*For more information on how I do reviews see Diaper Test Methodology
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Summary
The NorthShore Supreme is a high quality European diaper manufactured for the NorthShore Care Supply incontinence retailer. I found its construct to be quite similar to the iD Expert Slip (PE) and the Drylife SlipSuper, yet it seems to be a bit more absorbent than its counterparts. This diaper is plastic-backed and is available in white, blue, green and purple backsheets. They also sell a similar product with a cloth-like backing and another plastic-backed diaper called the MegaMax that’s made in China and sells at a far higher price for advertised extra absorbency.These diapers aren’t widely available outside of the US, although it seems the retailer at least has some limited options for international shipping. My first impression before I even opened the bag was that these diapers are dense, they aren’t incredibly thick but you will feel the thickness when wearing them. That said the plastic is quite soft and it can reliably handle 3~4 wettings before leaking depending on how it's worn, making it well suited for day or night usage. If you live at a location where these can be easily purchased I highly recommend giving them a try.
Key Features:
- Plastic backsheet
- Rear waistband
- Wide refastenable tapes
Pros:
- Highly absorbent padding
- Resists surface dampness
- Very durable padding/backsheet
- Snug fit/no sagging
Cons:
- Not particularly discreet
- High unit cost
- Limited availability
Product Details
For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the medium-sized NorthShore Supreme diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:
Packaging
Brand: NorthShore
Manufacturer: NorthShore Care Supply
Origin: France
Units Per Bag: 15
Cost Per Unit: $$$
Dimensions (L x W x H): 31 cm (12.2") x 19 cm (7.5") x 24 cm (9.5")
Weight: 2.2 kg (4.7 lbs)
Available Sizes: XS,S,M,L,XL
Advertised Absorbency: Maximum
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| 1.1 NorthShore Supreme Packaging |
Diaper
Backsheet: Plastic (Poly)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (yellow line/blue text down middle, line blue when wet/text fades)
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
Inner Color: White
Front Waistband: No
Rear Waistband: Yes
Folded Thickness: 2.5 cm (1")
Folded Length: 24 cm (9.5")
Dry Weight: 192 g (6.8 oz)
Fragrance: None
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 77.5 cm (30.5") x 67 cm (26.4") x 29 cm (11.4") x 61 cm (24")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 62 cm (24.4") x 29 cm (11.4") x 18 cm (7.1") x 28 cm (11")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 5.5 cm (2.2") x 11 cm (4.3") x 5 cm (2") x 13 cm (5.1")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1367 cm2 (212 in2)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 3.5 cm (1.4") x 13.5 cm (5.3")
Tape (W x L): 3 cm (1.2") x 5 cm (2")
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| 1.2 NorthShore Supreme Diaper |
Laboratory Absorbency Tests
Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 1308 ml (46.1 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 1408 ml (49.7 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (49 s, 35 s, 39 s, 38 s, 44 s, 45 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 6 cm (2.4")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 91%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 0.96 ml / cm2 (0.22 oz / in2)
Press Out Volume: 100 ml (3.5 oz)
Surface Dampness Rating: 8
The NorthShore Supreme proved very resilient to surface dampness during the capacity test, with only minor hints of moisture showing up in the first 3 wettings. During the real world testing I also found that surface dampness was rarely an issue. It was comparable to the Drylife SlipSuper in this regard.
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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: 1508 ml (53.2 oz)
Total Wettings: 5 (1 standing, 4 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 98%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 1.1 ml / cm2 (0.25 oz / in2)
Standing-Sitting Rating: 9
The NorthShore Supreme proved highly absorbent during the standing-sitting test. All moisture was absorbed rapidly when standing with no pooling and no sign of leakage or squishiness upon sitting. The second wetting while seated was again absorbed rapidly with moisture wicking up the diaper’s frontside but little sensation of dampness or clamminess. On the third wetting while seated it felt a little closer to saturation as there was more pooling and it took longer to absorb, but eventually the excess moisture was wicked and contained by the padding. The diaper didn’t exactly feel damp at this point, but had noticeably swollen in size. On the fourth wetting the diaper felt close to capacity but more moisture was blocked by the leak guards and able to channel to the rear so leakage was avoided. The diaper was clearly saturated on the fifth wetting and moisture was able to make it into the non padded sides; however, it didn’t leak immediately due to the diapers strong plastic-backing and leak-resistant structure. When it finally did leak, a relatively small amount of moisture escaped through the leak guards near the diaper’s crotch, but the padding and structure managed to capture most of the fifth wetting and, surprisingly, once absorbed it didn’t feel like sitting in a puddle. It wasn’t quite at the level of the BetterDry/Crinklz diaper, but I feel this diaper could reliably handle 3 or maybe even 4 daytime wettings without having to worry about leaks.
Lying Down
Total Absorbed Volume: 1608 ml (56.7 oz)
Total Wettings: 4
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 100%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 1.2 ml / cm2 (0.27 oz / in2)
Lying Down Rating: 9
The NorthShore Supreme performed well for lying down absorbency, the first wetting was absorbed rapidly and the moisture was barely noticeable. During the second wetting there was a bit more dampness as moisture pushed up the front of the diaper; this diaper has relatively stiff padding so it’s important that it’s positioned in a way that allows moisture to channel to the diaper’s back. It took a little longer for the second wetting to be fully absorbed but after it was the moisture was barely perceivable. The third wetting was handled similarly to the second, with more channeling to the back of the diaper. There was more moisture apparent at the rear of the diaper at this point. By the fourth wetting the padding quickly became saturated and moisture spilled out from the back with significant leakage. This diaper showed a remarkable capacity for laying down but I feel the test may have somewhat over-represented what you could typically expect for capacity based on how saturated the diaper became; for this reason I rate it at a 9 rather than a 10 for absorbency when lying down and feel it’s best suited for up to 3 wettings.
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| 2.3 Pattern of Used vs Unused Padding Test Stand/Sit (right) Lying Down (left) |
Daily Wear and Bedwetting
The NorthShore Supreme proved to be highly absorbent during testing. In fact, by the test averages alone it was the second most absorbent diaper tested so far after the BetterDry/Crinklz diaper, although whether it leaks before the ConfiDry 24/7 would likely be down to positioning (the ConfiDry did better in some tests). It performed well for both bedwetting and daily usage, with slightly better performance for daily usage. The padding seems to be weighted more heavily to the front of the diaper like the Drylife SlipSuper, which could explain the better performance for daily usage. Also, oddly enough leaks sometimes occurred when sitting down in the morning after it had been worn for bedwetting the previous night. I weighed the diaper in one instance and found it was far below other measured capacities at around 1000ml (33.8 oz). The leaks occurred at the rear leg gathers and might have something to do with that area of rear padding saturating there and being unable to withstand the pressout from sitting. Another potential issue to watch out for is the padding stiffness, it sometimes wants to fold inward and can lead to inefficient moisture channeling and faster leakage. I feel this diaper can confidently be worn for bedwetting and never was awoken by a wetting or could even tell whether it was wet or not without looking at it in the morning. For daily usage I didn’t have any issues with chafing because the backsheet is super soft, but the stiffness does somewhat limit mobility and this would be a tough one to hide in public so it may be best suited for usage around home. One other thing I noticed during daily wear was that it didn’t feel much larger when wet even though it clearly will swell in size. If you can make it work as a daily wear diaper it’s among the most durable on the market so you won’t have to worry about it breaking down or coming loose on you.Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 9
The NorthShore Supreme diaper should generally perform well for bowel containment. It ticks most of the right boxes, having a plastic-backsheet, inner leak guards, a snug rear waistband and a durable structure. It should do a good job at reducing the impact of odors. The main downside being that the rear padding coverage is somewhat less than you may prefer for extra security.
Wear & Tear Tests
Fitting
The NorthShore Supreme features a refastenable double-tape system with fairly large, easy-to-use tapes. The tapes are of high quality and will hold up for an extended period of time.
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| 3.1 NorthShore Supreme Fastener |
Ease-of-Use Rating: 8
The sizing of the NorthShore Supreme is similar to that of the Drylife SlipSuper, in that it runs slightly on the small side. Likewise, the padding can be a bit stiff so it’s important to make sure it doesn’t bunch up in an undesirable way. Otherwise the tapes are convenient and it has a rear waistband, which helps achieve a snug fit. The plastic backsheet is also soft and flexible and won’t put up resistance during a change.
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| 3.2 NorthShore Supreme Fit |
Comfort
Comfort Rating (dry): 8
The NorthShore Supreme has relatively stiff padding like the iD Expert Slip (PE) or Drylife SlipSuper, but it has a rear waistband and has a snug comfortable fit. The padding around the diaper’s crotch is relatively wide so you do need to watch for bunching. I’ll also add that when you wear this diaper you will very much feel that you’re wearing a diaper, which may detract from comfort for some. The plastic-backsheet is a softer/flexible material that’s unlikely to cause irritation when in contact with the wearer’s skin. Overall, there’s not much to complain about in terms of comfort but I wouldn’t rank it among the highest performers for comfort when dry.
Comfort Rating (wet): 8
The NorthShore Supreme may actually be a little more comfortable when slightly wet because it resists surface dampness but at the same time the padding becomes a little softer and more flexible when wet. Again I feel it is most similar to the Drylife SlipSuper in this regard and the padding stays relatively firm regardless of how wet it is. This diaper does feel noticeably thick, particularly when wet so that may be an issue for some, but it provides a high degree of protection as a tradeoff. It also does a great job at retaining its snug fit and doesn’t sag.
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| 3.3 NorthShore Supreme Topsheet and Backsheet |
Durability
Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 0.53% (topsheet), 1.09% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 3 shakes to deterioration
Durability Rating (dry): 10
The NorthShore Supreme proved incredibly durable during the dry durability test, another similarity with the iD Expert Slip (PE) and the Drylife Slip Super. After the dry durability test there was very little padding deterioration and none in the key portions of padding. This was after an extended period of over 10 hours of wear. There wasn’t so much as a hint of padding tearing or clumping. Moreover, the tapes were excellent, they have a fairly large surface area and didn’t give out or slide during the test.
Durability Rating (wet): 10
The NorthShore Supreme’s wet durability mirrored its dry durability. Again there was no padding tearing or clumping even with the extra weight on the padding. The structure of the diaper held out great as well, and I’ve never observed any sagging even after several wettings. The rear waistband is a nice little feature that assists with the snug fit when the padding becomes heavier. I can’t find anything to fault in this diaper for wet durability and thus another perfect score.
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| 3.4 NorthShore Supreme Diaper Dry Test Deterioration |
Discretion Tests
Profile
Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 5.5 cm (2.2"), 6.5 cm (2.6")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 6 cm (2.4"), 5 cm (2")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 2.5 cm (1"), 2.5 cm (1")
Profile Discretion Rating: 5
The NorthShore Supreme is very similar to the Drylife SlipSuper when it comes to profile, it has a fairly visible diaper bulge on both the front and especially the back. The padding is stiff so you would need pretty tight fitting clothing underneath to hide it. It also rises slightly higher above the pantline than the Drylife diaper, but I didn’t feel it was enough to warrant a lower rank. Otherwise it has a snug fit and doesn’t sag when wet so it may be more discreet than some diapers when wet.
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| 4.1 NorthShore Supreme Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
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| 4.2 NorthShore Supreme Sweatpants Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
Noise
Noise Rating: 6
The NorthShore Supreme produces a distinctive crinkling noise when worn while walking. It may be possible to dampen this a little by wearing underwear or mesh pants but it would be hard to cover it up completely.
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| 4.3 NorthShore Supreme Noise Profile |
Odor Reduction
Odor Reduction Rating: 9
Odors were never an issue when testing the NorthShore Supreme diaper. It’s up there with the best in terms of reducing odors and the remarkable resistance to surface dampness likely plays a part. This diaper doesn’t have any detectable fragrance and has a rear waistband, which could be beneficial for those with bowel incontinence.
Want to give the NorthShore Supreme Briefs a try?
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