Pampers Baby Dry UK 8 vs Pampers Swaddlers 8 US Youth Diapers Review

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

 

Summary

For this review I’ll be doing something a bit different and comparing two variants of Pampers youth diapers: the Pampers Baby Dry 8 sold in the UK/EU and Pampers Swaddlers 8 sold in North America. These are the first true youth diapers reviewed for this blog, following up on the Goodnites/Pull-Ups youth protective underwear review series, and both diapers are at the top of their size range, which also covers babies and toddlers at the lower end. This size of diapers is larger than typical baby diapers and could be expected to have some overlap with the bedwetting pants market as well as usage by special needs community. They may also work for “very” small adults. The Pampers 8 UK is particularly large for a youth diaper and widely considered to be one of the largest on the market. I’d like to give a special thanks for the suggestion and donation toward this review as well as the ideas for making the review more feasible.

Pampers is likely the mostly widely recognized diaper brand in the world. This brand is synonymous with diapers, in fact, in many parts of the world diapers are referred to as “pampers”, regardless of brand. So I suppose it makes sense we would review these eventually. That said, this review was a challenge because these diapers were far too small for me. For taller individuals these diapers will sit over the hips rather than the waist, so that’s where they’d be best measured from. In the measurements I took I found the Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK will ideally fit waist/hip sizes of 75 cm (29.5”) or less (though I was able to extend them to just barely fit around my 35.5” mid-hip), while the Pampers Swaddlers 8 US will fit waist/hip sizes of up to 62 cm (24.5”) and this is pretty much a hard stretch limit since the tapes won’t effectively stretch to the landing zone beyond that without coming apart. However, in my research I discovered there’s a whole crafting community dedicated to modding youth diapers so they can fit adults and even a product called “ConvertUps”, which extends the fasteners on youth diapers so they can fit larger waists. At the suggestion of a reader, I used the least-effort approach to modify the Pampers 8 US, which involved cutting the fasteners off a used diaper and connecting them to the wings to effectively double the length of the rear wings. I can see there being some nostalgic value and maybe even practical value to doing this sort of modification, since youth diapers tend to run far cheaper than adult diapers. In terms of absorbency these could work for moderate-to-heavy incontinence so there’s an argument to be had for their use as an alternative. At their cheapest they’re comparable in price to a typical moderate incontinence pad, yet these will absorb up to 400 ml (15.5 oz) without leaks and have exceptional odor protection and moisture containment to boot. The absorbency ratio relative to weight in these diapers exceeds even the most absorbent adult diapers on the market.

The suggested sizing for these two Pampers products is counter-intuitive, the US version of the Pampers 8 advertises for weights of 46 lbs+ (20.9 kg+) while the UK Pampers 8 advertises for weights of 37 lbs+ (17 kg+). However, the UK is larger than the US version in nearly every dimension and might well be the only Pampers product I can test without modification, quite possibly the largest on the market. Moreover, the length of these suggests a potential sizing slightly above the Pull-Ups 5T-6T. Smaller sizing aside, the Pampers 8 US isn’t without its own unique benefits. This diaper is among the softest I’ve tested and has dual waist bands and a feature called a “blowout barrier” for fecal containment, which is something that appears unique to this product. Both products use a particularly interesting moisture channeling technique with channels that run between tubs of highly absorbent material, allowing rapid absorption. While I don’t expect this review to be perfect and certainly won’t be helpful for everyone, hopefully it can be useful as a reference point for youths or smaller adults who are looking for a diaper to bridge the gap between baby and adult diapers.

Key Features:

• Cloth-like backsheet
• Landing zone
• Playful backsheet prints
• Standing inner leak guards
• Dual waistbands (US version)
• Repositionable fasteners
• Blowout barrier (US version) 
• Super stretchy sides (UK version)
  
• Pampers fragrance

Pros:

• Highly resistant to surface dampness
• Durable padding
• Highly flexible sides (UK version)
• Breathable/comfortable
• Granular sizing (baby-to-youth) 
• Low unit cost

Cons:

• Limited sizing (only really suitable for youths or very small adults)
• Relatively low absorbency (designed for youth bladder)
• Hook & loop fasteners can weaken from backsheet (US version)

 

Product Details

For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the size 8 Pampers Baby Dry and size 8 US Pampers Swaddlers Youth Diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:

Packaging

Brand: Pampers
Manufacturer (UK): Procter & Gamble UK
Manufacturer (US): Procter & Gamble
Origin (UK): UK
Origin (US): USA
Units Per Bag (UK): 27
Units Per Bag (US): 38
Cost Per Unit: $
Dimensions (L x W x H) (UK): 22 cm (8.7") x 10 cm (3.9") x 24 cm (9.5")
Dimensions (L x W x H) (US): 29 cm (11.4") x 25.5 cm (10") x 21 cm (8.3")
Weight (UK): 0.95 kg (2.1 lbs)
Weight (US): 1.7 kg (3.8 lbs)
Available Sizes (UK): 3,4,4+,5,5+,6,6+,7,8
Available Sizes (US): 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Advertised Absorbency (UK): up to 12h All-around leakage protection
Advertised Absorbency (US): Worry-Free for Up to 12 Hours

 

1.1 Pampers Baby Dry 8 (UK) Packaging

1.2 Pampers Swaddlers 8 (US) Packaging

Diaper

Backsheet: Cloth-like (non-woven)
Wetness Indicator (UK): No
Wetness Indicator (US): 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: 1
Repositionable Tabs: Yes
Outer Color (UK): White (light blue-green patterns around waist + deer & gator cartoons)
Outer Color (US): White (elephant & duck cartoons + patterned tape landing zone)
Inner Color (UK): Light blue-green leak guards, white sides, blue honeycomb padding pattern
Inner Color (US): White (blue-green leak guards & waistbands)
Front Waistband (UK): No
Front Waistband (US): Yes
Rear Waistband (UK): No
Rear Waistband (US): Yes
Folded Thickness (UK): 1.10 cm (0.43")
Folded Thickness (US): 1.10 cm (0.43")
Folded Length (UK): 25 cm (9.84")
Folded Length (US): 25 cm (9.84")
Dry Weight (UK): 40 g (1.41 oz)
Dry Weight (US): 40 g (1.41 oz)
Fragrance (UK): Yes (mild Pampers perfume)
Fragrance (US): Yes (moderate Pampers perfume)
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW) (UK): 56 cm (22.1") x 31 cm (12.2") x 21 cm (8.3") x 34 cm (13.4")
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 55 cm (21.7") x 31.5 cm (12.4") x 21.5 cm (8.5") x 31.5 cm (12.4")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW) (UK): 46 cm (18.1") x 10 cm (3.9") x 10 cm (3.9") x 10 cm (3.9")
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW) (US): 46 cm (18.1") x 11.5 cm (4.5") x 11.5 cm (4.5") x 11.5 cm (4.5")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH) (UK): 0 cm (0") x 0 cm (0") x 0 cm (0") x 10 cm (0")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH) (US): 0 cm (0") x 0 cm (0") x 0 cm (0") x 10 cm (0")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Flat, Flat
Total Padding Area (UK): 460 cm² (71.3 in²)
Total Padding Area (US): 529 cm² (82 in²)
Tape Spacing (t1) (UK): 3 cm (1.2")
Tape Spacing (t1) (US): 2.5 cm (1")
Tape (W x L) (UK): 3 cm (1.2") x 2.5 cm (1")
Tape (W x L) (US): 3.5 cm (1.4") x 3 cm (1.2")

 

1.3 Pampers Baby Dry 8 (UK) Diaper

 

1.4 Pampers Swaddlers 8 (US) Diaper

Laboratory Absorbency Tests

Total Absorption Volume (after press out) (UK): 492 ml (17.4 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (after press out) (US): 485 ml (17.1 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out) (UK): 495 ml (17.5 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out) (US): 510 ml (18 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last) (UK): (39 s, 28 s)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last) (US): (41 s, 33 s)
Wet Folded Thickness (UK): 4 cm (1.6")
Wet Folded Thickness (US): 4 cm (1.6")
Used to Total Padding Ratio (UK): 95%
Used to Total Padding Ratio (US): 100%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio (UK): 1.07 ml / cm² (0.24 oz / in²)
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio (US): 0.92 ml / cm² (0.21 oz / in²)
Press Out Volume (UK): 3 ml (0.11 oz)
Press Out Volume (US): 25 ml (0.9 oz)

Surface Dampness Rating: 8

I rank the Pampers 8 UK and US versions about the same when it comes to surface dampness and both performed surprisingly well. After a single wetting neither of these diapers demonstrated any surface dampness when checked with a paper towel. The Pampers 8 UK performed slightly better after the second wetting, showing only a small amount of moisture. In real world testing, I found you’d hardly notice the dampness at all until either diaper was saturated to the point of leakage. They also proved incredibly resilient to pressout moisture, with not even a little bit of pressout upon sitting on a wet diaper. Given the limited capacity, this performance was exceptional.

 

 

2.1 Wet vs Dry Diaper After Capacity Test (Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK)

2.2 Wet vs Dry Diaper After Capacity Test (Pampers Swaddlers 8 US)

2.3 Used vs Unused Padding After Capacity Test (Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK)

2.4 Used vs Unused Padding After Capacity Test (Pampers Swaddlers 8 US)

"Real World" Absorbency Tests

Posture Tests

Standing-Sitting

Total Absorbed Volume (UK): 460 ml (16.2 oz)
Total Absorbed Volume (US): 435 ml (15.3 oz)
Total Wettings (UK): (1 standing, 1 sitting)
Total Wettings (US): (1 standing, 1 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting (UK): No
Leaked After Sitting (US): No
Used to Total Padding Ratio (UK): 98%
Used to Total Padding Ratio (US): 100%
Padding to Absorbency Score (UK): 1.00 ml / cm² (0.23 oz / in²)
Padding to Absorbency Score (US): 0.82 ml / cm² (0.19 oz / in²)

Standing-Sitting Rating: 3

The Pampers 8 UK performed better than expected when tested while standing and sitting. Obviously I was well above the intended sizing, but I gave it a test to get a sense for how it might translate into performance for those appropriately sized. I was fully expecting it to leak quickly on the first wetting.  Initially there was considerable pooling in the front, but it was very short lived and quickly distributed through the diaper. As it filled with moisture the padding took on a tube-like texture with moisture having crossed the channels while being absorbed into the absorbent pockets in between. Once fully absorbed, it wasn’t very noticeable aside from the swelling and the moisture seemed well locked in. There was still a little unused padding at the rear but it felt near capacity. Upon sitting shortly after I was expecting pressout leaks, but surprisingly there wasn’t any hint of a leak. Even after a longer period of time I didn’t notice any leaking, which was notably different from other youth diapers I’ve tested like Goodnites XL or Pull-Ups 5T-6T. The second wetting while seated was clearly going to leak and indeed it leaked very soon after it started with relatively little being absorbed and moisture pushing out from the sides and through the rear leak guards. The leak was substantial and the padding was completely saturated. For someone of my size this may manage a single wetting in daily wear without leaking. For its intended size range I suspect it will manage at least two wettings before leaking would be a concern. As noted in previous reviews, I’m scoring these relative to my absolute scoring system, but for those of its intended size, it will certainly rank higher (I’d put it as similar to the Molicare Elastic 10D in that respect).

The Pampers 8 US also performed better than expected when tested while standing and sitting. Again, I was well above the intended sizing and the fit was even less representative than the Pampers 8 UK as I needed to use an extension technique to modify the sides and fit these. But I was able to get a good feel for how they would perform for their intended wearers. Again, I figured it was probably going to leak on the first wetting. Instead all the moisture pooled into the mid-section but was quickly and completely absorbed. Like the Pampers UK, it was absorbed in a tube-like pattern with swollen tubes and less dense moisture channels in between. Once fully absorbed it wasn’t noticeable and still felt like its dry state other than the swollen channels. There still seemed to be a bit of unused padding at the front and rear. There wasn’t a hint of pressout upon sitting shortly after and no obvious leaks. The second wetting while seated leaked almost immediately with moisture pulling and pushing out through into the wings and from under the leak guards, producing a substantial leak. Like the Pampers 8 UK, I expect this diaper will manage at least 2 wettings before leaks might be an issue for its intended size range.

Lying Down

Total Absorbed Volume (UK): 360 ml (12.7 oz)
Total Absorbed Volume (US): 485 ml (17.1 oz)
Total Wettings (UK): 1
Total Wettings (US): 1
Used to Total Padding Ratio (UK): 86%
Used to Total Padding Ratio (US): 100%
Padding to Absorbency Score (UK): 0.78 ml / cm² (0.18 oz / in²)
Padding to Absorbency Score (US): 0.92 ml / cm² (0.21 oz / in²)

Lying Down Rating: 1

The Pampers 8 UK performed reasonably well when tested while lying down, at least accounting for its target sizing. Again, obviously, I was way above the target sizing but was able to get some sense of performance. Clearly it won’t be absorbent enough for an average adult bladder for bedwetting, but could work for mid-sized youths and very small adults. In my testing it leaked on the first wetting but it was a relatively small leak and there was still a little unused padding. There was only a brief bit of pooling but it was enough for some moisture to make it past the front leak guards, which escaped through the side when I shifted. Surprisingly there weren’t any leaks in the mid-section. The moisture channels were effective at distributing moisture toward the rear and there was a significant amount of swelling for the size of the diaper. For those with an appropriate fit, I feel this diaper will generally absorb up to 350 ml (11.8 oz) without leaks. Once again, as I did for the standing-sitting and other youth product ratings I’m still scoring these on an absolute scale compared to the adult product that are the focus of this blog, but if rescaled for adult sizing you could again probably consider these most similar to the small Molicare Elastic 10D for a performance reference.

The Pampers 8 US performed similarly to the Pampers 8 UK when tested while lying down, though with a slightly larger leak. These won’t handle a full adult wetting, but are not designed for that. As expected, there was a leak on the first wetting. Moisture was quickly distributed through the tube-like moisture channels and they swelled substantially. However, once at capacity the moisture started damming, pushing backward up the front of the diaper and leaked through the wings. This resulted in a moderate leak. Interestingly, there wasn’t any obvious leakage at the leg gathers and the moisture that was absorbed was very securely locked into the padding without any squishiness or signs it might pressout. The experience closely matched that of the UK version and I’d expect a similar level of absorption from each even though it came out slightly higher for this version. The rear padding in each doesn’t extend to the very back, so perhaps they aren’t the best choice for overnight wear on their own (e.g. without a booster), but should manage at least one or two wettings for those in the intended sizing.

 

2.5 Pattern of Used vs Unused Padding Test Stand/Sit (right) Lying Down (left) (Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK)

2.6 Pattern of Used vs Unused Padding Test Stand/Sit (right) Lying Down (left) (Pampers Swaddlers 8 US)

Daily Wear and Bedwetting

I have to admit that reviewing Pampers youth diapers was an unusual challenge within the context of a blog that focuses mostly on adult diapers. I hadn’t worn Pampers since at least the 1980s or 90s and, even if I remembered them well from those days, they are a completely different product these days. At a glance, these appear way too small for someone of my size and indeed they were too small. However, in terms of length they weren’t significantly shorter than Goodnites XL, which are large enough to be feasible for someone of my size, with the Pampers 8 UK having a length of 56 cm (22”) vs 60 cm (23.6”) in the Goodnites XL or a 7% difference. Or, in perhaps a more useful metric, with Goodnites XL having a total backsheet area of ~1580 cm² (245 in²) and Pampers 8 UK having a total backsheet area of ~1380 cm² (214 in²), the Pampers 8 UK are only 13.4% smaller than the Goodnites XL (the Pampers 8 US version was slightly smaller). So perhaps it’s not as ridiculous an assessment as it sounds. In fact, I believe the Pampers 8 sizing to have significant overlap with small-medium sizing of youth bedwetting pants and it’s likely this product is frequently used for that purpose for cost savings or performance rather than a simple extension of toilet training. It’s likely they also play a role at the smaller end of the special needs community. The sizing and absorbency was just at the edge of what I felt I could reasonably assess and I wasn’t able to use either Pampers diaper stand-alone for my bedwetting needs. Of the two, the Pampers 8 UK version was larger and the only one I could fasten around my waist out of the box (with a lot of stretching). I also found I could get a slightly better fit by reinforcing the front wing tabs with tap and fastening onto those instead of the landing zone, but it would be a pain to have to do that regularly. The sides of the Pampers 8 US version were far less stretchy and the only way I could fasten this diaper on my waist was using a technique suggested by a reader, which involved cutting the sides from a previously used diaper and chaining them with the current diaper to effectively double their length. Even with this technique, the Pampers 8 US version only barely fit around my hips and felt a bit flimsy (to get a sense of the difference in sizing). As precarious as the Pampers 8 UK fit appeared, the fasteners were incredibly grippy and held up to way more stress than the diaper should be expected to experience; it was also a bit more comfortable than it looked with the ultra-stretched side. Fit aside, neither of these Pampers products will absorb more than 400 ml (13.5 oz) before you’d need to worry about leaks. This falls short of my bedwetting needs and possibly some others who are able to fit it, though it’s small enough it could be doubled diapered with a wider diaper on the outside, so it acts as a booster; probably better in combination with a reusable cloth-diaper since flow-through would miss the middle padding and be a waste of a disposable diaper. These could also be made more absorbent with a small booster pad, but that could reduce the effectiveness of the moisture channels. The other downside of using either of these diapers for bedwetting is that the most absorbent padding doesn’t run all the way up the rear and there’s an odd dense/semi absorbent padding section that covers the last 10% or so of the rear. This section of padding is slow to absorb and absorbs less than the regular padding. Conversely, I believe these diapers would actually work better for daytime wear than the Goodnites or Pull-Ups youth products because these diapers have a key feature that sets them apart. They have a remarkable ability to retain absorbed moisture under pressure. You can effectively push these diapers to the edge of their capacity and sit down shortly afterward and you won’t get any pressout leaks. I put this to the test several times and was quite impressed, because these scenarios consistently produced leaks from wet Goodnites. They also have several features that would be great to see in more adult diapers like moisture channels and a blowout barrier. The effectiveness of the moisture channels in these diapers were quite obvious during testing. I found that when wet, moisture rapidly made it through nearly the entirety of the padding without the damming that can cause some diapers to fail prematurely. Of course with the limited capacity it was hard to say how these would do with multiple wettings, but I get the sense it would be much better than the typical unchanneled padding (think of it like an irrigation system). I also found both Pampers diapers to be exceptional for skin health and didn’t notice any irritation during testing. They also proved very effective at locking away odors (though keep in mind they have a fragrance of their own). With all that said, I believe these to be great diapers for those who can fit them, anyone under a 75 cm (29.5”) max waist/hips for Pampers Baby Dry UK 8 and under 62 cm (24.5”) max waist/hips for Pampers Swaddlers US 8, assuming they meet your capacity needs. For smaller individuals with moderate incontinence these could be an affordable choice, assuming you can fit or mod them to your needs (side-chaining or something like convert-ups). From my personal perspective, it’s also good to know that these could at least be somewhat feasible in a pinch if I wasn’t able to get a proper adult diaper.

Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 8 (UK), 10 (US)

I expect Pampers, being a baby-to-youth product, to be well designed for handling bowel movements. Indeed, these diapers have a fair amount of rear coverage relative to their size (though the rear padding is oddly less absorbent toward the top). They do have a higher rise up the waist at the rear. The downside is that both are cloth-backed and the “breathability” will cause a release of odors, but for caregivers that may actually be intentional as it alerts them to a faster change. That said, the padding itself does seem to have some “built-in” odor defense. Moreover, for the case of the Pampers 8 US, there’s a special feature at the back specifically for dealing with bowel leakage, which they refer to as a blowout barrier. I haven’t seen this in other diapers and I feel that in itself gives the Pampers Swaddlers 8 US top marks.

 

Wear & Tear Tests

Fitting

The Pampers 8 UK has a cloth-like backsheet with hook & loop tabs for fasteners (single tab per side) and a narrow rectangular patterned tape landing zone with the number 8 at the center. The backsheet is white with light blue-green tone patterns around the waist and has a subtle playful pattern with two designs (deer and gator cartoons). These have a very stretchy elastic design with inner leak guards and leg gathers. They also have a porous wing that protrudes from the front. Clearly, I have limited experience with modern youth diapers because I initially assumed the fasteners could be placed on these front tabs. However, these tabs will easily give out under any sort of pressure and should not be used for fastening. Instead, these appear to be used for getting a better diaper fit during a change. A caregiver can pull them back toward the rear to straighten the front and get a better fastener placement on the landing zone.

In terms of sizing, the Pampers 8 UK targets youths larger than 17 kg (37 lbs). This would appear to put it into alignment with the sizing for the Pull-Ups 5T-6T. The sides on this diaper are a little less stretchy than the Pull-Ups 5T-6T so it will not fit as large a waist, yet this diaper is also longer than the Pull-Ups 5T-6T so may work better for taller youths (56 cm [22”] vs 53 cm [20.9”]) and, particularly, these provide better area coverage at the rear (even if the padding itself falls short back there). The sides are highly flexible. With no stretch at all they will fit up to 60 cm (23.6”) in circumference, if worn with the level of stretch shown in (fig 3.3) they will fit up to 80 cm (31.5”) in circumference and worn near their maximum stretch (fig 3.4) they could reach 90 cm (35.5”) in circumference. The best fit probably will be somewhere between 60~80 cm (23.6~31.5”) and the smallest feasible fit would be around 45 cm (17.7”) for reference. Considering the length, this would put it just short of the Goodnites L/XL and just above the Pull-Ups 5T-6T in terms of fit, keeping in mind for taller individuals these will fall over the hips rather than the waist so I’d say they’d best fit with the smaller of waist or hips being under 75 cm (29.5”).

The Pampers 8 US targets youths larger than 20.9 kg (46 lbs), which at first glance might have you think it’s the larger of the two diapers. However, it’s slightly smaller in terms of structure with the length being about 1 cm shorter and overall backsheet coverage sitting at 1347 cm² (209 in²) vs 1381 cm² (214 in²) so about 2.5% smaller in area. It’s significantly smaller in terms of the waist circumference it will fit. The sides have very little stretch to them so this will fit a far smaller size range. These were nowhere near close to fitting my waist, but I was able to use the double tab taping technique recommended by a reader to fit it in spite of its being way too small (fig 3.5). This fit on my hips at 35.5” with the second fastener application. Subtracting the difference from where the tabs should fit, I found it should fit up to a maximum circumference of 24.5” (62 cm). If you were to fasten the tabs on the front wings, which will not give a proper fit, then they may fit up to a circumference of 28.5” (73 cm). The smallest circumference that these would feasible fit is about 46 cm (18”) for reference. The length of these would seemingly support a larger size than the Pull-Ups 5T-6T, but with the absolute limit on the wing stretch I’d say the absolute hard limit on circumference is the same as the maximum level of stretch, and these would best be fit with a waist under 62 cm (24.5”).

3.1 Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK Fastener

3.2 Pampers Swaddlers 8 US Fastener

Ease-of-Use Rating: 9 (both)

Pampers are youth diapers and thus designed for quick and easy changes by caregivers. I rank the Pampers 8 UK and US versions about the same in terms of ease-of-use but for different reasons. As noted in the above section about fitting, both have front tabs that should be pulled out and aligned under the tapes for fastening but you should not fasten the tapes on those. Instead they should be fastened onto the narrow rectangular landing zone at the front with the number 8 at the center. Both landing zones feature patterns to help with tab alignment and both can have tabs refastened and repositioned multiple times if you don’t get the fit right the first try. I found the Pampers 8 UK landing zone to be more robust, the tapes held incredibly well under pressure and hardly budged during my testing; if they didn’t buckle under my over-sized testing it’s hard to imagine them giving out for those properly sized. The fasteners were weaker on the Pampers 8 US and I found they were more prone to sliding off and particularly challenging if the diaper needed to be adjusted. The problem here was that the Pampers 8 US landing zone has a looser fabric-like material compared with the more compact Pampers 8 UK landing zone material. Consequently the US version is more likely to pull off bits of fabric, reducing the effectiveness of the hook & loop fasteners or making them more prone to sliding. However, the Pampers 8 US has two helpful features that are lacking in the Pampers 8 UK. The first being the inclusion of a wetness indicator (a yellow line down the middle that turns blue when wet). This is particularly helpful for caregivers who want to know when the diaper needs to be changed. The second feature unique to the US Pampers Swaddlers 8 is the inclusion of what’s marketed as a “blowout barrier”. This feature may be unique to this Pampers lineup of products as I haven’t seen it in any adult diapers. It’s a stretchy fabric material that creates a pocket above the rear waistband and is specifically designed to capture fecal matter and prevent it from escaping out the rear. Both diapers feature inner leak guards and quality elastic leg gathers for containment. Both have a relatively thin padding that falls well short of the rear and an ultra thin, semi-absorbent padding that makes up the last 7 cm (UK) and 5 cm (US) of padding up toward the rear waistband. Both are designed for easy disposal with the tapes fastening to the backsheet to wrap them again after usage (though I give the edge to the better fastener mechanism on the Pampers 8 UK in this regard). The side material on the Pampers 8 UK is much stretchier and will fit a far greater degree of waist sizes, so I also give it an edge in that regard. However, balancing all features out I’d say they both have some room for improvement but are otherwise at the top of their class, as you might expect for a brand as synonymous with diapers as Pampers, that have been producing disposables for a very long time.

3.3 Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK Fit (incorrect fastener position)

3.4 Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK Fit (correct fastener position)

3.5 Pampers Swaddlers 8 US Fit

Comfort

Comfort Rating (dry): 9 (UK), 10 (US)

These are the first youth diapers I’ve reviewed, so it’s hard to find a reference point for where dry comfort should be and the fit was clearly too small for me to get a perfect sense of it. To give a clearer sense of what to expect for comfort I’m referencing comparable features I know to be comfortable in adult diapers. I’m giving both diapers a high score in terms of dry comfort due to their highly breathable design, snug fit and soft, skin friendly material makeup. I was able to get a better sense of comfort on the Pampers 8 UK given its larger size and that I could actually wrap it around my hips without modification. My fit wasn’t great but even with the overly extended sides it was more comfortable than it looked. This diaper is incredibly flexible and the inner lining is particularly soft. The padding was super resistant to clumping and tearing. I didn’t notice any deterioration in core padding after testing. The padding at the upper rear is a bit rougher when dry compared with the rest of the padding and it lacks waistbands, so the fit at the top may not be as snug as you like. Even so, I didn’t notice any sagging or tab slippage. I also don’t feel the waistbands are as important in Pampers 8 UK given the ultra-stretchy sides. The sides were exceptional; they were soft, flexible yet continued to retain their elasticity even after being overstretched. The only reason I’m not quite at a 10 for this diaper is due to the roughness of the upper rear padding.

The Pampers 8 US were among the softest diapers I’ve tested; comparable to the softness of the Attento Tape Diaper or Attends Premier Briefs (at least before they changed designs). It was notably softer than the Pampers 8 UK. This softness extended to the waistbands, leak guards and particularly the topsheet. Also, while this diaper also features an ultra-thin section of padding at the upper rear like the UK version, that section of padding was also much softer. The only potential issue I found was that the tapes could slide more on this diaper than the UK version. I didn’t consider that enough of an issue to impact the scoring, but it would be something to keep in mind. Of course, all this also accounts for the diaper fitting at a proper size. In my case, since I had to chain the tapes to make it fit, it wasn’t as comfortable as it could be (the link between the two fasteners sometimes caused some irritation) and I found the Pampers 8 UK to be more comfortable. If you can fit this diaper properly then you’re quite lucky because it will be incredibly comfortable; otherwise, if you’re a bit larger, the UK version will probably fit more comfortably.

Comfort Rating (wet): 10

Both Pampers 8 products proved quite comfortable in their wet state, given their relatively limited absorbency. Again, I feel I had a better assessment of the slightly larger Pampers 8 UK vs the Pampers 8 US version because I could actually fit it on my hips, but I feel I got a reasonable sense of comfort in each. Both versions were highly resistant to pressout moisture when wet and both versions feature a moisture channel system unlike any I’ve encountered in my adult diaper reviews. The closest comparison would be the Unicharm Lifree diaper, but that diaper is designed to be used with additional absorbent pads and the padding between the channels isn’t absorbent and barely swells at all. In these Pampers products, moisture is effectively channeled down the gaps in the padding and distributed into the adjacent padding where it’s absorbed and swells. The result gives the sensation of 3 tube structures of swollen padding running down the middle when wet. This is more interesting than uncomfortable and, if anything, the gaps between the tubes allows better airflow and improves comfort when wet. These also prevent damming, reducing the time it takes for moisture to be absorbed into the padding after a wetting.

In assessing the Pampers 8 UK, I had no issue with sagging or padding deterioration when wet. The fasteners will have no problems carrying the weight of a wet diaper. The padding was highly resistant to surface dampness and the diaper continued to feel dry after a single wetting. Capacity is limited so it wouldn’t take a second wetting in my testing, but to be effectively at capacity and still so resistant to surface dampness shows just how well designed these are for wet comfort. Other than the swollen padding, I couldn’t tell that it was wet, thus the top score here.

The Pampers 8 US proved equally comfortable when wet. The padding again was highly resistant to surface dampness and the diaper didn’t feel any different from its dry state when wet, aside from the swollen padding. The diaper continued to feel incredibly soft and I didn’t notice any pressout moisture during testing. I suspect this diaper may be a little more prone to sagging than the Pampers 8 UK, but I didn’t figure it to be enough of a factor to drop the score and I’m sure with a better fit than my test fit you may have less issues with the fasteners loosening.

 

3.6 Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK Topsheet and Backsheet

3.7 Pampers Swaddlers 8 US Topsheet and Backsheet

Durability

Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion (UK): 5.5% (topsheet), 2.9% (backsheet)
Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion (US): 13.5% (topsheet), 12.1% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test (UK): 8 shakes to deterioration
Shake Deterioration Test (US): 7 shakes to deterioration

Durability Rating (dry): 10 (UK), 8 (US)

The Pampers 8 UK and US are both highly durable when dry, but I give an edge to the UK version. Keep in mind that for both diapers the front wing tabs are not durable and fasteners should be attached to the landing zone rather than the front wings. Attaching fasteners to the front wings is likely to rip them off after some time. Even being well oversized, I was able to stretch the sides of the Pampers 8 UK around my hips and wear it for an extended period of time while walking and sitting, despite it appearing precarious. That the tapes held on the entire time without slipping as did the elastic sides. The elastic sides also continued to retain significant elasticity even after being overstretched. The padding also held together incredibly well with no clumping or tearing and really no notable deterioration. I was able to refasten the tapes multiple times without an obvious weakness or damage to the backsheet landing zone. The diaper continued to have a snug fit after extended dry wear. Typically I wouldn’t rate a diaper without a waistband this high, but in this case I’m not sure a waistband would really contribute much more to the Pampers 8 UK durability. Clearly for someone more appropriately sized, the Pampers 8 UK diaper will perform remarkably and thus the perfect dry durability score.

The Pampers 8 US was a little less durable than the UK version. It was a bit harder to test with the chained wings I needed to get a proper fit, but I got a feel for its strengths and weaknesses. The padding held up quite well with very little in terms of core deterioration, though it shifted a bit more and isn’t held in place quite as well as the UK version (you’ll notice the padding is semi-detached from the topsheet/backsheet compared with the Pampers 8 UK where it’s more firmly held). Unlike the UK Pampers, these have dual waistbands to help maintain a snugger fit around the waist, which can keep them a little more durable. I also found the wetness indicator to be unaffected by sweat or minor dribbles so it won’t appear wet prematurely. This diaper does have a few small durability issues. First off, the sides, while not very stretchy, can overstretch and give the diaper a looser fit, this was fairly subtle and I only noticed it once. The main issue is that the landing zone has some looser fabric and the fasteners can pull bits of material from that and come loose. This can also make them harder to refasten. I generally found the fasteners were more likely to slip or come undone on this diaper than on the Pampers 8 UK.

Durability Rating (wet): 10 (UK), 8 (US)

The Pampers 8 diapers durability when wet was little changed from its dry state. Again, both diapers performed strongly but the UK version was particularly noteworthy for its wet durability. Both diapers feature padding that is highly resistant to wear and tear, with a slight edge going to the Pampers 8 UK version as its padding seems better held in place by the structure around it. I don’t typically give it much weight in scoring, but both performed quite well in the wet shake test managing multiple shakes before deterioration when wet. The UK version was particularly durable when it came to the strength of its tapes and sides, which easily handled the weight of the wet diaper. The fasteners on the US Pampers were a little more susceptible to shifting, as noted in the dry durability rating. I don’t think any single factor influenced the durability between wet and dry states and the diaper seemed similarly durable in both cases, so I’ve rated them at the same level.

3.8 Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK Dry Test Deterioration

3.9 Pampers Swaddlers 8 US Dry Test Deterioration

Discretion Tests

Profile

Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 0 cm (0"), 0 cm (0")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 0 cm (0"), 0 cm (0")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 0 cm (0"), 0 cm (0")

Profile Discretion Rating: 10

If you’re wearing these and at an age where discretion would be important to you then these are probably about as discreet as you can get. The padding is incredibly thin when dry and the diaper is designed for a snug flexible fit that will easily conceal under clothing. These are unlikely to rise above the waist for anyone of an age where discretion would be more important, but even if they do the patterns on both diapers are subtle and unlikely to stand out much. For very small individuals the rear is likely to rise above the waistline but I still feel it would be easy to conceal. Consequently, I’m giving both the Pampers 8 UK and US top marks in terms of profile discretion.

4.1 Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

4.3 Pampers Swaddlers 8 US Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

4.3 Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

 

4.4 Pampers Swaddlers Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

 

Noise

Noise Rating: 10

Both the Pampers 8 UK and US versions performed outstanding in terms of noise discretion, as you might expect from cloth-backed diapers. Both diapers have a landing zone, which can sometimes contribute to noise even with cloth-backed diapers, but I didn’t notice any sound from that. Nor did I notice any noise from tape shifting with wear. Whether standing, sitting or walking, these diapers produced no perceivable noise. Thus I’m giving both a top score in terms of noise discretion.

4.5 Pampers Baby Dry 8 UK Noise Profile

4.6 Pampers Swaddlers 8 UK Noise Profile

Odor Reduction

Odor Reduction Rating: 9

When accounting for their limited absorbency, at least relative to the adult diapers generally tested by this blog, Pampers diapers have a remarkable ability to suppress odors. Both the US and UK versions have a Pampers perfume fragrance, which itself can mask odors, but they are also both highly resistant to surface dampness. I noticed the Pampers fragrance was a lot more noticeable in the US version compared with the UK version. The downside is that they both have a cloth-like backsheet and their breathability can allow the release of odors. The Pampers 8 US has waistbands and a blowout barrier, though I’m not sure those have too much of an impact on odors in this case. I did notice the padding seems to have some inherent odor suppressant as it seemed far better at suppression than most I’ve tested.

 

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