Medline Ultra Fitted Adult Briefs
These are a great product, made in the USA, and superior to any adult reusable I am familiar with. Too bad they are only available in cases of 12 at around $25 each --beyond the resources of many and a considerable investment just to try out. Apparently there is an issue with sizing. I have a dozen of the small, which are stated to fit waists 20-28 inches. While these might work for a 28 inch waist they would likely be found to be hopelessly large for any smaller. They provide a custom-tailored fit for my 32 inch waist/33 inch hips/17 inch legs, and might acceptably fit a maximum 34 inch waist/hip and 19 inch legs, or a minimum 28 inch waist/16 inch legs--but the ideal fit would be 30-33 inch waist/hip and 17-18 inch legs. When the waist is adjusted on the center snaps the top of the front panel aligns perfectly with the sides--otherwise it will be a bit above or below. The large stainless steel snaps are very easy to manage, but hold securely--most excellent compared to the annoyance of Velcro or a confusing array of difficult plastic snaps. The single snap at waist and leg on each side are adequate, simple, and because they are conveniently located toward the front (rather than at the side) they create no discomfort from waist-belt pressure or side-sleeping. The absorbency of the lining is considerable, but these seem to have been designed as a cover for absorbent pads or diapers. I'm using a 24 x 11 inch 8-layer pad folded from a 48 x 44 inch piece of cotton flannel, easy to handle and quick to wash and dry. This fits perfectly inside the brief and is held in place by the snug fit and fabric lining without the need for any other fastening, providing ultimate ease and comfort. The lining of the brief helps distribute moisture throughout the absorbent pad, maximizing capacity and preventing leaks. The waist has elastic gathers at the sides, but is flat along the back and front. The height of the sides and width of the crotch are both 5 inches. The brief hand washes and rinses easily, and air dries quickly without dripping after being rolled in a towel to remove excess moisture--if you want to save the wear and expense of machine washing and drying. The color of the size small is an agreeable very light green/blue. The case label says they are latex-free, but the catalog listing says they aren't--? The design and workmanship are flawless, comfort and performance unmatched--similar to the best diaper covers made for infants and toddlers. This is the only adult reusable brief I can unreservedly recommend, well worth the price--if they fit. I hope they have not gone out of production and can be made more widely available, not just offered in dozens as an institutional product.
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Not finding a way to update or edit the above post, I want to share a revised estimate for the range of fit. The size small provides a perfectly snug and secure fit for my 32 inch waist and 17 inch legs with the waist and leg snaps fastened on the smallest adjustment. The snaps are spaced 1/2 inch apart, so the range of adjustment is 2 inches at the waist (adding both sides) and 1 inch at the leg, providing a snug and secure fit for a maximum 34 inch waist and 18 inch leg. At the smallest adjustment the fit would be not quite as snug for a 31 inch waist and 16 inch leg. This might be acceptable, but probably not for any smaller waist/leg circumference. Machine washing with hot water and drying on "regular" (hot) do not cause noticeable shrinkage, and over time the waist and leg might stretch a little. So, I can't recommend the size small for waists under 31 inches or over 34 inches or for legs under 16 inches or over 18 inches. For 32 inch waist and 17 inch legs the size small offers a snug and secure fit with some leeway in the adjustment for comfort or weight gain--perfect. For 33 inch waist and 17.5 inch leg--good. For 34 inch waist and 18 inch leg--no leeway, not so good. This is far outside the description as fitting 20-28 inch waists, and only a 2 or 3 inch range overall--guess I got lucky! I should add that the folded pad/liner stays in place when the end is pulled up under the snug-fitting waist at the front.
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Would one need to wear a plastic pant over these?
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Brandie The outer fabric of Medline Ultra Fitted Briefs has a totally waterproof coating on its inner surface. They are suitable as a waterproof cover for cloth diapers or absorbent pads without any need to add plastic pants. The inner lining is not sufficiently absorbent to qualify them as an "all-in-one"--cloth diapers or pads will be needed.
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dealing with bowel incontinence and cloth diapers is simply untenable.
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Yes--difficult to live with--but not impossible. It's worth figuring out what works just in case the SHTF and disposables become unavailable.
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After a year of experience, I want to update my original post. These were designed for institutional use. On the front there is fabric binding tape sewn over the top edge, where the tag is attached, that quickly becomes wet and wicks moisture. This may have been intended as a wetness indicator--the tag itself provides the perfect place to attach the sensor-clip of a wetting alarm--and might make sense in caring for those with limited mobility, or used with an alarm, but in other circumstances, not so much. I solved this problem by carefully removing the tag with scissors, and using Beiersdorf (now BSN) Cover Roll 2-inch wide tape (that I just happened to have on hand) to cover the fabric edge. The split backing of this very thin tape made it very simple to apply--cutting the length, peeling one side of the backing (trimming to avoid covering the snaps) and sticking the tape to one side of the brief, then peeling the other side and smoothly folding the tape over the edge. The polyacrylate adhesive has held through many washings, and though the tape is permeable, there is no longer any seepage. It was so easy, and worked so well, I went ahead and covered the side edges and the flat edge along the back for added protection on the six briefs I'm using. I'm still lining the briefs with folded cotton pads, but arranged so they don't reach the top at front or back. The pads stay more securely in place, when active, if a stretch brief is worn as a cover over the Medline brief. Regular underwear or "cheer" type briefs work for this, but for maximum security (and overnight) I wear a size adult small My Pool Pal UP 360 Reusable Swim Brief/Diaper Cover over the Medline brief. These are two-layer briefs, the outer stretch nylon, and the inner breathable pul coated polyester, made in the USA in sizes infant through adult XL, and may be the best and most versatile reusable incontinence product available. I sometimes wear them over layered cotton briefs, with or without an added pad, for light use and when less bulk is desired--but the Medline Ultra Fitted Briefs remain a reliable and most convenient option for quick, easy changes. The six I've been using for over a year (most often hand-washed with a little detergent and borax and hung to dry) are hardly showing any signs of wear.
