In-depth reviews guided by a Pediatrician

Pampers Baby Dry Review

Disappointing performance where it counts for leaks and absorption
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Price:   $0.23 List | $0.24 each (in 210-pack) at Amazon
Pros:  Comfy, reasonable price
Cons:  Below average leakage and absorption
Manufacturer:   Pampers
By Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz  ⋅  Jul 28, 2017
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47
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#16 of 22
  • Absorption - 40% 4
  • Leakage - 20% 5
  • Comfort - 15% 8
  • Health - 15% 3
  • Eco-friendly - 5% 4
  • Durability - 5% 5

The Skinny

The Pampers Baby Dry diaper is average with no real stand out features and below-average performance in most of our tests. Except for being one of the most comfortable diapers we tested, this product had disappointing scores for most other metrics, including absorption and leakage. These metrics are two of the most critical functions of a diaper and are the make or break features you can't compromise. The Baby Dry option has a friendly price and a soft feel, but the leaking and moisture transfer makes it a poor choice. This product is also disappointing for health and eco-friendliness with no disclosure on materials or specifics on what the diaper may be free of like perfumes, latex, chlorine, etc.

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Our Analysis and Test Results

Pampers is a brand name synonymous with babies and diapers. It is a name most parents know, and many hospitals use them. Pampers is a Proctor and Gamble company that has the distinction of helping to invent the modern disposable diaper in the 1950s. In the 1970s, Pampers came out with tape closures instead of pins, and the 80s and 90s saw the creation of a thin diaper, gelling material, elastic legs, and refastening tabs. Pampers continues to advance their designs even today.

Pampers Baby Dry was also reviewed in our Overnight Diaper Review in size 4 compared to the size 1 tested in this review. The Baby Dry performed much better in our tests for absorption in size 4 than it did in size 1. The Disposable Diaper Review has newborns and young infants in mind, while we geared the overnight review toward choosing diapers for older babies with increased overnight output.

Performance Comparison


We like that the Baby Dry is soft and smooth with no rough edges or poky parts that might agitate sensitive skin.
We like that the Baby Dry is soft and smooth with no rough edges or poky parts that might agitate sensitive skin.

Likes


The Baby Dry diaper is very comfortable compared to the competition, scoring very near the top for this metric. It has a very soft fabric on the inside and skin-friendly closure tabs with no pokiness or rough edge that can chafe sensitive skin. The motion points and elastic are also smooth to the touch with no binding areas or abrasive parts.

Other than the comfort factor, there wasn't much we liked about the Baby Dry. It does have a reasonable price, but the below-average scores in most metrics make even the lower price unattractive.

The amount of mock urine that transferred from Pampers Baby Dry to the test paper indicates that baby's bottom will likely be moist because the liquid is not locked away in the core of the diaper.
The amount of mock urine that transferred from Pampers Baby Dry to the test paper indicates that baby's bottom will likely be moist because the liquid is not locked away in the core of the diaper.

Dislikes


The Baby Dry diaper performed poorly in our tests for absorption and leakage, arguably the two most important functions a diaper really should do well. This product earned well below-average scores for the group in both absorption and leaks.

This photo of the Baby Dry leak test shows the "mock urine" as it leaked out of the diaper and the test paper that absorbed the urine when it should have been locked away from baby's skin.
This photo of the Baby Dry leak test shows the "mock urine" as it leaked out of the diaper and the test paper that absorbed the urine when it should have been locked away from baby's skin.

With the poor absorption of liquid waste, baby's skin will be continually wet, which can lead to irritation and possible diaper rash over time. The inability of the diaper to keep urine locked away also means it tends to leak and can result in wet clothes, bedding, car seats, and more. These two tests alone could be enough to have you looking elsewhere.

The Baby Dry is not very durable and the contents are somewhat vague according to the Pamper's website.
The Baby Dry is not very durable and the contents are somewhat vague according to the Pamper's website.

However, if that doesn't convince you, we also didn't like that Pampers disclose of what is inside the diaper is somewhat misleading and vague. They don't seem to be making an effort to create an eco-friendly diaper either. This diaper earned some of the lowest scores for baby-health and eco-health, and to make things even worse, the Baby Dry diaper also scored below average for durability. It isn't the worst in the group, but it could result in using more diapers if they fall apart or have faulty tabs.

Conclusion


Overall, the Pampers Baby Dry diaper had low scores in most individual metrics, which resulted in a low overall score. With key metric tests like absorption and leakage disappointing testers and lower durability and poor health results, we think parents will be happier choosing a different, higher-scoring option even if it may cost a little more. However, even if the cost is a factor in your decision process, there are cheaper options that scored higher in our review.

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— Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz