urination device for women kayakers?

well you know men…
…“dirty” is a relative term.

this has been most informative
I am going to eeek one more season out of my old drysuit - which has no zipper to pee… I have evolved the mantra - if ya gotta pee ya gotta pee and I have been able to do so in some of the most unlikely circumstances. The only thing that worries me is not the convenience of peeing- but having to possibly take layers off in bad weather (rain) and getting my underlayers wet, and thus getting chilled. I don’t think I like the idea of the full butt zipper. But, will keep an open mind as I make my decision on where to have a zipper.

that’s the real issue
“The only thing that worries me is not the convenience of peeing- but having to possibly take layers off in bad weather (rain) and getting my underlayers wet, and thus getting chilled.”



The above is the real issue - not the time it takes to do it although SOMETIMES if it takes too long, I no longer would need to stop:) Really though, there are times and places where taking off your pfd, opening the drysuit and pulling it down enough to squat or use some sort of FUD (female urinary device), you have compromised your ability to stay warm and dry.


Pulling the suit down?

– Last Updated: Mar-23-10 9:42 AM EST –

Do you mean that, if the suit does not have a drop seat, then then the suit has to be opened up for other functions than those suited to a FUD? I can't imagine why anyone would fully open up a suit to use a FUD with a p-zip. At least, I never have.

I also can't see how you'd use a FUD unless there was a p-zip. I know there are legends that it is possible in some manufacturer's suits to dispense with the p-zip because the main zipper runs lower, but I've never personally met anyone who could do that. I've met a few who have tried.

At the point we are talking that level of exposure, the only solution for both genders is a suit with both drop seat and p-zip, as some people have used for major expeditions. But if it is of help, I usually have a huge cag over the top of me when I open up the top of my dry suit. I often do that to vent sweat at lunch break. So I am still pretty protected, even with the suit open.

Same here, and don’t forget the skirt
I have no pee zip on my drysuit. This means I have to remove the PFD and sprayskirt, open the main zipper, plus extract myself from neck gasket and one wrist gasket.



My poncho over all would take care of the exposure problem, but doing the above under it is a fussier affair than I care to undertake.



It’s a good thing that wetsuits are an option for many places here, at least in summer. Then again, the long ones are a PITA to peel off for peeing. I haven’t been able to bring myself to just pee in the suit.

So no drop seat either then?

– Last Updated: Mar-23-10 11:04 AM EST –

Sorry ladies, but I am still confused. My own experience is that a drop seat handles both usual functions for women without taking down the suit, a FUD and only having to open the p-zip handles one function (also keeps you from getting wet or chilled), and neither a drop seat nor a p-zip means dropping the suit for both functions.

For guys, the preferred way to handle full service would be having both a p-zip and a drop seat.

Is that what everyone is saying?

I am mostly hitting on this one for those who may be new to dry suits. If I was one of those folks reading the last few posts, I'd be fairly confused about what was possible with what type of opening.

Right
No zipper other than the main suit zipper. Too bad we can’t pee through a finger!

my response was to beckt
Celia -my response was to beckt who is eeking out the year in an old suit without any relief zipper.



Of course no one needs to remove the suit when they have access to a relief zipper. I was agreeing that the removal of a suit to pee is and then getting cold is more the issue than the time or inconvenience.



Suz

ha ha ha … i agree! no more problems!

Freshette and sitting
OK - I have an answer to this one from a paddle yesterday. Replace boat with car, but I was careful to really note how things matched up with possible positions in a kayak.

(1) Freshette is likely a Not Plausible while fully sitting in a kayak, in a dry suit. (terminology stolen from Myth Busters)

(2) It DOES work sitting if you can introduce a relatively small amount of angle and gravity. Like by sitting up a bit on the rear deck of the boat. Comfort at doing this may need to be acquired, but it is a useful skill to be able to climb around on your boat.



Obviously this is not an option for challenged conditions, but then again neither is pulling your skirt to start with. If you need stabilization, and have a paddling partner with whom you are fairly comfortable, you could even ask then to hold your boat facing away from the cockpit for modesty.

.
30 replies on this one…really? How about just dont suck down 3 mocha lattes before going kayaking? Why do chicks always have to go to the bathroom? I’m pretty sure women and men have the same size bladders, guys aren’t always sitting cross-legged and asking for you to find a place so they can pee. Cmon. Just paddle over to shore and find a bush to go behind. Special cloths, with special zippers, urine containers, self composting female urine fresh wipes. Just take a leak before you go, go easy on the green tea with rose hips while you’re paddling around out there, and if ya have to go you’re never too far from a shore with bushes, woods, etc.

A viable option for long paddles
http://tinyurl.com/yktw9ck



Just toss the end over the gunwale every couple of hours, or can leave over gunwale for a constant trickle method.



Might want a dose or two of Bactrim before the paddle trip to wipe out those little creepers that might use the catheter as a slippin’ slide and get up in your undercarriage, if you know what I mean.


Better idea
You cool it on the stereotypes.

There are paddling situations where a bush isn’t near by.

Men have larger bladders than women do
Get educated.

Mjflores , dude, you just brought some
major karma down on yourself! Obviously, you are not yet into your fifties or sixties . . . but when you get there, you will have a compassionate understanding of this discussion.



Your day is c o m i n g . . .

.
Uhoh… :frowning:

This may be the place to confess this…
While paddling on Florida Bay out of Flamingo in the Everglades, I got stuck having to pee during low tide, way out from shore. Too muddy a bottom to get out, though the water was shallow. I managed to brace myself with my paddle off the bottom, and after a thorough look-around for nearby boats, stick my hinders over the cockpit edge and take care of business. I was very proud of myself.

I’ve also done this out of a tandem canoe (also in the Everglades, come to think of it) with the other paddler providing the counterweight.