I’m 5’2”, weigh115-120 lbs, have a 35” hip measurement, and a natural waist measurement of 27” (although the waistband on these is nowhere near that high). I purchased the size S.
I have previously only had the protective briefs with snaps. The version with snaps has a waist that is a bit too big for me. It gapes. I solved this by adding new snaps in a bit on the front piece, however my snaps are a different size from TA’s so I have the replace the partner on the wing, but I leave the placement the same. I do this on the top two snap sets on both sides. Because of the waistband being too big on the size S protective briefs with snaps, I was concerned that the waist would also be too big on the size S protective briefs with no snaps. Because altering the waistband to fit would mean removing the entire waistband, making it smaller, then sewing it back on, I did not try the no-snap version.
But then January rolled around. I get the subscription and wasn’t interested in glacial. But I was interested in the “playful print” nebula. I love stars and space. Only problem was that it didn’t come in the snap version. Well the snaps can definitely be useful, but they can also be annoying. The edges on the front kinda stick up, which might not be a problem depending on the type of pants you wear, but certainly can be see sometimes. So I decided to order the nebula protective brief with no snaps anyway.
I was surprised that the legs were fleece unlike the FOE of the snap version, and this does make the legs a bit bulkier, which I was concerned about under my work clothes, but I think was fine. I was also surprised that the side panels were lined with fleece as well. But I was very excited to wear them and the waistband fit! I’m not sure how it would be if I lost 5 lbs, but for now at least, it fits, which makes me very happy.
I wish there was a higher-rise option. I take medicine that makes me pee a lot and that means more inserts which reduces the rise. These already sit mid-rise at most on me, so then with the inserts, especially at night, I feel like they don’t stay high enough, particularly on my bum. But a higher-rise option, for me, would also mean a smaller waistband and this one already only just fits. Which leads me to my second suggestion with is an XS size option. I cannot be only one on this cusp and there have to be plenty of people who are completely out of the size range for the XS. Even just making the S size snap version have a second set of snaps on the front panel like I described so smaller folks had at least one option would be something. Plenty of older people need this kind of product and plenty of people get tiny as they age.
Lastly, unfortunately my nebula no-snap protective brief had a thread break in the stitching that attaches the waistband to the garment on just the second day after it arrived. While I do tend to try to pull them up higher than they want to be, since I would benefit from a higher rise, I have not had this occur with any of my with-snap pairs, leading me to believe this was the exception and not the rule. I attempted to fix it and hopefully it will be fine, but it was still a bummer.
Overall, I like the item. The feeling of the back leak guard is uncomfortable to me but after a bit it fades. That is the case with the snap version as well; there is no difference there. I do think that I tend to leak earlier due to my bladder releases being a larger volume at once, but I am experimenting with the soaker bombs and homemade inserts to try to curb that. I also often put a disposable booster pad on top for that same reason. I did switch my subscription over to the no-snap version, that’s how exciting it was to have the nebula no-snap on. Hopefully the waistbands will be consistent.
[Picture showing the hole created by the broken waistband seam.]
