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I've been using plastic pants for a while now and I see that a lot of folks are using the PUL pants. Some say that they are breathable. That sounds great for the summer. The question I have is, are they like they cloth backed disposables in that they seem to let odor out? It seems that the cloth backed diapers really let pee odors escape. I started wearing plastic pants over them to keep odors down. Would the same problem exist with the PUL pants?

If you leak enough, but are unable to change as often as necessary to keep odor under control, you have my sympathy. I know that recommending adequate hydration (drinking more water) seems counter-intuitive, but, if you can change often enough, it does dilute urine odor. I drink cranberry juice at breakfast, which acidifies urine, which also reduces odor. Trouble is, I'm also a coffee addict, and coffee is a diuretic that adds to urine odor. Desitin and J&J cornstarch powder have scents which control urine odor to a certain degree; however, you will need to become accustomed to smelling like an infant. I manage this with Old Spice. Good luck.

I've been using the gary activewear PUL pants for years now. They don't seem breathable to me, and absolutely do cut down any normal pee smells. However, if you get to a point where you really need a change and are smelling really bad, then that smell will still escape from the PUL pants.

Maybe this is where everyone is saying they are breathable, but they still don't allow air to transfer like you would have with a breathable cloth like disposable.

Guys, the Gary PUL material definitely is breathable. Now that only means "breathable" to a degree. It is like Goretex fabric - some air can pass through slowly. You cannot blow air through it noticeably.

It would be better if it were even more breathable, but it is breathable enough to aid in preventing rashes. Accordingly it also will transmit odor. However, it will slow down the rate with which the odor becomes noticeable to others.

When I am out of the home I normally wear a plastic-shell diaper with the PUL pants. I do this even though I am also bowel incontinent as I rely on the plastic diaper to contain odors long enough for me to exit from my activity and find a place to change.

Do note that there are two commercial thicknesses of PUL material. The thicker is not breathable. The thinner is what normally is used for plastic pants.

I agree with Patrick and take the same measures as he does. Normally I do not have an issue with diaper odor.

--John

I posted as I found that using the cloth backed Abena overnight was pretty obvious by the smell. Regular cloth diapers with plastic pants don't seem to have the odor that the Abena diaper has. I just wondered if pul kept odors down as well as plastic. During the day I change asap so that I'm not obvious. I like the idea of a cooler overpant for the summer seeing I've got cloth backed Abenas.
I bought a ton of the Abena cloth backed diapers and I'm just not confident on their odor barrier or water proofness. I wish I went with plastic backed but oh well, live and learn. Plastic backed is the way to go for me.

JD, that makes perfect sense. Breathable to me is more in line with the definition of the word for "letting enough air to pass through for sweat to evaporate". The pul pants aren't quite this effective, though they do let through some air/sweat/smell. This fits perfectly with what you're saying, though I'd guess "breathable" would be different for everyone since we all sweat different amounts.

I have found that the Seni Super Plus and Seni Super Quatro cloth-backed diapers have very good odor control. I use Anti-Monkey Butt diaper powder, which not only protects my skin, but also has a deodorizing effect. I wear GaryWear PUL active briefs over the diaper, and I have not noticed any urine odor passing through even when the diaper is very wet. Just a slight hint of the scent in the Anti-Monkey Butt powder.

MikePNW,

I also wear my Seni diapers with GaryWear Active PUL pants. We definitely agree about the Seni Quatro and Seni Super Plus diapers. They are the best breathable diapers I have found. They stretch less than any other breathable that I have tried. The GaryWear pants with the Seni diapers are a particularly good combination for warm weather.

As I am both bladder and bowel incontinent, I am somewhat experienced with diaper odor transmission. While any breathable diaper will transmit more odor than a plastic-backed diaper, the Seni's seem to transmit less odor than other breathable diapers. Of course, any bowel accident requires an immediate change.

--John

About six months ago I switched over to the Dry 24/7 from the Abena X-Plus and have noticed that the urine smell is virtually non-existent now, whereas I did get it from time-to-time with the Abena. Keeping well-hydrated is the best advice for keeping the smell down, but the 24/7's do seem to help more than the Abena did, at least for me.

I'm actually not sure how much the plastic pants truly help with odor control. I wore plastic pants over cloth as a child (before disposables), and later over the pre-SAP Depends and Attends where leakage was a daily reality. I continue to wear plastic pants over my disposables, now mainly to keep the tapes from catching on clothing, for some additional protection and concealment of the diaper.

Schooner

I also wear the excellent ConfiDry 24/7 plastic-backed diapers. Plastic backed diapers definitely help to contain odor. Additionally, ensuring that you are well hydrated also will reduce or even eliminate your urine odor. By combining the two, I have had absolutely no problems.

Plastic (vinyl) pants primarily will help contain urine odor should you have a small leak from your diaper.

--John