Attends Care Poly Briefs Adult Diaper Review

   *For more information on how I do reviews see Diaper Test Methodology

Summary

The Attends Care Poly diaper appears to be the last of the North American Attends products that still has a plastic-backsheet. The only other I’m aware of is the Attends Care Waistband, but that appears to have been discontinued. Surprisingly, I found this diaper to be a little better than the waistband product, but it features many of the same flaws.

It’s among the cheapest diapers on the market, but I’ve found that the Depend Protection with Tabs is often cheaper and perhaps a better value when absorbency is considered. I feel this diaper was designed for the care home market where changes should be done frequently and products are bought for low unit pricing (hence the “care” in the branding). Its durability is such that it can’t be worn for long without deterioration, so it’s ideally suited for overnight wear in cases where high absorbency isn’t needed (or perhaps for bowel incontinence where the spacious design would be beneficial).

Key Features:

• Plastic backsheet
• Refastenable tapes
  

Pros:

• Soft “airy” padding
  
• Spacious design
• Low unit price

Cons:

• Padding easily deteriorates
• Highly prone to surface dampness
• Low absorbency

Product Details

For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the medium-sized Attends Poly diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:

Packaging

Brand: Attends Healthcare Products Inc.
Manufacturer: Attends Care
Origin: USA
Units Per Bag: 21
Cost Per Unit: $
Dimensions (L x W x H): 48 cm (18.9") x 16 cm (6.3") x 24 cm (9.5")
Weight: 2 kg (4.4 lbs)
Available Sizes: M,L,XL
Advertised Absorbency: Heavy

1.1 Attends Care Poly Packaging

Diaper

Backsheet: Plastic (Poly)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (two yellow lines down middle, blue when wet)
Standing Inner Leak Guards: No
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: No
Folded Thickness: 2.2 cm (0.87")
Folded Length: 24 cm (9.5")
Dry Weight: 83 g (2.9 oz)
Fragrance: None
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 81.5 cm (32.1") x 62 cm (24.4") x 29 cm (11.4") x 62 cm (24.4")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 57 cm (22.4") x 24 cm (9.5") x 17 cm (6.9") x 25 cm (9.8")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 3.5 cm (1.4") x 12 cm (4.7") x 4 cm (1.6") x 15.5 cm (6.1")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1177 cm² (182 in²)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 4 cm (1.6") x 15 cm (5.9")
Tape (W x L): 2.5 cm (1") x 4 cm (1.6")

1.2 Attends Care Poly Diaper

Laboratory Absorbency Tests

Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 642ml (22.7 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 667 ml (23.5 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (37 s, 48 s, 53 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 4 cm (1.6")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 86%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 0.55 ml / cm² (0.12 oz / in²)
Press Out Volume: 25 ml (0.88 oz)

Surface Dampness Rating: 1
Surface dampness issues appear almost as soon as any moisture is added to the Attends Poly diaper. It’s very similar to the Attends Waistband or First Quality diapers in that regard. During capacity testing it showed substantial surface dampness after only a single wetting. In real world testing this was confirmed with prolonged sensations of pooling and the diaper felt constantly clammy after a wetting.

2.1 Wet vs Dry Diaper After Capacity Test

2.2 Used vs Unused Padding After Capacity Test

"Real World" Absorbency Tests

Posture Tests

Standing-Sitting

Total Absorbed Volume: 567 ml (20 oz)
Total Wettings: 2 (1 standing, 1 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 100%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.5 ml / cm² (0.11 oz / in²)

Standing-Sitting Rating: 2
The Attends Care Poly diaper performed about as expected on the standing-sitting test. It absorbed the first wetting but felt damp immediately afterwards and the dampness never fully receded (though it did feel a little better over time). The diaper leaked almost immediately after the first wetting while seated; moisture quickly found its way into the sides and leaked through the bottom. It felt completely saturated and resulted in a major leak. I feel this diaper is only good for a single wetting during daily wear at best, but I wouldn’t say it's the worst on the market.

Lying Down

Total Absorbed Volume: 542 ml (19.1 oz)
Total Wettings: 2
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 67%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.5 ml / cm² (0.1 oz / in²)

Lying Down Rating: 3
On the first wetting while lying down the rear of the diaper quickly became saturated and was noticeably wet. There was very little wicking up the front of the diaper (but it has a pretty loose fit, which probably explains it). Surprisingly it didn’t leak as the diaper’s leg gathers prevented the excess from escaping before it could be absorbed; however, even after it was absorbed it felt noticeably damp. I feel there may have been a little pressout had I sat down somewhere after the first wetting. A cloth-backed version of this diaper likely would have leaked at this point, whereas this diaper has a plastic-backing. On the second wetting the back of the diaper was already saturated and there wasn’t a significant amount of absorption. It leaked through the rear leg gathers, but surprisingly the leg gathers held back what would otherwise have been a major leak leaving a puddle covering the saturated padding. This diaper should generally work for a single wetting without leakage while lying down, but certainly wouldn’t handle 2 wettings in this posture. I’ve ranked its performance similar to the Depends Protection with Tabs or Certainty Adult Diapers in this regard, but its leak barriers are less effective than those two.

2.3 Pattern of Used vs Unused Padding Test Stand/Sit (right) Lying Down (left)

Daily Wear and Bedwetting

The Attends Care Poly diaper showed poor absorbency during testing and was prone to leaking in as little as a single wetting. If wet when lying down this might be less of an issue as the diaper’s leg gathers trap moisture and won’t be under pressure to release it; that in spite of the fact it has no inner leak guards. When sitting down it’s unlikely to avoid leaks if wet. If wet while standing and given proper time to absorb when sitting you might avoid a leak, but I wouldn’t count on it without the use of a booster pad. During daily wear I also found this diaper’s padding would easily fall apart even under a relatively low amount of activity. When used for bed wetting it leaked less but there were still occasional leaks after only a single wetting. This diaper feels best suited for bedwetters who are light wetters or in care home settings where the patient is frequently checked and changed (e.g. wouldn’t be in a wet diaper for long). I would not recommend it for daily wear, even for light wetters, as the padding deteriorates too easily. It really does feel like this diaper was made for use in a hospital or care home setting, having a cheap unit price and being relatively easy to change.

Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 3

The Attends Care Poly Briefs won't be a great choice for bowel containment. It is plastic-backed, which tends to be a major plus in this category. However, it doesn't have standing inner leak guards and the rear padding area is relatively limited. Moreover, the padding is highly susceptible to deterioration. For this reason I can't recommend it for those with fecal incontinence.

Wear & Tear Tests

Fitting

The Attends Poly diaper features a plastic (PE) backsheet with two double tape fasteners per side. The tapes are relatively small and modestly sticky, but can be reapplied multiple times after they are initially applied.

3.1 Attends Care Poly Fastener

Ease-of-Use Rating: 6

The Attends Poly diaper comes in about average in terms of ease of application. The tapes are small so it can be a challenge to line them up again if you need to reapply. I’ve also found that when first applied you really need to push the tape in otherwise it won’t stick and will slide. Moreover, if you don’t hold the blue lower tape when removing it there’s a tendency for both tapes to become detached. However, it’s not particularly difficult to get a snug and comfortable fit and the tapes won’t slide if well applied when changing.

3.2 Tena Slip Active Fit Ultima Fit

Comfort

Comfort Rating (dry): 8
I found this diaper to be surprisingly comfortable in its dry state. It has a light “airy” feel to it and both the padding and backsheet are quite soft and flexible. This diaper is spacious, so there will tend to be less contact between the skin and the padding. It does become less comfortable over time as the padding has a strong tendency to clump and tear with wear. A particularly interesting aspect of this diaper is that it has a zone of soft material that extends beyond the padding up both its front and rear that’s about 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter. I was surprised to find this diaper was more comfortable than the Attends Care Waistband in spite of seemingly being less featureful.

Comfort Rating (wet): 4
The Attends Poly diaper ranks poorly for wet comfort, although again better than the Attend Waistband diaper. The padding quickly becomes saturated and has serious pressout issues. It will likely cause skin irritation if left wet for long without changing. The main reason I didn’t rank it lower was that the spacious “airy” design somewhat cuts back on the discomfort brought on by the surface dampness, it’s just a shame it isn’t more absorbent.

3.3 Attends Care Poly Topsheet and Backsheet

Durability

Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 19.5% (topsheet), 18.8% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 3 shakes to deterioration

Durability Rating (dry): 3
The Attends Poly diaper performed only slightly better than the Attends Waistband diaper in terms of dry durability. The padding construct is fairly similar, it’s very light and easy to clump and tear. It gets damaged even with relatively light activity. I feel like this probably aligns with its design in being more for a care home setting where patients are relatively inactive and should be changed frequently. The tapes themselves and the rest of the design holds up alright, but if not removed properly you may tear the backsheet.

Durability Rating (wet): 2
The wet durability of the Attends Poly is again only slightly better than the Attends Waistband. I’ve also noticed, while the wetness indicator is supposed to turn blue when wet it often turns a faded yellow when saturated. It shouldn’t be worn in the wet state for long because it will exhibit a high degree of surface dampness and even more padding will detach leaving more skin against the backsheet.

3.4 Attends Care Poly Diaper Dry Test Deterioration

Discretion Tests

Profile

Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 7 cm (2.8"), 7 cm (2.8")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 6 cm (2.4"), 6 cm (2.4")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 4 cm (1.6"), 4 cm (1.6")

Profile Discretion Rating: 7
I’ve ranked the Attends Poly similar to the Attends Waistband diaper in terms of profile discretion. If you ignore the noise and tendency to leak, it’s easy to hide under clothing. It does have a pretty high rise above the waistline, but the backsheet is pure white and not particularly obvious compared to normal underwear.

4.1 Attends Care Poly Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

4.2 Attends Care Poly Sweatpants Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

 

Noise

Noise Rating: 3
In spite of being pretty thin, the Attends Poly diaper crinkles like crazy. This can be somewhat dampened when worn under clothing but even the slightest movement will lead to noise. I believe this comes from the padding easily detaching from the backsheet leading to greater friction between the surfaces and making it more likely for the backsheet to fold in on itself. It seems to be a common trend in think plastic-back diapers, where some of the thicker premium ones are surprisingly quiet.

4.3 Attends Care Poly Noise Profile

Odor Reduction

Odor Reduction Rating: 5
The plastic-backing is about the only thing that keeps this diaper from having an even worse rating in terms of odors. It doesn’t have any added fragrance, but odors easily form when the diaper is wet due to the high degree of surface dampness. The plastic-backsheet somewhat keeps it in check but the design doesn’t do much to prevent them from escaping.

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