GEAR GUIDE: Diva Cup / Go Girl

As you may have gathered from the title, this one is for the apocalypse prepping ladies out there. Any woman who has spent time in the wilderness, whether it be camping, hiking, canoeing or finding yourself as part of a 0300 recce mission, will understand the anxiety and frustration that can come with the biology that binds us. Luckily for us, we live in a world where some wonderful people have invented gear to make these stresses a little easier to deal with.

THE DIVA CUP

There is nothing worse than discovering mid way through a strenuous hiking trip that your period has decided to disregard all sense of a schedule and start a week early. A moment of sheer panic washes over you. Did you pack supplies? Of course not. The space that would have been afforded to the bulk of pads, tampons and extra underwear went instead to the rain gear you thought would be of more pertinent need.

Crisis averted had you owned a Diva Cup. This menstrual cup is made of 100% healthcare grade silicone and is free from latex, plastics, PVC, BPA, phthalates, colours and dyes. Since it’s reusable, you’re not only saving space and weight in your pack, you’re also saving the environment - one period at a time. This cup, however, is not meant for the squeamish. You really need to accept that you are going to become acquainted with your blood in a manner you never thought possible. This becomes ever more evident when you are squatting in the middle of the woods, miles from the nearest running water tap. No easy clean up out here. Yes, there is the extra work involved of digging a cathole to properly dispose of the blood, but at least you don’t have to store used pads and tampons in Ziploc bags to pack-out with you throughout the trip. Again, precious space lost and weight gained. Just be sure you are rinsing out the cup with potable water- river water will not suffice! If it’s safe to ingest, it’s safe for the cup.

THE GOGIRL

The GoGirl is a flexible, medical grade silicone female urination device, otherwise called a ‘FUD’. It’s purpose is basically to allow women to pee standing up, plain and simple. Personally speaking, squatting in the woods isn’t usually a horridly difficult experience. There are, however, those exceptional moments when you find yourself cussing the men under your breath out of envy. Whether you’re trying to avoid a mass of hungry mosquitoes, the endless patches of poison ivy, the hidden rattlesnakes, or the bitter cold, this FUD will be well worth the small $10 investment. And honestly, what woman hasn’t dreamed of writing their name in the snow? The only CON: unless you’re wearing a skirt, it can be awkward getting a proper seal with the device to your body as you try to avoid completely or partially pulling your pants down.

With both devices, it is most unquestionably suggested to become familiar with them in the comfort of your home before heading out into the wild. They definitely take some time to get the hang of, but once you do, you’ll wonder how you ever bugged-out without them.

Special thanks to Mako for sharing this article with us. Mako has been a camper, a zombie, and took part in our 50km bug-out last fall, proving that in the apocalypse everyone can be a badass.

Don't forget, if you have something to share and would like to see your name in our blog please e-mail us your article. We can't promise that everything will be published, but we will read and respond to everyone who sends something in.