*For more information on how I do reviews see Diaper Test Methodology
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Summary
The Drylife SlipSuper is a premium European-made diaper that appears to have been manufactured by a UK-based company. This company only sells a limited range in higher absorbency products, which I believe in many cases can lead to some of the best products (e.g. a more focused product with emphasis on quality). In Drylife's case that certainly holds true, they've created a great premium diaper but sell at a pretty affordable price in their home market. Unfortunately it's a bit tougher to get a hold of in North America.
This diaper features a soft-plastic backsheet with two different types of wetness indicator. It's well constructed and proved incredibly durable during my testing. Initially I thought this was a rebrand of the very similar iD Expert Slip Maxi (PE), but it has some important differences that I describe throughout this review. Overall, I found it better suited to overnight wear because it can be bulky and noisy, but if it works for you this diaper will do an excellent job at resisting leaks for up to 3 wettings.
Key Features:
- Plastic-backing
- Thick padding
- Strong refastenable tapes
- Rear waistband
- Standing inner leak barriers
Pros:
- Super absorbent/leak resistant
- Perfect for overnight use
- Snug fit
- Highly durable
Cons:
- Brief pooling after wetting
- Bulky padding is hard to conceal
- Limited availability
Product Details
For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the medium-sized Drylife SlipSuper diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:
Packaging
Brand: Drylife SlipSuper
Manufacturer: Drylife Ltd.
Origin: EU
Units Per Bag: 15
Cost Per Unit: $$
Dimensions (L x W x H): 35 cm (13.8") x 18 cm (7.1") x 23 (9.1")
Weight: 2.63 kg (5.8 lbs)
Available Sizes: M, L
Advertised Absorbency: Super
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| 1.1 Drylife SlipSuper Packaging |
Diaper
Backsheet: Plastic (Poly)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (double yellow lines down the middle, blue when wet/blue line disappears)
Standing Inner Leak Guards: Yes
Leg Gathers: Yes
Product Style: Tab-Style Brief
Refastenable Tabs: Yes
Number of Tapes: 2
Repositionable Tabs: No
Outer Color: White (blue line and text down the middle beside wetness indicator)
Inner Color: White
Front Waistband: No
Rear Waistband: Yes
Folded Thickness: 2.7 cm (1.1")
Folded Length: 23 cm (9.1")
Dry Weight: 167 g (5.98 oz)
Fragrance: None (or slight sweet synthetic smell)
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 76 cm (29.9") x 64 cm (25.2") x 18 cm (7.1") x 58 (22.8")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 58 cm (22.8") x 30 cm (11.8") x 17 cm (6.7") x 29 cm (11.4")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 6.5 cm (2.6") x 11 cm (4.3") x 6 cm (2.4") x 15.5 cm (6.1")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1315 cm2 (203 in2)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 4 cm (1.6") x 14 cm (5.5")
Tape (W x L): 2.5 cm (1") x 4.5 cm (1.8")
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| 1.2 Drylife SlipSuper Diaper |
Laboratory Absorbency Tests
Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 1133 ml (40 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 1300 ml (44.1 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (42 s, 38 s, 42 s, 54 s, 46 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 5.5 cm (2.2")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 90%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 0.86 ml / cm2 (0.2 oz / in2)
Press Out Volume: 200 ml (7.1 oz)
Surface Dampness Rating: 8
The Drylife SlipSuper did a good job at resisting surface dampness with one caveat. In the laboratory test it absorbed quickly and didn't show any sign of dampness until the 3rd wetting. However, it seems susceptible to temporary pooling during the initial stages of a wetting. Generally this lasts under a minute and in my experience the diaper does a decent job at resisting surface dampness.
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| 2.1 Wet vs Dry Diaper After Capacity Test |
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| 2.2 Used vs Unused Padding After Capacity Test |
"Real World" Absorbency Tests
Posture Tests
Standing-Sitting
Total Absorbed Volume: 1308 ml (46.1 oz)
Total Wettings: 4 (1 standing, 3 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 98%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.99 ml / cm2 (0.23 oz / in2)
Standing-Sitting Rating: 8
With its front-focused padding I expected the Drylife SlipSuper diaper to perform well in the standing-sitting test and it did perform reasonably well. The first wetting while standing was barely perceivable and absorbed quickly, while there was no squishiness upon sitting down. The padding did swell during testing but its firmness was little changed from its dry state. There was a brief pooling of moisture initially upon wettings but once it was absorbed the diaper remained dry. By the 3rd wetting the diaper was noticeable damp with moisture pushing up its front side. The backsheet prevented leakage but it could lead to temporary discomfort for the wearer. The diaper clearly reached saturation on the 4th wetting with moisture moving back up the front and leaking out the sides. The leakage was relatively minor and had it had padding rising further up the front with wider wings I believe it could have easily handled the 4th wetting as well. Based on this test I feel the Drylife SlipSuper can generally handle 3 wettings while seated without leakage putting it in the low-to-mid range of premium adult diapers.
Lying Down
Total Absorbed Volume: 1458 ml (51.4 oz)
Total Wettings: 4
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 97%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 1.11 ml / cm2 (0.25 oz / in2)
The Drylife SlipSuper diaper breezed through the first three wettings while lying down with no sign of leakage. The diaper remained dry and comfortable for the most part with the moisture contained to the padding. By the 3rd wetting the diaper did have a bit of dampness to it, but not in a significant way. This diaper's only significant fault might be that moisture can pool temporarily within the first minute of a wetting in spite of its relatively fast absorbance. This may have been more of a problem in a less structurally sound diaper, but the high quality waistband at its rear does a good job at directing moisture and prevents any from coming out the back. What's interesting about this diaper is that it performed so well on the lying down test in spite of seemingly having its most absorbent padding at its front. The snug fit and decent wicking ability appears to have directed more moisture to the front of the diaper and the back only started to become noticeably damp after the front was mostly saturated. By the 4th wetting the diaper was completely saturated and there was clear leakage out of the sides. I had trouble rating the Drylife SlipSuper as it could have been either an 8 or a 9 on this test, but I erred upward because of its high absorbency rate and structure that backs that up.
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| 2.3 Pattern of Used vs Unused Padding Test Stand/Sit (right) Lying Down (left) |
Daily Wear and Bedwetting
I found the Drylife SlipSuper to be an interesting diaper. In many ways it's similar to the iD Expert Slip Maxi (PE) particularly in the relatively small sizing, but with a few notable differences. This diaper felt thicker at its crotch with a rear waistband that held the padding up better. If you're a male this may cause it to feel a little tight at the front. It also could be problematic for those with bowel incontinence because the pouch at its rear is relatively small. Furthermore, this diaper features a double wetness indicator, with two yellow lines that turn blue when wet and a blue strip that disappears. In terms of overnight wear, this diaper was among the best I've tested, with a high rate of absorption and good wicking of moisture from the front to the back (the snugness in the front was likely a contributing factor). It can take 3~4 wettings without leaking while laying down, which is often more than enough for overnight wear, but its plastic backsheet and thick padding could make it feel a bit warm in warm weather. In terms of daily wear, I'd say this is more of a stay-at-home sort of a diaper, as it really does stand out under clothing and its thickness can make it a little tough to walk in. Still, it was consistently able to absorb at least 3 wettings without leaking during daily wear. I probably pushed it a bit far in some of the tests but I never noticed any significant skin irritation (even after extended wear while wet). Where it's widely available this diaper comes at a decent price and is certainly worth a try if you're in the market for a reliable premium diaper for overnight wear.
Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 9
The Drylife SlipSuper should be well suited for managing bowel incontinence. It has a strong plastic backsheet, rear waistband and very durable design. Additional, the inner leak guards are of a high quality and rear padding is quite extensive. I never had an issue with tape looseness in this diaper, which is critical when managing bowel incontinence. It could probably use a bit more in the way of rear padding so I can't quite rate it at the top of this category, but it's pretty close.
Wear & Tear Tests
Fitting
The Drylife SlipSuper features two double-tape fasteners per side, which allow for the diaper to be detached and reattached multiple times in the same position. The tapes are of high quality and relatively long; they can be expected to hold up well to use and I've never had an issue with them coming undone.
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| 3.1 Drylife SlipSuper Fastener |
Ease-of-Use Rating: 8
The Drylife SlipSuper diaper runs a little on the small size, which can make getting a good fit a little tricky. The padding can also be a bit stiff and wide between the legs which will lead to bunching or a crease like seen in figure 3.2. Even so I didn't find it particularly difficult to apply. It has the added benefit of a high quality rear waistband, which makes it easier to get a snug fit. The plastic backsheet is also soft and flexible so it won't put up a lot of resistance during a change.
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| 3.2 Drylife SlipSuper Fit |
Comfort
Comfort Rating (dry): 8
The Drylife SlipSuper's relatively small sizing could be a comfort issue for some but it features a soft/flexible backsheet and the rear waistband keeps the padding from sagging too low. This diaper also features a wide/dense area of padding between the legs that I've found can bunch up and form a crease. I attribute that mostly to its thick/firm padding. The denseness and snugness of the padding in the front is interesting. The padding itself is comfortable but not particularly soft, less so than the Tranquility ATN, but I've rated it similarly because I feel like its structure does a better job at keeping the diaper in place. Its fit most similarly resembles the iD Expert Slip Maxi (PE), with the rear waistband giving it a slight edge over that diaper in terms of comfort.
Comfort Rating (wet): 8
The Drylife SlipSuper performed well in terms of comfort when wet, with its padding keeping perfect form and surface dampness reduced to a minimum until it approached saturation. The padding remained relatively firm when wet, not so different from its dry state. What was interesting about this diaper was that most of the padding swelling occurred at the front crotch area, while there was relatively little swelling at the back; I believe its most absorbent material exists at its front so this isn't a huge surprise. The diaper also felt thick between the legs when wet, probably due to its extra width collapsing there. It's not the most comfortable diaper on the market with its relatively firm padding but it makes up for that in other ways like keeping its form and reducing surface dampness.
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| 3.3 Drylife SlipSuper Topsheet and Backsheet |
Durability
Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 0.6% (topsheet), 1.3% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 12 shakes to deterioration
Durability Rating (dry): 10
The Drylife SlipSuper proved incredibly durable during the dry durability test with few signs of padding damage after well over 10 hours of wear/tear. There was a bit of padding deterioration at the diaper's mid-section but the padding runs a bit wide at its crotch and has to collapse a bit to achieve a good fit. Overall its performance was very similar to the iD Expert Slip Maxi (PE) but where it didn't achieve quite as strong the results in terms of deterioration its use of a rear waistband likely did a better job at holding it together. Moreover, the wetness indicator was infallible to sweat/light dribbles during wear.
Durability Rating (wet): 10
The Drylife SlipSuper had the best performance of all diapers so far when it came to the wet shake test, holding together for 12 shakes after the capacity test. This was in spite of it being a high absorbency diaper, which typically hurts otherwise durable diapers in the shake test (due to the weight). Moreover, in real world use the diaper showed no hints of tearing or clumping even after extended wear. Its durability when wet was comparable to durability when dry and there was little sign of a change to the padding integrity when wet. It's hard to imagine a diaper being more durable when wet, so the Drylife SlipSuper joins the ranks of the iD Expert Slip Maxi (PE) with top marks for wet durability.
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| 3.4 Drylife SlipSuper Dry Test Deterioration |
Discretion Tests
Profile
Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 4 cm (1.57"), 4 cm (1.57")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 2 cm (0.79"), 1 cm (0.39")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 2 cm (0.79"), 2 cm (0.79")
Profile Discretion Rating: 5
Given its relatively small padding area the Drylife SlipSuper is far from discrete. Its thickness makes it pretty hard to conceal under most outfits, particularly in the front where the padding is especially thick and swells a lot when wet. This diaper is almost certain to produce a diaper bulge. That said, it's not the least discreet diaper on the market and its backsheet barely rises above the pant line.
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| 4.1 Drylife SlipSuper Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
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| 4.2 Drylife SlipSuper Sweatpants Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
Noise
Noise Rating: 6
The Drylife SlipSuper is one of the noisier diapers of those I've tried to date. I found that a bit surprising because diapers with thick padding tend to dampen sound a bit and its padding seems to do a good job at adhering to the backsheet. Whether I was walking or sitting, this diaper had a very distinctive crinkle that could be challenging to hide in a quiet room. This could be somewhat concealed if worn under mesh pants or underwear but this probably wouldn't be your night out diaper anyway.
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| 4.3 Drylife SlipSuper Noise Profile |
Odor Reduction
Odor Reduction Rating: 9
The Drylife SlipSuper provides top tier odor protection. This seems to come from a balance of its very absorbent padding and the rear waistband, which gives it a snugger fit to reduce odors that might escape from around the waist. It doesn't appear to have any added fragrance but if you open a new Drylife SlipSuper diaper you may notice a very slight sweet synthetic smell. All in all I don't have any complaints with respect to odor reduction in this diaper, but I feel the BetterDry/Crinklz diaper does a slightly better job so I couldn't quite give it a 10.
