A good ostomy wrap can make certain situations with an ostomy a lot easier, and Awestomy! is a brand that’s had a good reputation for making quality wraps.  Today, I’ll be reviewing the men’s ostomy wrap from Awestomy!

UPDATE (May, 2020): Sadly, Awestomy! has closed down their business as of March 22, 2020. They posted on Facebook that they would be selling off their final inventory. Such a shame :(

Video Review

About the Product and My Initial Impressions

I’ve purchased several IBD and Ostomy Awareness shirts from Awestomy! (including the one in the video review), but this was my first warp from them.  This wrap came recommended from an ostomate friend at Ostomy Toronto, so I placed an order from their website, but the nice folks at Awestomy! ended up gifting me the wrap.

When I received my parcel in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised at how nicely everything was packaged.  I’m almost certain that my previous orders had arrived looking this amazing too.

I was even more surprised to see how beautiful and vibrant the printed pattern was on the wrap! Gorgeous!

The wrap comes with two internal pockets, which are great for putting your pouch into regardless if you’ve got a stoma on the left or right side of your abdomen. The idea of having pockets (vs. none like with a maternity band), is that the pockets help to keep the pouch from sticking out the bottom of the wrap, and it offers a level of security too.

This wrap is made of a stretchy material containing “15% spandex/85% nylon blend with the silicone elastic trim 20% silicone, 10% spandex, 70% nylon.” and they come in several sizes (waist size 31-45″) to accommodate just about any body shape, but I decided to order a size smaller than I measured.  While this was intentional, I feel that I should have gone with the proper size. The reason why I wanted a tighter band is that I intend to use the wrap for specific situations, like intimacy or exercise.  Because the tighter fit tends to restrict the flow of my output, wearing this size all day would be annoying (although I’ve already done it on several occasions!).  Keep that in mind if you decide to order one – get the right fit if you want to wear it all day.

The pattern I ordered is called the “Argyle”, and it’s a nice change from the solid colors I’m used to seeing. Awestomy! does offer a few other patterns and some solid colors, but I would love to see more patterns become available.

I will point out that the wrap I have is a “men’s” style, which is straighter on the sides vs. the women’s wraps, which are tapered to accommodate a woman’s figure. The women’s wraps also come in feminine patterns and are available in sizes 27-40″ around the waist (37.5-50.5″ around the hips).

Awestomy! does mention that they can do custom sizes if needed, so that’s something to think about if you fall outside of the stocked sizes.

Comfort and Function

One common complaint that people have when wearing a wrap is that the wrap tends to slip down and bunch up.  Awestomy! has taken steps to help minimize this by adding a nice silicone band along the top rim of the wrap.  This means that the wrap will have less of a tendency to slip down, and I haven’t experienced any issues with it doing so.

As I mentioned, output is restricted with the size I wear, but even properly fitted wraps will restrict the flow of output to some degree for many people with thicker stool.  

This could mean that you’re pushing down on your pouch throughout the day to get things moving to the bottom of your pouch.  

While not a dealbreaker by any means, it is something to consider if you’ve got a high-output stoma with thicker stool.  If you’re an ostomate with thicker stool, I have put together a list of strategies to try HERE.

Because I had ordered this wrap specifically for wearing during sex, I was particularly interested to see how it would look and feel in that situation, and I was not disappointed!  It stays put, looks great and hasn’t caused any issues.

As for wearing the wrap for regular activities, I found it to be really comfortable and never felt like it was bunching up.  The quality is fantastic and you can tell that this product will easily last many years.

Conclusion

At the time of this writing (Feb 2017), the regular price for the Men’s Wrap is US$32.99 with approx. US$11 to shipping in Canada.  Awestomy! often has discount codes for their products, so keep an eye out on their social media pages or website.  Awestomy! does ship their products internationally, but you’ll have to check the rates and whether or not you pay duty on top of that.

If you’re looking for a high-quality ostomy wrap, this one’s a good option.