Some brief thoughts on the diaper arms race and why I have bought my last MegaMax

[DAQ]

The arms race at the top of the adult diaper market has truly been one to behold. a decade ago when Bambino, Rearz, and Bundewindle made their debuts 3500ml was the norm and 5000ml was a monster of a diaper. Today these are maybe middle of the pack. 5000ml seemed to be the stagnant place that diapers stayed for a long time. Many brands were content to compete on price or IP (colorful designs).

I feel like Megamax changed the game right as the capacity arms race started to heat up again. When the Northshore Megamax came out I was so excited they were a FANTASTIC product at $2 ea and ABDL diapers with similar or greater capacities regularly went for $2.5 or more. In the last 2 or 3 years Megamax prices have increased from $2 each to $3 each (Plus shipping). Their capacity has remained the same while other brands increased their capacities to 7500-8000 and even 9500 in the case of the Trest. In addition the ABDL diapers still cost around $3 ea (Tykables @ 7000ml and $2.87 each) and most recently Rearz has released their mega line with a whopping 8500ml are under $3 each. 2.69-$2.90 depending on print. The Megamax had one remaining advantage. Many of the high capacity ABDL diapers just did not hold up to rigorous exercise or have obvious ABDL prints. That has changed recently. Tykables is selling the NRU Str8up diapers and Rearz recently released their Mega Inspire Briefs.

The Nappies R Us diapers come in white, baby blue, and pale pink. They are $3 each and a capacity of 8000ml, a whopping 23% larger capacity for the same price. I regularly would recommend the Megamax to people because while they were expensive they had the capacity and durability to last through the day. They weren't an all the time thing but for the times you just needed it to work they would. I went on my first hike yesterday with the NRU Str8ups and was thrilled that they held up well.

I guess I always assumed that a medical diaper company would have more buying power and be able to get better pricing on their diapers. Over the last 4 years Northshore Megamax has gone from the top of the market for capacity to middle to low end on capacity and now a higher cost/ml ($.46/L) vs $.31/L for the Rearz Mega inspire or $.37/L for the NRU Str8up sold by Tykables. In the last four years their has been zero innovation from Northshore and their only contribution has been a 50% increase in price while other ABDL companies have released better products for the same price or less. All of these prices are without mentioning sales, of which the ABDL companies have fairly regular sales (and quite good occasionally) the most recent being Rearz Valentines sale which was BOGO 1/2 off or a 25% discount. Tykables had some good sales around Black Friday and Christmas. To put into perspective how out of whack Northshore pricing is now I have included the Trest in my price comparison which do not have case pricing and as far as I know only sold on amazon by the pack.

 

Brand	Diaper Name	Case Price	Qty	Diaper capacity	Cost per diaper	Cost per liter	% compared to megamax
Rearz	Mega Inspire	97	36	8500	$2.69	$.3170	-31.32%
	Mega Safari/Dino	103	36	8500	$2.86	$.3366	-27.07%
	Mermaids	103	36	7000	$2.86	$.4087	-11.44%
In Control	Original	88	48	5000	$1.83	$.3667	-20.56%
	Premium Night	88	36	5661	$2.44	$.4318	-6.44%
	Elite Incontinence	86	36	5455	$2.39	$.4379	-5.12%
Tykables	NRU Str8up	240	80	8000	$3.00	$.3750	-18.75%
	Ultra	230	80	7000	$2.88	$.4107	-11.01%
Bambino	V2 Bellismo	120	48	5000	$2.50	$.5000	8.33%
	Bianco White	110	48	5000	$2.29	$.4583	-0.69%
Trest	Elite	45	10	9500	$4.50	$.4737	2.63%
Northshore	Megamax	120	40	6500	$3.00	$.4615

 

All of this to say as a community I think we need to broaden our description of what a good diaper is and not get stuck in a rut for product recognition vs new ones that are clearly superior on paper (I suggest we all try these newer ones). After this week I can easily say that the NRU Str8up is worth a look for anyone for a daily or heavy use diaper. After doing this post I will be buying some Rearz Mega Inspires to see how they hold up to rigorous movement. I have posted this here because while it is important so save money anywhere you can as a past time like a typical ABDL. But people who come here are looking to wear 24/7 and need practical advice on how to wear all the time. Small savings on individual diapers accumulates very quickly over time. That means that the most ultra premium options may not be the best but if they are they better be the actual best and Megamax ain't it anymore. I feel like Northshore has sat on their laurels (not yannis) and let the brand recognition carry them to greater profits. Clearly they are gouging or ABDL brands are getting a much better deal on manufacturing somehow.

Edited February 21, 2023 by DAQ

[zzyzx]

3 hours ago, DAQ said:

Clearly they are gouging or ABDL brands are getting a much better deal on manufacturing somehow.

@DAQThanks for the analysis.

One thing that may be impact NorthShore more than than the ABDL brands, is North Short is probably trying to always have stock in supply of each size all the time.  ABDL companies will run out of stock and I expect will not be as concerned.  As such, North Shore has probably had to buy things when the market (such as shipping containers) were at peak high prices where the ABDL companies probably held off for better pricing.  I don't know if this is the case... Just my speculation on some of what may have driven up NorthShore's costs over the ABDL market. 

As I understand it, all of these folks are still only getting the 5000+ ml capable diapers from Chinese manufactures.  Maybe NorthShore is also trying to get to the point where they can manufacture the higher capacity diapers elsewhere (i.e. in US or maybe Europe).  Just speculation.

Still as a consumer, price, absorbancy and fit are primary concerns in what I will purchase.  And since I use mainly cloth diapers, I'm less impacted by this aspect.  However a good disposable is definitely a convenience when on vacation / traveling, which is when I tend to use these products.

[DAQ]

I bought plenty of ABDL diapers during the pandemic and I will concede you are correct in that some ran out and some ran out for AWHILE. I kinda liked Tykables and ABUs approach. They only allowed 1/2 case purchases effectively increasing the price by 20%

[Enthusi]

I recently posted something on Reddit about how NS is in danger of losing the ABDL market.  Megamax is a great product but it’s got stiff competition and the entire rest of their product line is overpriced and outmatched by the competition.  They don’t offer a hybrid product, and they haven’t made any major improvements to their diapers  in years.  Plus even though it’s a psychological thing, every major ABDL manufacturer either offers free shipping, or the minimum qualifying purchase is a case or less. With NS, not even a case of Megamax, their premium product qualifies for free shipping. 

I got slammed with lots of people replying NS isn’t an ABDL brand, as if I didn’t know that. Gotta love Reddit!  
 

What people may not realize is that ABDLs make up a sizable portion of their consumer base, even if they’re target consumer.  Not only that but their target audience is young active people with incontinence. And young active people are tech savvy and price conscious and nothing stops them from buying plain diapers from ABDL sites or even from Amazon.  

 

[DAQ]

12 minutes ago, Enthusi said:

What people may not realize is that ABDLs make up a sizable portion of their consumer base, even if they’re target consumer.  Not only that but their target audience is young active people with incontinence. And young active people are tech savvy and price conscious and nothing stops them from buying plain diapers from ABDL sites or even from Amazon.  

 

This was my thought. They know that they are "medical" company and therefore rely on the fact that older people and insurance may not be willing to buy from an ABDL company or may not know about them.

I hope the community stops recommend them as the end all be all now because the value proposition is horrible compared to what it was when they were released.

 

[DAQ]

I have literally put my money where my mouth is. I have purchases the Mega Inspire plain white diapers. Will report back when I have some information regarding actual absorbency and more importantly durability.

[secretdesire]

Your research and observations resonate completely. I too am always looking for the best value in a product. Will its capacity last long enough to replace multiple inferior products? etc. That led me to purchase more of the higher end abdl diapers even though I do not care at all for the prints and would prefer less stress of the "what ifs" when leaving the house. The Megamax isn't as wide, and doesn't wick as well. I'm sure it's great for some people but combine that with price and other options become a better overall value. I am switching entirely (for my max capacity needs) to the new Mega Inspire. It's as close as I think they have come to perfection. The Incontrol Elite is almost perfect, except the harder plastic and hybrid tapes. They (the Elite) are very thirsty and almost seem underrated compared to the Rearz 7000+ ml products. I always thought an all white Rearz Dinosaur with the Elite core would have been a perfect product addition to their Incontrol line. The Mega Inspire is almost better than that. It has greater capacity, a bit less wicking capability and still has a soft outer plastic (the Dinosaur had the "euro soft plastic") with a quieter front panel in an all white package I can wear wherever, whenever, without any stress. They should sell the Mega Inspire on their incontroldiapers.com website as the "Incontrol Elite Max" or "Incontrol Elite Classic" or something.

[munkey]

And now Rearz is at 11000ml this is nuts!!

[cathdiap]

I would never buy these extremely high capacity diapers. When I think about the volume of 9 liters of water, I definitely wouldn't want to have that in my pants. Not comfortable nor discreet. Even for nightly use, my 4400ml Better Dry is already a bit too bulky for me. But unfortunately I do need that capacity. For daytime use I will stick to my 3000 ml Tena slip maxi. I have no problems changing 4 times per day.

[DAQ]

On 4/14/2023 at 6:13 AM, munkey said:

And now Rearz is at 11000ml this is nuts!!

Holy crap. They went from mega to mega mega. AND the ones I looked at were just over $3 each. So 70% more capacity for 5% more in price. That is nuts. 

[Hannah YMS]

On 2/19/2023 at 2:43 PM, DAQ said:

Clearly they are gouging or ABDL brands are getting a much better deal on manufacturing somehow.

I completely agree. Megamax just isn't worth the price for the quality of the produce. I've felt for a long time now that they're just taking advantage of the ABDL market. I've since switched to Rearz Megas and have been pretty happy. Plus they fit me better than the Megamax ever did.

Also, the "Diaper Hot Sheet" thread pinned at the top of this subforum hasn't been updated in ages. Either we need to get an Admin to unpin it or give the thread over to someone else to keep updated.

[BabyBoi91]

My issue with NRUs is I find they don’t wick moisture away as well as Northshore. 
 

while I’m all for trying new things, I find Northshore MegaMax is one of the best for capacity AND wicking—which keeps my skin dry and prevents a rash. 
 

some of the newer diapers that boast larger capacities keep the moisture right on my skin, which really irritates it. It could also be a sizing issue. North shore diapers run big for their size, so it gives a little air between the skin and diaper. 
 

so for me, it’s not about capacity so much about time until skin irritation. There are some diapers with massive capacity that I have to change after 3 hours due to skin irritation. 

[ValentinesStuff]

For some perspective, googling for average adult urine output gives some really wide ranges, even from legitimate medical sites. Anywhere from 800 to 2500ml, possibly a bit more if you are very large. Now the capacities listed above are for perfect conditions with distilled water, something urine is definitely not. Nor is it possible to fully soak the padding of a diaper without it leaking or some very careful contortions. 

 

So even with a 50% efficiency, I don't know what real world efficiency for a diaper is, any of these should have a 24 hour duration for just absorbency. Comfort and skin irritation and durability are what should be considerations.

 

Next time you go shopping grab a couple of 2 liter soda bottles and imagine that hanging off your waist.

[Spargano]

As someone with a large urine output I vouch for the mega inspire. I sometimes have to go through 2 bettedrys in a night, so I need the added capacity.

since it’s also my daytime diaper I can concur that if I wasn’t wearing a onsie to hold it up, I would have issues. But it can handle several large surges.

 

megamax for me doesn’t fit as well and the diaper feels wet against my skin, particular at the gathers. After a year with rearz I can say they are safely the best diaper for me. I just buy in bulk when they have a major sale when the diapers are $2 or less a piece.

[Ineedboth1994]

On 2/21/2023 at 2:36 AM, DAQ said:

I have literally put my money where my mouth is. I have purchases the Mega Inspire plain white diapers. Will report back when I have some information regarding actual absorbency and more importantly durability.

They are hands down the best IMO. 
 

If pricing is a factor then I think they separate themselves from the rest even more. 

[Enthusi]

I’m digging the BeDry series from Incontrol.  Competitive pricing, free shipping, subscribe and save, comfy.  

[secretdesire]

On 2/23/2023 at 12:18 AM, secretdesire said:

Your research and observations resonate completely. I too am always looking for the best value in a product. Will its capacity last long enough to replace multiple inferior products? etc. That led me to purchase more of the higher end abdl diapers even though I do not care at all for the prints and would prefer less stress of the "what ifs" when leaving the house. The Megamax isn't as wide, and doesn't wick as well. I'm sure it's great for some people but combine that with price and other options become a better overall value. I am switching entirely (for my max capacity needs) to the new Mega Inspire. It's as close as I think they have come to perfection. The Incontrol Elite is almost perfect, except the harder plastic and hybrid tapes. They (the Elite) are very thirsty and almost seem underrated compared to the Rearz 7000+ ml products. I always thought an all white Rearz Dinosaur with the Elite core would have been a perfect product addition to their Incontrol line. The Mega Inspire is almost better than that. It has greater capacity, a bit less wicking capability and still has a soft outer plastic (the Dinosaur had the "euro soft plastic") with a quieter front panel in an all white package I can wear wherever, whenever, without any stress. They should sell the Mega Inspire on their incontroldiapers.com website as the "Incontrol Elite Max" or "Incontrol Elite Classic" or something.

Wow, talk about predicting the future. Incontrol started selling the Mega Inspire up until the new BeDry series came out. Now with the BeDry Night they've even trumped the Mega Inspire slightly on capacity. The plastic has improved. They aren't calling it "euro soft" but it it's pretty darn close to the original Rearz Dinosaur. Much better than that stiff plastic on the Elite. TBH the super high capacities are a gimmic. The BeDry Elitecare doesn't have a noticeably larger capacity than the original Elite (5400 vs 7000). They are great products, probably the best but nobody is putting twice the urine into a Mega Inspire vs. a Megamax. Even in a perfect test 12 liters has to be more than it can physically absorb. I do like the capacity variety of the BeDry series. Good value for what your needs may be.

[Spargano]

6 hours ago, secretdesire said:

Wow, talk about predicting the future. Incontrol started selling the Mega Inspire up until the new BeDry series came out. Now with the BeDry Night they've even trumped the Mega Inspire slightly on capacity. The plastic has improved. They aren't calling it "euro soft" but it it's pretty darn close to the original Rearz Dinosaur. Much better than that stiff plastic on the Elite.

Ok, I was wondering if I it was in my head that the dinosaur plastic was softer and able to get a better fit. I have 6 months of Inspires left from their Black Friday sale, but I will probably give them a try. I also hate the hook and loop hybrid. It does not stay

[Hannah YMS]

6 hours ago, secretdesire said:

Wow, talk about predicting the future. Incontrol started selling the Mega Inspire up until the new BeDry series came out. Now with the BeDry Night they've even trumped the Mega Inspire slightly on capacity. The plastic has improved. They aren't calling it "euro soft" but it it's pretty darn close to the original Rearz Dinosaur. Much better than that stiff plastic on the Elite. TBH the super high capacities are a gimmic. The BeDry Elitecare doesn't have a noticeably larger capacity than the original Elite (5400 vs 7000). They are great products, probably the best but nobody is putting twice the urine into a Mega Inspire vs. a Megamax. Even in a perfect test 12 liters has to be more than it can physically absorb. I do like the capacity variety of the BeDry series. Good value for what your needs may be.

That's the thing -- if you live like me and "simulate" incontinence, you don't need the 10,000+ ml diapers. The daily diaper (medium capacity) is quite good enough. Besides, their ratings are in ISO capacity and are not actually functional. But still, medium absorbency diaper is all one needs to keep going day to day. The super ISO capacities are only, really, useful for night time, or for "special occasions", in my opinion.

[Bonsai]

I agree that a 5.000 ml ISO absorbency is enough for any real-world possible usage. 

What's still lacking is, in many cases, the capacity to absorb fast enough and then to evenly distribute urine on the whole padding before leakage does occur.

A dream I have are some new-generation impregnable leak barriers that can fit on any sort of body and do work properly even under pressure (i.e. sitting down) or lying on a side.

Another aspect that nearly no one has developed is a system to reduce friction against inner thighs once the diaper gets swollen.

[diaperuser]

On 2/25/2024 at 9:20 AM, Bonsai said:

I agree that a 5.000 ml ISO absorbency is enough for any real-world possible usage. 

What's still lacking is, in many cases, the capacity to absorb fast enough and then to evenly distribute urine on the whole padding before leakage does occur.

A dream I have are some new-generation impregnable leak barriers that can fit on any sort of body and do work properly even under pressure (i.e. sitting down) or lying on a side.

Another aspect that nearly no one has developed is a system to reduce friction against inner thighs once the diaper gets swollen.

Yes 5000 is enough. Do not wick fast enough. Megamax will stay dry in one area and leak 

[Davidevens87]

I used to wear nothing but megamax, I haven’t bought a case in almost a year.  ABDL diapers are more affordable and are as durable if not more in some cases to MegaMax.  My wife noticed the baby prints and wasn’t a fan but when I told her the price difference she, like me, no longer cared.

Great Writeup

[DAQ]

15 hours ago, Davidevens87 said:

I used to wear nothing but megamax, I haven’t bought a case in almost a year.  ABDL diapers are more affordable and are as durable if not more in some cases to MegaMax.  My wife noticed the baby prints and wasn’t a fan but when I told her the price difference she, like me, no longer cared.

Great Writeup

I think that is my disappointment w/ Megamax. I focused primarily on cost/liter, but as some people have said, they don't need more than 5000ml there are cheaper per unit costs out there even in the ABDL space and especially once sales are taken into account. Rearz and Bambino regularly have sales of 20-30% and some of the holiday sales get crazy. So it doesn't matter if it is unit pricing or capacity pricing, they still lose imo.

[dfw4ever]

On 2/19/2023 at 8:18 PM, zzyzx said:

@DAQThanks for the analysis.

One thing that may be impact NorthShore more than than the ABDL brands, is North Short is probably trying to always have stock in supply of each size all the time.  ABDL companies will run out of stock and I expect will not be as concerned.  As such, North Shore has probably had to buy things when the market (such as shipping containers) were at peak high prices where the ABDL companies probably held off for better pricing.  I don't know if this is the case... Just my speculation on some of what may have driven up NorthShore's costs over the ABDL market. 

As I understand it, all of these folks are still only getting the 5000+ ml capable diapers from Chinese manufactures.  Maybe NorthShore is also trying to get to the point where they can manufacture the higher capacity diapers elsewhere (i.e. in US or maybe Europe).  Just speculation.

Still as a consumer, price, absorbancy and fit are primary concerns in what I will purchase.  And since I use mainly cloth diapers, I'm less impacted by this aspect.  However a good disposable is definitely a convenience when on vacation / traveling, which is when I tend to use these products.

Look how accurate this was a year ago. You really nailed it with the price point vs. supply issue. Look at Casey Strom's recent bulletin.