*For more information on how I do reviews see Diaper Test Methodology
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Summary
The InControl Active Air is our second InControl product to be reviewed after the InControl BeDry Night. Both are highly absorbent, but this is rated nearly 3x lower than the InControl BeDry Night in that regard. This diaper features a cloth-like backsheet with tape landing zone and hook & loop fasteners. Aside from the backsheet material, the structure generally feels similar to the InControl BeDry Night, which itself is similar to the Rearz products by the same parent company. I also found this diaper to be similar to the ABU Little Kings, though that one had some notable differences in fit like waistband design. This diaper is nearly full featured, missing only a front-waistband.Although the InControl Active Air is ranked substantially lower than the InControl BeDry Night, I found it to be almost equally performant in terms of real world absorption. I feel this had to do with its better ability to distribute moisture after a wetting. While the InControl BeDry Night would swell up and cause moisture dams just below the crotch, the relatively thinner/less absorbent but equally wide padding in this diaper made it less susceptible to damming so more moisture reached the rear padding. Given its cheaper unit price, this might make it more appealing if you’re in the market for a highly absorbent diaper with a cloth-like backsheet. Aside from that, I found this diaper to be highly effective against pressout leaks and didn’t notice any perspiration through the cloth-like backsheet, so it could be a good choice for those who need to be seated frequently. The only significant downside I found in this diaper was that it was unusually prone to odors given its relatively high absorbency. That was a recurring theme and I’m not sure the cloth-like backsheet accounted for all of it. Otherwise, it should be great for daily wear or bedwetting. I’d like to again thank Jenna for the suggestion and donation toward this, the InControl BeDry Night, and an upcoming review. Once again, suggestions and donations are always appreciated!
Key Features:
- Cloth-like backsheet
- Standing inner leak guards
- Wetness indicator
- Tape Landing Zone
- Refastenable fasteners
- Rear waistband
Pros:
- Highly absorbent
- Comfortable/breathable sides
- Durable design
- Very effective against pressout
Cons:
- A bit susceptible to odors
- Not discreet
Product Details
For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the medium-sized InControl Active Air Incontinence Briefs. However, other available sizes are listed below:
Packaging
Brand: InControl
Manufacturer: Weifang Mimosa Personalcare Technology
Origin: China
Units Per Bag: 20
Cost Per Unit: $$$
Dimensions (L x W x H): 42 cm (16.5") x 19 cm (7.5") x 25 cm (9.8")
Weight: 3.0 kg (6.6 lbs)
Available Sizes: M,L/XL
Advertised Absorbency: 4200 ml (142 oz)
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| 1.1 InControl Active Air Packaging |
Diaper
Backsheet: Cloth-like (non-woven)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (yellow line down middle, blue 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 (red dots over landing zone)
Inner Color: White (grey rectangle in the middle)
Front Waistband: No
Rear Waistband: Yes
Folded Thickness: 2.17 cm (0.85")
Folded Length: 25 cm (9.8")
Dry Weight: 143 g (5.0 oz)
Fragrance: No (chemical smell?)
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 80 cm (31.5") x 67 cm (26.4") x 33 cm (13") x 64 cm (25.2")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 67 cm (23.4") x 26 cm (10.2") x 19 cm (7.5") x 35 cm (13.8")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 3.5 cm (1.4") x 14 cm (5.5") x 8 cm (3.2") x 20 cm (7.9")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1691 cm2 (262 in2)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 3 cm (1.2") x 13.5 cm (5.3")
Tape (W x L): 4.5 cm (1.8") x 4 cm (1.6")
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| 1.2 InControl Active Air Diaper |
Laboratory Absorbency Tests
Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 1707 ml (60.2 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 1757 ml (62 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (46 s, 51 s, 75 s, 86 s, 86 s, 94 s, 90 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 5 cm (2")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 96%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 1.50 ml / cm2 (0.34 oz / in2)
Press Out Volume: 50 ml (1.8 oz)
Surface Dampness Rating: 7
The InControl Active Air is quite well suited to manage surface dampness. I rank it the same as the InControl BeDry Night in this regard. Both didn’t do as well as other top performers on the lab paper towel test, with dampness showing up on the second wetting in each case. This is still better than the lower performers. In real world testing, it’s a bit of a different story as the huge amount of absorbent padding mitigates surface dampness issues. I rarely noticed the dampness in real world testing with only very brief pooling initially after a wetting.
 
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| 2.1 Wet vs Dry Diaper After Capacity Test |
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| 2.2 Used vs Used Padding After Capacity Test |
"Real World" Absorbency Tests
Posture Tests
Standing-Sitting
Total Absorbed Volume: 1307 ml (46.1 oz)
Total Wettings: (1 standing, 2 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 64%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.77 ml / cm2 (0.18 oz / in2)
Standing-Sitting Rating: 9
The InControl Active Air performed strongly when tested while standing and sitting. The first wetting while standing was easily absorbed and quickly distributed through the padding without a hint of leakage. Soon after it felt little different from its dry state and was exceptionally breathable. Upon sitting shortly after there was no sign of pressout moisture or leaks. On the second wetting while seated there was more noticeable pooling with dampness pushing up the front of the diaper against the leak guards and back into the middle. A short time later it was dispersed through the padding and the sensation of dampness mostly subsided. The front padding had swelled up quite a bit and it was clearly close to saturation, but the rear padding remained completely dry even a long while after the wetting. There were no obvious signs of leakage at this point. On the third wetting there was substantial surface pooling at the front of the diaper and it pushed up further into the front leak guards. Not long after the moisture pushed under the front leak barriers and into the wings, resulting in a significant leak. In spite of that, the rear padding was still almost completely dry. When seated, there doesn’t appear to be a convenient way for moisture to reach the rear padding, even if damming is less a problem, so it’s likely to leak well before it’s channeled back. In all, I feel this diaper should be good for at least 2~3 wettings without leakage during daily wear, but I wouldn’t push it past that.
Lying Down
Total Absorbed Volume: 1882 ml (66.4 oz)
Total Wettings: 5
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 88%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 1.11 ml / cm2 (0.25 oz / in2)
Lying Down Rating: 10
The InControl Active Air performed incredibly well when tested while lying down. The first wetting was quickly absorbed through the padding and barely noticeable afterward. The mid-padding swelled a bit, though not to the extent of the InControl BeDry Night. There wasn’t a hint of leakage and after the wetting there was still a lot of dry padding at both the front and rear of the diaper. On the second wetting there was considerably more pooling with moisture pushing further up into the front and toward the rear padding. Nothing leaked but the dampness was more noticeable afterward. Again, the swelling was a lot less than in the BeDry Night, which I believe assisted more moisture making it toward the rear padding. I was expecting the third wetting to leak, but surprisingly it held out without leakage. There was substantial pooling in the mid padding as most of the moisture ended up sinking toward the middle and rear of the diaper. The sinking rear padding allowed moisture to move back, so while I figured the front leak guards would be overwhelmed, they held the moisture back long enough to prevent any leaks. That said, the diaper felt notably damp and saturated at this point, while there was still a bit of dry front/rear padding. The fourth wetting continued to evade any sign of leakage, though once again there was substantial initial pooling at the lower mid-section of padding. Surprisingly, even though there was some swelling, the structure or organization of it didn’t cause much damming up front. I was sure something would come out the rear leak guards, but since they weren’t under pressure while lying down they held up. But again, the diaper felt very damp so the leak guards were definitely playing a larger role than the padding in preventing leaks. On the fifth wetting the diaper finally leaked. Again there was initially a substantial amount of pooling, some directed at the rear but some ended up pushing back up the front and escaped into the right wing. The diaper was clearly saturated and likely would have leaked far earlier under any pressure, but the structure is very apt at preventing leaks when not under pressure. At the end of the test there was still a small amount of unused padding at the front/rear of the diaper. This diaper should work for even the heaviest bedwetters and I expect it to manage 3~4 wettings before leaking.
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| 2.3 Pattern of Used vs Unused Padding Test Stand/Sit (right) Lying Down (left) |
Daily Wear and Bedwetting
The InControl Active Air proved quite well suited for both daily wear and bedwetting. The absorbency proved far better than I’d expected to the point I’d never experienced any leaks in regular wear, even in common situations like sitting after a wetting. It’s incredibly resistant to pressout moisture. On multiple occasions after at least two large wettings I never noticed any leakage upon sitting. This was much better than I’d expect from a cloth-like diaper, even at the premium level. Moreover, I wore this diaper for regular bedwetting and never had anything close to a leak, so it provides more than enough protection for overnight wear. Many mornings I’d wake up and have no idea whether the diaper was wet or not until checking the wetness indicator. That speaks to how effective it was at managing moisture and comfort with the wet and dry states feeling very similar. I will say that initially after a wetting it can feel a bit damp due to initial moisture pooling that can stream along leak guards until fully absorbed. Unlike the InControl BeDry Night, this diaper has a more even distribution of moisture across the padding when wet, which is another reason you wouldn’t notice the swelling. The padding is wide and fairly soft. The backsheet is comfortable even if not the softest for a cloth-backed diaper. For daily wear, the thickness might be a bit constraining and it’s hardly what I would call discreet, though it should prove durable if you need something highly absorbent that will manage an active day. Also, being cloth-backed it’s a bit better at dispersing heat compared with most plastic-backed diapers, though the backsheet isn’t the most breathable on the market and the large thicker landing zone could somewhat counter that. Like the InControl BeDry Night this diaper features an interesting choice of a grey-colored rectangle covering its Acquisition Distribution Layer (ADL). I also found its hook & loop fastener with a landing zone to be highly effective and was able to reattach and adjust the tapes easily without having to worry about them losing adhesiveness. In terms of downsides, I couldn’t think of much. It suffered a bit in terms of discretion by having an obvious profile and unexpected challenges with containing odors. I did find it can have a slight chemical odor that’s amplified when in contact with urine, which may be off putting. Otherwise, I feel this diaper provides a high degree of value for the price even if it is a little more on the expensive side from a unit perspective. It runs substantially cheaper than the InControl BeDry Night. I’d recommend it for daily wear or bedwetting if you have a preference for cloth-backed diapers.Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 8
Wear & Tear Tests
Fitting
The InControl Active Air diaper features a cloth-like backsheet with a landing zone and hook & loop fasteners. This diaper also has a rear waistband and standing inner leak guards. I found the fit to be about average to perhaps slightly large. I typically wear a medium size and the medium size for this diaper was about in line with what I’d expect for sizing. The padding is relatively thick so that may also contribute to it feeling a bit more toward the large size, but the fastener placement still has a decent gap even if you’re at the smaller size of the medium range. Like the InControl BeDry Night, this diaper also advertises a “Best Fit” vs “Max Fit” waist range, which I found to be helpful and accurate. This is particularly helpful, because the sizing starts at Medium with no Small available.
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| 3.1 InControl Active Air Fastener |
Ease-of-Use Rating: 10
I rank the InControl Active Air comparably to the ABU Little Kings in terms of ease-of-use. The material and structure is very similar, perhaps not quite to the quality in the Little Kings and this diaper doesn’t feature a front waistband, but I don’t feel either factor was enough of a differentiator to negate its ease-of-use scoring. I found the large landing zone with hook & loop fasteners to be very easy to use in this diaper. The tapes are of a high quality and can be refastened multiple times without losing adhesiveness. Moreover, this diaper features a wetness indicator that would be useful for care environments (yellow line down middle turns blue/grey when wet). Also, unlike the InControl BeDry Night, this diaper will be easy to close up after use because the adhesive fasteners can also be attached to the regular backsheet in addition to the landing zone; this would be particularly helpful for those with fecal incontinence. In terms of fit, I never had any challenges finding a good fit with this diaper. The landing zone is patterned so it’s easy to reproduce a good fit after you’ve found one. I can't see any ease-of-use faults in this diaper and thus the perfect score.
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| 3.2 InControl Active Air Fit |
Comfort
Comfort Rating (dry): 10
The InControl Active Air was highly comfortable in its dry state, in fact I rank it among the best in this regard. The padding and inner backsheet are quite soft and breathable. It’s easy to get a relatively snug and comfortable fit, and the tapes hold very well so you’re unlikely to notice any sagging. Moreover, the padding doesn’t clump or tear. Notably, the padding runs quite wide in the mid-section, which will cause it to frequently fold inward or outward. Still, I didn’t find that to be a significant source of discomfort. I couldn’t find any factor large enough to reduce the comfort score in this diaper and thus the perfect score.
Comfort Rating (wet): 10
I found the InControl Active Air to be very comfortable in its wet state. I rank it comparably to the ABU Little Kings in this regard and feel the two share some similar structural traits. I found the moisture distribution to be better in this diaper than the InControl BeDry Night, so padding swell generally was more distributed and less constraining when wet. There was no obvious tape weakness so I didn’t have any issues with sagging. Like its dry state, there was little issue with clumping or tearing in the padding. The padding did feel a bit less firm or squishier than the InControl BeDry Night. Moreover, while it was hardly the best performer in terms of surface dampness, in terms of real world implications I hardly noticed the dampness. The cloth-like backsheet was highly breathable and good for heat distribution so I didn’t notice any clamminess. For that reason I feel this diaper could be suited for warm weather wear. Although I did find there can be some initial surface dampness after a wetting, it quickly dissipates into the padding. Overall, I can’t find any real flaws in this diaper in terms of wet comfort and thus the perfect score.
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| 3.3 InControl Active Air Topsheet and Backsheet |
Durability
Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 10.8% (topsheet), 9.3% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 3 shakes to deterioration
Durability Rating (dry): 9
I rank the InControl Active Air a little above what the dry padding deterioration might suggest. I found the deterioration was mostly between the legs where the extra wide padding was naturally going to collapse a bit. Other sections of deterioration were also at the peripheral and didn't impact performance. The deteriorated wing padding may have been a unit defect, since I didn’t notice it in other instances of normal wear. I rank this diaper the same as the InControl BeDry Night with respect to durability. Although the backsheet material is different, the structure is similar. The padding in this diaper is less dense, but not enough to really impact durability. The fasteners worked exceptionally well, with multiple refastenings without any weakening. It will easily hold up to a high level of activity, but the padding width may be somewhat constraining.
Durability Rating (wet): 9
There was no difference in durability between the wet and dry state for the InControl Active Air. I didn’t notice any additional deterioration (only the same slight periphery damage that won’t have much impact anyway). There was no padding clumping or tearing when wet, it held together remarkably well. Additionally, the fasteners showed no signs of weakening or strain under the weight of the wet diaper so I never noticed any significant sagging. The wet padding felt a bit squishier than the InControl BeDry Night, but not to a degree I’d say it impacted durability. All in all, I’d say this diaper could be a great choice for active wearing, bearing in mind that it runs a bit large.
 
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| 3.4 InControl Active Air Dry Test Deterioration |
Discretion Tests
Profile
Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 6 cm (2.4"), 7 cm (2.8")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 8 cm (3.2"), 7.5 cm (3")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 6 cm (2.4"), 6 cm (2.4")
Profile Discretion Rating: 5
This diaper is hardly what I’d call discreet. It has a particularly notable rear bulge and slight front bulge. The mid-section padding is particularly wide so it has a tendency to fold and make it appear even thicker (similar to the Attends Slip Classic). It also has a significant rise above the waistline, but I didn’t find it rose as high as some. It can probably be mitigated under thicker clothing, but definitely not a diaper that will be easy to hide when out in summer wear.
  
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| 4.1 InControl Active Air Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
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| 4.2 InControl Active Air Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
Noise
Noise Rating: 8
Being a cloth-backed diaper I expected the InControl Active Air to be quite discreet when it came to noise. However, some of these cloth-backed diapers with landing zones can be louder as a result of the landing zone itself. I did find this to be the case in this diaper when standing or sitting. However, with other movements like walking or even to some degree running I really didn’t notice any noise. I feel the amount of sound produced by the InControl Active Air could easily be dampened by the choice of outerwear. Consequently I rank it highly in terms of noise discretion.
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| 4.3 InControl Active Air Noise Profile |
Odor Reduction
Odor Reduction Rating: 5
I can’t quite say why, but I noticed odors from this diaper a lot more than I typically do. Supposedly it uses an odor neutralizing technology. It feels like it might have a sweet chemical scent to it, but I couldn’t say it was by design. In real world testing it felt like the interaction of urine and the padding produced its own distinctive odor, perhaps stronger than you might otherwise get. The cloth-like backsheet and lack of a front waistband also contributed to odor escape. While I can’t quite say this diaper was the worst for odor containment, it was far from the ranks of other premium diapers like the Tena Slip Active Fit Maxi.
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