When you’re in the woods and have to go to the bathroom, it can be tricky to find a quick and easy way to do so, especially if you’re a woman. If this sounds like you, a female urination device may be the answer to your troubles the next time nature calls when you’re backpacking or wilderness camping!
Using a female urination device may seem a little intimidating if you’ve never picked one up before, but this article will help you figure things out in no time.
Keep reading to learn more about these super handy products and to find out some of the best options for you.
Our Top Pick
Although both the Shewee and the Tinkle Belle were worthy contenders in the battle for the best female urination device, that label goes to the Tinkle Belle! With its sturdy yet flexible design, the Tinkle Belle will do a great job for campers of all ages and experience levels.
Despite these benefits, the Shewee is also a great asset, especially for more seasoned campers and survivalists. It’s super portable and easy to store, making on-the-go use a breeze.
What Is a Female Urination Device?
Before we dive into the nitty gritty of which specific products work the best, it’s important to know what exactly a female urination device is!
Simply put, a female urination device is a funnel-shaped object typically made out of silicone or plastic that makes it easier for women to pee while standing up.
Sometimes the device will come as a single, continuous piece, while others are constructed as two separate pieces of equipment, with a rounded base piece and a longer, thinner pipe-shaped attachment.
Benefits of Female Urination Devices
In a backpacking or wilderness camping setting, a female urination device provides numerous upsides that will improve the traditional outdoors experience.
When used correctly, these objects allow female campers to do their business with minimal mess or hassle all while keeping their clothes on.
In addition, not only will this product eliminate the possibility that you’ll accidentally expose yourself to potential passersby, it’ll also ensure that as little bare skin as possible is subjected to extreme temperatures, insects, and other irritating flora and fauna.
Another plus that these devices can offer is a cleaner bathroom experience. All you need to do after usage is use a little bit of water to wipe off your equipment, and you’re ready to go! Deep cleaning is unnecessary, which comes in handy when you don’t have the time or materials to do so.
When to Use a Female Urination Device
There are a variety of situations when it might be helpful to have one of these handy tools in your backpack, go bag or emergency stash!
The most obvious situation is while you’re deep in the woods, whether that’s for a few hours during a hike or backpacking day trip or for a week-long camping trip.
Another instance where a female urination device could prove useful is in a roadside emergency. If you’re stuck in traffic or if your car breaks down and you’re nowhere near a restroom, you’ll be thankful that you had this product stocked and ready to go!
Even in situations where you have access to a public restroom or port-a-potty that’s too dirty to use, this item can come to the rescue! It saves you from having to squat and allows you to do your thing without actually touching the toilet seat.
Finally, these devices are a great addition to a bug-out bag or survival stash. In the event that the power goes out and flushing toilets becomes an unwise idea, a female urination device could facilitate an easier experience if you need to seek out other options.
How to Use a Female Urination Device
Using one of these devices is a breeze once you’ve gotten the hang of what angles work best for you.
For most of these products, you’ll need to position the base as close to your body as possible with the base slightly angled toward your pelvic bone. It may take a little trial and error to adjust the base and find the perfect aim for you.
If you’re feeling a little unsure about using a female urination device for the first time while out on a hiking trail or in a public restroom, many brands recommend testing it out first while in the shower.
One important aspect to note is that most of these products, including the specific ones we’re reviewing today, are not meant to be inserted inside of the body. They do their best work while touching your body, but definitely outside of it.
The Tinkle Belle
The first set of products we’ll be sharing our thoughts on comes from Tinkle Belle. Specifically, we’ll take a look at the original Tinkle Belle as well as the Glow in the Dark Tinkle Belle.
Tinkle Belle
The original Tinkle Belle, which is the best female urination device in our book, has a unique and effective design that really takes the cake.
This product consists of the funnel itself, which is connected all in one piece with no assembly required. The wider base of the device is made of a harder plastic material, while the narrower funnel-shaped tip is made from a more flexible plastic material. It also comes with an instruction manual and a handy carrying case.
The instruction manual is thorough and detailed, and it offers tips and tricks for optimal usage techniques throughout the process.
In terms of the carrying case, it’s made up of a fun, patterned fabric bag with a zipper. The end of the bag also has a carabiner attached to it, which is incredibly helpful for easy access. All you need to do is clip it to your backpack or belt loop, and you’re ready to go!
Compared to the super slim carrying case that the Shewee has, this carrying pouch is a little more bulky, and storing the device itself is just a little bit harder.
To store the female urination device successfully, you have to make sure you fold the flexible end part down and over the base before putting it into the bag.
The make-up of this female urination device, and specifically the mix of materials, is what really sets it apart from other products. The hard plastic base provides some nice width and depth, and the silicone end is flexible.
However, because the base is coated in the same material that the end is made out of, it still has a little flexibility if you need it. All you have to do is just use your thumbs and gently push against the edges using the handy-dandy thumb rests that are built into the sides of the funnel.
All in all, the Tinkle Bell presents the best of both worlds: the base material provides the structure and sturdiness you need to get the job done, while the funnel and thumb rests provide the flexibility you may need to reposition it for optimal use.
One downside of the Tinkle Belle to keep in mind is that it’s slightly more expensive than the Shewee. However, we’re convinced that this product is worth the investment because it’s so sturdy and bound to last you for many uses!
Glow in the Dark Tinkle Belle
The Glow in the Dark Tinkle Belle has essentially the same design, the same function, and the same drawbacks and benefits as the original product. The biggest difference of this female urination device is that the plastic covering that’s black on the original device is clear and glow-in-the-dark on this one.
This product deserves its own mini review because of how helpful this extra feature is. The glow-in-the-dark quality is absolutely essential if you’re camping overnight and may need to locate and use it in the middle of the night or early in the morning.
The Shewee
Even though the Shewee takes second place in our round-up of the best female urination device, there’s still lots to love about it! Here, we’ll be comparing two different versions of the product, the Shewee Extreme and the Shewee Flexi.
Shewee Extreme
In contrast to the Tinkle Belle, which doesn’t have quite as much color variety, the Shewee Extreme is available in eight different colors. The color options present a great range of shades, especially if you want a more subtle female urination device that will blend in with other neutral-colored camping equipment or survival gear.
The Shewee itself consists of a funnel-shaped base and a cylindrical extension pipe that’s made from a thick, slightly more flexible plastic that you can attach to the base.
Having an extension pipe like this is particularly helpful for length and distance, especially depending on what kind of clothes you’re wearing or what kind of environment you’re in.
The device also comes with a fantastic carrying case that’s made out of hard plastic. It allows you to discreetly store and handle the product in the carrying case because the case itself isn’t super bulky.
Relatedly, the pieces that this device breaks down into fit super nicely in the case, so you shouldn’t have issues getting everything in and out of the storage each time you use it.
The biggest downside of the Shewee is that the base of the funnel itself is fairly narrow, which doesn’t leave much room for error. In other words, you have to be pretty confident in your placement to successfully complete your task.
Furthermore, the hard plastic material that this product is made out of is good for stability, but this means that it lacks the flexibility to adjust your angle or positioning at all in the moment.
Although it might not always hold up during use, the Shewee will definitely hold up when cleaned. Specifically, it’s both hand washable and machine washable and can also withstand high temperatures.
As a whole, the Shewee Extreme has some notable drawbacks that could make this female urination device a little difficult for some people to use. However, if you’re an expert with your aim and have used this kind of product before, then this may be perfect for you.
Shewee Flexi
As a whole, the Shewee Flexi is fairly similar to the Shewee Extreme. However, it does have some key differences that affect its performance compared to the other version we reviewed.
Depending on which version of the Shewee Flexi you purchase, it may not come with a carrying case. If you want to save a few dollars, you can buy this device without a case and store it in the plastic bag it comes in.
The Shewee Flexi is similar to the Shewee Extreme in that it has the same properties when it comes to color availability, being hand washable and machine washable, and being able to withstand high temperatures.
This female urination device also comes with a funnel and an extension pipe. While the extension pipe is the same plastic material, the funnel is a thin, extremely flexible plastic.
As its name might suggest, what the Shewee Extreme lacks in flexibility, the Shewee Flexi definitely has!
Despite this improvement, the funnel is still fairly narrow, and the material that this funnel is made from is so thin and flexible that it can be flimsy if you’re not mindful of your handling and usage.
Ultimately, our verdict is the Shewee can be great for more experienced campers, hikers, and survivalists, but the Tinkle Belle is the way to go, especially if you’ve never used a female urination device and want a solid starting option.
Finding the Perfect Female Urination Device for You
Hopefully this post has demystified the female urination device for you and has maybe even inspired you to try out a Tinkle Belle or a Shewee the next time you go backpacking or camping!
Female urination devices can seem confusing at times, but once you know what you’re doing, they can make the wilderness experience a lot more enjoyable for women.
If you enjoyed reading all about these devices and want more information on products that can make your next camping trip better, check out our Camping Gear page for tons of helpful posts.