As a women with a extreme tipped uterus, tampons have been taboo for me from the begining, the few times i tried I could pop that sucker out in 15 minutes flat...no kidding ..without some kind of pants on, I bet I could shoot that thing out 10 feet.I would move and it just came out..I tried short, long paper, plastic..at 46 years old, i have seen all sorts and everytime just hoping one would work. Even my ob told me she could see where it would not work on me.
Periods are gross period but I have found that if i put the pad right on the bike shorts and they are the ultra thin, it really is not so bad. When I stop to go to a bathroom they pack very nicely in the camelback or the tour pack. I also bring wipes and pooff I feel normal again.
Before I bought bike shorts and I would spin at the gym, I started when I had my period and found that the pading was kinda like the bike shorts..i used the thicker ones for 2 months to see if I really liked the class and the class led to the shorts and shoes and the shorts and shoes led to the bike etc etc.
Just my 2 cents..