CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Adult Diaper Review

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

 

Summary

The CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs are a cloth-backed store brand adult diaper sold by CVS pharmacies in the US. These diapers are notable for their stretchable rear wings that wrap around the wearer’s hips, much like the Prevail Air Overnight or Tena Stretch Briefs. These wings feature an elastic type material and just a single rectangular block of hook & loop fastener per side. These sit at the top of the absorbency scale for the CVS Health line of incontinence products, while there is also a version of the product that features the more traditional two tapes per side and non-stretch wings. There are two sizes of these (M,L/XL) and interestingly they categorize them according to waist as well as weight (a measure more commonly used in youth products). The minimum recommended weight is 90 lbs (41 kg) while the minimum recommended waist is 31” (79 cm), so they are perhaps appropriate for some larger youths as well as adults.

In terms of performance, I found these diapers were consistently able to manage a single wetting without leaking, but will regularly leak beyond that. Moreover, I didn’t run into issues with pressout moisture upon sitting when wearing these diapers while wet or at least nothing noticeable. They come at a surprisingly affordable unit price rate, so for those who need to frequently change their diaper without spending a fortune, this diaper seems like a reliable choice. One downside is that they’re only available from CVS pharmacies in the US so you’re unlikely to find them in other locations (I certainly couldn’t find them in Canada). They aren’t particularly durable so I wouldn’t recommend them for more active wearers. Also, being cloth-backed they may not be the preferred choice for all wearers, but for a store brand diaper I found these to be quite well rounded and better than you might expect, with a relatively high dollars to absorbency level. I want to give a special shout out for the donation of these that made this review possible, as always these donations are highly appreciated!

Key Features:

• Cloth-like backsheet
• Stretchable wings
  
• Standing inner leak guards
• Wetness indicator
• Repositionable fasteners

Pros:

• Comfortable/breathable design
  
• Consistent performance
  
• Decent resistance to surface dampness
  

Cons:

• Limited sizing
• Limited availability
• Some durability issues

 

Product Details

For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the large-sized CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Adult Diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:

Packaging

Brand: CVS Health
Manufacturer: CVS Pharmacy, Inc.
Origin: USA
Units Per Bag: 24
Cost Per Unit: $
Dimensions (L x W x H): 37 cm (14.6") x 15 cm (5.9") x 25 cm (9.8")
Weight: 1.93 kg (4.2 lbs)
Available Sizes: M,L/XL
Advertised Absorbency: Maximum

1.1 CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Adult Diaper Packaging

Diaper

Backsheet: Cloth-like (non-woven)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (two yellow lines down middle, blue when wet)
Standing Inner Leak Guards: Yes
Leg Gathers: Yes
Product Style: Stretch Sides Brief
Refastenable Tabs: Yes
Number of Tapes: 2
Repositionable Tabs: Yes
Outer Color: White
Inner Color: White
Front Waistband: No
Rear Waistband: No
Folded Thickness: 1.67 cm (0.66")
Folded Length: 24 cm (9.5")
Dry Weight: 83 g (2.9 oz)
Fragrance: No
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 81 cm (31.9") x 54 cm (21.3") x 28 cm (11") x 73 cm (28.7")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 61 cm (24") x 23 cm (9.1") x 17 cm (6.7") x 23 cm (9.1")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 3 cm (1.2") x 14 cm (5.5") x 3 cm (1.2") x 14 cm (5.5")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1205 cm² (187 in²)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 6 cm (2.4")
Tape (W x L): 11 cm (4.3") x 2 cm (0.8")

1.2 CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Adult Diaper

Laboratory Absorbency Tests

Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 817 ml (28.8 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 942 ml (33.2 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (52 s, 47 s, 49 s, 53 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 3.5 cm (1.4")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 96%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 1.36 ml / cm² (0.31 oz / in²)
Press Out Volume: 125 ml (4.4 oz)

Surface Dampness Rating:6

The CVS Adjustable diaper performed pretty well when it came to surface dampness. During the lab test there was no sign of moisture after the first wetting and only a bit after the second. By the third it was clearly saturated. This was backed up by real world testing where I found surface dampness was only slightly noticeable, mostly toward the edges. The breathable design in this diaper also assists in reducing the sensation of dampness.

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: 692 ml (24.4 oz)
Total Wettings: (1 standing, 1 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 97%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.57 ml / cm² (0.13 oz / in²)

Standing-Sitting Rating: 6
The CVS Adjustable diaper did better than expected when tested while standing and sitting. It didn’t show any sign of leaks on the first wetting while standing. Moisture was quickly distributed through the padding and it continued to feel breathable/dry. I felt a bit of pressout moisture upon sitting shortly afterward. I was sure there were going to be leaks but didn’t notice any hint of leakage and, soon after, the pressout had distributed into the dry padding and the feeling of dampness subsided. On the second wetting there was considerable pooling of moisture up the front of the diaper and it pushed out into the mid/front leak guards. Nothing leaked out through into the wings, but there was a substantial leak through the mid leak guards. At the end of the test the padding was completely saturated outside of a tiny amount of dry padding at the rear. Tears had formed in the padding and I believe that’s one of the reasons moisture was cut off from the rear padding. Based on this test, I feel that the CVS Adjustable diaper will generally be good for one wetting during daytime use and should be reliable for pressout even if it might feel susceptible initially. However, I would recommend changing after the first wetting because it’s highly unlikely to manage 2 without leaks.

Lying Down

Total Absorbed Volume: 767 ml (27.1 oz)
Total Wettings: 2
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 91%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.64 ml / cm² (0.14 oz / in²)

Lying Down Rating: 6

The CVS Adjustable diaper again surprised me when tested while lying down as I was certain there would be some sort of leak on the first wetting. Instead the first wetting was fully absorbed with only a brief pooling and no signs of leakage. The leak barriers proved highly effective with moisture ending up running right down the mid padding and consuming most of the rear padding. Only a small amount of dry padding remained at the front at this point, suggesting very effective moisture channeling. The surface dampness wasn’t too noticeable at the front or mid padding but the rear padding felt quite damp. The next wetting was clearly going to leak and indeed it resulted in a significant leak from the rear. The padding felt quite saturated at this point, but most of the moisture had again shifted toward the rear. Swelling was modest and not enough to cause the “damming” effect, which might result in leaks more toward the front. Even so, there was still some dry padding at the front and the absorption amount was far greater than I expected. This gives me some confidence that the CVS Adjustable diaper will manage a wetting without leaks when lying down, but I wouldn’t trust them with 2 wettings. Still, for a store brand diaper this is actually a pretty strong performance.

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

Daily Wear and Bedwetting

The CVS Adjustable diaper was more interesting to review than I expected. Yes, it’s a store brand diaper and not super high quality, but its consistent performance stood out. I found the design to be similar to the Jessa Diskreet, a more expensive European store brand diaper. The stretchable sides are a mechanism that have popped up more and more recently, perhaps inspired by the direction of youth diapers. When I tested for daily wear or bedwetting it always seemed to manage a single wetting without leaks. Moreover, I didn’t find any sort of pressout leaks from sitting, or as is sometimes the case with cloth-backed diapers, any perspiration through the backsheet. Those are both frequent issues in lower quality cloth-backed diapers. This was all the more surprising, because the padding didn’t feel particularly durable. It holds its form, but easily separates from the backsheet giving it a clumpy sort of feeling. The sizing of this diaper feels a bit on the large side. I’m typically a small/medium, but was at the bottom of the recommended waist size for the medium in this brand. Even so, I didn’t have any issue with fastening it so the design seems quite flexible in how it achieves a fit and it could probably work even for someone with a waist size several inches under the recommended sizing. What made it feel large was the excess of backsheet material coming out on either side of the wings. I don’t feel that material is really needed and can even get in the way of arranging the fasteners. They could probably improve it by using a cut more like that of the Molicare Elastic 10D. Other than that, my primary complaint is that I frequently felt the gap between the edge of the backsheet and leak guards near the rear. It didn’t seem to impact performance for bedwetting, but I imagine it would be more of a challenge for managing bowel incontinence, particularly if the inner leak guards shifted to either side of the bowel. It also made it feel a bit odd at times when it shifted. A lesser issue I had was that sometimes the hook & loop fasteners would unstick in sections and stick to my pants or occasionally scratch my legs, though this is pretty common for these stretchy side diapers. Otherwise, I didn’t notice much chafing as the material is quite soft. It may feel slightly damp but not clammy when wet, given the highly breathable design. It should be well suited for warm weather wear. This diaper would also be well suited for a care environment where diapers are frequently changed and affordability is a high priority. It has one of the most distinctive wetness indicator transitions I’ve seen in all my testing (unfortunately the blue dye in my test makes that hard to see). Certainly worth a try if you need cheap and reliable.

Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 4

The CVS Adjustable diaper isn’t particularly well suited for bowel incontinence. While it does have some beneficial features like inner leak guards, the cloth-like backsheet and particularly the gaps that can occur near the rear will have a negative impact on containment. It also lacks a rear waistband, which is typically another feature you’d want for managing bowel incontinence.

Wear & Tear Tests

Fitting

The CVS Adjustable diaper has a cloth-like backsheet and interesting fit with two stretchable wings and a single tape per side. I found the design quite unusual, with it feeling both snug and loose at the same time. The core padding has a rather snug fit and the fasteners do a good job at wrapping the hip, but there’s a lot of excess backsheet material that sits above and below the waistband making it feel quite large. Also, I found that the leg gathers don’t run as far up the front or rear as many other diapers, which creates a substantial gap between the inner leak guards and edge of the backsheet. This can give the sensation that the padding is narrower than it is in reality. Otherwise, the fasteners are of decent quality and can hold up multiple refastenings while only slightly weakening due to backsheet damage.

3.1 CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Fastener

Ease-of-Use Rating: 7

The CVS Adjustable diaper is generally quite user friendly though it may take a few tries to find the proper fit. This is because you’ll want to stretch the elastic wings at least slightly to give it a snug fit and determining where they would best be placed takes a bit of trial and error. Once you know the rough positioning it isn’t too hard to get a snug fit. I found the fasteners to be pretty good. They can be refastened and repositioned multiple times in different positions after first applied. They will generally still adhere to the backsheet after refastening but will slowly wear down the backsheet after multiple refastenings and lose some effectiveness. The fasteners come folded several times so you need to make sure you completely unfold all layers before applying or you won’t get a proper fit. The other thing to watch for is that there’s a section at the front and rear where the leg gathers seem to end prematurely. It leaves a gap, which may be particularly problematic for those with bowel incontinence. Another thing to note is that I found excess bits of the backsheet can fall off. This doesn’t have any impact on performance, it just seems to be pieces that were missed from removal when the diaper was cut, so you may find triangular slices of backsheet on the floor after changing. Other than that, this diaper has some helpful features like standing inner leak guards and a wetness indicator that very clearly turns from yellow to blue when wet. So while the CVS Adjustable diaper perhaps isn’t the easiest to use, it’s generally pretty well rounded in terms of utility.

3.2 CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Fit

Comfort

Comfort Rating (dry): 7

From a breathability perspective the CVS Adjustable diapers are top notch. When dry, they feel very airy and light. The downside though is that things can shift and the gaps between the leg gathers and rear can make them feel precarious. The cloth-like material on the backsheet is quite soft as are the elastic adjustable wings. However, I did find that the bottom edge of the hook & loop fastener sometimes slid and came into contact with my leg during testing, which detracts from the comfort. The padding itself generally holds up alright, but is hardly the most durable on the market and can feel a little clumpy with wear even if it generally holds its overall form. Otherwise, the padding has a soft, fluffy feel to it. Overall, I wouldn’t rank this among the most comfortable diapers on the market, but pretty decent as far as store brands go.

Comfort Rating (wet): 7

I rank the CVS Adjustable diaper’s wet comfort to be about the same as its dry comfort. The core padding was surprisingly resistant to pressout moisture considering its relatively limited capacity. Though I do feel like the dampness showed up a little more at the edges. In testing I only noticed it a little from time to time and, once absorbed, I didn’t feel pressout when sitting in the wet diaper. Interestingly, the padding texture and feel isn’t much different in its wet state than its dry state. The padding is fairly thin to begin with but I barely noticed any swelling when wet and moisture was fairly well distributed. That said, it continues to be susceptible to clumping or tearing at the front and rear; perhaps even more so when wet. Otherwise, I didn’t notice much in the way of sagging when wet and the breathability of the diaper continued to aid it in terms of comfort.

3.3 CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Topsheet and Backsheet

Durability

Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 5.1% (topsheet), 8.7% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 2 shakes to deterioration

Durability Rating (dry): 6
The CVS Adjustable diaper isn’t particularly durable. I found the padding had a tendency to detach from the backsheet and could feel lumpy at times, even when dry. To its credit, the padding did hold its overall form after the dry durability test but there was definite clumping and tearing at the front and the rear. So in this case the deteriorated padding percentage I calculated was deceptively low and I’ve adjusted for that in my actual scoring. The fasteners are reasonably durable but will pull bits of the backsheet out over time, which can make it harder to refasten. This can also give some sensation of loosening, although it’s hardly the worst in that regard. I will say that this hook & loop stretch fastener mechanism does work better than many cloth-backed diapers using 2-tab adhesive fasteners. Also, while I don’t count it toward durability, I found lots of excess triangular bits of backsheet cuttings came off this diaper when changing so you’ll need to watch for that. I put this diaper at about the level of the FitRight Restore. Other than that I was impressed with the wetness indicators, which unlike many brands, didn’t change color prematurely due to minor dribbles/sweat. It should be good for light activity, but I wouldn’t recommend it for highly active wearers.

Durability Rating (wet): 6

There was little difference between the wet and dry state of the CVS Adjustable diaper when it came to wet durability. It didn’t hold out great in the shake test, falling apart after 2 shakes, but I’ve found that isn’t too useful a metric for real world utility. The padding continued to have weakness at the front and rear, while the core padding was generally intact. The fasteners had no trouble carrying the weight of the diaper for its level of absorbance. I didn’t notice any greater degree of padding separation from the backsheet in its wet form. So I rank it about the same in this regard.

3.4 CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Dry Test Deterioration

Discretion Tests

Profile

Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 8 cm (3.2"), 9 cm (3.5")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 8 cm (3.5"), 8 cm (3.5")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 4 cm (1.6"), 6 cm (2.4")

Profile Discretion Rating: 8

This diaper is pretty discreet when it comes to profile, at least to the level of the FitRight Restore. That said, it isn’t fool proof and, under lighter clothing, may produce a slight bulge at the front or rear. The padding is generally pretty thin but quite airy and can fluff up more than you might expect. It also has a considerable rise above the waistline. Still, if combined with underwear or meshpants and proper outerwear I doubt anyone would notice.

4.1 CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

4.2 CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

 

Noise

Noise Rating: 6

The CVS Adjustable diaper was noisier than you might expect for having a cloth-like backsheet. I found it to have a muffled crinkling noise when standing, sitting or walking. I suspect this is due to a separation between the topsheet and backsheet, which tends to produce a lot of backsheet friction/compression. It’s not so much that it would be impossible to cover up with meshpants or underwear, but worth noting.

4.3 CVS Health Stretch Fit Adjustable Briefs Noise Profile

Odor Reduction

Odor Reduction Rating: 7

I rarely noticed odors from the CVS Health diaper during testing. Part of this may be due to its limited capacity at a single wetting, but I feel the padding also has some degree of built-in resistance (they do advertise “odor locking technology”). That said, the breathable design will limit its ability for full odor containment. I found the structure to be pretty open and lacking waistbands so it could be a particular issue for those with bowel incontinence.