*For more information on how I do reviews see Diaper Test Methodology
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Summary
Rite Aid Adjustable Briefs are a cloth-like store brand diaper sold by the US pharmacy chain Rite Aid. These diapers have an adjustable design which is similar to others like the Tena Stretch Super or CVS Briefs. These sit at the top of the Rite Aid line of products for absorbency. It’s unclear who the underlying manufacturer is but there are some structural similarities with the CVS Briefs. However, these have a thicker feel, different fastener construction and softer backsheet in comparison. Also, oddly enough, they seem to have a very subtle blue tint to them, which makes them appear different from other similar store brands.In terms of performance I found these to be about average and what you’d expect for a store brand. They should handle a single wetting without leakage and will generally avoid pressout leakage upon sitting. But you’ll never get more absorbency than that and they seem to have a firm limit of around 500 ml (16.9 oz) before leakage would be a concern. The biggest plus I found in these was the very soft comfortable material structure and highly breathable design. They advertise skin friendly features pretty extensively and I would certainly believe it. The biggest downside was the tendency for them to come loose with extended wear and I wouldn’t expect them to hold much weight when wet or dealing with fecal incontinence. With all that said, I have to point out that this is a limited review and I received only a partial package of 6 units so my experience in this review is somewhat less than in other reviews. These are only available in the US as far as I can tell and I’d like to give a special thanks for the donation of these, which would otherwise be very difficult for me to obtain! As always, all donations and suggestions are highly appreciated!
Key Features:
- Cloth-like backsheet
- Stretchable wings
- Standing inner leak guards
- Wetness indicator
- Paraben/Fragrance Free
Pros:
- Very breathable/soft
- Durable padding
- Decent resistance to surface dampness
Cons:
- Limited sizing
- Limited availability
- Prone to coming loose
Product Details
For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the small/medium-sized Rite Aid Adjustable Briefs Adult Diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:
Packaging
Brand: Rite Aid
Manufacturer: Rite Aid Pharmacy
Origin: USA
Units Per Bag: 20
Cost Per Unit: $$
Dimensions (L x W x H): [TBD - please share if you know these]
Weight: [TBD - please share if you know this]
Available Sizes: S/M,L/XL
Advertised Absorbency: Maximum
[1.1 Packaging Pictures Unavailable - TBD - please share if you have these]
Diaper
Backsheet: Cloth-like (non-woven)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (orange line down middle, blue when wet)
Standing Inner Leak Guards: Yes
Leg Gathers: Yes
Product Style: Stretch Sides Brief
Refastenable Tabs: Yes
Number of Tapes: 1
Repositionable Tabs: Yes
Outer Color: White (very slight blue tint)
Inner Color: White
Front Waistband: No
Rear Waistband: No
Folded Thickness: 2.33 cm (0.92")
Folded Length: 23 cm (9.1")
Dry Weight: 83 g (2.9 oz)
Fragrance: No
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 79 cm (31.1") x 44 cm (17.3") x 25 cm (9.8") x 89 cm (35")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 60 cm (23.6") x 20 cm (7.9") x 15 cm (5.9") x 21 cm (8.3")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 2.5 cm (1") x 11 cm (4.3") x 3 cm (1.2") x 10 cm (3.9")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1015 cm2 (157 in2)
Tape Spacing (t1): 2 cm (0.8")
Tape (W x L): 11.5 cm (4.5") x 2 cm (0.8")
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| 1.2 Rite Aid Adjustable Adult Diaper |
Laboratory Absorbency Tests
Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 792 ml (27.9 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 942 ml (33.2 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (43 s, 43 s, 48 s, 49 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 4 cm (1.6")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 100%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 0.78 ml / cm2 (0.18 oz / in2)
Press Out Volume: 150 ml (5.3 oz)
Surface Dampness Rating: 7
The Rite Aid diaper demonstrated some resistance to surface dampness. There was a little bit of moisture on the paper towel after the first lab capacity test. There was more on the second test, but it wasn’t quite saturated like some of the weaker performers. Absorption was also relatively fast with limited pooling. In real world testing I found the very breathable nature of these made surface dampness even less apparent than I expected, albeit with limited absorbency.
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| 2.1 Wet vs Dry Diaper After Capacity Test |
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| 2.2 Used vs Unused Padding After Capacity Test |
"Real World" Absorbency Tests
Posture Tests
Standing-Sitting
Total Absorbed Volume: 592 ml (20.9 oz)
Total Wettings: (1 standing, 1 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 90%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.58 ml / cm2 (0.13 oz / in2)
Standing-Sitting Rating: 5
The Rite Aid diaper performed decently when it came to standing and sitting. The first wetting while standing was absorbed without any sign of leakage. All moisture sank below the crotch and initially there was a little pooling. Eventually it was distributed and the weight caused a bit of sagging, but otherwise wasn’t too noticeable. On the second wetting moisture quickly pooled up in the front and pushed out through the front leak guards into the wings as well as below the padding. This diaper clearly wasn’t going to handle more than a single wetting, though there still was a certain amount of dry padding at the rear. Overall absorbency was relatively low and, in general, I wouldn’t count on this diaper to absorb more than a single wetting during daily wear, but it should be fairly reliable at that.
Lying Down
Total Absorbed Volume: 592 ml (20.9 oz)
Total Wettings: 2
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 77%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.58 ml / cm2 (0.13 oz / in2)
Lying Down Rating: 5
The Rite Aid diaper performed reasonably well when tested while lying down. The first wetting was fully absorbed without any signs of leakage. Moisture quickly made its way into the mid and rear padding with brief pooling. At the end of it there was still a lot of dry padding at the front as the loose fit meant there wasn’t much buildup in that area. On second wetting, there was initially no leakage but considerable pooling in the mid and lower-rear padding. Eventually some moisture did make it through the leg gathers below the crotch and resulted in a noticeable leak. Even so, there was still a fair amount of dry padding at the front and rear. Generally, I expect you’ll manage one wetting from this diaper when lying down, but I wouldn’t push it past that.
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| 2.3 Pattern of Used vs Unused Padding Test Stand/Sit (right) Lying Down (left) |
Daily Wear and Bedwetting
I was able to get a rough sense of how the Rite Aid adjustable briefs will perform for daily wear or bedwetting, but want to apologize if there are any gaps due to my testing on a limited sample size. I did try these a couple nights and they were able to handle a single wetting without leaking, though I suspect a larger wetting could be a little precarious so maybe I was just lucky. In terms of daily wear they will perform similarly and I generally wouldn’t expect leaks until the second wetting. I didn’t notice much in the way of perspiration through the backsheet when wet, which is often a problem in cloth-like diapers. I also found these to be quite skin friendly and never noticed any sweat or clamminess when testing with this diaper. They seem well designed for warm weather wear. However, the biggest theme was the tendency to loosen, which for me was a big problem because the S/M sizing already felt quite large for my waist. I doubt they’ll ever loosen to the point of sliding off, but I got the sense of sagging during testing even when dry. These are also quite spacious, which may have been a contributing factor as they won’t have a super snug feel to begin with. The looseness gives a more breathable airy feel, so it does have some benefits, but I wouldn’t recommend these for particularly active wear like sports or running; or, if worn in those circumstances, I’d recommend this diaper be combined with some sort of outerwear to keep it in place.Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 4
Wear & Tear Tests
Fitting
The Rite Aid diaper has a cloth-like backsheet with stretchy wings and a single large hook & loop fastener per wing. The design is similar to other “stretch” style diapers like the CVS or Tena Stretch Brief. The Small/Medium for these advertises fitting waist sizes of 22-50”. My waist size is more around 31” and I found the tapes almost overlapped and it had a very loose feel. So I would say the sizing tends to be on the large size and would certainly be too large for anyone smaller than myself. Other than that the hook & loop fasteners can be refastened multiple times, though they may start to lose some adhesiveness.
Ease-of-Use Rating: 7
The Rite Aid diaper is about as easy to use as any stretch style brief. The biggest challenge will be the limited sizing with just S/M and L/XL available as sizes. I found the S/M sizing to be too large, so it had quite a loose fit. This was odd because it advertises this size for a waist of 22”-50” and weight of 90-130 lbs. That would put me about 10 lbs over the recommended weight range and well within the waist size range. The specifications are such that it’s almost completely useless as a recommendation. So I would highly recommend trying a sample before determining whether it will fit you. Assuming you’re a little larger and able to get a better fit then it’s pretty easy to attach the hook & loop fasteners. Once attached they maintain a reasonably good grip, but will weaken a bit over time with multiple fastenings. These do have a wetness indicator, so they could be helpful for carers. They also have inner leak guards, which will be helpful for dealing with bowel incontinence if looseness doesn’t cause problems.
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| 3.2 Rite Aid Adjustable Briefs Fit |
Comfort
Comfort Rating (dry): 7
The Rite Aid diaper is constructed with a very soft cloth-like material. It’s highly breathable and quite skin friendly. During testing I didn’t ever feel clamminess or discomfort when wearing this diaper while dry. It would be perfect for warm weather if the absorbency works for you. The biggest downside is that it can loosen up with wear. For me personally this is an issue due to the smaller fit, but even accounting for a snugger fit I found the tapes won’t hold super well over a longer duration and it may start to slip down on you. Aside from that, the padding is quite durable so you won’t get much in the way of discomfort due to clumping or tearing.
Comfort Rating (wet): 6
The Rite Aid diaper was reasonably comfortable when wet. I did find surface dampness to be a little noticeable, but the general breathability made it less of an issue. The biggest problem I had was that the sagging became even more obvious when wet. I frequently felt it slipping down on my legs. Now this could partly be down to the sizing (these were pretty large for me), but I think a bit part of it is the general structure, which makes it tough to get a snug fit.
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| 3.3 Rite Aid Adjustable Briefs Topsheet and Backsheet |
Durability
Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 11.1% (topsheet), 9.1% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 1 shakes to deterioration
Durability Rating (dry): 6
The Rite Aid diaper demonstrated a decent degree of durability. The padding didn’t show significant clumping or tearing after extended dry wear, with the only obvious issues being due to inward collapsing of padding. None of the core padding was affected by deterioration. I found the wetness indicator would also hold out well against sweat or small drips and dribbles. The only real durability problem follows a consistent theme, with the sides and tabs being somewhat susceptible to loosening and sagging. For this reason it’s probably not the best choice for active wear.
Durability Rating (wet): 5
The padding on the Rite Aid diaper proved quite durable when wet with little obvious clumping or tearing. Mostly there was just a continuation of the collapsed padding near the legs. But once again, the biggest issue I found was that it had a tendency to sag. Otherwise, I found the tapes were pretty easy to refasten and lost a bit of adhesiveness but were still able to keep a grip after multiple fastenings. There wasn’t much in terms of perspiration through the backsheet. I rank it slightly below the CVS diaper in this regard.
 
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| 3.4 Rite Aid Adjustable Briefs Dry Test Deterioration |
Discretion Tests
Profile
Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 6 cm (2.4"), 5 cm (2.4")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 6 cm (2.4"), 4 cm (1.6")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 4 cm (1.6"), 3 cm (1.2")
Profile Discretion Rating: 6
If not supported by regular underwear or meshpants these can stand out a bit. But they also easily collapse under outerwear. I did find them a little thicker than many store brand diapers, but not exceptionally so. Perhaps the biggest issue would be that they tend to be on the large size for sizing and the padding can fold outward making them appear larger than the thickness might suggest.
  
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| 4.1 Rite Aid Adjustable Briefs Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
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| 4.2 Rite Aid Adjustable Briefs Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
Noise
Noise Rating: 9
In terms of sound, the Rite Aid diaper is highly discreet. I think the relatively thick/soft padding and backsheet is a contributor. I didn’t notice any obvious diaper crinkling when wearing these and walking, standing or sitting. The material can make a very slight crunching noise, but that’s about it in terms of sound. I doubt anyone would notice any sound from someone wearing these, particularly if they’re well contained by outerwear.
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| 4.3 Rite Aid Adjustable Briefs Noise Profile |
Odor Reduction
Odor Reduction Rating: 6
My testing was relatively limited due to sample size, but in the tests that I did run I didn’t find odors to be particularly noticeable in these diapers. I rank these about average in terms of odor performance. The padding does seem to have some properties that will resist odors, but the loose fitting stretch and breathable/airy feel will also give way to odors.
