Five women trialled 'period underwear'. This is their verdict.

First there were Pads. Then their cooler sister Tampon hit the scene, before being followed by her edgier, more daring cousin, Moon Cup.

Now, there are Period Undies, and I think I’m too confused, hormonal and tired to even know what to think. I mean, when did my menstrual cycle become difficult to shop for?

Anyway – back to the period underwear. These bad boys claim to be super absorbent, leak-resistant and washable. While you can’t buy them at your supermarket, you can get your mitts on a pair online, cutting out the perpetual last-minute dash to Woolies forever.

There’s just one problem, though. Do they actually work?

Luckily, CHOICE (the leading consumer advocacy group in Australia) has done all the hard work for us – and got five women to put the superhero undies to the test.

Will they leak?

While one woman said “I didn’t have any leaks and they were pretty comfortable [without a cup or tampon],” not everyone agreed.

Two of the five women had leakage, describing the washable undies as a “great backup”, adding “I would never rely on them as a first line of defence!”

Another agreed - the undies were handy for "another barrier of protection", but should be used in conjunction with other items, like a tampon or a menstrual cup.

"They were a particular success on those last few days that don't warrant a tampon," a trialist said.

Will they keep me fresh and dry?

Most of the women were pleasantly surprised by the texture of the period undies, however some of the comments don't sound too appealing.

One woman said the undies are "much more comfortable than a pad", but another described them as feeling "soggy" all day.

Because the underwear are super absorbent, they take an average of 48 hours to dry, and can't be put in the dryer.

Will they save me money?

When it comes to your bank account, it's not 100 percent clear if period undies are the friendlier option.

One pair of ModiBodi underpants (one of the brands the women tried) will cost you between AUS$25 and $35. Given the time it takes for them to dry, CHOICE says each woman would likely require six pairs over three days and nights if using them in isolation.

Given that the average woman spends between $60 and $120 per year on disposable options, it largely boils down to how long the underpants last for. While some women have commented they've used ModiBodi for over a year, another told the company her pairs began to fray after six months.

Ultimately, it sounds like a couple of pairs are handy to have as back-ups, or for those "I don't know if I still have my period or not" days. But if it's Day Two, you might want to keep your maxi pads/super tampons/moon cups handy just in case.

Have you used period undies before? What did you think of them?