How to choose the right CSP for you...
This guide will take you through our shapes, lengths and weights to help you make the right choice for your body and flow. There is no one size fits all option with CSP which is why I mostly offer a fully custom pad.
Where to start? If you're completely new I suggest going for one of the smaller bundles these will give you a good grounding and are tailored for 3 flow types (light, moderate and heavy). If you know you like the pads and need to build up your key sizes the triples are a fantastic option. If you are building a stash slowly grab a custom pad we have lots of prints to choose from.
Weight of pad
This is the first of a series of personal choices that will be dependent on what your body and period need. I've included as much information here as I can to help you make an informed choice.
Liner-for spotting or very light flow. Unlike many makers our light pads have a core so they will hold some liquid, making them a great choice for mild incontinence.
Light-for very light to light flow or days when you’re waiting to start. Compared to many other brands the light leans towards light/medium. This conscious choice was made as a lot of ladies I've worked with can be 'blobby' on their lighter days. The slightly more absorbent light pad gives you the security to know you can go for the thinner pad and not worry about leaking.
Medium- moderate absorbency. Suitable for many women’s average days. These are workhorse pads with rapid absorption and a fast drying time. Priced to be accessible especially in the middle lengths. Relatively thin in profile they are great everyday pads.
Heavy- suitable for most women’s heavy days and lighter overnights. A lot of time was spent developing these to be not much thicker than the medium but a lot more absorbent. I personally have a heavy flow and when I started with CSP I was quite resentful of the thickness of heavy pads which for me I use as a medium. For those with lighter flows they are a great night pad in the longer lengths. The hemp in the core really locks away the moisture.
V-Heavy- suitable for overnight wear, post partem and heavy days. Getting into the definite night pad zone. These guys are sturdy and built to take punishment, I put additional top stitching and flow guide channels on these pads to help prevent leaks.
Monster- I salute you sisters it can be grim. This pad has a staggered core to allow for a slimline look without compromising absorbency. Perfect for post partem, overnight and ‘those’ days. As a heavy girl who outbled most of her early 'night' and the 'post partem' pads, I ended up buying a lot of pads that simply weren't heavy enough. I wanted to develop a pad that really catered to heavy girls. The monster weight is that pad. It's been tested post partem. It's been tested with moderate night incontinence and I haven't had it beaten when the right length was selected.
Our pad shape
Our classic shape is a diamond top with square tab wings. In testing this was the shape that stayed put the best and has the lowest visible profile when worn, so we kept it. Some fancy shapes, a specialist heavy bleeder and a curve are currently in development.
The square wings took a lot of finessing. Originally I wanted to keep them all one size to make it easier to adapt the pattern in future. Big thumbs down from testers to that therory. So we have a graded wing width depending on the length of the pad. It makes a lot of sense heavy flow bigger pad, you need more side coverage so the wing gets bigger. 6 and 7 inch pads have a narrower wing. The gentle angle down to the square tab minimises bulk and reduces compression of the underwear.
Width is a tricky area, our standard width is 2.75" in the gusset. This gives a good balance between coverage and comfort and is designed with hand made pants in mind. If you over compress the gusset of your pants your pad is likely to spin or slip backwards and forwards. But too big and it's going to do exactly the same thing. I'm currently working on and testing narrower widths.
The flair, this changes in width as the pad gets bigger. When testing at all the same width the long pads shifted sideways and the short pads were too wide to be comfortable in the gusset. Our 12 and 13 inch pads have an increased flair and the flair on the 6" pad is reduced. This solved the comfort and movement issues and also made the larger pads even better for those who bleed off center at front or back.
Choosing the right length.
The right length will depend on many factors: your height, weight, flow, what kind of pants you wear and last but certainly not least what you personally find comfortable. When starting out measure the length of your most liked disposable pad and use that as a starting point.
Shorter pads are generally better for those who are more petite, have a lighter flow and bleed centrally.
Longer pads are generally better for those who are taller, longer trouser 'rise', have a heavier flow or bleed more at one end than the other.
Active people often find a short pad slips front to back a lot. But also that a long pad can slip to the side so I usually say a mid length pad.
If you're sat for a lot of the day you'll often find you bleed more at one end and even with a very light flow a 7" pad is too short so an 8 or 9 might work better for you.
Horse riders and cyclists, while I'm developing a snap free pad the moment, my personal trick is to get a very long pad and some booty cut pants slide that pad right, right back so the snaps are out of the sit zone and all is well.
