Which do you think?

My doctor gets my diapers through indemed.com I normally get abena M4. Can some of you look through the brands they carry and tell me if there is another brand that might be better? They have molicare which i know are as good as abena but i prefer abena. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Abena M4s (the plastic-backed ones) are my favourites. What is it about them that you don't like?

I had a quick look, but the only brands I recognise are much poorer quality than the Abenas.

I like them fine but just wanted to make sure im not missing out on something better.

Nothing is better than abena. Stick with them and you won't regret it.

It looks like if you want to stay with premium diaper you have a choice of Abena, Molicare or Unique Wellness. All these brands have changed over the years since I first used them, but they are still better than the other options on that site.

tiny said:

Abena M4s (the plastic-backed ones) are my favourites. What is it about them that you don't like?

I had a quick look, but the only brands I recognise are much poorer quality than the Abenas.

Click to expand...

They have a limited capacity and only last for about 4-5 hours. They have short leak guards, so when you leak it's always catastrophic. Then there's the non-existant quality control, and reoccuring pinhole leaks and weak tapes. Plus, when compared to premium diapers, their added changes per day racks up their total cost to even more than the premium diapers.

So lets see, calacity, leaks, quality, and cost. Did I get them all? Nope, they are also cut short on the sides and their padding on the sides is quite lacking.

There's much better out there. And they cost less too.

I got in on the BOGO deal that the one retailer did recently (diaperbuys?) and got several cases of L4's. Pretty much the entire batch has issues with the padding not being cleanly cut and inserted in between the top sheet and shell such that bits of fluff get out to the edges and can cause wick leaking. (I have a few shots of a similar issue that's common with molicare here: https://www.adisc.org/forum/album.php?albumid=486)

And yes, leaks are usually bad when they happen. You have to rely on their fast wicking and avoid anything approaching a flood when they're already wet. But they're ok for short term wearing. Nothing I'd chance overnight on tho!

Slomo said:

They have a limited capacity and only last for about 4-5 hours. They have short leak guards, so when you leak it's always catastrophic. Then there's the non-existant quality control, and reoccuring pinhole leaks and weak tapes. Plus, when compared to premium diapers, their added changes per day racks up their total cost to even more than the premium diapers.

So lets see, calacity, leaks, quality, and cost. Did I get them all? Nope, they are also cut short on the sides and their padding on the sides is quite lacking.

There's much better out there. And they cost less too.

Click to expand...

Holy moly! You're kidding me?!

patrick1776 said:

Nothing is better than abena. Stick with them and you won't regret it.

Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. :dunno:

They're not an ABDL diaper, but they fit me perfectly, and work better than any other diaper I've ever tried. They're pretty good value, I find -- much cheaper than ABDL diapers too.

I wonder if the very polar opinions regarding the xplus are caused by different use-cases. It's starting to look like maybe the people that have a more negative opinion of them are people that try to or need to rely on them to perform well as diapers for high capacity / few leaks / strong tapes, and maybe the others that have a positive opinion of them are more interested in the lower cost and the tactile side of things such as thicker padding, softer interior, and softer shell?

I personally have found I can't rely on them to be higher capacity OR leak resistant, but I can have a much higher opinion of them when using them for "less demanding" purposes such as casual daytime wear.

I have noticed a problem with Molicare slip maxi. Probably 1 out of 10 pads, the plastic rips where the tapes are (on left side) and when changing the wet pulp comes out. it is very annoying.

tiny said:

Holy moly! You're kidding me?!

My thoughts exactly. :dunno:

They're not an ABDL diaper, but they fit me perfectly, and work better than any other diaper I've ever tried. They're pretty good value, I find -- much cheaper than ABDL diapers too.

Click to expand...

Nope, not kidding. Like you just said, they can't handle flooding when already wet. And, leaks are really bad when they happen. You just confirmed they are no good, so why are you questioning it then.

Plus, the numbers don't lie, and are easily verified. Their total cost per day is higher than actual premium diapers.

Slomo said:

Nope, not kidding. Like you just said, they can't handle flooding when already wet.

Click to expand...

Uh... what?! I never said that. :dunno:

Slomo said:

And, leaks are really bad when they happen. You just confirmed they are no good, so why are you questioning it then.

Click to expand...

What are you talking about?! Where did I confirm that they are "no good"?! WTF?

The PE-backed Abena M4s are the least-leaky diaper I've ever used. Fact.

Slomo said:

Plus, the numbers don't lie, and are easily verified. Their total cost per day is higher than actual premium diapers.

Click to expand...

Rubbish! What do you call a premium diaper?! A pack of 14 is €11.11. That's 79c each -- about 70p. What equivalent quality diaper costs 70p each?!

tiny said:

Uh... what?! I never said that. :dunno:



What are you talking about?! Where did I confirm that they are "no good"?! WTF?

The PE-backed Abena M4s are the least-leaky diaper I've ever used. Fact.



Rubbish! What do you call a premium diaper?! A pack of 14 is €11.11. That's 79c each -- about 70p. What equivalent quality diaper costs 70p each?!

Click to expand...

My apologies. What bambnod said. Which is also what I've experienced.

And good god man, how many times do I have to say never look at the individaul price of each diaper. You have to look at it as a cost per day. This takes into account total absorbancy before leaking.

As an example; a very cheap diaper might only cost $.50 each, but they only last two hours before needing to be changed. The total cost in 24 hours would be $6.00.

Now compare that to a premium diaper which costs $1.50 each, but can last about 8 hours. Total cost per 24 hours would be $4.50.

Therefore the cheaper diaper actually costs more overall. Plus, the premium diaper is much more reliable with fewer chances of leaking simply because you're not taking them close to their max absorbency as often.

Like I said, this is simple math and the numbers don't lie. And taking it a step further, to your comparison. Any diaper which costs twice as much and lasts twice as long would be very comparable. So looking at your $.70 Abena diaper lasting 4 hours. Well, a $1.40 diaper that lasts 8 hours would cost you the exact same amount of money. And yet, that more capable diaper needs to be changed less often, as well as will leak less often too.

Now I know this is not complicated, so lets take this one step further. As with what I use, Betterdry cost $1.67 each, and can easily last 12 hours. So in 24 hours I would spend a mere $3.34 per day. Your "cheap" $.70 diaper would cost $4.20 per day.

So.... to wrap this all up. If you want to spend less on diapers, get the more expensive premium ones that cost less overall, and quit wasting your money on the cheap ones that cost more overall. Get it yet.

Yeah, looks like abena or molicare are you best bets with them. If you can swing it, I would also recommend northshore diapers as well if you haven't tried them. Though a few people have mentioned not being able to get over the stiffness of them.

Slomo said:

My apologies. What bambnod said. Which is also what I've experienced.

And good god man, how many times do I have to say never look at the individaul price of each diaper. You have to look at it as a cost per day. This takes into account total absorbancy before leaking.

As an example; a very cheap diaper might only cost $.50 each, but they only last two hours before needing to be changed. The total cost in 24 hours would be $6.00.

Now compare that to a premium diaper which costs $1.50 each, but can last about 8 hours. Total cost per 24 hours would be $4.50.

Therefore the cheaper diaper actually costs more overall. Plus, the premium diaper is much more reliable with fewer chances of leaking simply because you're not taking them close to their max absorbency as often.

Like I said, this is simple math and the numbers don't lie. And taking it a step further, to your comparison. Any diaper which costs twice as much and lasts twice as long would be very comparable. So looking at your $.70 Abena diaper lasting 4 hours. Well, a $1.40 diaper that lasts 8 hours would cost you the exact same amount of money. And yet, that more capable diaper needs to be changed less often, as well as will leak less often too.

Now I know this is not complicated, so lets take this one step further. As with what I use, Betterdry cost $1.67 each, and can easily last 12 hours. So in 24 hours I would spend a mere $3.34 per day. Your "cheap" $.70 diaper would cost $4.20 per day.

So.... to wrap this all up. If you want to spend less on diapers, get the more expensive premium ones that cost less overall, and quit wasting your money on the cheap ones that cost more overall. Get it yet.

Click to expand...

Slomo, different people, different strokes. Premium diapers don't always do well for each person, and no one diaper is perfect for everyone. In fact, when facing incontinence, it is best to try to the find the diaper that works best for you. There's more to think about than just pricing, but such things as skin health, fit, how they contain your particular flow, ect. And for the casual user price per a unit might be a factor, considering they aren't reliant on them.

I often find premium diapers are a distraction at work myself, and tend to go with something a little lighter, such as a Northshore or Tena Slip. The days I do wear something like abu or rearz, I often find I need to change anyways because the diaper gets uncomfortable with how much I move around.

Azie said:

Yeah, looks like abena or molicare are you best bets with them. If you can swing it, I would also recommend northshore diapers as well if you haven't tried them. Though a few people have mentioned not being able to get over the stiffness of them.



Slomo, different people, different strokes. Premium diapers don't always do well for each person, and no one diaper is perfect for everyone. In fact, when facing incontinence, it is best to try to the find the diaper that works best for you. There's more to think about than just pricing, but such things as skin health, fit, how they contain your particular flow, ect. And for the casual user price per a unit might be a factor, considering they aren't reliant on them.

I often find premium diapers are a distraction at work myself, and tend to go with something a little lighter, such as a Northshore or Tena Slip. The days I do wear something like abu or rearz, I often find I need to change anyways because the diaper gets uncomfortable with how much I move around.

Click to expand...

Oh, I agree. For a casual or periodic user, pricing per day doesn't apply. The OP and tiny are talking about 24/7 use though.

And as for skin health and flow, once again the premium diapers tend to be much better in these regards. Cheaper with lower capacity tends to leave too much urine against the skin, and certainly can't contain any kind of sustained flow.

So thanks for making that point. It really reinforces my point.

Slomo said:

Oh, I agree. For a casual or periodic user, pricing per day doesn't apply. The OP and tiny are talking about 24/7 use though.

And as for skin health and flow, once again the premium diapers tend to be much better in these regards. Cheaper with lower capacity tends to leave too much urine against the skin, and certainly can't contain any kind of sustained flow.

So thanks for making that point. It really reinforces my point.

Click to expand...

Premium diapers don't tend to lead to better skin health, but they can, once again dependent to each person. The issue with premiums are that you are in them longer, thus actually have urine against your skin longer, even if if they have higher capacity. Such things as urine ph, bacteria and yeast growth, friction/movement, and just general skin wetness can often times work against them, once again, depending on the user. Changing more often can actually lead to better skin health, less rashes, and less issues.

And once again, flow is dependent on the user. Someone who leaks a little, but more often, a lighter diaper is usually a better value and selection for them. For those that flood, it really isn't an option. Personally, if I wear a premium diaper to work, and try to push it till bed time, its twelve hours in the same diaper, not a good idea for me, even with barrier cream and stuffs. If I wear an 'almost premium' diaper (abena, molicare, northshore, tena), and dependent on the day, either change six hours into my shift, or when I get home from work, my skin does a lot better, and not much money is wasted. And really, the difference between 50 cents a day really isn't /that/ much considering some rashes can cost upwards to $100 to get rid of, not to mention the extreme discomfort.

Once again, the moral of the story is - Different people are better off with different diapers and solutions that work for them. The best protection and comfort isn't always dependent on cost savings, or using premium diapers. Sometimes changing once or twice extra might lead to better results, and its up to the individual to weigh that. You should really stop touting the whole 'premium is always better cause money savings' line in the manner you have, because yo are starting to sound pretty disrespectful and arrogant with people that don't agree with you. After all, let me put this in bold so you understand even better - Different people need different incontinence solutions then just 'premium or bust'.

Slomo said:

As with what I use, Betterdry cost $1.67 each, and can easily last 12 hours. So in 24 hours I would spend a mere $3.34 per day. Your "cheap" $.70 diaper would cost $4.20 per day.

So.... to wrap this all up. If you want to spend less on diapers, get the more expensive premium ones that cost less overall, and quit wasting your money on the cheap ones that cost more overall. Get it yet.

Click to expand...

Good grief. You wear 24/7 and stay in a single diaper for 12 hours?! I pity the people who have to smell you. Especially if you need a dump half-way through the 12-hours.

Besides, BetterDry diapers (in my experience) leak long before Abenas, although their overall capacity is maybe 1/3rd higher. In practise, you'd have to change BetterDry long before Abenas, unless you don't mind leaking everywhere. Also the tapes on the BetterDrys come off too easily as the diaper's high SAP content causes it to swell and stretch. The fit just isn't as ergonomic as the Abenas.

So... with the Abenas, you get the best of both worlds: a premium high-capacity diaper that doesn't leak easily, for a relatively low price.

The Abenas are also the least irritant of all diapers I've used, leaving your skin in better condition, and saving you money on rash cream. You didn't include the cost of that in your calculations.

Rather than plucking your own random figures out of thin air, if you base everything on my experiences, then clearly you will save money with the Abenas.

Got it?

Azie said:

Yeah, looks like abena or molicare are you best bets...

Slomo, different people, different strokes. Premium diapers don't always do well for each person, and no one diaper is perfect for everyone. In fact, when facing incontinence, it is best to try to the find the diaper that works best for you.

Click to expand...

Slomo just doesn't seem to understand that. :-/

Azie said:

There's more to think about than just pricing, but such things as skin health, fit, how they contain your particular flow, ect. And for the casual user price per a unit might be a factor, considering they aren't reliant on them.

I often find premium diapers are a distraction at work myself, and tend to go with something a little lighter, such as a Northshore or Tena Slip. The days I do wear something like abu or rearz, I often find I need to change anyways because the diaper gets uncomfortable with how much I move around.

Click to expand...

Exactly. This thread started with a discussion about the best diapers, not the cheapest. And Abenas are highly regarded by many people as one of the best premium diapers you can buy. No need to shove your own opinions down others' throats, Slomo.

Good grief back at both of you.

For starters, as long as you drink the recommended amount to stay well hydrated (64 oz to start with), then your diaper (urine) won't smell bad for quite some time. Certainly longer than 12 hours. And once again, as I have already said, I change every 8-10 hours. Long before I reach any kind of leak or smell potential. This also helps ensure I don't get a rash.

Though even at 12 hours, I still don't. It was only when I tested betterdry and made it 24 hours that rashes and smell became a problem, as well as diaper sag, but surprisingly still no leaks.

And fyi, I was urge incontinent but due to worsening problems had multiple sphincterotomy surgeries. I have been funtionally incontinent for almost two years now. I personally understand both types of flooding and constant leaking- so I know what I'm talking about.

With flooding, yeah not much of a choice and you need a good premium diaper regardless. Abena, molicare, and such just don't cut it.

For constant leaking, yeah you can get away with more changes in a cheaper diaper. Yet once again, those extra changes drive up cost, and make premium diapers more economical.

So either way, premium is better. Not for just certain peoples situations. And don't you both already know that premium also means better acquisition and locking away urine. This way it doesn't get trapped against your skin to cause rashes as easily.

You don't get that as well with abena, and certainly not with molicare. So maybe you're just trying to compare apples and oranges here. I'd suggest you actually try them all quite thouroughly as I have- before making your assumptions.

Slomo said:

And once again, as I have already said, I change every 8-10 hours.

Click to expand...

So, by using BetterDrys that you say last for 12 hours, you're spending extra money per diaper, and then wasting that extra capacity!

Slomo said:

With flooding, yeah not much of a choice and you need a good premium diaper regardless. Abena, molicare, and such just don't cut it.

Click to expand...

Abena M4s are a premium diaper.

Slomo said:

For constant leaking, yeah you can get away with more changes in a cheaper diaper. Yet once again, those extra changes drive up cost, and make premium diapers more economical.

So either way, premium is better. Not for just certain peoples situations. And don't you both already know that premium also means better acquisition and locking away urine. This way it doesn't get trapped against your skin to cause rashes as easily.

You don't get that as well with abena, and certainly not with molicare. So maybe you're just trying to compare apples and oranges here. I'd suggest you actually try them all quite thouroughly as I have- before making your assumptions.

Click to expand...

But you do. I've tried all three diapers (although it was years ago that I tried the Molicares -- I don't rate them at all). I've been wearing M4s and BetterDrys frequently. It sounds like you just don't know what you're talking about. It's not like I'm the only one who thinks this.

Slomo said:

Good grief back at both of you.

For starters, as long as you drink the recommended amount to stay well hydrated (64 oz to start with), then your diaper (urine) won't smell bad for quite some time. Certainly longer than 12 hours. And once again, as I have already said, I change every 8-10 hours. Long before I reach any kind of leak or smell potential. This also helps ensure I don't get a rash.

Though even at 12 hours, I still don't. It was only when I tested betterdry and made it 24 hours that rashes and smell became a problem, as well as diaper sag, but surprisingly still no leaks.

And fyi, I was urge incontinent but due to worsening problems had multiple sphincterotomy surgeries. I have been funtionally incontinent for almost two years now. I personally understand both types of flooding and constant leaking- so I know what I'm talking about.

With flooding, yeah not much of a choice and you need a good premium diaper regardless. Abena, molicare, and such just don't cut it.

For constant leaking, yeah you can get away with more changes in a cheaper diaper. Yet once again, those extra changes drive up cost, and make premium diapers more economical.

So either way, premium is better. Not for just certain peoples situations. And don't you both already know that premium also means better acquisition and locking away urine. This way it doesn't get trapped against your skin to cause rashes as easily.

You don't get that as well with abena, and certainly not with molicare. So maybe you're just trying to compare apples and oranges here. I'd suggest you actually try them all quite thouroughly as I have- before making your assumptions.

Click to expand...

I have tried them all, still use premium ones for bedtime, none work/high mobility times, or when i just want to be cute. But you completelt ignored the whole point of what i was saying - no one product or range of products work for everyone.

You are always badgering people over not choosing x brand for y brand, when y brand may work best for them. The point i was making outside of trying to offer the OP a little help was exactly that, and you were being pretty rude demanding people switch to something they may not want or is available to them. Plain and simple, sometimes a "lesser" diaper in your eyes works best for someone else.