Pampers entire product line confuses me as well - so we have all of their main diapers up to a size 7 now (Baby Dry, Cruisers, Cruisers 360, Pure Protection, Swaddlers, and Swaddlers Overnight), that fit 41 lbs and over. Then there are also Easy Ups in 5T-6T, equivalent to a Size 7. Ninjamas in S/M (and for a while anyway, even L/XL) are the exact same dimensions as 5T-6T Easy Ups. Going off the CDC weight-age percentile chart, all of Pampers Size 7/5T-6T products should fit on average kids from around 4-7 years old fairly comfortably (basing off the 50th percentile weight for each age). 5th percentile for 41lbs is around 7 years old, 50th percentile is around 5 years old, and 95th is around 3 1/2 years old for 41 lbs. Since there is no upper limit to weight specified on neither Pampers' size 7 diapers nor training pants, I will use Ninjamas upper limit of 70 lbs for the remaining calculations. Basing off of that, the 5th percentile age for 70 lbs is right around 12 1/2, 50th percentile is 10 years old, and 95th percentile is 7 1/4 years old.
So what age exactly are these diapers targeted at? Clearly based on the weight, they are in the category of youth diapers, not baby diapers, despite Pampers not branding them as such. The addition of Size 8 into the mix muddles things up even more. For one, why did they pick Swaddlers to make them in? Swaddlers used to be Pampers' newborn diaper line for a long time, so I'm a bit surprised they decided to launch Size 8 with Swaddlers and not Cruisers or Baby Dry, furthermore, this means that Pampers largest BABY diaper is as large as their largest youth product, L Ninjamas. To me, this does not make any sense whatsoever, but it's nothing new for Pampers. In fact, L/XL Underjams were the same length as Size 7 Cruisers for a very long time, both being around 22 inches in length. It does make me wonder what is in store for Pampers in the future though, since they have now launched a Size 8 in North America, will there be more to come or will it be like when the Size 7 Cruisers launched for the first time, with nothing else launched for several years in a Size 7.
What would I like to see in store for Pampers in the future? There are several different things I would like to see, but how likely will these occur? I have no idea, so here is some speculation on my part. (from most likely to occur, to least likely to occur IMO).
1. XL Ninjamas - Currently, K-C has a stranglehold on this size segment, few store brands have XL overnight underwear. I believe First Quality does make SleepOvers in an XL, but I haven't seen many other brands besides GoodNites that have one. It's a clear opening, and as someone who really likes Ninjamas, besides how small they are, that would be awesome.
2. Cruisers and other diapers in a Size 8 - would be the next logical step. If the Size 8 Swaddlers do well, I wouldn't be surprised to at the very least, see Pampers make Cruisers in a Size 8. I don't think they'd make Baby Dry in a Size 8 this soon though, but I could be (and likely AM) wrong.
3. 6T-7T Easy Ups - Again, would be the next logical step, although I think they might need to change the sizing system by that point as 6 and 7 year olds are definitely not toddlers. I don't know if I see these ever coming out though.
