NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Adult Diaper Review

*For more information on how I do reviews see Diaper Test Methodology. For a list of all product reviews see the Product Index.

 

  

Summary

The NorthShore MegaMax Airlock is a high absorbency cloth-backed diaper that closely resembles the popular plastic-backed NorthShore MegaMax Overnight in structure and performance. While the plastic backed MegaMax is rated at 12 hours protection, these are rated slightly less at 9 hours. Both diapers have a distinct honeycomb padding that's highly resistant to clumping or pressout. Unlike the plastic-backed MegaMax, the white version of the Airlock additionally has a wetness indicator. However, sizing and backsheet color are a bit more limited in this diaper compared with the plastic-backed version. This diaper has what I consider to be a “hybrid” design, with a cloth-like backsheet material but landing zone and tape fasteners you’d more typically find on a plastic backed diaper (cloth-like diapers typically use a hook & loop fastener). It looks like the previous version of this diaper, the “NorthShore MegaMax Air” did indeed use hook & loop fasteners but they’ve transitioned away from that. Since I started reviewing, the NorthShore product lineup has greatly expanded. In addition to the MegaMax line, they also have the NorthShore Supreme and AirSupreme as well as a new lite version of the plastic-backed MegaMax and boosters/inserts among other things.

I’ve received a lot of positive feedback on the plastic-baked MegaMax over the years and was pretty impressed with my previous review of it, so I was quite interested to see how this diaper would compare. Overall, I was quite happy with the performance of this diaper. Though being near the sizing cutoff I may have struggled to get as accurate a read on overall absorbency as I typically would. In any case, I’d expect it to absorb up to 3 wettings without leaks for most properly fitted wearers, perhaps more if worn primarily while standing. It would be a good choice for bedwetters. In daily wear it could be a bit bulky and you’d want to be mindful of what you wear over it to preserve discretion. I’d like to give a special thanks to the donation that contributed to this review! I’m truly grateful for all the donations and support I’ve received over the years since I started this project!

Additionally, I’m happy to announce I’ve become an official partner with NorthShore Care Supply! I’ve been very impressed with their products and, as I’ve mentioned previously, I have a great appreciation for the level of engagement the company has on product development. In terms of impact on my content, this will not affect the way I do reviews and I will continue to cover all products with an honest assessment and objective metrics. Instead you will see affiliate links appear in relevant locations bringing you to NorthShore products should you be interested in making a purchase after reading a review. This comes at no cost to the reader, but I will earn a small commission per transaction to help with the upkeep of this blog. I’d like to give a special thanks to NorthShore for connecting and to my readers who introduced me to their product lineup!

Key Features:

• Cloth-like backsheet
• Standing inner leak guards
• Wetness indicator
• Front/rear waistbands
• Tape landing zone

Pros:

• Strong resistance to pressout
• Comfortable 
• Highly durable
• Good absorbency

Cons:

• Slow absorption rate
• High unit cost

 

Product Details

For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the medium-sized NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Adult Diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:

Packaging

Brand: NorthShore
Manufacturer: China Hengyuan Group Co., Ltd
Origin: China
Units Per Bag: 12
Cost Per Unit: $$$$
Dimensions (L x W x H): 30 cm (11.8") x 17 cm (6.7") x 28 cm (11")
Weight: 1.98 kg (4.35 lbs)
Available Sizes: S,M,L,XL
Advertised Absorbency: Maximum (9 hours)

1.1 NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Packaging

*apologies for the torn label, this is how they were delivered

Diaper

Backsheet: Cloth-like (non-woven)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (blue NorthShore branding down middle, fades when wet)
Standing Inner Leak Guards: Yes
Leg Gathers: Yes
Product Style: Tab-Style Brief
Refastenable Tabs: Yes
Number of Tapes: 2
Repositionable Tabs: Yes
Outer Color: White (blue NorthShore print branding wetness indicator)
Inner Color: White (bright blue rectangle in the middle padding)
Front Waistband: Yes
Rear Waistband: Yes
Folded Thickness: 2.83 cm (1.11")
Folded Length: 28 cm (11")
Dry Weight: 158 g (5.6 oz)
Fragrance: No
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 86 cm (33.9") x 70 cm (27.6") x 34 cm (13.4") x 67 cm (26.4")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 75 cm (29.5") x 27 cm (10.6") x 19 cm (7.5") x 32 cm (12.6")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 4 cm (1.6") x 12 cm (4.7") x 6.5 cm (2.6") x 20 cm (7.9")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1781 cm² (276 in²)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 3 cm (1.2") x 13 cm (5.1")
Tape (W x L): 4 cm (1.6") x 4 cm (1.6")

1.2 NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Diaper

Laboratory Absorbency Tests

Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 1692 ml (59.6 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 1717 ml (60.6 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (34 s, 64 s, 100 s, 83 s, 81 s, 57 s, 91 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 6.5 cm (2.6")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 74%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 0.95 ml / cm² (0.22 oz / in²)
Press Out Volume: 25 ml (0.88 oz)

Surface Dampness Rating: 9

The honeycomb padding of the NorthShore Airlock is virtually identical to the NorthShore MegaMax aside from being slightly less absorbent and therefore it comes as no surprise that performance is nearly identical as well. During the lab test it demonstrated barely a hint of surface dampness until the 3rd wetting and even then it was far from saturated. This is backed up by real world testing, where I never noticed much in the way of surface dampness during my testing. Like the MegaMax, the only downside is that absorption can be a little slow and that leads to temporary pooling immediately after a wetting.

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: 867 ml (30.6 oz)
Total Wettings: (1 standing, 1 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 38%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.49 ml / cm² (0.11 oz / in²)

Standing-Sitting Rating: 7

The NorthShore Airlock was a reasonably good performer when tested while standing and sitting though it leaked a bit earlier than I’d expected. The first wetting while standing was comfortably absorbed with little in the way of pooling and no sign of leaks. Absorption was quick with moisture sinking/spreading into the middle padding and the wetting was hardly noticeable in terms of dampness. There was no hint of any leakage upon sitting shortly afterward. The second wetting while seated initially didn’t leak but pooling developed in the front of the diaper and leaked through some weakness in the front leg gather. I suspect this may have partly been due to a looser fit for me than I’d typically wear (I was right at the bottom of the suggested fit range for the medium size). This sizing cutoff was one of the reasons I went with a small size for my initial review of the NorthShore MegaMax. The pooling combined with the expanded padding below from the previous wetting created a dam effect, so any gaps in the leak barriers were bound to produce a leak in this position. There was still a large amount of dry padding at the front and rear of the diaper at the end of the test, so it clearly could have absorbed a lot more. I feel generally this diaper will work well for daily wear and will probably absorb up to 3 wettings while standing or seated, but you’ll want to test the sizing to make sure you get a snug enough fit.

Lying Down

Total Absorbed Volume: 1392 ml (49.1 oz)
Total Wettings: 3
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 66%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.78 ml / cm² (0.18 oz / in²)

Lying Down Rating: 8

The NorthShore Airlock performed quite well when tested while lying down. The first wetting was easily absorbed with very little pooling and moisture quickly settled in the middle padding. Afterward it was barely noticeable aside from a little more padding thickness and the diaper continued to feel quite dry. The diaper continued to perform well on the second wetting with only a brief period of pooling and no signs of leaks. This time moisture made it further back into the rear padding, but it still felt quite dry afterward and there was considerable dry padding up the front and rear of the diaper. On the third wetting there was a more extended period of pooling in the diapers mid-section though more moisture did reach the dry rear padding as well. During this time there was a small leak through the left rear leg gather, so I ended the test at that. The diaper clearly had far more capacity and it seems the combination of pooling and a slight gap around that barrier was enough to cause the leak. At the end of the test there was still a significant amount of dry padding up the front and rear and it didn’t feel particularly saturated or uncomfortable at the time of the leak. In general I’d expect this diaper to manage up to 3 wettings before leakage would be a concern and it should be generally quite sufficient for managing bedwetting.

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

Daily Wear and Bedwetting

I had pretty good performance with the NorthShore Airlock when tested for daytime wear and bedwetting. The diaper has an impressive absorbency so the padding never really got near the point of saturation before I felt like I needed a change. The biggest challenge for me was sizing. I feel the sizing was a little on the large size for me so gaps could form more easily between the leak guards and my thighs. This was mainly an issue during or shortly after a wetting, because, once absorbed, moisture was very well contained and not susceptible to pressout. However, I believe the same topsheet materials/barrier that makes it so resistant to pressout also may have resulted in a slower absorption time, so you can get moisture pooling for a short while before it’s eventually wicked through the padding. During that point, if any of it nears the barriers you risk a leak well before the diaper has reached capacity. I’d say this is mostly a risk when sitting or side-sleeping, particularly if you don’t have a perfectly snug fit. This problem is more common on the second or third wetting because the padding swelling will create a dam effect, causing more to pool up in one area. I typically wear a medium sized diaper but my waist size is right near the cutoff for that size on this one, so it likely fit a little too large and amplified the gaps. Otherwise, the backsheet is moisture impermeable and never showed a hint of perspiration when wet. In terms of comfort the materials are pretty soft and not prone to chafing. I wouldn’t say it’s the softest on the market, but I didn’t find softness/comfort to be an issue. I don’t feel there’s a huge difference between this diaper and the plastic-backed NorthShore MegaMax. The construction is similar and, while this one may have been slightly better for heat dissipation, the backsheet material is a similar thickness and the inner materials are pretty much identical. The absorbency is slightly less, which lines up with NorthShore’s assessment of the diaper. Even so, I feel this absorbency would be quite sufficient for most people's needs and if you’re happy with that diaper I feel this one is a pretty low risk to try. I was quite impressed with its durability as I never had any issues with tapes coming undone, sagging, or padding deterioration during daily activities. However, it is quite bulky and perhaps better for wear around the home or bedwetting than going out in. That said, I took this diaper on previous travels and found that with adequate outerwear it can be concealed and doesn’t produce a degree of noise anyone would likely notice. If you like the NorthShore MegaMax but want something slightly more discreet this would be an excellent choice.

Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 8

I rank the NorthShore Airlock at the same level as the NorthShore MegaMax when it comes to suitability for bowel incontinence. They both would make an excellent choice and both have generous padding and a snug fit. The main challenges are the same with potential leak guard weakness/gaps and slower absorption (if dealing with liquid fecal loss). On the plus side, anything absorbed is very well locked in and they have pretty good resistance to surface dampness. I think most will find them suitable for their needs, but I can’t quite rank them among the best performers.

 

Wear & Tear Tests

Fitting

The NorthShore Airlock has what I’d consider a “hybrid” design with a cloth-like backsheet, plastic landing zone and tape adhesive fasteners (cloth-like diapers typically have hook & loop fasteners). The landing zone and fasteners are nearly identical to plastic-backed NorthShore MegaMax but slightly narrower. The honeycomb padding configuration and layout are also similar to the plastic-backed NorthShore MegaMax, but it’s only about 80% of the weight. These also have a larger North American sizing for fit, so if you fall at the bottom of a particular European sizing you may find these a bit large and want to go down a size. The fasteners are good quality and have an incredibly strong grip. They can be refastened multiple times without losing their adhesiveness and can be repositioned anywhere on the landing zone.

3.1 NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Fastener

Ease-of-Use Rating: 9

I rank the NorthShore Airlock similar to the MegaMax in terms of ease-of-use. Both are highly user-friendly and share a similar design. I found it easy to consistently achieve and maintain a snug fit with this diaper. The front and rear waistbands are large and help keep it snug at the waistline. The landing zone covers a large area so fasteners can be adjusted to a variety of body shapes. Fastener placement outside the landing zone is not advisable because it will damage the backsheet. It’s pretty easy to attach, detach and reattach the tapes, which would be particularly convenient for those who can reach the toilet at times or aren’t dual-incontinent. The biggest potential challenge in these diapers is that fasteners are almost too grippy and can be difficult to remove when fastened, which could be a challenge for those with a weaker grip. I’ve also found that on rare occasions removing them can pull bits of the landing zone up with the fastener, which may compromise leak protection. However, I give these a slight edge over the plastic-backed MegaMax in that they have a wetness indicator, making them a little easier to use for caregivers.

3.2 NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Diaper Fit

Comfort

Comfort Rating (dry): 9

I found the NorthShore Airlock to be very similar to the NorthShore MegaMax with respect to comfort. The internal material construction is pretty much identical to that diaper and the primary difference is the outer backsheet material. In terms of cloth-backed diapers the backsheet material on these is of a firmer, more papery variety. It’s breathable, but not so much that I feel it has a distinct edge over the plastic MegaMax when it comes to heat dissipation (both backsheet types are similar thickness and prioritize avoiding leaks over airflow). This includes the backsheet on the wings, which is where cloth-backed diapers typically have the greatest breathability. That said, this diaper, like the MegaMax, is quite good at heat dissipation. The padding is highly resistant to clumping or tearing so you’re unlikely to notice any discomfort due to that. It doesn’t have the softest material construction, but certainly enough to rank it in the top contenders for dry comfort.

Comfort Rating (wet): 10

The NorthShore Airlock is a very comfortable diaper in its wet state. I didn’t find the feel to be noticeably different from its dry state other than a bit more padding thickness. Like the NorthShore MegaMax, the topsheet on this diaper repels moisture from coming back up to the wearer’s skin giving it exceptional resistance to surface dampness. Moreover, moisture in the padding doesn’t produce clumping or tearing, which can lead to discomfort. The tapes also have a very strong fit, so you won’t need to worry about sagging from this diaper. I can’t really think of any flaws in this diaper when it comes to wet comfort, and thus it gets top marks.

3.3 NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Topsheet and Backsheet

Durability

Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 4.4% (topsheet), 8.1% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 3 shakes to deterioration

Durability Rating (dry): 9

I found the NorthShore Airlock to be highly durable when tested for dry durability. I found it had less padding collapse compared with the earlier tested MegaMax. It could be down to the difference in testing batches between the years, sizing or backsheet differences, but it was different enough that I considered it in my scoring. The front wing padding on this diaper still is a little susceptible to breakdown, but it’s not critical to function and the core padding was in great shape after extended testing. The tapes have an incredibly strong grip; so much so, that you could tear off bits of the landing zone if you’re not careful. But you never need to worry about this diaper sagging or coming loose on you and the tapes can consistently be refastened without issue. They are a bit bulky, but if you can make them work these would be a great choice for active wear.

Durability Rating (wet): 9

I found no difference in NorthShore Airlock durability between its wet and dry state. It excelled in both circumstances. In its wet state the core honeycomb padding remained fully intact without any hint of clumping or tearing. I had no issue with the fasteners shifting or coming undone. They held strong during testing and easily carried the weight of a fully wet diaper. It wasn’t quite at the level of the NorthShore Supreme or Drylife SlipSuper in this regard, but very close. I rank it the same in its wet state as in the dry state.

3.4 NorthShore MegaMax Airlock 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): 8.5 cm (3.4"), 7 cm (2.8")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 8 cm (3.2"), 7.5 cm (3")

Profile Discretion Rating: 6

The padding on the NorthShore Airlock isn’t among the thickest in the market, but it still leaves a very bulky profile that would be difficult to conceal. I found it had a noticeable diaper bulge at the front and rear. It could probably be helped with meshpants or underwear and appropriate choice of outerwear, but you’d want to take care in making this one discreet. It also has a particularly high rise above the waistline that could easily show without adequate coverage above.

4.1 NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

4.2 NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right)

 

Noise

Noise Rating: 7

I didn’t have any issues with noise when walking around in this diaper and found it to be a lot quieter than the comparable NorthShore MegaMax. It had a little more sound when standing or sitting and I believe that was due to shifting of the thick plastic landing zone. This resulted in a brief crinkling sound. Generally, I wouldn’t expect noise to be an issue with this diaper and it should be easy to cover up with a good choice of outerwear.

4.3 NorthShore MegaMax Airlock Noise Profile

Odor Reduction

Odor Reduction Rating: 8

Even though the NorthShore Airlock is cloth-backed, the cloth-backing isn’t particularly breathable or odor permeable, so I didn’t find it to be much different from the MegaMax in terms of resistance to odors. It’s not susceptible to surface dampness and has wide waistbands to assist with odor formation prevention and containment.

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