Two care homes can buy the same size of absorbent product, pay within a few dollars of each other per case, and end up with cost-per-resident figures that differ by more than five times. The reason is rarely the product. It is the unit of sale.
This page compares absorbent underpads and adult briefs from six suppliers on the four attributes a purchasing file actually needs — capacity as published, dimensions, absorbency class, and the purchasing unit — and then does the arithmetic that a tender review cannot skip: cost per pad and cost per brief.
What was compared, and how the numbers were taken
The comparison covers six suppliers whose Canadian listings publish the fields a buyer needs to reproduce the arithmetic: TENA (Essity), Prevail (First Quality), Attends, Medline (FitRight and Sahara), Tranquility (Principle Business Enterprises), NorthShore, and Abena. Every figure below was read on 30 September 2026 from the supplier's public product page, and each row cites that page.
Cost per unit is a single division from published figures — package price divided by units per package, or case price divided by units per case. No capacity figure has been converted, extrapolated or re-tested; where a supplier publishes only a descriptor such as "maximum absorbency", this page records the descriptor and leaves the capacity cell marked as not published in millilitres. Prices are list prices in Canadian dollars, before tax and freight, and they change; treat every number here as a dated reading, not a standing quotation.
One further rule matters more than any single figure: a product's own instructions for use govern how it is worn, changed and disposed. Nothing on this page overrides them.
Table 1 — absorbent underpads: what six suppliers publish
| Supplier and product | Size as listed | Absorbency as published | Backing | Sold as | Units per package | Units per case | Package price (CAD) | Case price (CAD) | Cost per pad (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TENA Extra Underpads | 17" × 24" | light to moderate — no mL published | moisture-proof backing | package or case | 25 | 12 packages (300) | $7.99 | $95.88 | $0.320 |
| TENA Extra Underpads | 23" × 36" | light to moderate — no mL published | moisture-proof backing | package or case | 25 | 6 packages (150) | $15.49 | $92.94 | $0.620 |
| Prevail Super Absorbent Underpads | 30" × 30" | no mL published | durable backsheet, latex-free | package or case | 25 | 4 packages (100) | $20.99 | $83.96 | $0.840 |
| Attends Dri-Sorb Underpads | 23" × 36" | no mL published | leak-proof backsheet over cellulose | unit or case | 10 | 15 packages (150) | $6.49 | $97.35 | $0.649 |
| Medline Sahara Extra Absorbent | 24" × 36" | 295 mL (10 oz) | blue PE back sheet | listed individually | not stated | not stated | $29.99 | not listed | not calculable |
| Tranquility Heavy-Duty Underpads | 30" × 36" | 1,005 mL (34 oz) | cloth-like backsheet | package or case | 10 | 6 packages (60) | $31.49 | $188.94 | $3.149 |
| NorthShore MagicSorb Air | 23" × 36" | 1,478 mL (50 oz) | breathable backsheet | unit or case | 12 | 5 packages (60) | $29.99 | $149.95 | $2.499 |
| NorthShore MagicSorb Air | 30" × 36" | 1,774 mL (60 oz) | breathable backsheet | unit or case | 10 | 4 packages (40) | $34.99 | $139.96 | $3.499 |
| CliniEco Medical Adult Underpad | 60 × 90 cm | 5-layer SAP construction, no single mL figure published | leak-proof blue PE back sheet | case only | 50 per box | 10 boxes (500) | not listed | $239.99 | $0.480 |
Three things fall out of that table before any interpretation. First, the unit of sale is not standardised: two suppliers sell a single unit, two sell packaging that contains ten to twelve pads, one lists the case as the smallest purchase, and one lists a case of 500. Second, case sizes run from 40 to 300 units, so the case price column compares nothing unless it is divided. Third, capacity disclosure is uneven — four of the six suppliers publish a millilitre figure for at least one underpad SKU, and two publish only a descriptor.
Capacity and class: reading across suppliers without over-reading
Published absorbency is the field most often misused in a comparison table, because the figures are not produced by one test method. On the pages reviewed, NorthShore states its brief capacities as millilitres with an ounce equivalent and separately headlines an "ISO max absorbency" figure for the same product family; Tranquility and Medline publish a single maximum-absorbency figure per size; Abena publishes a maximum figure in millilitres while its own descriptive sentence on the same page states a capacity in litres; TENA, Prevail and Attends publish an absorbency class such as maximum or heavy rather than a millilitre value on the pages reviewed here.
The practical consequence is that a millilitre number is a class indicator, not a measured promise. Two products can both say "maximum" and sit a full class apart, and a product's published capacity is not a statement about how long it can be worn. TENA, for example, distinguishes its levels by naming rather than by volume. Where a buyer needs a like-for-like capacity figure for a tender, the only route that survives audit is to ask each supplier for the test method behind the number, not just the number.
For reference, CliniEco publishes millilitre ratings on its own brief range, and the source pages state the test basis alongside the figure.
Table 2 — absorbent briefs: capacity, size and purchasing unit
| Supplier and product | Absorbency as published | Sizes listed | Back sheet | Sold as | Units per package | Units per case | Package price (CAD) | Case price (CAD) | Cost per brief (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthShore MEGAMAX | 1,240 mL (42 oz) at size M; family headline up to 6,500 mL | XS to 3XL | plastic | package or case | 10 | 4 packages (40) | $45.99 | $183.96 | $4.599 |
| NorthShore AirSupreme | 1,035 mL (35 oz) at size M | S to 2XL | breathable | package or case | 15 | 4 packages (60) | $54.99 | $221.49 | $3.692 |
| Tranquility SmartCore | 828 mL (28 oz) at size M | S to XXL | cloth-backed | package or case | 12 | 8 packages (96) | $21.49 | $171.92 | $1.791 |
| Prevail Breezers | 1,390 mL (47 oz) at size M/R | M to XL | cloth-like exterior | package or case | 20 | 4 packages (80) | $16.99 | $67.96 | $0.850 |
| Prevail Per-Fit | 700 mL (25.3 oz) | M to XL | 360° breathable zones | package or case | 20 | 4 packages (80) | $16.99 | $101.94 | $0.850 per package, $1.274 per case |
| Attends Overnight | heavy, extended wear — no mL published | M to XL | cloth-backed | package or case | 18 | 4 packages (72) | $27.49 | $109.96 | $1.527 |
| TENA ProSkin Ultra | maximum — no mL published | M to XL | soft back sheet | package or case | 40 | 2 packages (80) | $56.99 | $113.98 | $1.425 |
| Abena Abri-Form M4 | 3,600 mL (122 oz); the same page also describes it as up to 4 L | M and L | plastic | package or case | 14 | 3 packages (42) | $32.49 | $97.47 | $2.321 |
| CliniEco Medical Day Comfort / Day Pro / Night Plus | 3,000 mL / 4,000 mL / 5,000 mL+ as published per product | M/L across the range | breathable cover | case only | 20 | 6 packages (120) | not listed | $70.80 / $94.80 / $120.00 | $0.590 / $0.790 / $1.000 |
How does the purchasing unit change the cost-per-unit ranking?
It changes it completely. Rank the same listings by case price and the order looks like this: Prevail Super Absorbent at $83.96, then TENA Extra 17" × 24" at $95.88, then Attends Dri-Sorb at $97.35, then NorthShore MagicSorb Air 30" × 36" at $139.96, then NorthShore MagicSorb Air 23" × 36" at $149.95, then Tranquility Heavy-Duty at $188.94.
Rank by cost per pad and the order changes: TENA Extra 17" × 24" at $0.320, TENA Extra 23" × 36" at $0.620, Attends Dri-Sorb at $0.649, Prevail Super Absorbent at $0.840, NorthShore MagicSorb Air 23" × 36" at $2.499, Tranquility Heavy-Duty at $3.149, NorthShore MagicSorb Air 30" × 36" at $3.499.
A listing that ranks fourth on case price ranks last on cost per pad, because its case holds 40 pads, not 150. Any comparison built on the case price column alone will reliably point a care home at the wrong product, in either direction.
Does a case always cost less per unit than a package?
No, and one of the six listings shows it plainly. Prevail Per-Fit briefs at size M are published at $16.99 per package of 20, which is $0.850 per brief, and at $101.94 per case of 80, which is $1.274 per brief. On that listing the case is about fifty per cent dearer per brief than the package. The same supplier's Breezers line is priced consistently in both units at $0.850 per brief, and every other listing in Table 2 divides to the same figure in both columns.
The arithmetic rule that follows is not "buy the case". It is: divide both columns before deciding anything. Volume pricing is common; it is not automatic, and it cannot be assumed from the word "case".
Where the trap sits in a real tender
Take a 100-bed home that uses one underpad per resident per change, four times a day, 365 days a year: 146,000 pads. At the published cost-per-pad figures for the 23" × 36" family in Table 1, the annual supply line runs from $90,462 to $364,883 depending on which listing is bought — a difference produced entirely by absorbency class, not by supplier efficiency.
Now run the same home against the case price column only. TENA Extra 17" × 24" at $95.88 per case looks 14 per cent dearer than Prevail Super Absorbent at $83.96 per case. Per pad, the TENA listing is $0.320 and the Prevail listing is $0.840, so the dearer-looking case is the less costly pad. A tender that scores on case price will reject it.
What should a purchase specification require?
Eight fields make the arithmetic checkable, and all eight are reproducible from a supplier page without negotiation:
- Product name, size in the units the supplier uses, and the country of the page.
- Absorbency as published — value, unit, and whether it is a class descriptor or a measured figure.
- The test method behind any absorbency figure, requested in writing.
- Units per package and packages per case, both stated.
- The smallest purchasable unit, so that a case-only listing is not compared against a package listing.
- Cost per unit at a defined size and absorbency class, in the stated currency, with the reading date.
- Back sheet type and core construction, which drive the class and therefore the price.
- The manufacturer's instructions for use, obtained before the purchase decision rather than after it.
Retain the page, the URL and the reading date with the specification. A comparison table without its source dates is unverifiable six weeks later, which is precisely when a reorder decision is made.
Related reading
- Adult Incontinence Products in Canada vs the United States: What Changes for a Care Home
- Adult Brief Absorbency Numbers Compared: How to Read Ratings Across Brands
- How Do You Store Incontinence Supplies to Pass a Canadian LTC Inspection?
- Case Review: Sorting Incontinence Waste in an Ontario Care Home After an Inspection
- Wholesale and volume ordering for care settings
- CliniEco Medical Adult Underpad, 60 × 90 cm, 500 per case
- CliniEco Medical Day Comfort briefs, 3,000 mL, 120 per case
- CliniEco Medical Night Plus briefs, 5,000 mL, 120 per case
- CliniEco Medical Pull-On briefs, maximum absorbency, 120 per case
- Biological indicator 5-pack trial for sterilizer monitoring
- B2B wholesale collection for clinics and care homes
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can two underpads with the same dimensions have different prices per pad?
Dimensions describe the surface a pad covers, not the volume it holds. Two 30" × 36" pads can differ by several absorbency classes, and the class drives the quantity of super absorbent polymer and fluff pulp. On the pages reviewed here, a 30" × 36" heavy-duty pad is published at $3.149 per pad while a 30" × 30" lighter pad is published at $0.840 per pad.
Can a published millilitre figure be compared between brands?
Only with the test method attached. The suppliers reviewed publish a mix of class descriptors and maximum-absorbency figures, and the page for one product family states both a size-specific value and a larger family figure. Treat a millilitre number as a class indicator, and ask each supplier for the method behind it before using the number in a specification.
Why does one listing show a higher cost per unit for the case than the package?
Because case pricing is a commercial decision, not a mathematical rule. Prevail Per-Fit at size M is published at $16.99 per package of 20 and $101.94 per case of 80, which is $0.850 per brief in packages and $1.274 per brief in cases. Divide both columns before choosing.
How do I compare a case-only listing with a package listing?
Convert both to cost per unit at the same size and absorbency class. A case-only listing that states its unit count converts cleanly; a listing that states only a case price, such as the Medline Sahara underpad page reviewed here at $29.99 with no case count, cannot be converted without asking the supplier for the unit count.
What size underpad fits a standard care bed?
Two sizes dominate the listings reviewed: 23" × 36" (about 58 × 91 cm) and 30" × 36" (about 76 × 91 cm), with 60 × 90 cm used as the metric equivalent of the larger size. Smaller 17" × 24" pads appear in chair and hygiene use. Match the size to the surface being protected and confirm against the product's own instructions.
Should a specification fix the absorbency class before the price?
Yes, if the aim is a defensible comparison. Fixing size and class first turns the exercise into a genuine price comparison; leaving class open lets a lighter product win a tender on price while the actual change frequency, and therefore the real annual cost, rises.
Sources
All supplier pages read on 30 September 2026. Prices are Canadian dollar list prices as published, excluding tax and freight.
- TENA Extra Underpads — package and case listings with pack counts and prices
- Prevail Super Absorbent Underpads — 30" × 30", 25 per package, 4 packages per case
- Attends Dri-Sorb Underpads 23" × 36" — 10 per package, 15 packages per case
- Medline Sahara Extra Absorbent Underpad 24" × 36" — 295 mL (10 oz) published
- Tranquility Heavy-Duty Underpads — 30" × 36", 1,005 mL (34 oz) published
- NorthShore MagicSorb Air Disposable Underpads — sizes L, XL and 2XL with capacities
- NorthShore MEGAMAX Adult Diapers — size table and published capacities
- NorthShore AirSupreme Briefs — size table and published capacities
- Tranquility SmartCore Briefs — size table and published capacities
- Prevail Breezers Briefs — published capacities by size
- Prevail Per-Fit Briefs — package and case listings, 700 mL published
- Attends Overnight Briefs — pack counts and case quantities
- TENA ProSkin Ultra Briefs — 40 per package, 2 packages per case
- Abena Abri-Form White Foil Comfort Briefs — published capacity and pack counts
- FitRight Ultra Briefs — pack and case quantities
- CliniEco Medical Adult Underpad 60 × 90 cm, 500 per case
- CliniEco Medical Day Comfort briefs, 3,000 mL
- CliniEco Medical Day Pro briefs, 4,000 mL
- CliniEco Medical Night Plus briefs, 5,000 mL
- CliniEco Adult Pull-On briefs, maximum absorbency
No supplier was asked to review this comparison, and none paid for inclusion. Where a figure was not published on the page reviewed, the table says so rather than estimating it.
CliniEco Medical distributes medical supplies in Canada under MDEL #35334.
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