*For more information on how I do reviews see Diaper Test Methodology
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Summary
The Egosan Ultra is a premium Italian-made adult diaper that (at the time of writing) is widely available in North America via Amazon. The branding of this diaper is interesting, in that it actually advertises as a “diaper” (many companies prefer the more ambiguous term “brief” or “slip”). In any case, this is a high quality diaper and seems like a slightly more absorbent (but not identical) take on the Medline Extended Wear.This diaper comes at a pretty steep cost and is well made with strong leak protection and a padding structure that resists wear/tear. They also provide a high degree of skin protection and rarely cause irritation. I found them better for daily wear than overnight wear. They work for both cases but the front padding is far more absorbent than the rear padding. I wish they were a bit more reasonably priced, but otherwise I have no major complaints.
Key Features:
- Cloth-like (non-woven backsheet)
- Repositionable tapes
- Standing inner leak guards
Pros:
- Comfortable and breathable
- Quiet/discreet
- Highly absorbent padding at the front of the diaper
Cons:
- Can become a little loose with wear
- Rear padding surface dampness
- High unit cost
Product Details
For the purpose of this post I will be reviewing and referring to the medium-sized Egosan Ultra Adult Diaper. However, other available sizes are listed below:
Packaging
Brand: Egosan
Manufacturer: Santex S.p.A
Origin: Italy
Units Per Bag: 15
Cost Per Unit: $$$
Dimensions (L x W x H): 37 cm (14.6") x 18.5 cm (7.3") x 25 cm (9.8")
Weight: 2.43 kg (5.35 lbs)
Available Sizes: M, L
Advertised Absorbency: Ultra
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| 1.1 Egosan Ultra Packaging |
Diaper
Backsheet: Cloth-like (non-woven)
Wetness Indicator: Yes (light blue characters down the middle, fade 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 (grey size/absorbency icons)
Inner Color: White
Front Waistband: No
Rear Waistband: No
Folded Thickness: 2.66 cm (1.05")
Folded Length: 24 cm (9.5")
Dry Weight: 158 g (5.6 oz)
Fragrance: None
Diaper Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 78.5 cm (30.9") x 62 cm (24.4") x 26 cm (10.2") x 60 cm (23.6")
Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Rectangular, Rectangular
Padding Dimensions (L x fW x mW x bW): 65 cm (25.6") x 29 cm (11.4") x 16 cm (6.3") x 29 cm (11.4")
Padding Wing Dimensions (fPW x fPH x bPW x bPH): 6.5 cm (2.6") x 13 cm (5.1") x 6.5 cm (2.6") x 19 cm (7.5")
Padding Wing Shape (Front, Rear): Semicircle, Semicircle
Total Padding Area: 1456 cm2 (225 in2)
Tape Spacing (t1 x t2): 5 cm (2") x 13 cm (5.1")
Tape (W x L): 2.5 cm (1") x 4.5 cm (1.8")
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| 1.2 Egosan Ultra Diaper |
Laboratory Absorbency Tests
Total Absorption Volume (after press out): 1442 ml (50.9 oz)
Total Absorption Volume (before press out): 1467 ml (51.8 oz)
Time to Absorb Wettings (first to last): (63 s, 48 s, 51 s, 58 s, 54 s)
Wet Folded Thickness: 5.5 cm (2.2")
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 70%
Total Padding to Absorbency Ratio: 0.99 ml / cm2 (0.23 oz / in2)
Press Out Volume: 25 ml (2.2 oz)
Surface Dampness Rating: 7
The Egosan Ultra was slightly better than the Medline Extended Wear diaper when it came to surface dampness. During the lab test there was little sign of it after the first wetting and some, but not a huge amount after the second. During “real world” testing it depended more on how it was worn, with daily wear demonstrating less compared with overnight wear (the rear padding exhibits far more surface dampness than the front).
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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: 1467 ml (51.8 oz)
Total Wettings: (1 standing, 3 sitting)
Leaked After Sitting: No
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 93%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 1.01 ml / cm2 (0.23 oz / in2)
Standing-Sitting Rating: 9
The Egosan Ultra performed well on the sit-stand testing. The first wetting was easily absorbed and showed no sign of leakage upon sitting. Most of the moisture swelled up the front padding and there was very little perceivable surface dampness. The second wetting was also absorbed quickly with moisture wicking up and through the front padding but little making its way to the mid or rear padding. Again, there was little perceivable surface dampness at this point and the diaper felt quite breathable with no clamminess. I figured it was going to leak on the third wetting, but surprisingly it remained resilient as moisture was wicked up the front and toward the rear. At this point, the lower rear padding began to feel a little damp, but the front padding remained comfortable. The diaper finally leaked through the rear leg gathers on the fourth wetting and the test was ended at that. Even then it was only a moderate leak and the front padding continued to swell and absorb, which would be of particular help in daily use. This diaper also remained quite comfortable at the 3rd wetting with most surface dampness continuing to be near the rear. Overall, I think this diaper will easily handle 2~3 wettings during daily wear.
Lying Down
Total Absorbed Volume: 942 ml (33.2 oz)
Total Wettings: 3
Used to Total Padding Ratio: 85%
Padding to Absorbency Score: 0.65 ml / cm2 (0.15 oz / in2)
Lying Down Rating: 7
The Egosan Ultra performed reasonably well when tested while lying down, absorbing 3 wettings. The first was easily absorbed with no sign of leakage and only modest surface dampness. After the second wetting more surface dampness was apparent, but moisture was effectively wicked through the padding. The dampness never really dissipated but the diaper remained breathable and didn’t feel clammy. On the 3rd wetting moisture pushed back up the front then leaked through the material on the left breathable side wing. There was still unused padding at this point, but it’s doubtful this diaper will take more than 2 wettings while lying down.
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| 2.3 Pattern of Used vs Unused Padding Test Stand/Sit (right) Lying Down (left) |
Daily Wear and Bedwetting
The Egosan Ultra came just a little short of most premium adult diapers with respect to absorbency and only a little more absorbent than the Medline Extended Wear. It proved much better for daily usage than overnight wear, but could still reliably handle even larger wettings when worn overnight. I found the leak guards on this diaper did a decent job and although the tapes seem pretty weak they generally held up well under the weight of the diaper. A consistent theme during both daily and overnight wear was that once the diaper’s rear padding started to become wet the surface dampness would be far more apparent. The front padding on the other hand will take a fairly large amount of moisture and will swell considerably but the surface dampness won’t be so noticeable. In spite of the rear padding surface dampness, I generally found this diaper to be skin-friendly. It’s very comfortable and breathable and not prone to trapping heat. This could make it a good choice for summer wear. When worn for bedwetting I didn’t have much trouble with leakage and slept soundly. During daily wear this diaper was great, it’s very comfortable and feels light and breathable to wear when dry; I’d say even more so than regular underwear. When wet it’s a little more prone to sagging but still feels comfortable and is very resistant to pressout leakage when sitting. It should be fine for modest activities, but I’d be worried about the tapes coming loose for anything more intense if it's not possible to change soon after a wetting. This diaper will be reliable for anywhere from 1 to 3 wettings depending on usage and can be counted on not to leak even with a very heavy first wetting.Suitability for Bowel Incontinence: 7
The Egosan Ultra has a decent design for containing bowel incontinence, it has a generous amount of rear padding and space for containment. The cloth-like backsheet may be an issue when it comes to odors but it features high quality inner leak guards. It’s not quite to the level of the Attends Slip Regular Plus M10 in this regard, but a pretty reasonable choice given the backsheet. It would be better with waistbands for fit and containment as well as stronger tapes.
Wear & Tear Tests
Fitting
The Egosan Ultra diaper features a cloth-like backsheet with a mix of tape and hook and loop fasteners. The tapes can be reapplied, but they will start to lose their grip a bit after multiple refastenings.
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| 3.1 Egosan Ultra Fastener |
Ease-of-Use Rating: 7
The Egosan Ultra is about in line with the Medline Extended Wear when it comes to ease-of-use but with a little more padding area. This diaper does have a tendency to come loose, though I didn’t notice it as much as in the Medline diaper (the tape is almost identical). It certainly holds up a lot better than the Healthy Spirit diapers. It differs from the Medline diaper in that it doesn’t have a rear waistband, but I don’t think that detracted from it too much. It’s also easy to remove or adjust as needed.
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| 3.2 Egosan Ultra Diaper Fit |
Comfort
Comfort Rating (dry): 8
The Egosan Ultra has a very similar fit and feel to the Medline Extended Wear with very soft padding that generally holds its form. The backsheet is also soft and cloth-like and won’t cause friction under clothing. Like the Medline diaper this one has a very comfortable fit initially but can sometimes loosen over time as the tapes lose their grip. It was better than the Lille SupremFit in this regard but still something to keep in mind when active.
Comfort Rating (wet): 7
The wet comfort of the Egosan Ultra is partly dependent on how it’s worn. Its most absorbent padding is concentrated toward the front of the diaper and this padding produces less sensation of surface dampness. So when worn for daily use I found this diaper to be breathable and quite resistant to surface dampness. This is less the case when worn overnight as more moisture will make it to the less absorbent rear padding and surface dampness becomes very apparent. It can also start to sag when wet, but I didn’t notice this as much as I did in the Medline diaper for some reason.
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| 3.3 Egosan Ultra Topsheet and Backsheet |
Durability
Dry Padding Deterioration Proportion: 9.2% (topsheet), 4.2% (backsheet)
Shake Deterioration Test: 2 shakes to deterioration
Durability Rating (dry): 7
The Egosan Ultra was again very similar to the Medline Extended Wear in the dry durability test. The padding isn’t prone to clumping but it will develop some tears over time. None of this is enough to significantly take away from the core padding absorption. The sliding and weakening tapes can be a bit of an issue, but not more so than most cloth-back diapers.
Durability Rating (wet): 7
In terms of daily wear I feel like the wet durability of this diaper was slightly better than the Medline Extended Wear with the padding holding up a little better when wet. There were no signs of clumping throughout testing and tearing was similar to that experienced during dry wear. The shake test was a bit disappointing, but it had absorbed a lot at that time. There will be slight sagging when wet, but I feel this diaper could be worn for active wear.
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| 3.4 Egosan Ultra Dry Test Deterioration |
Discretion Tests
Profile
Front Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 3.0 cm (1.2"), 3.0 cm (1.2")
Back Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 7.5 cm (3"), 4 cm (1.6")
Side Rise Above Waistline (Jeans, Sweatpants): 5.5 cm (2.2"), 3 cm (1.2")
Profile Discretion Rating: 7
The Egosan Ultra produces a slightly more noticeable diaper bulge than that of the Medline Extended Wear. This was most apparent at its rear though it does appear at the crotch as well. Combined with underwear or meshpants I feel this would still be relatively easy to conceal so long as you aren’t wearing tight fitting clothing.
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| 4.1 Egosan Ultra Jeans Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
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| 4.2 Egosan Ultra Sweats Profile (left) vs Normal Underwear (right) |
Noise
Noise Rating: 10
The Egosan Ultra is about as quiet as you can get for a diaper. During testing its noise was barely perceivable and not so different from the rustling of regular clothing. The tapes are also exceptionally quiet for what you’d get on a cloth-backed diaper. I have no complaints with this diaper in terms of noise.
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| 4.3 Egosan Ultra Noise Profile |
Odor Reduction
Odor Reduction Rating: 7
The Egosan Ultra diaper is a little better than the Medline Extended Wear diaper in terms of surface dampness for daily wear, but not much different for the overnight. This is because of the way it concentrates its high absorbency padding toward the front. It can start to build surface dampness at its rear and may be prone to odors given the “breathable” backsheet. Even so I only rarely noticed odors from this diaper and it does a decent job.
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