My experience with guards and timed voiding

[fiacs]

I normally wear premium diapers but I wanted to give my skin some extended relief. My plan was to use timed voiding every 3 hours and I would wear a guard with cotton underwear. This was my daytime routine. At night I wore my usual diaper/plastic pant combo. I got the most absorbent guards on the market. I was able to do this last week because I was home on a staycation.
I would get up in the morning and change out of my overnight diaper/plastic pant combo. I would shower and put on a guard. I would use the bathroom 5 times a day and I would change the guard each time because I would still dribble between the time I walked into the bathroom and got onto the toilet. After doing this for a week, my biggest issue with guards is that I don't feel secure with them. Its such a little pad compared to a diaper and I am concerned that a leak would show if the guard moves.
I am sure that I am used to the security of a diaper and anything less stresses me out.

[Padded53]

Although I usually wear tape-up diapers I've had situations where I had limited ability to carry anything other than a spare guard pad or two. In those cases I'll do something similar to what you are describing with the only difference being that I'll be wearing a premium pull-up with the guard. This allows me to use the toilet as often as possible (or timed) but to have the protection of the guard for minor leaks and dribbles. As I suspect you've found it's also super quick and easy to change out just the guard when needed. The pull-up is really only there as a last resort but does give me the confidence that I won't have a leak.

[fiacs]

Wearing a pullon with a guard sounds like a nice combo for certain situations.
Do you think the thickness of the guard changes the ability for the pullon to catch any leaks? I have entertained the idea of wearing a pullon with a booster and changing the booster

[Padded53]

Generally I'd say no, but only if you are using a premium pull-up that has enough width in the crotch to completely enclose the guard pad or booster when it is wet and expanded to its maximum. Cheaper pull-ups are usually not as generously cut in that area and the guard could help to cause a leak as you mentioned. The main thing when using this method is to change out the guard pad a bit sooner rather than later. This method really works well even for extended periods since it's easy to carry several extra pads and changing on-the-go is so quick and easy.

[realworldic]

Wearing a pullon with a guard sounds like a nice combo for certain situations.
Do you think the thickness of the guard changes the ability for the pullon to catch any leaks? I have entertained the idea of wearing a pull on with a booster and changing the booster

You will want to check the leak guards are taller than the pad because if the pad is taller than the standing leak guards the pull-on will have a harder time containing the fluid. this also applies with boosters, In our testing, the standing leak guards show to be very important in many scenarios especially with any voids that are more than just drips or dribbles.

[fiacs]

To realworldic
Exactly. That is the concern. In fact, I think that high leakguards are as important to absorbency if not a close second for diaper performance
In your testing and experience, what diaper brands (tape and pullon) have the highest leakguards?

[realworldic]

To realworldic
Exactly. That is the concern. In fact, I think that high leakguards are as important to absorbency if not a close second for diaper performance
In your testing and experience, what diaper brands (tape and pullon) have the highest leakguards?

Some of the products with Taller leaks guards that we have tested.

BetterDry
Rearz Inspire+ and original
Molicare Premium Super plus
Assurance Stretch brief (Walmart) (the standing leak guards are the best feature we found with this brief)

We have not found tall leak guards with any pull-on yet, they all have rather small standing leak guards.

[fiacs]

I agree that BetterDry has the highest leakguards of all the diapers (Abena M4, Confidry 24/7) I use.

[fiacs]

To Padded53,
Do you think the adhesive tape disrupts the integrity of the diaper when you remove it?

[Padded53]

To Padded53,
Do you think the adhesive tape disrupts the integrity of the diaper when you remove it?

I've had the adhesive on the pads tear the inner sheet of the pull-up when I tried to remove it several times. I almost never remove the adhesive tape liner and haven't had any problem with the guard pad or booster moving around. Of course it also makes it much easier to remove and replace the pad without it being stuck to the pull-up.
The reason I mentioned a "premium" pull-up like Abena, Northshore, or Molicare was not only do they have a generously wide center which will allow a pad and still allow the diaper gathers to stay in contact with your upper legs but also because they at least have decent sized leak guards that work pretty well.