What exactly is wicking?

[Gabes Mommy]

Okay mamas, I hear referrences to wicking all the time, but I'm not completely sure what it is. Is it leaking out the top and legs of the diapers? Help me out!

[Rose-Roget]

I'm new to cd'ing, so I'll be watching this. I thought wicking, in general, meant pulling the moisture away, so that they feel dryer. I'll wait for an expert to weigh-in, though! lol

[inky leeuhhh]

to me wicking means when moisture sort of seeps through making the outside feel damp. not sure if thats the official definition tho lol.

[EmmalinesMom]

Wicking can be good, in the sense that a microfleece liner can wick away moister into the soaker of the diaper.

It can also be bad, in terms of diapers or wetbags becoming damp when they shouldn't. If your diaper is wicking around the legs, it means that the leg area gets damp to the touch. Wetbags can wick at the seams if the PUL needs to be re-sealed. (Pop it in the dryer for 15 minutes to help re-seal the PUL.)

[Error_kitten]

Another example of wicking is say when you put a diaper cover over a PF and part of the diaper sticks out of the leg or top, it will act like a wick and get urine all over whatever fabric was touching the diaper.
Basically to wick or wicking is just transferring a liquid through fabric or fibers of some sort.

[Gabes Mommy]

So basically it's where the fabric slowly absorbs/leaks the liquid? In contrast to a fast or sudden leak? Thanks mamas!