BetterDry vs Avena M4 observations

[Canadianfalls]

The betterdry seems to go for hours... 12 or more with just wettings for my. Up to 18 hours comfortably as I've experienced. The M4 Abena goes for 6 at most and produces a poor lower-quality fit with leaks than the much more economical and cheaper betterdry.

At around $2.50/M4 vs $2/Better dry here in Toronto I find it hilarious the M4 costs as much as it does. I need good protection at night and wear in the evenings up to bed time and the M4 often disappoints, it just isn't nearly as absorbent. Many people here seem to dislike BetterDry's wicking but I disagree. With tall leak guards and it's quick absorbency, this thirsty diaper makes up for not wicking quickly by locking urine in, more than I can say for the M4.

Just venting. The M4s have left me with wet pants and a wet bed more often than they should for that price and it's claims lately. The betterdry has not let me down at all, even way beyond a reasonable use time and beyond a reasonable capacity. If only it was more discrete... Which is a lot to ask for how well it works.

Wet pants with family over isn't fun, and doing the sheets every night is a dead giveaway. Abena, do better.

 

[todderhr]

Thanks for the review. I've wanted to try betterdry for some time now.

 

[Canadianfalls]

Thanks for the review. I've wanted to try betterdry for some time now.

I can happily recommend!

 

[SparkyDog]

Im glad we have lots of choice
For me the Abena works better (L4)
I am full time IC can't go 12+ hrs or even 8. Skin would break down.
Tapes on the Abena for me just hold the best vs every brand I've tried and im happy with the softness
I change 4-5 times a day
$2.22 each free delivery
less with insurance

 

[LePew]

Yea I really dislike Abena. I don’t like their stuff cloth backed diapers but most of all, I don’t like the smell they give off when you use it. They’ve got this signature Abena smell that just permeates the whole place.

 

[Abdlchriscrinkle]

They’ve got this signature Abena smell that just permeates the whole place.

I've noticed this as well. I would imagine it's something to do with the pulp they use, which is also what gives the m4/L4 its stiffer feel.

 

[SparkyDog]

I've noticed this as well. I would imagine it's something to do with the pulp they use, which is also what gives the m4/L4 its stiffer feel.

Odd I notice no smell
vs many abdl diapers and other medical diapers I've tried that stink fast

 

[LePew]

Odd I notice no smell
vs many abdl diapers and other medical diapers I've tried that stink fast

Trust me, there’s a very distinct smell and it’s pungent. If you can’t smell it then your anosmic to it but I assure you it’s there.

 

[SparkyDog]

Trust me, there’s a very distinct smell and it’s pungent. If you can’t smell it then your anosmic to it but I assure you it’s there.

so im nose blind to it in Abena but can smell it in other diapers?

 

[Diaperman95]

I use to wear abena for years. But I got tired of them clumping and stretching and loosing when wet. I had to use a cloth snap pant to gold them up. Now they are much much cheaper in the states. Better dry is far better a product. But to be honest when they get real wet they too loosen and they do not wick fluid away from skin when very wet eorherehh Here in the states I prefer NorthShore Mega max. They stay on snug they hold a lot never clump and my skin stays dry. Also NS was kind enough to give me a little discount so I my last order was $201.40 after tax and delivery for 70 diapers. Marking them around $2.90 a diaper. So Anything that good under 3 bucks I am happy. Mega max smokes them both. I would look at some of the incredible diapers Rearz has too offer the incontrol. I like the diapers with a plastic landing strip much because the fit is snug and they stat shbb

 

[LePew]

so im nose blind to it in Abena but can smell it in other diapers?

Yes. You’re noseblind to the wet abena smell clearly. And not nose blind to others. It’s a thing.

 

[LePew]

Also NS was kind enough to give me a little discount so I my last order was $201.40 after tax and delivery for 70 diapers. Marking them around $2.90 a diaper. So Anything that good under 3 bucks I am happy. Mega max smokes them both. I would look at some of the incredible diapers Rearz has too offer the incontrol. I like the diapers with a plastic landing strip much because the fit is snug and they stat shbb

that’s a really good deal for megamax. That’s worth it.

 

[SparkyDog]

Yes. You’re noseblind to the wet abena smell clearly. And not nose blind to others. It’s a thing.

well there you go
learnt something today
Guess it's good I live alone and change multiple times a day then I guess.

 

[blob]

They're not even comparable. Even compared to 15-20 years ago before all the rounds of quality cuts Abena made the Betterdry is still a superior product.

 

[SuperMaidRavi]

Thanks for the review 😊. It's sad that you had such a bad experience with Abenas as they let you down on such occasions .

From the research I've been able to do, the key difference (considering I compare Betterdry to the plastic backed abenas) between how these two perform is their fluff/SAP ratio.

Betterdry swell factor is so massive due to having lots of SAP which doesn't wick that well but absorbs liquid (and majority of betterdry is just SAP with very little fluff. which is great for discretion as it doesn't add much on to the diaper's thickness). whereas most of abena's is just fluff (which wicks well, but doesn't absorb the liquid and clumps easily if in such crazy amount as in Abena's). Fluff also is much cheaper than SAP itself and abena, as most medical diaper manufacturers have been cutting corners and cheaping out on their quality.

Not to mention how abena downgraded their thick plastic to the point of entirely replacing it with low-quality cloth backing...

 

[Nowididit]

I use to wear abena for years. But I got tired of them clumping and stretching and loosing when wet. I had to use a cloth snap pant to gold them up. Now they are much much cheaper in the states. Better dry is far better a product. But to be honest when they get real wet they too loosen and they do not wick fluid away from skin when very wet eorherehh Here in the states I prefer NorthShore Mega max. They stay on snug they hold a lot never clump and my skin stays dry. Also NS was kind enough to give me a little discount so I my last order was $201.40 after tax and delivery for 70 diapers. Marking them around $2.90 a diaper. So Anything that good under 3 bucks I am happy. Mega max smokes them both. I would look at some of the incredible diapers Rearz has too offer the incontrol. I like the diapers with a plastic landing strip much because the fit is snug and they stat shbb

Any high capacity diaper is going to stretch out and loosen up when they get wet. Adding liquid weight to a dry product tends to do this. Not to mention ones motion and movements add to the stretching of the side panels. Bending, sitting, reaching, stretching, lifting......

 

[Canadianfalls]

Any high capacity diaper is going to stretch out and loosen up when they get wet. Adding liquid weight to a dry product tends to do this. Not to mention ones motion and movements add to the stretching of the side panels. Bending, sitting, reaching, stretching, lifting......

Abena does this... a lot. An unusual amount compared to Molicare, ATNs, or BetterDry in my experience. Makes for a poorer fit. No hook and loop tapes also leaves no way to correct this when it happens.

 

[Rita]

Thank you for this post !
I also like use Betterdry diapers for the high absorbency along with MagaMaxs.

 

[parcelboy2]

Better dry is my night time nappy

 

[loadedpamperman]

I differ on this in one major way...I don't see the two as "equal" to begin with. I wear Abena (PE only) during the day when necessary as they're thinner than the Betterdry and much more discreet whereas I have been relying on Betterdry for a few years now at night, often with a Tranquility "Super Plus" booster pad as I'll frequently be a slave to my body's autoimmune issues which cause me to wind up asleep for a minimum of 9-10 hours all the way out to 18-20+ hours. Even after all of those hours I almost never wake up in a cold, wet bed. That's a good thing as I DETEST waking up in a cold, wet bed...makes me incredibly miserable and pretty much ruins the rest of the day for me.
I will wear Abena overnight but only when I have to be up early for a Dr appt (several dozen/year sadly) and if I know I'm only going to be able to sleep for 6-8 hours, Abena gets the nod.
I've been able to buy Abena for under $1.50/each for quite some time now whereas Betterdry are about 20% more per piece. It sucks that they are that expensive in Canada. What's the reasoning for that?

BTW I admit the NS MegaMax is an awesome diaper but I can not justify the almost $3/each price especially when I can buy a Betterdry AND a large Tranquility booster pad for significantly less yet still be able to go into the 18-20 hour realm without leaking. I'm certain the Megamax would last even longer, but I wouldn't be able to use it to capacity and therefor would be throwing money out the window. As a disabled vet on a fixed income, that's something I try to avoid doing. NOW...IF the VA decides to supply me with Megamax, then by all means I'd use them, but after nearly 2 years of playing tug of war I'm just now starting to make headway into being provided with a decent quality diaper that will get me through the night. I'm not quite where I want to be yet, but I believe I am nearing the end of that tunnel.