Female Urinary Device: FUD

I know some women like them….but honestly it isn't that hard to pee while out and about. The only time I can see needing help is if one was mtneering and in a harness. But for hiking? No thank you. That is why we have leg muscles!
My other thing is I have NO desire to ever pee in a tent with my husband, kids or anyone else in attendance. My husband doesn't pee in a bottle when he is in there…he gets up as well. There is something to be said about getting up at 2 am, stretching and looking at the stars up high.

But hey, if it works for her that is good!

My wife has always said that it wasn’t that hard to pee in the woods while out hiking. Many female friends have said the same thing. I’m an unlikely advocate of menstrual cups and IUD/IUS, and what I’ve gathered that many of those who have problems peeing in the woods would also have issues using an assistive device for peeing. Some female friends have had problems because of body shape, flexibility, or technique that make it hard to pee in the woods without making a mess, and I could see this as being great for them.

My wife also has no desire to pee in the tent. I’m not allowed to pee into a bottle the tent with her around, and don’t bring it up on trips with other friends or by myself.

There is something to be said for getting up and out of the tent in the middle of the night… but if it’s cold (<35 F), snowy, or wet outside I’d rather use a bottle personally. Not to cause any topic drift!

I tried one back in the 80's, for a trip overseas. I found it to require a lot more mess and work than just squatting (more cleaning/drying of myself required, plus cleaning the device!).

My wife was and still is not too keen about dropping trou in the middle of the woods near a trail. She'd take a long hike and find a big tree. I bought her a sani-fem and she greatly prefers it. It doesn't seem to be all that messy. It's made of a hygroscopic plastic. She shakes it dry and seals it in in the storage bag it came with.

Going outside may be preferable to peeing in a tent, but if hammocks have a draw back, it's the level of difficulty I have getting settled in. I much prefer using a pee bottle to getting out of my bag and putting my boots on. Recently I spent 12 hours riding out a winter storm in my hang. I really appreciated that pee bottle then too.

I've used one for several hikes and love it – not for staying in the tent at night, but for those occasions when:
-the trails too narrow with no dense bushes but you can get away with standing behind a tree
– there's clouds of mosquitoes and you don't want to expose more flesh than you absolutely have to, especially non Deet covered flesh
– squatting with a full pack on may mean falling over backwards or never being able to get up again
– speed is essential

But definitely try out different kinds first, I use the Freshette but others I've tried have been a damp disaster….

I had a Freshette (I use some silicone thing now, lighter and easier to clean), but my then-15 year-old daughter was too grossed out/ embarrassed even to consider it when we were training for a hike in Glacier. We were at Devil's Lake State Park in WI–this has trails on high, vertical bluffs above a deep glacier-carved bowl/valley. At the high point of the bluffs, she looked over the side and suddenly demanded the Freshette–"I want to pee off a cliff!" After that, she was a convert.

Guys, I can not believe you're talking about how your wives pee in the woods?

edit, I didn't word it correctly

Adam – Why not? Everybody pees, including while backpacking. Even girls! Don't mean to shock you, just FYI. :)

Check the names- half of the posters in this thread are women, and the other half are relaying input from their better half.

Arron, you are correct, I didn't word it correctly the first time. Personally I don't think talking about how ones wife pees in the woods should be public, is there no respect anymore, leave it up to the wife to post if she wants it known.

Yes, I noticed the names and noted that some are women, my comment was not directed to the women.

I think it's fine, as long as they don't refer to them as " the wife"…..

As for me, I have not tried any of these devices yet, but I would gladly minimize the number of times I can potentially be caught with my pants down.
Snow camping and any other serious weather, I would also welcome being able to take care of business without having to leave my shelter.

"…as long as they don't refer to them as " the wife"….."

Good point, I agree.

Still don't think talking about the way my spouse pees in the woods is something to discuss on an open forum. Maybe it's just me and the way I was raised.

Carry on while I go pee. :^D

"Still don't think talking about the way my spouse pees in the woods is something to discuss on an open forum."

Noted. Which is why you don't. Other folks, and their wives, think differently. Which is why they do. Now, I'm not married, I just love commenting on things that don't pertain to me.

Most female Shasta mountaineering guides that I know use a Freshette. Some of the reasons:
-The guides don't moon the clients when there is no place to be modest, which is most of the mountain.
-It is more stable to stand than squat, on steep slopes
-It is obviously much easier to pee when wearing a harness. Often they wear a harness all day, even though they only use it some of the time.
-They expose less skin to the cold air.

I can see that it would also be useful when backpacking on highly trafficked trails, skiing, and travel.