Rearz Barnyard/InControl Elite Hybrid Adult Diaper Review

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

Summary

The Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid is a high absorbency adult diaper that mixes a plastic backsheet with hook & loop fasteners and a landing zone like you might find in a cloth-backed diaper. This diaper has playful barnyard prints on the backsheet and has many similarities with the Forsite AM/PM and Bambino Karnevalee but with a bit more padding area and absorbency. There’s an identical unscented diaper with a plain white blacksheet by the same company called the InControl Elite Hybrid There’s also a very similar diaper called the Rearz Dinosaur Elite that features regular tapes and a plastic landing zone like the Forsite AM/PM. Rearz appears to be an ABDL-focused company (sometimes the printed diapers are cheaper than the plain ones, as was the case when I found these) and most of its products including this one are imported from China. Again, I’d prefer to see these companies bring this production back to North America, you’d have to think the recent 900% increase in container shipping costs on that route would be hitting their bottom line.

This diaper proved particularly absorbent when it came to overnight wear with a total absorption higher than any other diaper tested. It is somewhat susceptible to pressout leaks when seated due to limited wicking, but not before at least 3 wettings; so it performed a little below the BetterDry/Crinklz in this regard. It’s one of very few diapers available that is scented, with a baby powder-like fragrance (the only other tested thus far was the Attento diaper). It also features a unique wetness indicator with patches of grass in the design that fade when wet. The downside to this is that these run right into the side panels and will be absorbed into the wearer's skin, which I find a little concerning. This wouldn’t be so much of a problem in the plain white version of diaper as the wetness indicator is a yellow line down the middle that turns blue when wet. In terms of pricing this diaper has a very expensive unit cost so I see it as more of a novelty or perhaps a diaper you’d wear when you’d need to go a long time without changes (particularly when lying down).

Key Features:

• Plastic backsheet
• Standing inner leak barriers
• Repositionable hook & loop fasteners
• Tape landing zone
• Playful backsheet prints (Barnyard only)
  
• Dual waistbands
• Odor control fragrance (Barnyard only)
  

Pros:

• Soft/comfortable padding/backsheet
• Amazing absorbency
• Easy-use fasteners
• Good odor reduction

Cons:

• Very high unit cost
• Wetness indicators stain skin (Barnyard only)
  
• Surface dampness
  

 

Product Details

For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the medium-sized Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:

Packaging

Brand: Rearz
Manufacturer: Weifang Mimosa Personalcare Technology
Origin: China
Units Per Bag: 12
Cost Per Unit: $$$$
Dimensions (L x W x H): 37 cm (14.6") x 20 cm (7.9") x 24 cm (9.5")
Weight: 2.45 kg (5.40 lbs)
Available Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
Advertised Absorbency: 5217 ml

1.1 Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Packaging

Diaper

Backsheet: Plastic (Poly)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (patches of grass, fade when wet)
Standing Inner Leak Guards: Yes
Leg Gathers: Yes
Product Style: Tab-Style Brief
Refastenable Tabs: Yes
Number of Tapes: 2
Repositionable Tabs: Yes
Outer Color: Playful pattern
Inner Color: White (blue rectangle in middle padding)
Front Waistband: Yes
Rear Waistband: Yes
Folded Thickness: 3.33 cm (1.31")
Folded Length: 24 cm (9.5")
Dry Weight: 200 g (7.1 oz)
Fragrance: Yes (baby powder-like fragrance)
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 82 cm (32.3") x 66 cm (26.0") x 34 cm (13.4") x 63 cm (24.8")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 67 cm (26.4") x 29 cm (11.4") x 21 cm (8.3") x 42 cm (16.5")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 4 cm (1.6") x 15 cm (5.9") x 10.5 cm (4.1") x 20 cm (7.9")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1947 cm² (302 in²)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 4 cm (1.6") x 14.5 cm (5.7")
Tape (W x L): 5 cm (2") x 3 cm (1.2")

1.2 Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Diaper

Laboratory Absorbency Tests

Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 2175 ml (76.7 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 2250 ml (79.4 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (54 s, 55 s, 68 s, 69 s, 81 s, 80 s, 80 s, 90 s, 92 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 6.5 cm (2.6")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 68%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 1.12 ml / cm² (0.25 oz / in²)
Press Out Volume: 75 ml (2.6 oz)

Surface Dampness Rating: 4

The Rearz Barnyard padding is similar to the Forsite AM/PM or Bambino Karnevalee, and this showed in terms of surface dampness. There wasn’t much dampness after the first wetting but there was noticeable dampness on each wetting thereafter. During testing the dampness was less noticeable but it certainly did have some pressout moisture.

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: 1675 ml (59.1 oz)
Total Wettings: (1 standing, 3 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 75%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.86 ml / cm² (0.20 oz / in²)

Standing-Sitting Rating: 10
As expected, the Rearz Barnyard diaper had little trouble with the first wetting while standing and remained dry without signs of leakage upon sitting shortly after. There was a little more surface dampness after the second wetting while seated, but it was again fully absorbed without signs of leakage. On the third wetting moisture pushed up the front padding and the diaper’s crotch swelled, the padding felt quite squishy at this point. It briefly felt close to leaking through front/mid leak guards, but managed to keep from leaking, though the surface moisture was far more apparent. On the fourth wetting there was significant leakage through the lower rear leg gathers. A big part of the rear padding was untouched in spite of the leakage, suggesting limited wicking ability. It absorbed a very large amount, though less than the Crinklz/BetterDry, during this phase of testing and I would say it will typically take 3~4 wettings during daily wear before leakage becomes an issue.

Lying Down

Total Absorbed Volume: 2375 ml (83.8 oz)
Total Wettings: 5
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 94%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 1.22 ml / cm² (0.28 oz / in²)

Lying Down Rating: 10

When tested while lying down, the first wetting was absorbed quickly with no signs of leakage, but a little noticeable surface dampness that eventually dissipated. There was more surface dampness on the second wetting and the padding felt a little “squishy” but again there was no sign of leakage. On the third wetting the moisture seemed to take longer to absorb, but again there was no sign of leakage. It felt similar to the Forsite AM/PM in this regard, the shear padding area and structure worked against leakage as parts of the padding became squishy/saturated. Again, there was no sign of leakage on the fourth wetting even as the padding swelled, dampness was again very apparent, but mostly subsided. Finally, on the fifth wetting there was moderate leakage through the rear leg gathers, the diaper had swelled to a very large size at this point, but surprisingly the tapes held up decently under the weight upon standing. It had absorbed an incredible amount of moisture and I feel it could quite reasonably absorb 4~5 wettings or more when lying down before leakage would be a concern. The overall absorption had it far ahead of other diapers tested so far for the lying down test, though you’ll have to keep in mind that surface dampness will show up relatively early. That said, even the heaviest wetters won’t likely see any leaks from this diaper when worn overnight.

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

Daily Wear and Bedwetting

The Rearz Barnyard performed very well in both daily wear and bedwetting. It could be worn confidently without concern of leakage, easily absorbing 3 full wettings or more. Its average absorbency across tests nudged just ahead of the BetterDry/Crinklz in that regard. It also performed significantly better than the similarly designed Bambino Karnevalee. In terms of sizing, it runs a little large and is hardly discrete, but I was still able to comfortably fit the medium size. I found this diaper to be less durable than the BetterDry/Crinklz with the plastic backsheet more readily coming loose from the padding. However, that doesn’t mean the padding deteriorated as it seemed to hold together quite well even after it detached. The tapes also held up well, with only minor sliding so if discretion isn’t a concern then it could easily be used for daily wear or maybe even active wear. It will tend to get a bit warm, but this is somewhat mitigated by the extensive padding coverage reducing backsheet contact with the skin. However, the downside to the very wide padding is that it may fold inward between the legs, yet this is actually less of a problem after a wetting when the padding swells and forces it to fold outwards. This diaper performed best when worn overnight for bedwetting. I never experienced any leaks and rarely was woken up when bedwetting did occur; sometimes in the morning I couldn’t even tell if the diaper was wet until checking the wetness indicators. Even so, it can become noticeably wet after two wettings and I found the padding to be “squishier” than many other high absorbency diapers. Another reason it’s well suited to bedwetting is that it has relatively weak wicking capacity, but with bedwetting, moisture is likely to move to the back padding after the middle padding becomes saturated. Aside from that, it does a good job at odor control and is unique in having an added fragrance to assist with that (though this isn’t the case in the plain white InControl Elite Hybrid version). My biggest concern with the Rearz Barnyard diaper is that the wetness indicator can leave a blue-green stain on the wearer's skin in places where the backsheet comes into contact (not a problem in the InControl Elite Hybrid version). I also found the landing zone to be convenient, but it does make closing/disposing of the diaper tricky, as it's difficult to fully close the used diaper. The padding and backsheet of this diaper are very soft and overall I’d definitely recommend this diaper for bedwetters, though I still favor the BetterDry/Crinklz personally.

Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 9

The Rearz Barnyard diaper is very well suited for bowel incontinence. It has a huge amount of rear padding and is incredibly spacious. The standing inner leak guards are large and snugly wrap the skin. It also has front and rear waistbands to cut down on odors. Likewise, the plastic backsheet is a big plus in terms of keeping down odors/perspiration. The only reason I can’t give it a perfect score is that the hybrid tape mechanism makes it difficult to close for disposal.

Wear & Tear Tests

Fitting

The Rearz Barnyard is a “hybrid” diaper, with elements of a cloth-backed and plastic-backed diaper. Its backsheet is plastic but the landing zone is “cloth-like” similar to that of the Attento or Unicharm diapers and the fasteners on this diaper are a mix of tape and hook & loop with emphasis on hook & look. The underlying tape doesn’t seem to be of much utility, but the hook & loop fasteners hold well and can easily be repositioned on the landing zone multiple times.

 

3.1 Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Fastener

Ease-of-Use Rating: 8

The Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid is very similar to the Bambino Karnevalee with its “hybrid” plastic-backsheet and hook & loop fasteners. Unlike that diaper, this one also has a wetness indicator, albeit a non-conventional one with patches of grass scattered throughout the backsheet, which disappear when wet. Although these have a downside in that they extend into the diaper’s wings and may be absorbed into the wearer’s skin leaving a blue/green mark, which I have some concerns about. It also has the problem that the fasteners can only be attached to a landing zone, making the diaper hard to wrap closed for disposal. Also, not factored into the rating, is that the bag doesn’t have easy tear-away sides making it difficult to open.

3.2 Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Diaper Fit

 

Comfort

Comfort Rating (dry): 9

The Rearz Barnyard diaper has super soft padding and a soft/flexible backsheet. Its padding coverage is extensive, which lends itself to better comfort and it has front and rear waistbands to give it a snugger more form fitting placement. The backsheet is pretty soft and won’t chafe against the skin. The tapes are a mix of tape and hook & loop material, so if they come loose they can scratch the skin a bit, but this rarely happens as they have a firm grip in the tape landing zone. In many ways this diaper matches the Bambino Karnevalee, and is perhaps slightly more comfortable having a bit more padding coverage, but like that diaper the padding is quite wide and will often fold inward. I also found this diaper can get a bit warm and probably isn’t great for summer wear, though the padding can reduce dampness from sweat and it still provides some degree of breathability with its spacious design.

Comfort Rating (wet): 7

The Rearz Barnyard was again similar to the Bambino Karnevalee and Forsite AM/PM when it came to wet comfort. Like those two, it also suffers from surface dampness issues, but the shear area of padding mitigates this to some extent. Also like those two, it doesn’t readily wick moisture so it can sometimes pool in the diaper’s mid-section. That in turn can make it vulnerable to pressout leaks when seated, but extensive padding again mitigates that and after a single wetting you’re unlikely to notice much dampness. If worn for the intended multiple-wettings, the padding on this diaper swells to a very large size, which may be uncomfortable for some wearers. Even with the surface dampness, I found the diaper remains fairly comfortable and the padding resists clumping and tearing.

3.3 Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Topsheet and Backsheet

Durability

Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 4.3% (topsheet), 9.2% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 2 shakes to deterioration

Durability Rating (dry): 8
The Rearz Barnyard diaper demonstrated strong durability during the dry durability test. As expected, it performed similarly to the Forsite AM/PM but I noticed more of a tendency for the backsheet to become detached from the padding in this diaper. There was also a slightly higher tendency for deterioration of the wings, though this wasn’t as big a deal given the extensive padding coverage. Aside from that the core padding held out well and the primary source of reduced padding coverage was just from bunching due to compression between the legs. There was no substantial clumping or tearing and the tapes held strong during testing.

Durability Rating (wet): 8

The Rearz Barnyard diaper’s wet durability wasn’t much different from its dry durability. The backsheet did tend to become detached from the padding but that didn’t mean the padding was prone to clumping. In this diaper, more so than many others, I noticed the padding has a tendency to swell and feel a bit “squishy” and will certainly sag a bit with weight as the fit around the waist can be a little loose. In this way it differs from diapers like the BetterDry/Crinklz, which often maintain some amount of padding firmness even when wet.  It may be a bit better suited for nightly wear in this regard (especially taking absorbency into account). On the plus side, it’s “hybrid” hook & loop tape style with landing zone (similar to that of the Bambino Karnevalee) is remarkably durable and makes for easy refastenings when it becomes loose.

3.4 Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Dry Test Deterioration

Discretion Tests

Profile

Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 5 cm (2"), 5 cm (2")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 8 cm (3.2"), 6 cm (2.4")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 6 cm (2.4"), 6.5 cm (2.6")

Profile Discretion Rating: 3

The Rearz Barnyard won’t win any awards for discretion, this diaper produces a big diaper bulge, particularly at the rear. The shear thickness and padding area would make this diaper very hard to conceal under most outfits. It also rides well above the waistline and the patterns may cause it to stand out more. It’s best to save this diaper for around the house or overnight wear.

4.1 Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

4.2 Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

 

Noise

Noise Rating: 5

The padding on this diaper has a tendency to become detached from the backsheet and thus becomes vulnerable to crinkling as the loose backsheet shifts around. This diaper would be quite noticeable in a quiet room, though it may be possible to quiet it down by wrapping it under underwear or meshpants. The hook & loop fasteners could make it noisy during a change but I haven’t factored that into the noise rating.

4.3 Rearz Barnyard Elite Hybrid Noise Profile

 

Odor Reduction

Odor Reduction Rating: 7
The Rearz Barnyard diaper is again similar to the Forsite AM/PM or Bambino Karnevalee when it comes to odor reduction. It has dual waistbands, but sometimes with a looser than ideal fit. This diaper also has a baby powder-like fragrance, which while dampening other odors could potentially be noticeable in its dry state. Overall, I have a few complaints when it comes to odor reduction in this diaper, but I wouldn’t rank it at the top of the scale for premium diapers in terms of odor reduction.

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