What interesting threads I found with “urination” as a search term, yet none relevant to my question. I’m planning to buy an FUD (example: GoGirl) for an upcoming trip that promises more, oh, let’s say rustic sanitary conditions than most I’ve enjoyed. I’ve read the reviews of various brands on Amazon, but I’d like to know if any of you have used and have recommendations for or vehement warnings against any of these possibly utilitarian yet possibly splashy devices. Thanks.
Just a suggestion: Why don’t you just pee while squatting without touching the toilet seat?
Presumably you would have to wash/ sanitize this device after using and if the conditions are less than ideal that might also prove difficult.
You would have to squat to poop anyway, wouldn’t you? (Or am I missing something?)
Plus: free thigh workout!
That’s of course an option, but not what I’m talking about. For various reasons, I’d prefer not to drop trou. And there may be toilets, but I’ve already been told that the fanciest in town has no seat.
I can only relate the sage advice of a lady friend of mine: “When peeing into a beer bottle, leave an air gap so the bottle doesn’t fart.”
Likely irrelevant to the devices you’re asking about, I suppose, but who knows? It might be handy to know.
They are 10 bucks apiece and meant for single use? Iirc there are also paper ones.
Because it’s ten times easier, and one tenth as messy, to pee while standing up using a “feminine funnel.” And maybe there’s no toilet seat to not touch – these things are great for camping and such.
Sanitizing is not an issue (urine tends to be sterile). Rinsing and/or wiping every so often is good, but is not required with every single use.
Sure, but most folks need to pee much more often than they need to poop. No reason not to make it more comfortable whenever possible.
Well, can’t beat that.
Everyone online agrees the cardboard ones are ineffective. The GoGirl isn’t meant for single-use–elsewhere they talk about being able to use one for years–but I imagine in some medical/contamination situations one might want to dispose of it. That doesn’t seem to be at all the norm, though.
If you’re hovering, it doesn’t really matter if we are talking about a toilet with / without a seat or even a turkish squat toilet. And I’ve never even considered doing anything other that squatting down somewhere secluded when camping!
Obviously this is subjective, but to me it using that funnel seems ten times (unnecessarily) fussier.
You’re right about that.
You don’t need to drop them all the way to the floor , just keep them around your knees (whether sitting or hovering).
But whatever is most convenient for you, obviously.
No experience with them, but in years of living among some of the worst toilets and non-toilets in the world, I don’t think I’ve ever missed not having one. I do tend to wear skirts, however, which are much better adapted to the task- more coverage, less risk of misdirected spray, quicker up and down. If you aren’t completely opposed to them, I’d highly recommend packing a few.
Sadly, our systems’ function best sans clothing. Design flaw.
Can you not trust the people around you if you drop your drawers?
If you can I would suggest you take your own toilet seat with you.
Or perhaps there is an inflatable one available?
I have never used one but would be interested in having one for camping. I looked at the GoGirl on Amazon and some people who had poor reviews of that recommended the Pstyle. The Pstyle has slightly higher over-all ratings and a lot fewer reviews less than a rating of 4 or 5. The Pstyle looks more error proof.
My wife says: After years and years of camping and canoeing with a funnel as part of my gear, I “don’t leave home without it.” She finds it wonderfully convenient to stay standing, only have to drop the pants a short way, and be able to aim a stream (just like the guys do).
I suspect those who don’t imagine it would be helpful really don’t know what they’re missing.
I’m asking for experiences from people who have used these devices, not alternatives to using them. I already know the alternatives, and they’re unsatisfactory for this situation.
I am short. Hovering is difficult without the backs of my legs/pants hitting disgusting surfaces as I try to position far enough over the aperture. I have never been successful at keeping my pants at knee level because I need all of my height to hover far enough back–they hit the disgusting floor/ground.
Would that formal squats were likely to be available. I’m perfectly fine with an enclosed squat.
I’m a middle-aged woman who takes a diuretic blood pressure medication. I’m going to be on a foreign construction site, surrounded by strange male adults in a macho culture, and my own students. The site is likely to be without good cover, with low privacy, and reportedly nasty toileting options. I do not want to be functionally pulling my pants off and squatting pantsless every 2 hours under these conditions.
Quite aside from the particular trip that inspires me to want to try one of these, I do spend time in places where there simply are no public toilets, or there’s poison ivy or mosquitoes, or stepping off the path greatly increases the risk of stepping on a landmine.
scareyfaerie, what do you like about the design of the SheePee?
ETA: Thanks, GaryT, and thanks to your wife.
Zulema, when you say “more error-proof,” what aspect(s) of construction are you referring to?
I bought my best friend a Freshette. It is made of hard plastic, which has two advantages: you can hold it in place with one hand, and the hard plastic does not absorb stuff. The tube slides into the body for more compact storage. The biggest downside is that the edge that you place against your soft parts is not rolled, so it might be a little uncomfortable, but I suppose you could buy some quarter-inch plastic tubing at the hardware store, slit it and place it over the edge for cushioning. I understand they also make or made a model with a 3’ tube for wheel-chair-bound women – you might just put the thing in your pants with the tube running down your leg, like one of those things guys use at sporting events, though you would probably still have to hold it in place to use it.
Alternately, you could look up the numerous guides on the 'net on how to pee standing up without the aid of a device, I understand some women become quite adept at it.
Oh, I do have some experience with this one. I love my pstyle for backpacking. I find it really easy to use. The best way I can explain it I think is the hard plastic makes it easy to hold properly. It doesn’t fold up like some others but I find pockets it can fit in.
I tried the GoGirl first and couldn’t really make it work. The flexible plastic had to be held just right and I couldn’t get the hang of it, so that went in the trash. It does have some good reviews, so maybe it works for others, don’t know.
So yeah, I’d suggest trying the pstyle. It takes a little practice, but not too much. They come in different colors too, which is nifty. I feel like I’m heading into oversharing territory if I go on about it but if you have other questions I’ll answer if I can.
I guess these things are for those situations when you have fear, uncertainty, and/or doubt that you will be able to reach a real toilet in time.
Yeah, like when the nearest building is a several-hour hike away.
I actually recently bought a GoGirl and I would totally recommend one.
My situation is a little different. I have an illness that caused me some severe muscle wasting, especially in the hips, so getting off the toilet is really hard (well, basically nearly-to-completely-impossible on some toilets without assistive gear like toilet risers, and it is basically impossible to tell I’d be in trouble until I’m already sitting and it’s too late to decide on a new tactic). Toilet risers and rails are nice at home, but they are a BEAST to travel with. They’re huge, awkward, difficult to handle, not discreet at all, and basically a giant pain. I was taking a trip with a couple of men, and the thought of having to deal with this every time I needed to pee (and being on a diuretic to boot) was basically causing me so much anxiety that it was going to be hard to enjoy the trip. I did not want to risk getting stuck on a toilet, but I also didn’t want to risk the significant chance of getting the riser stuck on the toilet (you’d think they’d make them easier for disabled people to use, but it took significant hand strength to put it on and take it off) and have to call a guy friend in to help with that either. Or falling down while trying to wrestle with the stupid thing, or whatever.
Right before the trip, I had the revelation that I could just go standing up if I got one of these. I only had a chance to try it once to practice, but even though I’m frail, it worked really awesome and I’m totally happy I bought it. I now carry it everywhere, so public bathrooms are once again something I can handle without a giant pack of equipment (well, if I need to pee, anyway).
I didn’t try to use this without partially dropping trou so I can’t really attest how that would work, but I did find that it was easy for me to use. Do practice a bit before you go as there is a bit of technique, but even for ol’ gimpy like me (weak, severe hand dexterity problems), I could handle it ok. I know some others have had trouble, but for me it worked like a charm. Maybe it’s your anatomy.
It also is soft and flexible, so you can roll it up and put it in a pocket pretty discreetly. It comes with a bag to store it in, plus it comes in a tube – getting it back in the tube all the way is slightly hard, but I didn’t always bother with it.
The one thing I’d caution you is to control your flow a bit as it is possible to overflow the thing if your bladder is really really full. So I’d advise going frequently, if possible.
Anyway, it’s cheap, so I’d say get one and try it for awhile at home. For me, I think it’s awesome. I wish I had known about it a long time ago, it would have saved me a lot of anguish, intentionally going thirsty to avoid using the restroom in strange places, and bad/frustrating bathroom experiences over the last couple years.
Best user name / topic of the day.