Pressure Smart XD1900 is a Merino wool pad, not a sheepskin: wool shorn from the sheep is knitted into a backing at a density of more than 1,900 grams per square meter, while an Australian medical sheepskin is a tanned hide made to the AS4480.1 standard. Both give a deep, dense wool surface that reduces pressure, moisture and shear, and both come in urine-resistant versions. The differences are in the evidence, the sizes, how they wash and dry, and the cost. Down-Under Wool has sold medical sheepskins since 1988 and stocks both, so this guide compares them side by side to help you choose.
What is Pressure Smart XD1900?
Pressure Smart XD1900 is a wool fleece made by knitting Merino wool into a backing material on a Sliverknit machine, at a pile density of more than 1,900 g of wool per square meter; the number in the name comes from that density. The pile is about 30 mm (1.2 inches) deep, and the maker describes the density as nearly double that of most sheepskins. You can recognize XD1900 by its royal blue or natural color.
Because it is made from shorn wool rather than a hide, XD1900 can be made in shapes and sizes a sheepskin can't, from wheelchair armrest pads to a full 30" x 60" bed overlay. The whole range is on our Pressure Smart XD1900 page.
How is XD1900 different from a medical sheepskin?
The main difference is that a medical sheepskin is a natural hide tested to a published standard, while XD1900 is a manufactured wool fabric that can be made larger and dried faster. Side by side:
| Pressure Smart XD1900 | Australian medical sheepskin (AS4480.1) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Merino wool knitted into a backing | Tanned sheepskin with the wool left on |
| Wool | more than 1,900 g/m², about 30 mm pile | dense, even pile; 30 mm on our M102C |
| Standard and evidence | Maker's pressure mapping; no published trial we know of | Made to AS4480.1; randomized trials in hospitals and nursing homes |
| Urine resistant | yes | yes, when graded HiTemp UR |
| Washing | machine wash in Woolskin, gentle or wool cycle | machine wash in Woolskin, up to 80°C (176°F) for HiTemp |
| Drying | in the dryer, low heat, until nearly dry | air dry about 24 hours; some can be machine dried on low heat |
| Bed overlay sizes | 26" x 40" and 30" x 60" | 24" x 36" (rectangular) and about 38" x 24–26" (natural shape) |
| Color | royal blue or natural | green |
| Cost | lower, size for size | higher |
Which has the better evidence?
The Australian medical sheepskin has the stronger evidence, because it has been tested in randomized trials. In a trial of 441 hospital patients, 9.6% of those on the sheepskin developed a new pressure ulcer, compared with 16.6% on usual care, and a pooled analysis of three trials with 1,281 patients found sacral pressure ulcers in 5.4% on the sheepskin and 12.2% of controls. Those trials used sheepskins made to AS4480.1; read the AS4480.1 standard explained for what that means.
XD1900 is newer, and we know of no published clinical trial of it. Its maker, Shear Comfort, reports pressure-mapping results showing that XD1900 reduces pressure more than most medical sheepskins, and it stopped making a sheepskin version of its Cushion-It seat pad because the XD1900 version performed better on those maps. That is useful evidence, but it is the manufacturer's own testing, not a trial with patients.
Either way, neither product is a treatment. If someone is at high risk or already has a pressure sore, ask their nurse or doctor which support surface they need.
Which is easier to wash and dry?
XD1900 is easier to wash and dry: it goes in the washing machine and then the dryer on low heat, so it is back in use sooner. A medical sheepskin is also machine washable, and a HiTemp sheepskin can be washed hot, up to 80°C (176°F), to disinfect it, but it dries more slowly; air drying takes about 24 hours. That's why many caregivers who choose sheepskin keep two or three.
For both, wash in Woolskin, which cleans, conditions and disinfects the wool, and take the product out of the dryer while it is still slightly damp; wool does best with about 15% moisture left in it. Our HiTemp UR sheepskins and the Superior Overlay XD are each warranted for 50 washes in Woolskin when the care instructions are followed. Full steps: how to wash and care for sheepskin.
Which sizes and products are available?
Both come in bed overlays and foot-of-the-bed pads; XD1900 also covers chairs, wheelchairs and elbows:
| Use | XD1900 option | Sheepskin option |
|---|---|---|
| Bed, shoulders to below the buttocks | XD1900 Overlay (M102XD), 26" x 40" | M102C, 24" x 36"; M102, about 38" x 24–26" |
| Bed, head to toe | Superior Overlay XD (SC104XD), 30" x 60" | Superior Overlay HiTemp UR (SC104), 30" x 60", sewn from 3–4 sheepskins; currently out of stock |
| Feet and ankles in bed | Pressure Care Assistant (M103XD), 12" x 26" with mattress flaps | Medical Sheepskin Heel Pad (M112) |
| Wheelchair or chair seat and back | Cushion-It (M105XD), 18" x 22" | Healthcare Lambskin (M101), about 30" x 40" (not UR) |
| Wheelchair armrests | Armrest Supports (SC125XD), pair | HiTemp Arm Pads (M125G), pair |
| Elbows | XD1900 Elbow Protector (SC110B) | — |
Both also come as sets: the XD Pressure Sore Prevention Package (M104XD) and the HiTemp Bedsore Prevention Package (M104A) each pair an overlay with the M103XD foot pad and a bottle of Woolskin. Compare them on our bedsore prevention packages page.
Which should you choose?
Choose a medical sheepskin if you want the product with clinical trial evidence; choose XD1900 if fast drying, a larger size or a lower cost matters more. In practice:
- You want what was tested in the trials: an AS4480.1 HiTemp UR sheepskin such as the M102C.
- Washing is frequent and there's no time to air dry: XD1900, which goes in the dryer.
- Whole-body protection in bed: the 30" x 60" SC104XD, which covers the body from head to toe.
- A wheelchair user: the XD1900 Cushion-It for the seat and back, plus armrest supports.
- Incontinence: either, as long as the sheepskin is graded UR; see urine-resistant vs non-urine-resistant wool products.
- Moving between bed and chair: the natural-shape M102 sheepskin transfers easily; so does the M102XD.
- Comfort on a sofa for a continent user: the soft Healthcare Lambskin.
Still unsure? Our medical sheepskin buyer's checklist covers density, washability and size, and best mattress topper for bed sores compares wool with foam and air.
How do you get the most from either one?
You get the most from either by lying or sitting directly on the wool, day and night: the protection comes from the wool, so for the best effect don't cover it with a sheet. Shake it now and then to lift the pile. Put a waterproof "blue pad" underneath if incontinence is an issue, since urine resistant doesn't mean waterproof. For placement on the bed, see how to use sheepskin for bed sores; the same layout works for an XD1900 overlay.
XD1900 vs sheepskin FAQs
Is Pressure Smart XD1900 a sheepskin?
No. XD1900 is real Merino wool, but it is shorn from the sheep and knitted into a backing; a sheepskin is a tanned hide with the wool still attached. The two look and feel similar, and after five or more washes we have found XD1900 looks and behaves much like a medical sheepskin.
Is XD1900 urine resistant?
Yes. XD1900 overlays are urine resistant and suitable for incontinent users, and the Cushion-It is not adversely affected by urine or feces. Use a waterproof pad underneath to protect the mattress.
Can you put XD1900 in the dryer?
Yes, on low heat with low agitation. Take it out before it is completely dry and finish drying it over a chair or rack.
What color is Pressure Smart XD1900?
Royal blue or natural. Australian medical sheepskins of the HiTemp grade are green.
Is a wool pad good for bed sores?
A dense wool pad reduces pressure, moisture and shear, the three main causes of pressure sores, so it is a good surface for prevention. The randomized trial evidence is for the AS4480.1 medical sheepskin. For an existing sore, ask a nurse or doctor.
Which is cheaper, XD1900 or sheepskin?
XD1900 is cheaper size for size. The 30" x 60" Superior Overlay XD costs considerably less than a sheepskin overlay of the same size, which has to be sewn from three or four hides.
The short version
Pressure Smart XD1900 is a dense knitted Merino wool pad; an Australian medical sheepskin is a tanned hide made to AS4480.1. The sheepskin has the clinical trial evidence; XD1900 has a higher wool density, larger sizes, dryer-safe washing and a lower price. Both are urine resistant and both work best directly under the skin, day and night. Questions about which suits your situation? Contact us; we've been helping caregivers since 1988.
