What's the Difference Between Incontinence Pads, Pull-Ups and Reusable Underwear? 5 Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Australia

By Luciana Seara

Real Talk
Apr 27, 2026

You've stood in the chemist aisle staring at twelve different boxes and walked out with nothing. Or you've ordered something online that turned out to be completely wrong for your situation. Or you've been using panty liners for a year and wondering why they keep failing on the days that matter most.

According to the National Association For Continence, up to 80 percent of people managing bladder leaks are using the wrong product for their situation. Not because they haven't tried. Because nobody explained the difference.

This guide does. Five questions. By the end, you'll know exactly what to buy — and why everything else hasn't been working.

Before the Questions: The One Thing You Need to Know First

Most incontinence products are designed around hospital and aged care purchasing — not around a person who needs to get on with their day. The packaging uses clinical language and groups products by absorbency rather than by situation. And the person standing in the aisle has usually never been told what type of incontinence they actually have — which is the single most important piece of information for choosing the right product.

Two types matter most:

 

- Stress incontinence — leaking triggered by physical pressure: laughing, sneezing, coughing, lifting. Most common in women after menopause and men after prostate surgery

- Urgency incontinence — a sudden, overwhelming need to go that arrives before you reach the bathroom. Sometimes called overactive bladder

 

Many people experience both. Keep that in mind as you work through the five questions below.

Question 1: How Heavy Is the Leak?

Light — a few drops triggered by sneezing, laughing, or physical activity. You rarely soak through to outer clothing

Moderate — more than drops but less than a full void. You sometimes feel it reach your clothing on bad days

Heavy — significant volume, sometimes a full void without warning. Common in urgency incontinence or post-surgery recovery

The reason this matters: most disposable pads and panty liners are designed for light leaks only. If you're experiencing moderate to heavy leaks and using a light product, no amount of repositioning is going to make it work. You need a different product — not a different technique.

Light: panty liners or light pads worn inside regular underwear, or reusable leakproof underwear for everyday use — either works well at this level

Moderate: reusable leakproof underwear with higher absorbency ratings, or pull-up style disposable underwear — often sufficient on their own without needing additional layers

Heavy: high-absorbency pull-up briefs or tabbed disposable briefs (all-in-one) handle this best. 

The Quick Comparison Table

Pads / Liners

Pull-Up Briefs

Reusable Underwear

Leakproof Trackpants

Best for

Light stress leaks

Moderate to heavy leaks

Light to moderate leaks

Overflow backup layer

Looks like

a pad

a pull-up

regular underwear

regular trackpants

capacity

low-medium

highest

light to moderate

overflow catch layer

Ongoing cost

High

Very high

Low (washable)

low (washable)

PFAS-free option

check brand

check brand

kovered

kovered

NDIS / CAPS eligible

sometimes

yes

yes

yes

Available for men

limited

yes

yes

yes

Lab tested

varies

varies

intertek

rmit uni

Question 2: Disposable or Reusable — What's Actually the Difference?

It's not just about sustainability. It's about cost, dignity, and what you're putting against your skin every day.

  • Disposable products — pads, liners, pull-up briefs, tabbed briefs — are single-use, widely available at chemists and supermarkets, and convenient for travel or backup. For heavy incontinence, they remain the most absorbent option available. Their limitations: ongoing cost, environmental impact, bulk under clothing, and for many people, a significant dignity cost.

  • Reusable products — washable leakproof underwear and leakproof outerwear — are designed for light to moderate incontinence. They look and feel like regular clothing, wash like regular clothing, and cost significantly less over time. 

    The trade-off is honest: no reusable underwear currently matches the raw absorbency capacity of a heavy-duty disposable brief. They are not trying to.

No reusable underwear on the market currently matches the raw capacity of a quality disposable for full or near-full bladder release — that's an honest limitation of the reusable category.

A leakproof overflow layer worn over the top can extend the life of whatever you're wearing underneath and catch what gets through

  • On chemicals — this part surprises most people: Researchers at the University of Notre Dame, publishing in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, found that approximately one third of reusable period and incontinence underwear samples showed evidence of intentional PFAS use — the "forever chemicals" linked to hormonal disruption and other health concerns.

This applies to reusable products across the category — not just incontinence underwear. The question to ask any brand: is the fabric independently tested for PFAS? Not all brands are transparent about this. Some are. Check before you buy.

Kovered's women's leakproof briefs and men's leakproof boxer briefs use OEKO-TEX certified, PFAS-free fabric — independently tested, not self-declared.

Question 3: Pads, Pull-Ups, or Underwear — Which Format Is Right?

  • Pads and Liners

    Adhesive pads worn inside regular underwear. Best for light stress incontinence where leaking is directional.

    The problem: they shift, they rustle, they cause skin irritation with extended use, and they don't work well for urgency incontinence where the direction of leaking is less predictable. And the ongoing cost adds up fast.

  • Pull-Up Briefs (Disposable)

    Full brief-style disposable underwear for moderate to heavy incontinence. High absorbency, easy to change standing up — and for heavy incontinence, genuinely the most effective single product available.

    The limitation: bulky under clothing, often feel and sound like a nappy, high ongoing cost and waste. For people managing moderate incontinence who want to maintain normal clothing and a normal day — there are now better options for everyday use.

  • Reusable Leakproof Underwear

    Looks, fits, and feels like regular underwear. Absorbent layers built into the fabric — no pad, no insert, no bulk under clothing.

    The limitation: Best for light to moderate incontinence. Not designed to replace a heavy-duty disposable brief for full bladder release — but for the majority of people managing everyday drips and stress leaks, it's the most dignified, cost-effective, and practical everyday option available.

Kovered's women's leakproof briefs are lab-tested to hold 235mL. Kovered's men's leakproof boxer briefs hold 170mL. Both independently tested by Intertek Testing Services. Both eligible for NDIS and CAPS funding.

Leakproof Trackpants

A category most people don't know exists — and the honest answer to the one gap reusable underwear can't fill on its own.

Even when you're wearing the right product and it's working well, there's still a question that sits in the back of your mind: what if today is a bad day? What if it's not enough? What if I'm too far from a bathroom?

That mental load is real. And it's often more exhausting than the leaks themselves.

Leakproof trackpants don't replace what you're wearing underneath — they make what you're wearing underneath irrelevant to your outer world. Whether you're wearing reusable underwear, a pad, or a pull-up, the trackpants catch whatever gets through. Nothing reaches your clothing, your chair, your car seat, or anyone else's furniture. You go out. You stay out. You stop planning your day around bathroom locations.

For people managing moderate to heavy incontinence, the combination of leakproof underwear and leakproof trackpants is the most comprehensive reusable system available in Australia. One layer handles everyday leaks. The other catches whatever gets through.

They look exactly like regular trackpants. Kovered's leakproof trackpants were tested by RMIT University with zero grams of leakage through the outer layer under applied pressure. The protection isn't visible. The peace of mind is.

Question 4: Start Small — Here's Why

  • Whatever you choose, don't buy a week's supply before you've tried one pair. Every body is different. Every brand fits differently. And the product that works for someone else's parent may not work for yours.

  • Start with two to three pairs. That gives you enough rotation to always have a clean pair available while you work out what fits your routine. Most people who start with one pair and find it works come back for more within a fortnight.

  • Kovered's 30-day first-pair trial exists for exactly this reason. Try one pair in your normal routine for 30 days. If it doesn't work, we'll refund it. No return required.

Question 5: Can It Be Funded?

This is the question most people never think to ask — and the answer is often yes.

Reusable incontinence underwear and leakproof trackpants are eligible for funding under several Australian government schemes:

  • NDIS — for Australians under 65 with a permanent disability where incontinence is disability-related. Self-managed and plan-managed participants can purchase Kovered products and claim the cost

  • CAPS (Continence Aids Payment Scheme) — a direct annual cash payment from the Australian Government for Australians with permanent and severe incontinence. The payment goes into your bank account and can be spent on any continence product including reusables

  • DVA — for eligible veterans through the Rehabilitation Appliances Program

  • Home Care Packages — for Australians 65 and over living at home, at levels 3 and 4

For the full breakdown of every scheme, who qualifies, and how to claim:

Can I Use NDIS or CAPS Funding for Reusable Incontinence Underwear? A Step-by-Step 2026 Guide for Australians →

What to Do Today

If you're still not sure which product fits your situation — answer three questions and we'll tell you exactly where to start.

Find your setup in 60 seconds →

Or if you already know what you need:

- View women's leakproof briefs →

- View men's leakproof boxer briefs →

- View leakproof trackpants →

Every order comes with a 30-day first-pair trial. If it doesn't work for you, we'll refund your first pair. No return required. Plain packaging, no medical branding.

Or call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66 — free, confidential, and staffed by people who can help.

What to Read Next

If you're buying for a parent and not sure how to introduce the products without it feeling awkward:

 

How Do I Talk to My Mum or Dad About Bladder Leaks? 8 Things Every Australian Carer Should Know →

 

If you think you might be eligible for NDIS or CAPS funding:

Can I Use NDIS or CAPS Funding for Reusable Incontinence Underwear? →

About the author

Luciana is a carer and the founder of Kovered. She started the brand because dignity shouldn't depend on what products are available at the chemist. She writes the Real Talk blog because most of what exists online about incontinence is either clinical, sanitised, or written by people who've never had to help someone they love through it.

A Note Before You Go

Names and scenarios in this article are fictitious, created to reflect real situations many Australians find themselves in. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or financial advice. Funding amounts, eligibility criteria, and scheme conditions were accurate at the time of publishing — these change regularly and Kovered does not update articles to reflect new information. Always check current details directly with the relevant authority before making decisions. Kovered does not guarantee eligibility for any funding scheme. External links to research and third-party sources are provided for reference only — Kovered has no affiliation with any cited organisation or study, and research findings may be subject to updates or further review. Kovered is designed by a carer, for carers. Because dignity shouldn't be something you lose.