What's Actually Better Than Depends? A Pharmacist's Honest Comparison
If you've searched this, chances are Depends isn't working the way you need it to. Maybe it's leaking at the worst moments. Maybe it's not lasting through the day. Maybe you're just tired of paying for something that promises confidence and delivers neither. We hear this every week in our Picton store, and we want to walk you through what your real options are.
Depend has been the household name in incontinence products for decades, and for good reason — it's widely available and reasonably priced. But "widely available" and "right for your body" are two different things. As pharmacists who fit these products every day, we see people who've been using the same supermarket pack for years simply because nobody ever told them there was anything else.
Why People Outgrow Depend Products
Depend's mainstream range is built for moderate, predictable leakage — and it does that job well for a lot of people. Where we see it fall short is in three specific situations: heavier or unpredictable leakage, overnight protection, and sensitive or fragile skin that needs more breathable materials. If any of those describe your situation, a clinical-grade product range is usually the better fit, not because Depend is a bad product, but because it wasn't built to solve your specific problem.
Incontinence is far more common than most people realise, which is part of why this gets so little airtime. According to Continence Health Australia, more than 7.2 million Australians aged over 15 live with some form of bladder or bowel incontinence — roughly one in three people in that age group. You are not dealing with something rare or unusual, and there's no reason to make do with a product that isn't suited to you.
The Four Product Categories
A simplified guide to the four main product formats. Most people need different formats for different times of day.
What Separates a Clinical-Grade Product From a Supermarket One
The biggest practical difference is the absorbent core. Clinical-grade brands like Abena and MoliCare use a higher concentration of super absorbent polymer (SAP) — the gel-forming material that locks fluid away from the skin surface — and they publish the exact fluid capacity in millilitres so you can match the product to your actual needs rather than guessing from vague packaging language like "maximum protection."
As an example, our Abena Slip L3 Premium is rated at 3400mL capacity — that figure is on the product itself, not a marketing estimate. Mainstream daytime products generally don't publish this kind of specific data, which makes it harder to know whether you're under-protected or paying for far more absorbency than you need.
How a Clinical-Grade Absorbent Core Works
Keeping moisture away from the skin surface is the main mechanism for reducing Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis (IAD) risk over prolonged wear.
In my own pharmacy experience, the most common mistake I see isn't choosing the wrong brand — it's choosing the wrong absorbency level for the time of day. A product rated for daytime leakage will almost always be overwhelmed if worn overnight, regardless of how "super" the packaging says it is. We always ask patients when the leakage actually happens before recommending a product.
Premium Alternatives, by Situation
If you're managing light, occasional leaks
You may not need a heavy product at all. TENA Liners are a slim, discreet option worn inside your own underwear, shaped specifically for light bladder leakage rather than menstrual flow — the two are not interchangeable, as incontinence pads are engineered to handle a faster, thinner flow.
If you're active and need a discreet daytime pull-up
The TENA Pants Women Discreet Low Waist is designed to feel like ordinary underwear, with a low-rise cut for wearing under jeans or trousers, and full 360-degree coverage rather than a single absorbent panel. For men, MoliCare Premium Men Pants are anatomically shaped for the male body rather than a unisex design.
If overnight protection is the issue
This is where most off-the-shelf products genuinely struggle, simply because they weren't designed for eight or more hours of continuous wear. The TENA Pants Women Discreet Super Crème is a high-waist style built specifically for overnight use, with odour control designed to last through the night regardless of sleeping position.
If leakage is heavy, or you're caring for someone with limited mobility
The Abena Slip range is a full tab-fastened brief rather than a pull-up, which makes it far more practical for carer-assisted changes, with a wetness indicator so a carer doesn't need to guess when a change is needed. It's also the only style suitable if bowel incontinence is involved, since pull-ups generally aren't designed for faecal containment.
A Note on Cost
Clinical-grade products do cost more per pack than supermarket alternatives. What we'd point out is that the real comparison isn't pack price, it's cost per change relative to how well the product actually performs — and for many people, NDIS or My Aged Care funding covers some or all of this cost regardless of which way they go. If you're an NDIS participant, incontinence products are funded under Core Supports — Consumables, and we invoice your plan manager directly so there's no upfront cost for plan-managed participants.
Using NDIS, My Aged Care, or CAPS funding? Connect Mobility is a registered NDIS provider (Provider No: 4050 144 759) supplying incontinence consumables under Core Supports. We handle invoicing directly — no upfront payment required for plan-managed participants. Self-managed participants can request a tax invoice at checkout for reimbursement. CAPS-eligible Australians can call 1800 239 309 to check eligibility, then contact us to place an order.
Not sure which product matches your situation?
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Try the Pharmacist Incontinence Recommender →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Abena or MoliCare actually better than Depend?
Neither is universally "better" — they're suited to different needs. Depend works well for light to moderate, predictable leakage at a lower price point. Abena and MoliCare are clinical-grade ranges with higher published absorbency and are generally better suited to heavier leakage, overnight use, or carer-assisted changes.
Can I use NDIS funding to buy these instead of Depend?
Yes. Incontinence products of any brand are funded under NDIS Consumables (Support Category 03) for eligible participants, and an OT assessment usually isn't required to access this funding.
How do I know what absorbency level I need?
Start by being honest about your heaviest typical leak, not your lightest. Light leakage suits liners or thin pads; moderate leakage suits standard pull-ups; heavy or overnight leakage needs a high-capacity pull-up or all-in-one brief. If you're unsure, our Pharmacist Incontinence Recommender or a quick call to our pharmacist team can help.
How do I get the sizing right when switching to a new brand?
Sizing isn't standardised across brands the way clothing sizes roughly are — an Abena Medium and a TENA Medium won't necessarily fit the same. Always check the waist or hip measurement range printed on the specific product, not just the size label. Measure around the widest part of the hips or waist before ordering, and if you're between sizes, sizing up usually gives more secure leakage protection than sizing down.
Will switching brands cause skin irritation or take time to adjust to?
Most people don't notice any adjustment period when switching to a clinical-grade product, since the materials are generally softer and more breathable than mainstream options. If anything, people with sensitive or fragile skin often find irritation improves after switching, because breathable backsheets reduce the overhydration that contributes to Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis. If a new product does cause irritation, stop using it and speak with us or your GP.
Do clinical-grade products control odour better than supermarket brands?
Generally yes. Products like the TENA Pants Women Discreet range and Abena Slip are built with dedicated odour-neutralising layers in the absorbent core, rather than relying on fragrance to mask smell. This matters most for products worn for extended periods, such as overnight, where odour control has more time to be tested.
Can I buy in bulk, and does that reduce the cost?
Yes, and we'd encourage it once you've confirmed the right product and size for your needs — buying a single trial pack first, then moving to a larger pack or setting up repeat delivery, avoids waste if the first product isn't quite right. NDIS and My Aged Care funded participants can set up recurring monthly or six-weekly delivery with us at no extra cost.
What does the Pharmacist Incontinence Recommender actually do?
It's a short clinical questionnaire — covering who the product is for, leakage type and level, timing, mobility, sizing, skin sensitivity, and funding type — that our pharmacist-built logic uses to match you to specific products from our range, the same way one of our pharmacists would talk you through it in the Picton store. It takes about a minute and gives you a direct link to the recommended products.
References
- Continence Health Australia, Statistics on Incontinence, 2024 — continence.org.au
- NDIS, Core Supports — Consumables — ndis.gov.au
This article is for general information only and does not replace individual clinical advice. If you're experiencing new or worsening incontinence, speak with your GP or a continence specialist.
Nadim Assaf is a registered pharmacist (AHPRA) and co-founder of Connect Mobility, an NDIS-registered assistive technology provider in Picton, NSW. Connect Mobility is run entirely by registered pharmacists.