Abena M4 still good?

[ThePhotographer]

Ok so I always see people recommending Abena m4s as a good diaper option, however in the past when I tried them they seemed just thin, poor tapes, would clump at the slight hint of wetness, and padding would break apart with normal movement.
Is it a possible that what I get from an Amazon seller was just constantly bad quality M4s and the good ones everyone talks about still exist? Or do you guys do something to them to make them better like adding a stuffer, extra tape, etc?
I love there design but I just wish what I get was the great value and quality diaper you guys all recommend.
Right now I feel like the northshore supremes are like what people describe how the M4s once were.

 

[PCS]

The version that is sold under the “Drylife Slip XPlus” label in the UK is superb. The tapes stick, they hold aplenty and they’re lovely and thick.

 

[irnub]

There are a few things going on when people say abena is good:

1) nostalgia and/or they haven't tried them recently and/or you're reading an old post. 10+ years ago before abdl diaper manufacturers were a dime a dozen, abena m4s were about the best we could get. Also, as abdl diapers have gotten better and better, abenas quality has dropped over the years.

2) Consider that abena m4s can be had for near $1/each from resellers such as Amazon.

3) Compare an m4 to whatever junk you can find in a drugstore these days

So if you take them for what they are, a cheap and widely available plastic backed diaper that can hold a wetting or two and last for about as many hours, then yes, they're a pretty ok diaper.

Personally I keep a bag of them on hand for if I need something to tide me over for just a few hours in between my actual good abdl diapers. e.g. if I need to change now, but I also want to be in a fresh diaper when I go out again 3 hours from now, an m4 is perfect for bridging that timespan. That said, if somebody is trying to present m4s as the be all end all of adult diapers, they really don't know what they're talking about.

 

[Seasonedcitizen]

Everyone wants a MegaMax at a discount price. ask yourself what your need is and how opportune is changing. The Abena works well for me and I wet heavily after I drink the brew made from the magic beans.

 

[DiaperVapor]

I can't say, because as far as I know, we only have the cloth backed 'Air-Plus' variants here in NZ unless someone knows otherwise. I tried one once, and wasn't impressed, not a clothbacked fan at all they sag alot more than plastic-backed and constantly felt damp after the first wetting.

 

[bob111]

I've been wearing them at night for 15 years I think. They are not what they used to be. Some batch are better than others. But they are still very good. They hold well and can take a flood. They are made for people in bed. If you wear them walking around wet, they won't be as effective.

 

[blob]

No. They were good 15/20 years ago, but so many rounds of cost cutting since then has ruined them. Plus all the much better brands now on the market.

Don't waste your money.

 

[Pongoandperdi15]

Pcs

The version that is sold under the “Drylife Slip XPlus” label in the UK is superb. The tapes stick, they hold aplenty and they’re lovely and thick.

I could be wrong as they may have changed manufacturers but last I checked they were a version of ID slips made by Ontex for the brand owner incontinence shop. Look at the symbols on both pack for dryness layer and cotton feel (have to look at old ID slip packages) they are exactly the same.

Last time I used Abena M4 I found they were rubbish the tapes failed to hold, I leaked a lot and they were just generally un-usable looking at reviews not much seems to have changed

 

[AtPeace]

The plastic backed version is the best version. Those are great mid tier diapers.

 

[PCS]

Pcs

I could be wrong as they may have changed manufacturers but last I checked they were a version of ID slips made by Ontex for the brand owner incontinence shop. Look at the symbols on both pack for dryness layer and cotton feel (have to look at old ID slip packages) they are exactly the same.

Last time I used Abena M4 I found they were rubbish the tapes failed to hold, I leaked a lot and they were just generally un-usable looking at reviews not much seems to have changed

Drylife Slip Super = Ontex. They say “Made in EU” on the packages and are very similar to old plastic ID slips.

Drylife Slip XPlus = M4/L4 plastic (or at least made on same machines) and say “Made in Denmark” on the packages.

Confusing, but it seems Drylife have “saved” two old products by ordering them as own-label, it seems.

Certainly the very last to be sold under the Abena L4 label were shoddy, but these seem to have been upgraded a bit with more SAP and they are a bit thicker.

 

[ThePaddedTurtle]

abemas are still good. i still use them and still like them.

 

[KenworthW900b]

I still wear the L4 version fairly regularly and they aren't bad, I don't really think they are any better or worse than they were in 2006 when I found them and started using them I think everything else has just gotten so much better. The abena line has not seen any real improvements in the last several years and the line has been trimmed down so much I think the only plastic backed products that abena still makes are the M4/L4. Bottom line is while they are still a decent diaper and are good for someone who can't afford camalots or megamax 24/7 they are most definitely not the be all end all they used to be. Just my 2 cents on the whole thing.

 

[Seasonedcitizen]

I really soaked my M-4 this morning and it didn’t leak. Great diaper for the price.

 

[blob]

They're definitely a lot worse than they were in the mid 00's, it isn't just comparing them to what we have now.

The X-PLUS years were their glory days.

 

[Frungie]

I still like plastic back Abena M4 diapers. They are discreet for daytime and at least for me on an average night good for night time wettings. Some people don't like the design and I have heard them called "racing stripes" but I like the design, it breaks up the monotony of an all white diaper. Like ATPeace said above, they are good mid-tier diapers. Maybe I will wear one to work today.

 

[MandyBear]

I have been using them nightly for a few years now & occasionally during the day as well.
They are my default diaper for my nighttime wetting that have only occasionally leaked when I side slept, but what diaper doesn't?
I have not had any problems with the tapes. In fact, I find them a bit OP.
Also have not had them clump or break apart of me either like others have said.

The M4s Sold & Shipped by AZ cost me $45-50 per case of 42 shipped (@ $1.20 per diaper).
They have a rated capacity of 3600ml, more then the Northshore Supreme @3200ml (@1.50 per diaper).
They're obviously less absorbent then the NS Megamax @6500ml (@ $2.38 per diaper) Twice the diaper, but also twice the cost.

You have to look at the overall picture & what your needs/wants are.
As a IC person, you look for quality products that will get the job done at a reasonable price.
From an IC person's standpoint, they are a very good & inexpensive diaper.
Not everybody can afford to pay $2-3 dollars per diaper when you need to wear them.

From an AB/DL stand point they might seems like a cheap or hold me over diaper, but again, you get what you pay for.
Yes, AB diapers are thick & have a 4000+ml to 6000+ml capacity range, but also twice the price, and that's not even counting shipping.

Also, I feel anything thicker then an M4 is hard/impossible to hide under clothes. Well, for us girls anyways.

 

[Arrex]

I like the Abena L4's myself but I feel like they get a lot of hate every time someone asks about them. I feel like @MandyBear hit the nail on the head about them being more viable for those of us that need diapers versus those that enjoy them. If I was AB/DL then it would make sense for me to put more into buying high quality diapers because it was something I enjoy. For me, I have a need for them which takes away from what I do enjoy and want to put my disposable income towards. So paying $43 for a case of L4's that keep me dry at work is a no brainer. I also hear that BetterDry's are a better choice but those are $110 for a case and 64 cents more expensive per diaper. Which for me wouldn't break the bank but the biggest factor is that I am in between sizes and because I can't find affordable samples to try both sizes I don't want to buy a pack/case to find out I need the other size over the one I chose.

 

[guest]

got a sample for fun abit ago and took it off afer 5mins ,
Thin, Cheap plastic, No front eleastic wasite band the double tape system will rip the plastic! Hell nope! if u must Get an abdl\white diaper , The ones with the front lanzing zone are best!

 

[MandyBear]

got a sample for fun abit ago and took it off afer 5mins ,
Thin, Cheap plastic, No front eleastic wasite band the double tape system will rip the plastic! Hell nope! if u must Get an abdl\white diaper , The ones with the front lanzing zone are best!

And this was exactly my point.

Comparing an M4 to an AB diaper that costs 2 or 3 times as much is like comparing a Honda to a Porsche.

Sure, both will get you to work on time.
But only one of them can do at 200mph.