Hovering is a lie. We’ve all done it—the quad-burning, shaky-kneed semi-squat over a questionable gas station toilet seat. It’s exhausting. It’s messy. Honestly, it’s a bit of a workout no one asked for. But there is a better way. Enter the female urination device, or FUD if you’re into acronyms. It’s basically a funnel that lets anyone without a penis pee while standing up. Simple, right? Yet, for some reason, people still treat these things like they're some weird, high-tech secret or a gag gift from a camping store.
They aren't.
If you’ve ever been stuck in a porta-potti at a music festival during a summer heatwave, you know the literal stench of desperation. You're balancing your bag, trying not to touch the walls, and praying your aim is true. A female urination device changes that entire dynamic. You stay zipped up mostly, you stand back, and you let it rip. It’s a game-changer for hikers, travelers, and anyone dealing with restrictive clothing or medical issues that make sitting down a nightmare.
The Logistics of Standing to Pee
Using a female urination device isn't exactly like riding a bike. It's more like learning to use a straw for the first time. There’s a technique. You have to find the right seal against your body. If you pull it too tight, you create a vacuum; too loose, and well, you’re doing laundry. Most experts and long-time users (like those in the through-hiking community on Reddit’s r/AppalachianTrail) suggest practicing in the shower first. It sounds silly. It is silly. But it beats soaking your hiking boots at 10,000 feet because you didn't understand gravity.
Material matters more than you’d think. You usually see two types: rigid plastic and flexible silicone. Brands like the pStyle are made of hard plastic. It doesn't collapse under the pressure of your jeans, which is a massive plus if you’re wearing layers. Then you have the Shewee, another classic, which is also quite firm. On the flip side, the GoGirl is made of medical-grade silicone. It’s soft. It folds up into a tiny tube that fits in a pocket. The downside? If you grip it too hard, you might accidentally collapse the "bowl" and cause an overflow. It’s a trade-off between portability and structural integrity.
Why Is This Still Taboo?
Society has this weird hang-up about female anatomy and "decorum." We’re taught to hide everything. But when you’re in the middle of a marathon or recovering from hip surgery, decorum is the last thing on your mind. In the medical world, these devices are often called "urinals" and are lifesavers for patients who can't easily get to a bathroom. Why should the outdoors be any different?
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The reality is that "the woods" don't care about your gender. Ticks, however, do care about how much skin you expose. When you use a female urination device, you aren't dropping your pants to your ankles. You’re barely exposing anything. That means less chance of poison ivy in places you really don't want it, fewer bug bites, and way more privacy if a fellow hiker rounds the bend unexpectedly.
Choosing Your Weapon: pStyle vs. Shewee vs. GoGirl
Let's get into the weeds of the actual products because they aren't created equal. The pStyle is often the gold standard for people who actually use these daily. Why? Because it’s an open-top design. It’s basically a half-pipe. You can’t "overflow" it because there’s no enclosed funnel to back up. Plus, you can use the edge to "flick" or "wipe," which means you can potentially skip the toilet paper—a huge win for Leave No Trace principles.
The Shewee is British-born and very popular, but it has a narrower outlet. If you have a high-flow situation, you have to pace yourself. It’s more discreet, though. It’s thin and fits easily through the fly of most pants.
Then there’s the GoGirl. It’s the one you’ll most likely see at a pharmacy or a Target. It’s flexible silicone. Great for packing, but it requires a bit more "hands-on" management to ensure the seal stays tight against your skin. If you’re wearing a lot of winter gear, the GoGirl can be a bit of a struggle because the fabric of your clothes might push against the soft silicone and break the seal.
- pStyle: Best for beginners and heavy clothing.
- Shewee: Best for narrow pant flies and discreet use.
- GoGirl: Best for ultralight backpacking where space is everything.
- Tinkle Belle: A hybrid that has a hard plastic shell but a soft silicone "landing zone" for comfort.
Real Talk About Hygiene
"Isn't it gross to carry a pee-funnel around?"
Honestly, no. Most of these are made from hydrophobic materials. The urine literally beads off. You give it a shake, maybe a quick rinse with a water bottle, and pop it into a dedicated bag. Many come with a little wet bag or a plastic case. It’s no grosser than carrying a used water bottle or a sweaty gym shirt. If you're really worried, a quick wipe with a biodegradable wet wipe or a spray of diluted vinegar/alcohol does the trick.
The Accessibility Angle
We often frame the female urination device as a "backcountry" tool, but its impact on accessibility is huge. Think about people with limited mobility. Think about someone with severe arthritis who finds it agonizing to sit and stand repeatedly. Or think about trans men or non-binary folks who might feel safer using a stall while standing up. These devices provide a level of bodily autonomy that a standard toilet sometimes fails to offer.
Even in urban settings, they have a place. Have you seen the lines for the women’s restroom at a stadium? They’re legendary. Some festivals have started introducing "female urinals"—essentially kiosks where you use your FUD to pee quickly and move on, bypassing the stalls entirely. It’s a logistical revolution.
The "Wipe" Factor
This is the question everyone asks but no one wants to say out loud: "Do I still need toilet paper?"
If you use a device like the pStyle, you can actually use the firm edge of the device to "scrape" (gentle, people!) excess moisture away as you pull it forward. It’s surprisingly effective. For the funnel-style devices, you might still want a "pee rag" (like a Kula Cloth) or a square of TP. But even then, the amount of mess is drastically reduced. You’re not dealing with the "splashback" that often happens when you try to hover-squat.
Overcoming the Learning Curve
You will probably pee on yourself once.
It’s the rite of passage. Usually, it happens because you didn't check the angle. Gravity is your boss here. If the spout is pointing up or even level, the liquid follows the path of least resistance—which is straight back into your underwear. You have to aim down. You also need to make sure your clothing isn't bunching up under the device, which can break the seal.
Another pro tip: Don't wait until your bladder is bursting to use it for the first time. The pressure makes it harder to control your "flow rate," and you’re more likely to panic if things go sideways. Try it at home, in the comfort of your bathroom, wearing your favorite hiking leggings. Once you trust the device, the anxiety vanishes.
Practical Steps for Your First FUD Experience
If you're ready to stop hovering and start standing, here is how you actually get started without making a mess of your life.
- Pick a rigid device first. Unless you are an absolute pro at managing silicone, start with a pStyle or a Tinkle Belle. The hard plastic is much more forgiving when you’re trying to navigate zippers and layers of fabric.
- The Shower Test. Hop in the shower, keep your clothes off, and just see how the device fits against your anatomy. Every body is different. You need to know exactly where to "dock" the device to catch everything.
- Check your fly. Some pants have short zippers. If you can’t get the device through the fly comfortably, you’ll have to pull your pants down a bit anyway. Look for "adventure" pants with longer zippers or just be prepared to shimmy them down to mid-hip.
- Carry a "Pee Kit." Get a small waterproof bag. Put your female urination device in there, along with a small travel pack of tissues and a bottle of hand sanitizer. If you’re hiking, add a Kula Cloth (an antimicrobial pee rag) to the outside of your pack.
- Don't overthink the "Look." People in the outdoors generally don't care. If they see you standing near a tree, they’ll just assume you’re a guy or a very prepared woman. Either way, it’s a non-issue.
The freedom of being able to pee anywhere—behind a thin tree, in a cramped airplane bathroom, or at a filthy dive bar—is hard to overstate. It’s one of those things you don't realize you needed until you have it. Once you cross that bridge, the idea of hovering over a public toilet ever again seems downright prehistoric.
Stop punishing your quads. Get a funnel. Your knees will thank you.
Next Steps:
- Check the material of your favorite hiking pants to see if they have enough stretch or a long enough zipper for a rigid device.
- Look into the Kula Cloth as a sustainable companion to your new urination device to eliminate the need for carrying out used toilet paper.
- If you're traveling soon, research the "Lapee" or other female-centric urinal setups that are becoming common at European festivals.