by Tonio Vega

 This article is an overview of some popular brands of plastic pants for older bedwetters. A large number of people are impressed with these brands and find them particularly effective for heavy incontinence such as bed-wetting. With that in mind keep in mind that there is a certain degree of subjectivity in this area. One of the points I’ve stressed in my previous articles is that people have different preferences as far as what type of protection to use to manage their bed-wetting. Some people prefer reusable garments for various reasons whereas others prefer disposables. In addition some people use both styles of garments. There are many different factors that come into play when choosing incontinence products which I thought I would reiterate-the type and level of incontinence,whether or not it’s convenient to wash reusable garments,etc. Some people prefer pin-on diapers covered with plastic pants,some prefer pull-on cloth garments(which are sometimes referred to as diaper pants,pull-on briefs,or or pull-on diapers),some prefer disposable pull-ups,whereas others prefer tape-on disposable diapers(known as disposable briefs) As I’ve also mentioned it’s good to be open to experimenting with different types and brands of garments in order to determine what works best for you. With many people, finding the most suitable type and brand of garment to manage their bed-wetting is a matter of trial and error. In some cases people use more than one brand and style of diapers and plastic pants.

 This brings me to the current topic-plastic pants for bed-wetting. There are a wide variety of brands of plastic pants out there to manage bed-wetting. This article discusses some of the more popular ones. These brands have a good reputation with many people in the incontinence community. Plastic pants , also known as vinyl pants(vinyl is a type of plastic),are used as a waterproof cover to put over reusable garments for infants and incontinent individuals such as cloth training pants, reusable pull on briefs(known as pull on diapers and bedwetter pants/overnight briefs), and pin-on cloth diapers Before the development of plastic pants(which I believe was in the 1950′s) parents used rubber pants. After rubber pants were phased out,the term rubber pants and plastic pants were used interchangeably. The term rubber pants is still used today by some people, but most people when they use the term rubber pants, actually mean plastic pants. As far as I know there are no companies that make rubber pants for infants and there are only a couple of companies that make rubber pants for adults. From what I understand rubber pants fell out of favor in the late 50′s and early 60′s. Perhaps they weren’t as comfortable or as long lasting as plastic pants.

 When purchasing plastic pants(and incontinence supplies in general) it’s a good idea to talk to the customer support people at the company about your specific needs and ask questions about various products. When evaluating incontinence products some of the things you should be considering are the following: Does your incontinence occur during the day,night,or both? Do you suffer from heavy incontinence such as bed-wetting? Is discretion an issue? Do you mind washing diapers and plastic pants or do you prefer the convenience of disposables? How do various items effect the skin? Is the product comfortable to wear? Regarding plastic pants it’s essential to get a good fit over the diapers in order to prevent leaks. The important thing is to have pants that cover the diapers completely. You don’t want to leave any portion of the diapers exposed otherwise the sheets will get wet. You should look on the websites of the various companies and familiarize yourself with what types of measurements they require in order to get the best fit. For example some companies require both waist and hip size. If this is the case ask them what the relationship between each is in terms of getting the most secure and comfortable fit. In addition,some brands of plastic pants have a wider crotch than others. Pants with a wider crotch are particularly well suited to manage overnight incontinence problems such as bed-wetting especially since most people wear bulky diapers for overnight use.

 If you are buying plastic pants specifically for bed-wetting and the company has several different models ask them what the most effective model is for nighttime use. One of the key things to inquire about before purchasing the pants is the following: how the pants are cut(how wide the crotch is,do they have enough depth to accommodate thicker diapers for night use,etc.). It’s good to tell them as much information as possible so you can avoid buying pants that are uncomfortable and don’t provide effective protection. Plastic pants are available in two styles-pull on and snap on. Most people use pull on plastic pants. I’ve heard that snap on pants are used primarily for people who are non-ambulatory because they presumably are easier to put on and take off.

 The first brand I’d like to talk about is Comco. Right of the bat, I’d like to mention that there are two different companies called Comco. Both of them sell and manufacture plastic pants,waterproof sheets,diapers,and other incontinence supplies. I’m bringing this up because I wanted to clear up any confusion people might have when purchasing products from these places. Both companies are based in Minnesota. The original Comco located in North Saint Paul and is run by a guy named Burch Gusterson. They’re known as Comco Incorporated. They’ve been in business for close to 40 years and have been making incontinence garments for 30 years. They have a pull-on plastic pant called the style 230. The price for one is .60 and the price for a pack of three is .85 These pants are highly regarded by many people with incontinence,particularly those with bed-wetting problems. Their web address is www.comcoincmn.com. Their email address is [email protected] Their phone numbers are (800)328-9658 and (651)779-7313 and their fax number is (651)779-0871 These pants are noted for their thickness and durability. Since the pants are going to be washed repeatedly it’s good that they can handle multiple washings. Some plastic pants wear out sooner than others after repeated washings. I recall some time ago a gentleman talking about Comco pants on an incontinence forum and he mentioned that he was real impressed by these pants. He said that he had pairs from Comco that have lasted for years. The author of the Diaper Primer has this to say regarding the Comco plastic pants: “Comco makes a distinctive heavy semi transparent vinyl that seems heavy but is not uncomfortable and will soften with body heat to become very comfortable” and “The heavier vinyl stands up longer to wear and wash cycles than do the lighter vinyls found in most vinyl pants.” The nylon on both the waist and leg elastic is supposed to prevent wicking which I talk about further below in the section on the Gary Leakmaster Deluxe pants.

 The owner was telling me that the vinyl formulation they use in their plastic pants is different from the one used in the plastic pants manufactured by Comco Manufacturing. Whether or not this means anything in terms of the quality of the pants(such as how durable they are) I can’t say. Both pants could be equally well made,the only difference being they’re both made of different types of vinyl. According to Burch the vinyl pants made by Comco Manufacturing are nothing like the ones made by Comco, Inc. If your budget permits you might want to try a pair from both companies and judge for yourself.

 The second Comco is called Comco Manufacturing,LLC Apparently a group of people from the original Comco split off and formed their own company called Comco Manufacturing(personally I think they should change their name so as to avoid confusion) Comco Manufacturing is based out of Hinckley Minnesota. Their web address is www.comcomfg.com.Their email address is [email protected] and their toll free number is (888)250-8577. Their pull-on vinyl pant is known as the style 100 pant. The price for one pant is .50 and the price for a three pack is .50. These pants have wide elastic on both the waist and leg areas which should make these pants extra effective at preventing leaks.

A while back ago a man on an incontinence forum said that he tried these pants and thought they were very good. As I talk about later on in this article it’s good to get opinions regarding incontinence products but keep in mind that your experience with the products in question might be different. On the other hand the opinions of the person regarding the product could be spot on. Like I have said before in other articles it’s good to be open minded and try out different brands and types of diapers and plastic pants.

 Another brand of plastic pants that has a good reputation is the Leakmaster Deluxe pant made by Gary and sold by Adultclothdiaper.com(also known as All Togehter Enterprises) This pant is made from 7 mil thick vinyl and has vinyl enclosed elastic around the waist and legs. This feature is supposed to be very effective for preventing leaks,especially at night. The price for one pant is .95 and the price for three or more is .95 each. Their toll free number is (877)215-9004 and their fax number is (801)566-7717 Their web address is www.adultclothdiaper.com. Angel Fluff Diaper Company also sells the Gary plastic pant just mentioned but they sell it under the name Ultimate Whisper Thick Pant. The price for one is .95. If you buy 4 or more the price is .99 each. They also have a deal where you can buy this pant for .99 each(see website for details) In addition to weekday hours of 8-6,they also have Saturday hours from 8-6(central time). Their phone numbers are (800)996-2644 and (931)359-9604 and their fax number is (931)359-9604. Their web address is www.angelfluff.com.

 A fourth brand of plastic pants that’s highly regarded is the Suprima brand. These pants are made in Germany and are sold by a Canadian company called B4NS. There are several different models listed on the website. I spoke to the owner and he told me that the best model to use for bed-wetting would be the model 1232. This model has a higher back to accommodate thicker diapers,wide crotch,wide waistband,and has fully wrapped elastic just like the Leakmaster Deluxe pants previously mentioned. The Suprima plastic pants are kind of expensive but from what I understand they’re worth it. The phone number for B4NS is (514)812-4917,the fax number is (450)433-5711,and their email address is [email protected] Their web address is www.b4ns.com.

 The last brand of plastic pants I’d like to talk about is manufactured and sold by a company called Babykins also known as KINS(which stands for Kinder Incontinent Supplies) They sell a medium weight pant. The model of this pant is 20300V and is slightly less thick than the Comco,Suprima,and Gary Leakmaster Deluxe pants.(The 20300 pant, which is the thickest model they offer, is 6 mils thick) I’m not sure how this pant compares to the other pants just mentioned. Many people prefer thicker plastic pants due to the fact that generally they’re more durable. The price of the 20300V pant is .00. Some individuals like the KINS products so it might be worth looking into. The toll free number for Babykins is (800)665-2229. They also have a phone/fax number-(604)275-2255. Their web address is www.babykins.com.

 As mentioned some people discover that there is a certain amount of trial and error involved in choosing a satisfactory product to manage their incontinence. This doesn’t happen with everybody but you shouldn’t feel disappointed if it does take some time to find a product that best meets your needs.. There are some people who might prefer the thicker plastic pants for various reasons and think they’re the best choice, whereas others might prefer the thinner plastic pants. It was pointed out on one website that there are individuals who find the thinner plastic pants more comfortable to wear. On the other hand there are people who find the thicker plastic pants to be just as comfortable

 As discussed before,the drawback of the thinner plastic pants is that in general they’re not as durable as thicker plastic pants and therefore they don’t last as long. Here’s a quote from the Diaper Primer regarding this: ” Thinner plastic pants,generally perceived as softer and more comfortable as starters age more rapidly than heavier-gauge(thicker) plastics.” Because they’re thicker than the Kins plastic pants and they seem to be highly rated by many people,my inclination would be to purchase the Comco,the Leakmaster Deluxe pants,or the Suprima pants. In this case it might be advisable paying a little extra for plastic pants that are more durable as opposed to buying several pairs of pants that are less expensive but will wear out quicker.

 Given the fact that each of the brands mentioned in this article have worthwhile features it might be prudent to purchase a pair from each one in order to figure out what works best for you. Granted this might be kind of expensive but it’s probably the best way to determine what pant feels most comfortable,which brand fits you the best, and which one holds up the longest.

 In terms of comfort the elastic on the pants can play a part in how comfortable a particular brand of plastic pants are. This is another point brought up in the Diaper Primer. Some people might feel that the elastic on certain brands of plastic pants is too tight for them. I would talk to the customer service department of whatever company or companies(if you’re planning on trying more than one brand of plastic pants) you’re planning on buying from and ask them if it would be a good idea to buy pants in a larger size in order to have a looser fit thereby minimizing the discomfort caused by tight fitting elastic.

 Another thing to keep in mind is this. I’ve heard of people buying multiple pairs of plastic pants in order to rotate the pants in the laundry cycle so they can cut down the wear on one pant. In fact I’ve heard that in general it’s a good idea to purchase several pairs of plastic pants. Given this fact and since there might be more than one brand that suits your purposes, it might be worth spending the extra money to have a good supply of plastic pants. Also there are people who have more than one favorite brand of plastic pants. For example I read about individuals who use both the Comco and Suprima brand of plastic pants There are some people who are only satisfied with one brand or type of incontinence product whereas others find that their needs can be met by more than one as pointed out in the beginning of this article-there’s no law that says you just have to stick to one brand or type of incontinence product. In fact this situation might not be that uncommon.

 As discussed earlier in this article plastic pants are worn over pin-on cloth diapers. I talk about several different brands of pin-on diapers in my article “Additional Information Regarding Pin-On Diapers for Older Bedwetters.” This is a good article for you to read if you’re considering using these types of diapers for your older bed-wetter. These types of diapers have a good reputation for bed-wetting and this article talks about both the different brands available as well as a source that discusses a special technique to fold and pin the diapers for maximum absorbency and protection. By purchasing one or more brands of the plastic pants mentioned in this article, as well as experimenting with pin on diapers,you should be able to make your child or teenager feel more comfortable and secure at night.

 I hope this list is helpful to parents who might be having difficulty deciding on what type of plastic pants to purchase for their older child,adolescent,or teenager that wets the bed. Keep in mind that the brands mentioned are just some of the ones available. The ones mentioned in this article are ones that are well thought of by many people. There is one thing to remember when purchasing incontinence supplies however,and that’s this-purchasing incontinence supplies is a highly personal thing and while it’s good to get other peoples input keep in mind that what other people say are opinions. It’s good to explore as many options as possible in order to choose a product that offers good protection,is well made( if you decide to wear reusables),and that has a good price. Whatever you do don’t get discouraged if it takes you a while to find an appropriate product.

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