Cardinal Health Wings Plus (Heavy) Adult Diaper Review

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

 

Summary

The Cardinal Health Wings Plus Quilted Adult Briefs are a line of diapers with a cloth-like backsheet manufactured by Cardinal Health. They range from “heavy” to “overnight” absorbency but most places only sell the “heavy” line and that’s what will be covered in this review. One interesting aspect of this diaper is that they explicitly suggest a weight range in addition to waist-size for recommended usage with the small being 38.5 kg ~ 56.7 kg (85 ~125 lbs), the medium 56.7 kg ~ 79.4 kg (125 ~ 175 lbs) and so on, which is rather uncommon for adult diapers. The branding of this diaper is also somewhat confusing, probably due to rebranding over time. It has appeared as being manufactured by Covidien, which was previously Kendall and currently appears to be Medtronic, where it has been branded under the Cardinal Health name. Yet, there still seem to be plenty of old name references swinging around the web.

In terms of performance, you can’t expect much from the “heavy” line of this brand. It has a relatively low level of absorbency and will frequently leak with only a single wetting. Generally, I was only able to feel secure when testing this diaper in combination with a booster pad. Otherwise, it’s highly breathable and comfortable so maybe there is something to the “quilted” branding. It didn’t do as well when it came to durability, it’s very thin and lightweight. This has me interested in trying the “overnight” version, with the hopes that it could be a good cheaper option for moderate bedwetting.

Key Features:

• Cloth-like backsheet
• Repositionable tapes
• Wetness indicator

Pros:

• Highly breathable/comfortable
• Tapes hold decently
  
• Discreet
  

Cons:

• Low absorbency
  
• Padding is thin/breaks down easy
• No standing inner leak guards
  

Product Details

For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the medium-sized Cardinal Health Wings Plus (Heavy absorbancy) Diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:

Packaging

Brand: Cardinal Health
Manufacturer: Cardinal Health 200, LLC
Origin: USA
Units Per Bag: 12
Cost Per Unit: $
Dimensions (L x W x H): 28 cm (11") x 19 cm (7.5") x 15 cm (5.9")
Weight: 0.93 kg (2.0 lbs)
Available Sizes: S,M, L,XL
Advertised Absorbency: Heavy

1.1 Wings Plus Packaging

Diaper

Backsheet: Cloth-like (non-woven)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (yellow line 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: Yes
Outer Color: White
Inner Color: White (light blue rectangle in middle)
Front Waistband: No
Rear Waistband: No
Folded Thickness: 2 cm (0.79")
Folded Length: 19 cm (7.5")
Dry Weight: 83 g (2.9 oz)
Fragrance: No
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 80 cm (31.5") x 63 cm (24.8") x 27 cm (10.6") x 60 cm (23.6")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 64 cm (25.2") x 24 cm (9.45") x 15 cm (5.9") x 24 cm (9.5")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 4.5 cm (1.8") x 15 cm (5.9") x 4.5 cm (1.8") x 19 cm (7.5")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Rectangular
Total Padding Area: 1266 cm² (196 in²)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 3 cm (1.2") x 14 cm (5.5")
Tape (W x L): 3 cm (1.2") x 4.5 cm (1.8")

1.2 Wings Plus Diaper

Laboratory Absorbency Tests

Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 667 ml (23.5 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 692 ml (24.4 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (49 s, 56 s, 67 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 4 cm (1.6")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 91%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 0.53 ml / cm² (0.12 oz / in²)
Press Out Volume: 25 ml (0.88 oz)

Surface Dampness Rating: 5

I rank the Wings Plus diaper similar to the FitRight Ultra when it comes to surface dampness. It’s far from the best on the market, with dampness even showing up after the first wetting. That said, for its expected use of maybe one wetting I didn’t find it terrible. The breathability goes a long way to reducing the impact of surface dampness (if it weren’t for that I’d rank it much lower) but the limited absorption means it doesn’t take much for pooling to occur during 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: 542 ml (19.1 oz)
Total Wettings: (1 standing)
Leaked After Sitting: Yes
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 93%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.43 ml / cm² (0.10 oz / in²)

Standing-Sitting Rating: 4
The Wings Plus diaper performed poorly on the standing-sitting test, with a significant leak up on sitting after a wetting. The first wetting while standing was fully absorbed without leaks but the padding did sag a bit and felt quite saturated. Upon sitting shortly afterward there was a substantial leak through the leg gathers so I called the test at that. At this point most of the padding was saturated and there clearly wasn’t much room for additional absorbance. I wouldn’t recommend this diaper for anything more than light-moderate incontinence during daily usage. If the padding is damp it’s very likely to leak upon sitting.

Lying Down

Total Absorbed Volume: 717 ml (25.3 oz)
Total Wettings: 2
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 98%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.57 ml / cm² (0.13 oz / in²)

Lying Down Rating: 4

The Wings Plus performed a bit better than expected when tested while lying down. My expectations were low and I figured it would leak on the first wetting. Surprisingly the first wetting was completely absorbed with only a bit of brief pooling and there was still dry padding up the front of the diaper. I did notice a very small leak after a while, but not so much that I decided to stop the test. On the second wetting it felt like very little was absorbed and there was substantial pooling with nearly all of it leaking out through the backsheet. The diaper is pretty breathable so it wasn’t even immediately obvious how much leaked until I got up to check. I generally would advise against using this diaper for bedwetting, particularly if you’re a heavy wetter. I would expect it to leak on the first wetting at least some of the time and it doesn’t have inner leak guards so wetting from different positions could be problematic.

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

Daily Wear and Bedwetting

The Wings Plus diaper sits in an interesting category. Being a diaper rather than protective underwear it has the convenience of easy changes with tabs, which could be a plus for those who don’t need full absorbency. But otherwise, I feel many active individuals looking for an incontinence product with this level of absorbance would opt for protective underwear instead. It doesn’t seem built to take a full wetting without leaking, whether during daily or overnight wear. With that in mind, in addition to testing it standalone I also used it with the relatively small/cheap attends booster pads and didn’t experience many leaks after a single wetting when the two were combined. However, whether the tradeoff of using a booster pad and diaper combo is more economical than the unit price of a more absorbent diaper is certainly questionable and likely not worth it in this case. I found the tabs on this diaper to be decent and I wish this tab style was used for some of the other more absorbent cloth-like diapers as it works better than the lines of hook & loop combined with glue-based tape adhesive. During active wear the padding on this diaper readily came apart so I doubt it would be good for activities even if the absorbance were sufficient. Likely it will be useful for those with light-moderate incontinence who are less active or more likely in care settings where diaper changes hopefully happen more frequently. I suppose it could also be used for bouts of frequent lighter bowel incontinence due to gastrointestinal distress, since you’d likely be changing frequently and may not notice the other deficiencies. I’d be curious to try the higher absorbency versions of this diaper since I did find it to be surprisingly comfortable and feel it has some potential to be a decent cheaper diaper for bedwetting. Unfortunately, the more absorbent versions like the overnight version are less widely available.

Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 2

Without standing inner leak guards or waistbands the Wings Plus diaper doesn’t check many boxes with respect to containing bowel incontinence. Moreover, I wouldn’t expect the cloth-like backsheet to do much to prevent odors and the padding in the rear is rather thin. For all of these reasons I wouldn’t recommend the Wings Plus diaper for those with bowel incontinence.

Wear & Tear Tests

Fitting

The Wings Plus features a cloth-like backsheet with a somewhat loose fit and hook & loop fasteners. The fasteners can be repositioned multiple times on different parts of the backsheet so it’s easy to re-attach as necessary. The tapes are primarily made of hook & loop fastener material so don’t lose adhesiveness with refastenings but the backsheet does wear a bit and can make it harder to retain the fit.

3.1 Wings Plus Fastener

 

Ease-of-Use Rating: 7

I found the Wings Plus to be fairly user friendly in that it’s easy to get a snug fit and tapes have sufficient grip without being difficult to apply or remove. It comes with a wetness indicator that’s yellow and turns blue when wet, though I’ve found it often even fads right out. The lack of standing inner leak guards poses more of an issue and will clearly be a challenge for those with bowel incontinence. In terms of fit, I found the sizing to be a bit smaller than you might otherwise expect for the suggested waist measurements. Generally, I was happy with how well this diaper held up during wear in terms of fit, but the padding was less fortunate and more susceptible to deterioration even if the diaper was able to resist loosening. Moreover, it’s highly likely to leak after a single wetting, limiting its potential utility if not worn with a booster pad.

3.2 Wings Plus Fit

Comfort

Comfort Rating (dry): 8

The Wings Plus diaper has a soft airy feel to it. I’d even go so far to say it feels more breathable than most regular underwear much like Attento Tape Diaper. The main downside to this diaper when it comes to comfort is its durability, as the backsheet readily detaches from the padding and the padding is prone to tearing. However, in its dry state it's light enough to keep relatively intact and I wouldn’t say this is too much of a detraction. Otherwise, the tapes are decent and it doesn’t come loose as easily as many other cloth-backed diapers, even if not as snug as the best in the market.

Comfort Rating (wet): 6

The Wings Plus diaper is reasonably comfortable when wet, mostly on account of having such a breathable design. This helps alleviate what would otherwise feel quite clammy. The tapes also hold surprisingly well, if still far from the best on the market. That said, it has a low absorbency and the padding will reach saturation and leak quickly. During testing this was apparent in surface dampness. That, combined with the tendency for the padding to break apart significantly detracts from the comfort, so I couldn’t give it as high a rating as I might otherwise.

3.3 Wings Plus Topsheet and Backsheet

Durability

Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 21% (topsheet), 27.4% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 2 shakes to deterioration

Durability Rating (dry): 5
I rank the Wings Plus diaper slightly below the FitRight Restore when it comes to dry durability. The padding in this diaper feels thinner and, consequently, more prone to tearing with occasional clumping. Moreover, the padding in this diaper readily detached from the backsheet, giving it a papery feel. That said, I do feel that the tapes on this diaper are a little better than the FitRight Restore, but not enough to overcome the issues with the padding. These tapes rely mostly on hook & loop fastener material rather than a tape adhesive, thus they can be refastened multiple times without losing their strength (albeit there’s no landing zone so if you tear enough of the backsheet that could be a problem). I did find that sometimes the lower tapes won’t hold as snugly as I would like and even though the tapes are good it can still feel loose with active wear.

Durability Rating (wet): 5

The Wings Plus wet durability isn’t much different from its dry durability. The padding is thin and equally likely to clump or tear when wet if not slightly more so due to the added weight. I still found it to be more durable than the worst performers like the Attends Care Poly or Healthy Spirit diapers but far from what you’d expect in any of the premium or even mid-range diapers. It’s likely best suited for care facilities that can make frequent changes with inactive individuals. Due to its limited absorbency you’ll probably find durability is less an issue compared with needing to change before leaks.

3.4 Wings Plus Dry Test Deterioration

Discretion Tests

Profile

Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 5 cm (2"), 4 cm (1.6")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 6 cm (2.4"), 5 cm (2")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 3.5 cm (1.4"), 3 cm (1.2")

Profile Discretion Rating: 8

I score the Wings Plus diaper highly when it comes to profile discretion. It’s very thin and easy to hide under clothing, albeit the lack of absorbency could challenge that when wet. It does rise a bit above the waistline, but has a thin white fabric look to it and I wouldn’t consider that to be particularly noticeable if someone were to catch a glimpse. I rank it similar to the Tranquility Smartcore in this regard.

 

4.1 Wings Plus Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

4.2 Wings Plus Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

 

Noise

Noise Rating: 8

The Wings Plus diaper is among the quieter diapers on the market, even though it has some key issues that typically cause a lot of noise in other products. The primary problem being the backsheet separating from the padding. However, because the backsheet is a soft cloth-like material it doesn’t make much noise as it folds. The other potential source of noise is the hook & loop fasteners which can make a little noise as they shift. All in all you’re unlikely to have any issues with noise when wearing this diaper but for the level of absorbency there are quieter options available.

4.3 Wings Plus Noise Profile

Odor Reduction

Odor Reduction Rating: 7
The snug fit provided by the Wings Plus seems to do a decent job at resisting odors. I also got the sense that the padding had some degree of odor resistance built in. During testing I never noticed much, but with the key caveat that this diaper can’t be used beyond a single wetting. Additionally, it being cloth-backed and breathable would be an issue were any odors to form.

Want to give the Wings Plus (Heavy) a try?

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