Sunday 5 May 2024

Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Adult Diaper Review

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


 

Summary

The Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic is a cloth-backed Korea diaper that uses a landing zone fastening mechanism. This diaper appears to be well made, but also falls on the lower end of the absorbency spectrum and would be best worn in combination with a booster pad. This diaper is made in Korea and, from what I can see, largely only sold in Korea. For those interested, the company has actually shared a video showing exactly how this diaper is made:


In terms of performance, without a booster pad I found this diaper will only manage at most a single wetting before you’d have to worry about leakage. Yet, it’s highly durable and among the most comfortable diapers on the market. It should be perfect for hot weather and will not leave you with any clamminess. In terms of sizing it’s relatively limited, with only the large and x-large sizes available from what I can tell. With regards to pricing, it’s surprisingly affordable for what you get and definitely worth a try if you happen to be in Korea.


Key Features:

  • Cloth-like backsheet
  • Patterned landing zone
  • Repositionable fasteners
  • Standing inner leak barriers
  • Wetness indicator

Pros:

  • Strong tapes
  • Highly durable
  • Comfortable and breathable
  • Low unit price

Cons:

  • Surface dampness
  • Low absorbency
  • Limited sizing/availability

Product Details

For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the large-sized Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Adult Diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:


Packaging

Brand: Gumbi
Manufacturer: Saehan Co.,Ltd
Origin: Korea
Units Per Bag: 10
Cost Per Unit: $
Dimensions (L x W x H): 25 cm (9.8") x 14 cm (5.5") x 25 cm (9.8")
Weight: 1.15 kg (2.54 lbs)
Available Sizes: L,XL
Advertised Absorbency: Premium

 

1.1 Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Packaging

Diaper

Backsheet: Cloth-like (non-woven)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (blue dots down the middle, fades 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: White (blue text & symbols down middle + orange numbered landing zone)
Inner Color: White
Front Waistband: No
Rear Waistband: Yes
Folded Thickness: 2.66 cm (1.05")
Folded Length: 25 cm (9.8")
Dry Weight: 117 g (4.1 oz)
Fragrance: No
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 81.5 cm (32.1") x 59 cm (23.2") x 31 cm (12.2") x 58 cm (22.8")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 66 cm (26") x 27 cm (10.6") x 21 cm (8.3") x 32 cm (12.6")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 3 cm (1.2") x 13 cm (5.1") x 5.5 cm (2.2") x 18 cm (7.1")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1662 cm2 (258 in2)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 3.5 cm (1.4") x 11 cm (4.3")
Tape (W x L): 3.5 cm (1.4") x 3 cm (1.2")

1.2 Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Adult Diaper


Laboratory Absorbency Tests

Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 708 ml (25 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 713 ml (25.2 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (53 s, 71 s, 78 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 4.5 cm (1.8")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 74%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 0.43 ml / cm2 (0.10 oz / in2)
Press Out Volume: 5 ml (0.18 oz)

Surface Dampness Rating: 3

I rank the Saehan Gumbi similar to the Attento Tape or Unicharm Lifree Adult Diapers when it comes to surface dampness. In the lab test it demonstrated surface dampness after only the first wetting. I wouldn’t say it was the most obvious in that respect, but notable. In real world testing, the dampness was also noticeable but less than I might have expected given the paper towel test.





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: 583 ml (20.6 oz)
Total Wettings: (1 standing, 1 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 66%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.35 ml / cm2 (0.08 oz / in2)

Standing-Sitting Rating: 4
The Saehan Gumbi managed decently during the standing-sitting test. The first wetting while standing was absorbed relatively quickly with minimal pooling and there was no sign of leakage upon sitting shortly afterward. I felt like there was a bit of perspiration through the backsheet but probably not enough to be noticeable through outer clothing. At this point there was still considerable unused padding at the rear of the diaper. The second wetting while seated was clearly going to leak as much of the padding was saturated. Even so, it didn’t leak immediately with a lot of moisture pooling up in the front and pushing to the leak guards but being held back. A little moisture may have eventually crossed into the sides, but not as much as I would expect given the extended pooling. It also felt like the rear padding continued to be dry and most of the moisture ended up flowing back toward the mid-padding where there was a moderate leak through the leg gathers. Even after it leaked I could still feel pooled moisture so the diaper’s structure was definitely doing its job and had the padding been more absorbent it likely could have held up well with further wettings.


Lying Down

Total Absorbed Volume: 608 ml (25.9 oz)
Total Wettings: 1
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 89%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.37 ml / cm2 (0.08 oz / in2)

Lying Down Rating: 3

The Saehan Gumbi diaper didn’t perform as well as hoped when tested while lying down. It leaked during the first wetting. I did find this diaper fit a little on the large side so perhaps the gaps were a contributing factor. Initially there was some pooling but it quickly spread back and throughout the padding with most of the padding damp shortly after the wetting in spite of the loose fit, which would typically direct all moisture toward the rear. The dampness continued as the padding is relatively thin and there was a substantial leak out under the rear waistband through the back of the diaper. I stopped the test at that, but I feel given the size of this diaper a booster pad would be a must for practical usage. However, I imagine for lighter wettings or for those who get a snugger fit it may manage up to a single wetting while lying down without leakage, but I certainly wouldn’t push it past that.


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


Daily Wear and Bedwetting

I found the Saehan Gumbi diaper to be very similar to the Unicharm Lifree or Attento diapers from Japan. The sizing of this diaper felt unusually scaled up with only the L and XL sizes available. I found the fit in my case was a bit on the large size, with my waist falling toward the low end of the large size. That said, it still fits comfortably and I found it very easy to adjust and apply. I was super impressed with how breathable and comfortable the Saehan diaper felt. Often I barely noticed I was wearing the diaper and had no hint of skin irritation from the padding or backsheet. It was a bit more noticeable in its wet state, since the padding isn’t great at dispelling surface dampness. I also found it has a tendency to perspire moisture through the backsheet, which was perhaps my biggest complaint with respect to performance. In terms of practical use, it certainly falls at the lower end of the absorbency spectrum. Generally, I feel it will be fine for a single wetting, but I wouldn’t count on it not leaking for heavier wettings and you’d certainly want to change before a second wetting. I did test this diaper for bedwetting and found it can work for such cases but it may have experienced some minor leaks that I wasn’t able to determine at the time; I just noticed some dampness around the leak guards when I woke up. It certainly won’t work for more than a single wetting when worn for bedwetting. In terms of daily wear, I feel it will also manage fine for a single wetting, but again, not beyond that. I get the feeling that this diaper was designed for use with a booster pad, much like similar Japanese diapers on the market. Some indicators here are the very tall inner leak guards and wide/spacious but thin padding. The unit price on this diaper is also surprisingly low, which is quite important if the diaper is to be used with a booster pad. Another notable feature in this diaper was the semi-attached tape panel. There’s actually a slight tear down the middle so you can either apply both tapes at once or pull them a bit apart to apply them separately where you need to further adjust the fit. What’s interesting is that some of the instructional material I’ve found online actually demonstrates the diaper being applied with the tapes crossing over one another; I tested this taping strategy but didn’t find it to be considerably better than just applying the tapes inline.


Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 5

The Saehan Gumbi diaper does have some key attributes that should make it good for containing bowel incontinence. The leak guards are impressively large, it has a rear waistband for a snugger fit at the back, a generous amount of rear padding and substantial pocket at the rear for containment. Even so, it has a cloth-like backsheet and the breathability will surely work against it in terms of odor containment. I’d also worry a bit about moisture perspiration through the backsheet.


Wear & Tear Tests


Fitting

The Saehan Gumbi is a cloth-backed diaper with two hook and loop fasteners and a large tape landing zone at the front. It also has a rear waistband to help with fit and reduce the chance of leaks out the back. The tapes are high quality and can be refastened and repositioned multiple times with ease.

3.1 Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Fastener

 

Ease-of-Use Rating: 10

The Saehan Gumbi gets top marks when it comes to ease-of-use. In terms of design and application it’s very similar to the Attento or Unicharm diapers. However, I give it a slight edge due to the fact that it also includes a wetness indicator to help know when it's time for a change. I found it very easy to get and retain a snug fit with this diaper and found the tapes could be refastened multiple times without issue. The landing zone is well positioned and numbered in a way that if you find the right fit once you can consistently reproduce it. Otherwise, I did find the fit to be a bit on the large size, but certainly would expect that given that it’s marketed as large and my fitting was toward the lower end of its range.

3.1 Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Fit
 

Comfort


Comfort Rating (dry): 10

I give the Saehan Gumbi diaper top marks when it comes to dry comfort. The padding and backsheet material are incredibly soft and breathable. While the tapes and rear waistband allow for a snug comfortable fit. I think this diaper could be a great choice in warm weather when the absorbency is found to be sufficient. Additionally, I never had any issues with the padding clumping or tearing or otherwise any sagging. Though, I did find with its sizing the fit was a little loose on me, but not so much I couldn't correct it by adjusting the tapes a bit tighter.


Comfort Rating (wet): 7

The Saehan Gumbi diaper wasn’t nearly as comfortable when wet compared to its dry state. I again rank it similar to the Unicharm Adult Diaper in this regard. The structure remains incredibly breathable and cool, which helped reduce the impact of surface dampness. However, the surface dampness was quite apparent in the wet padding. That said, the very wide padding will spread the surface dampness far and that can reduce the overall impact when wet. Otherwise, the padding itself held up very well without much in the way of clumping or tearing and the tapes kept it from any sagging. Were it a bit more absorbent/better at resisting surface dampness then this would surely rank among the top diapers in terms of wet comfort but as it is I can’t rate it quite that high.

3.3 Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Topsheet and Backsheet

Durability

Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 8.8% (topsheet), 8.6% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 5 shakes to deterioration


Durability Rating (dry): 8
The Saehan Gumbi diaper proved highly durable when it came to dry durability. During extended wear I never had any issues with the tapes coming loose on me and padding deterioration was minor and restricted to the periphery with no significant damage to the core padding. The tape/landing zone combination allows for multiple refastenings without any significant loss of adhesiveness. This diaper clearly has a high quality construction.


Durability Rating (wet): 6

In terms of structure and padding resilience the Saehan Gumbi diaper definitely scores strong in durability, both when wet and dry. The tapes are also of a high quality and hold up to pretty much everything without giving way to any sort of sagging. The biggest flaw in this diaper is its tendency to sweat moisture when wet and given its low absorbency this is a notable issue.

3.4 Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Dry Test Deterioration

Discretion Tests


Profile

Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 4 cm (1.6"), 5.5 cm (2.2")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 7.5 cm (3"), 7 cm (2.8")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 6 cm (2.4"), 6 cm (2.4")

Profile Discretion Rating: 8

The Saehan Gumbi diaper has a relatively thin padding and generally fits quite snugly. This makes it relatively easy to hide under clothing. I hardly noticed the front of the diaper, but the rear will definitely form a diaper bulge if you’re not wearing underwear or meshpants over it. Even so, this is probably one of the easier diapers to conceal when out and about so long as you’re not wearing tight fitting clothing.


4.1 Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

4.2 Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) 


Noise

Noise Rating: 9

The Saehan Gumbi diaper is near silent when it comes to noise. I only noticed a very faint rustling when standing or sitting and otherwise it was indistinguishable from regular underwear. I feel this diaper could very easily be worn discreetly out of the house with nobody noticing.

4.3 Saehan Gumbi Premium Widemagic Noise Profile

Odor Reduction

Odor Reduction Rating: 6
I can’t say I noticed odors too much while testing this diaper. It does have a structure that should help with containment, but the cloth-like backsheet and breathability will also make that a challenge. I’d also be concerned about odors from the perspiration that can creep through the backsheet. Otherwise, the padding itself seems to have some odor neutralizing properties that surely will cut down on odor formation.