Runner-up
This less expensive underwear is as fabric-like and comfortable as our top pick. And the size range is much broader. It isn’t quite as durable, though.
The men’s version of this less expensive, fabric-like underwear has similar padding placement but a higher waistband.
Incontinence underwear is a deeply personal item, and fit, texture, color, and other factors can have a big impact on a person’s comfort and confidence. For people who find our pick from Tena isn’t quite right for them or who need a wider range of sizing, we recommend Amazon Basics Women’s Protective Underwear and Amazon Basics Men’s Protective Underwear.
The material feels more like fabric. Many pairs of incontinence underwear claim to have “fabric-like” textures, but the Amazon Basics pair holds up to this promise the best. Its comfortable fit was beloved by many of our testers, and it was repeatedly praised for its soft, flexible material.
It’s the cheapest option that still works well. The cost of incontinence underwear can add up fast. At about 63¢ for a women’s pair and 68¢ for a men’s pair (when you buy a pack of 54), Amazon Basics Protective Underwear isn’t the absolute cheapest model, but it’s the least expensive option that still has reliable absorption and a comfortable design. Some higher-end options, such as NorthShore (more than $2 per pair for size L) or LivDry underwear ($1.19 per pair in a pack of 64), may simply be financially out of reach for a lot of people.
Although we did test one pair of underwear that’s less expensive than the Amazon Basics underwear—from Target’s Up&up—we found that the approximate 15¢-per-pair price difference between the two wasn’t worth the decrease in quality. Before trading down to save a buck, remember that lower-quality incontinence underwear may mean more frequent changes throughout the day, which will quickly outpace any initial cost savings.
It’s quieter than our pick from Tena. Most of our testers found that this underwear made no noise as they moved around, and several commented that they forgot they were wearing it at times. This underwear wasn’t entirely silent beneath leggings for one tester, but it was still the quietest of the lot.
It has a wider range of sizing. Though Amazon Basics’s sizing isn’t as comprehensive as NorthShore’s, its smallest size (starting at 20-inch waist for women’s and 26-inch waist for men’s) and addition of an XXL (64-inch to 80-inch waist) make it a viable option for more people. Our testers (and online reviewers) also found that the Amazon Basics pairs fit truer to size than those from Tena.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The durability isn’t quite as good as that of Tena’s underwear. Our testers said hot weather and high levels of activity had an impact on the comfort of this underwear and that the material didn’t hold up as well under stress, leading to rubbing, chafing, and the material itself coming apart in places. But for those who are less active or who are willing to go through multiple underwear changes between activities, these should still work fine.
They don’t hold as much liquid as other pairs. Though these can’t absorb quite as much pee as effortlessly as Tena or NorthShore underwear, they can reliably absorb more than 8 ounces without issue. For those with lighter incontinence or those who wear incontinence underwear mainly as a precaution, these are an easy, cheap option that you can count on.
Price per pair: 63¢ with a women’s pack of 54; 68¢ with a men’s pack of 54
Women’s sizes: S (from 20-inch waist/hip) to XXL (up to 80-inch waist/hip)
Men’s sizes: S/M (from 26-inch waist/hip) to XXL (up to 80-inch waist/hip)
