs. That's why I like the velcro, like on the Magnifico and Ultrastretch.

I've noticed sometimes the wing attachment on certain tapes is shorter than on others. I'll try to see if there is a pattern with that and those being more likely to fail perhaps.

I've never had any issues with stickyness of tapes on any Abu products but then I may have just missed that bad batch. That said though, my recent batch of simples which is a few months old did have quite a few duds in a bsg where the tapes on one side were barely attached to the wing. So much so some were only attached to the lining not the plastic, or only just attached to the plastic by a few mm rather than a cm or two.

But. One bag of duds in the context of the few cases I've gone through isn't really an issue. Just need tape. I mean I've had entire cases of Abena where the tabs don't even hold. Same goes for Betterdry, tapes just ping off when you think they're stuck. Must be something in the tapes or the material. But in those two instances I've never gone back to them. I think Betterdry acknowledged the issue in a blog post and apparently addressed it but I've no idea how quick they turn around stock so I've not reordered to find out.

Having developed the issue of incontinence when Tena still made proper diapers with their plastic landing zone then finding within 6 months they had stopped making them; and all the hell of trying 10-15 brands thereafter to find a good product; I do prefer a diaper with a plastic landing zone and strong tapes and the Abus IMO are the best you can buy.

thenexus said:

the tapes on one side were barely attached to the wing.

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Yeah, that is what I've been encountering and was wondering if anyone knew if the new tapes fixed that issue as well as being more sticky.

I definitely like the landing zone as well. Since like November I've been wearing the Rearz Inspire+InControl which are pretty similar to the ABU Simple, but thicker, but seemingly their latest batch from their manufacturer has an issue with where the standing leak guards are attached to the backsheet developing a hole into the SAP chamber, so I'm trying out the Simples.

If i recall from a previous thread, ABU are using 3M tape, one of the best adhesive brands.

Justo said:

If i recall from a previous thread, ABU are using 3M tape, one of the best adhesive brands.

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They were, but 3M was failing to deliver tapes per the minimum requirements. That's why they just switched to a better tape brand, good enough anyways to call it tape lock.

Justo said:

If i recall from a previous thread, ABU are using 3M tape, one of the best adhesive brands.

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The 3M tapes were the ones they were having issues with actually.

ClickyKeys said:

The 3M tapes were the ones they were having issues with actually.

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That's just it, I don't know if they are still using 3M but a different line of their products, or if they switched brands. 3M is generally regarded to be the industry leader in quality adhesives, so you wouldn't expect them to have quality issues considering you're paying more.

bambinod said:

That's just it, I don't know if they are still using 3M but a different line of their products, or if they switched brands. 3M is generally regarded to be the industry leader in quality adhesives, so you wouldn't expect them to have quality issues considering you're paying more.

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We actually are moving to a new brand, away from 3M. 3M has not been very reliable as far as batch control has been. Great marketing, sometimes poor execution. We're not going to name the new brand as it's a trade secret for ABU.

-Casey.

Llayden said:

There is no pattern of tape failure that I can discern for myself. Sometimes its one tape, others its two. Sometimes it's both the bottoms, other times it's both the tops. Sometimes it's the right side, other times it's the left. It really is so disappointing. They feel fine and secure for an hour or so, then all of a sudden there's that horrible gut wrenching feeling of "looseness" below. The tapes aren't "popping", which is a common failure for a product that is either too small, too tight, or both. These tapes just...quit. And it's sudden too, no to very little warning.

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I think I know what you're talking about. Yesterday, for example, I was wearing my carousel diaper from theabdlshop and you feel like it's trying to pop off. Stick my hands in my front pockets and try to feel around and push the tapes back down. They held so I think I was just paranoid they were going to come loose. I suspect the vinyl pants I wear over them to reduce noise may have actually been what I was feeling. Just those shifting around.

bambinod said:

That's just it, I don't know if they are still using 3M but a different line of their products, or if they switched brands. 3M is generally regarded to be the industry leader in quality adhesives, so you wouldn't expect them to have quality issues considering you're paying more.

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I believe you meant to say "3M WAS generally regarded to be the industry leader".

Like most every company, they rose in popularity because they had a great product. Over time they started looking for ways to increase profits and began cutting corners or using inferior materials. That's where they are now, and is why companies that use them have been jumping ship lately.

Slomo said:

I believe you meant to say "3M WAS generally regarded to be the industry leader".

Like most every company, they rose in popularity because they had a great product. Over time they started looking for ways to increase profits and began cutting corners or using inferior materials. That's where they are now, and is why companies that use them have been jumping ship lately.

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I think brands are generally considered somewhat short-term investments. After you've invested money in marketing and product development and have built up your brand to be a "household name" / "a brand you can trust", you can "cash it in" by dumping quality and riding a short wave of high profit due to low quality and high sales. Then when the public realizes the brand no longer represents quality, you sell the brand and move on.

OR you are a parent company that has this strategy as their main and ongoing business model. Buy a brand that is currently known for high quality, immediately cheapen it and cash in as fast as possible before people realize what happened, and then sell or bury it. Then go look for another brand to rape. We see that a lot nowadays, brands getting bought out and "oh here we go, it's gonna tank". And it usually does.