Pulpless absorbent cores and methods of manufacture are disclosed. A method of forming a pulpless absorbent core may comprise moving a foraminous forming surface having un-masked portions and masked portions in a machine direction, the un-masked portions defining an absorbent core region. The method may further comprise depositing particulate material at a velocity of less than 1200 meters per minute in the absorbent core region while applying a vacuum. The absorbent core region may comprise: a front core region spanning a first half of the absorbent core region and a rear core region spanning a second half, wherein the front core region trails the rear core region in the machine direction, and the masked portions of the foraminous forming surface block airflow through the forming surface to cause greater than 60% of the particulate material deposited in the absorbent core region to locate in the front core region.