sites.google.com/site/autieab/home/active-ultra
I'll refer to pics with links. That way, if you're sat somewhere where huge pictures of diapers on the screen might be a problem, you're safe
. You can click each image on the web page to view the picture in a larger size with more detail.What's in a Name?
I admit, I'm not quite sure what I'm supposed to call this diaper. The site where I ordered the sample referred to them as "Provider's Choice ACTIVE". The site where they seem to be sold (activediaper.com) simply redirects to another site (ImproveLife.com) where they're referred to as "Active Ultra Plus 12 Hour Adult Briefs", which I guess is their full name for use only when you're meeting the Queen or something. It's a bit of a tongue twister anyway so I'm just gonna call them Active Ultra diapers for now. I guess we'll work out what we're actually supposed to call them in time
First Impressions
This is an predominantly white, plastic-covered diaper (photo 1) with a velcro landing zone (photo 2) and tapes (photo 5). The manufacturer claims this combination is unique and I certainly haven't heard of any other diapers that use this system. On the subject of manufacturer claims, they make some big ones - in some advertising blurb that came with the sample, they specifically state that their diaper is "extraordinary", "superior to the top-of-the-line briefs made by Abena, Molicare, Tena and Eurobrief" and that their diaper "will out-perform any brief on the market today". Bold claims! You might notice there's at least one prominent US premium diaper manufacturer missing from their list and I suspect I know why. We'll get onto that in a bit.
The diaper has front and rear waistbands, standing leak guards and a fairly discrete wetness indicator (just a couple of stars and the size). The inside is very soft with a blue panel in the crotch (photo 3 and photo 4).
My first impression, as I mentioned in another thread, was that this is basically a Secure X-Plus diaper with a different tape system applied. Superficially, that's true, I think. They're the same size and shape, look the same when folded (photo 7), have the same top sheet style, colour and pattern (photo 6). The tape landing zones, while different are of the same dimensions to within millimetres. The fit is also the same. In fact, tapes and landing zone aside, the only visual differences are very subtle - the Active Ultra's rear waistband is wider (vertically) than the Secure X-Plus (photo 8), the wetness indicators are different and the outer plastic is very slightly different too. Like Bambinos in relation to Secure X-Plus, the Active Ultra's 'parentage' is very clear but there are some more differences 'under the hood' that aren't so visible but are important
Fit
This diaper fit me very well. There was no bagginess in the butt or front. I have a 30" waist and tried the medium size (I wear a medium in everything else). The tapes held very well with no sign of stretching or pulling apart even after a fairly active evening and wearing it overnight. Bambino/Secure tapes often tend to start to pull off the rear of the diaper when I wear them overnight (but never come away completely) but as I said, no sign of this on the Active Ultra. There wasn't any chaffing to mention either. Being velcro not sticky, the tapes can be refastened a lot more easily and probably more often than even other landing zone-type diapers and there's no need to be careful of baby lotion, etc, getting on the tapes. They're a bit quieter than sticky tapes on a landing zone, too. The outer plastic is very soft. I'd go so far as to say this is probably the nicest, smoothest feeling plastic diaper I've ever worn. The plastic feels slightly softer and perhaps just a bit thicker than a Secure X-Plus when felt side-by-side.
Absorbency
Very, very good. I don't want to comment too much on the dry thickness of this diaper because samples are always de-compressed and have been tumbled around in the postal system so they probably expanded a bit. They seem to be about the same thickness when dry as a Secure X-Plus or a Bambino though. When wet though, this diaper bulks up a lot, more than a Secure/Bambino, I think!
It feels like perhaps the SAP ratio has been increased a little bit but not so much it falls apart.In terms of absorbency, dare I say it, they might be a bit better than Secure/Bambino. Normally when I'm trying out a new diaper, I make an effort not to go nuts on the liquid so I don't end up flooding it. With the Active Ultra though, I put it on just before heading out to a restaurant, where I downed a couple of 30oz Cokes and had a couple of 12oz hard ciders shortly after I got home, all four drinks in the space of about 2 hours and then went to bed. Suffice to say, the diaper got several good soakings overnight
and took a full wetting in the morning too before I decided that was enough. It weighed 1.4KG more than when I put it on, which is equivalent 1.4 litres of pee, roughly 6 US cups or just over 47 US ounces. Let me be clear though, the diaper was not full to capacity - there was some dry padding at the back (which considering how much I used it lying down over night is impressive) and plenty at the front. I only took it off because I'd been wearing it just over 13 hours and - there was a bit of a whiff just starting to develop . The odour/bacteria control was very good though - most diapers would have smelt a lot more by then considering I'd drunk alcohol.Bear in mind though, this was just one diaper. More research is required to determine if we do actually have a new thirstiest diaper on our hands
I'm wearing a Secure X-Plus now (immediately after the Active Plus) to try and get a comparison.The Verdict
The Active Ultra is a fantastic diaper. Make no mistake, it's an immediate favourite for me. My memories are hazy but I think the first diaper I ever wore of my own volition was a plastic-backed and velcro-taped baby diaper. That was why I ordered the samples and they certainly didn't disappoint. I felt more babyish in the Active Plus than in a Bambino Bianco although the ABU Cushie does beat them both in terms of pure cuteness (albeit with lower absorbency as the trade off, as we know).
The bottom line is that this diaper slots right into the 'Secure X-Plus vs Bambino' choice. It's now 'Secure X-Plus vs Active Ultra vs Bambino'. They're all very similar but have differences that appeal to different people and situations.
If it turns out to be true that the Active Ultra is of the Secure X-Plus lineage (and I think that's almost certain) then I would hope we'll see it's improvements (the wider rear waistband, softer plastic, and possible better capacity) rolled into the other diapers in the family at some point.
The only fly in the ointment is frankly nit-picking but because the tapes aren't sticky, it's impossible to use them to hold a balled up diaper closed by my usual method. Perhaps I need to try and work out a way of balling it up so that the landing zone is on the outside.
9.5 / 10
Will buy a case in the future? Definitely
