PeeBuddy : For The Girl On The Go
I wrapped up 2017 with a few delightful road trips. With trips to Mangalore, Shoranur, Cochin, and Coimbatore, I spent several hours on the road. And as any woman who has done road travel in India would agree, our country is still severely lacking in clean, hygienic restroom facilities. This often leads to women holding their urine for far too long and developing urinary tract infections. Not to mention how ridiculously uncomfortable it is. Well ladies, say goodbye to having to hover-and-pee at gross public toilets. PeeBuddy is here to save the day!
The lovely people behind PeeBuddy saw how often I travelled, and very kindly sent me a few samples to try out. Their timing couldn’t have been better, given all the road trips I had planned for December. I’ll admit, I was both excited and a tad sceptical. I mean, standing and peeing? Could it be true?
Before I get into the working of it, take a look at the PeeBuddy. It’s made of laminated paper, and is essentially really cool origami. It’s shaped like an angular funnel, to mimic a man’s you-know-what. The instructions are fairly straightforward — you unfold the PeeBuddy to unflatten it, press the wider opening into your crotch, and pee! Sounds simple, but I needed convincing.
I carried my pack of 3 PeeBuddy devices along during my road trips, armed and ready to deal with icky public bathrooms. Lucky (?) for me, the route did not disappoint. I encountered many a gross bathroom, where I really did not want my tushie to touch the toilet seat.
So out came the PeeBuddy. The flattened device unfolds easily. After that, it’s pretty simple — press against crotch (make sure it covers your clitoris, urethra and vagina, so you don’t have any leaks), and pee! Remember to make sure you aim the end of the device properly, or you risk getting pee on your clothes/shoes or missing the bowl. For most women, the first time you use one can be equal parts empowering and totally weird — it certainly was for me. It took me a moment to really come to terms with the fact that I was indeed, peeing standing up!
Once done, simply toss the used PeeBuddy in a trash can (not in the toilet). It’s paper, so it’s bio-degradable. Yay!
So what’s my final verdict on the PeeBuddy? I’ve listed pros and cons (my personal opinion only!)
Pros
- Fits comfortably in most purses and handbags, so easy to carry around.
- Easy to use. No complicated instructions or assembly.
- Great for travel.
- Also useful for pregnant women, or those with any sort of joint issue that makes sitting on the toilet difficult.
- Biodegradable.
- Affordable — it retails on Amazon (get it here!) for only INR 195 for a pack of 10.
Cons
- Because they’re single-use, you need to make sure you’re stocked up. (I know, not exactly a con, but you know what I mean!)
So ladies, if you travel often — even if it’s just around the city — I highly recommend keeping a pack of PeeBuddy with you. It makes life SO much easier, that I now always have a few in my handbag. I would advise also keeping some wet wipes, just in case you don’t have access to water to wash up after.
Shop for PeeBuddy by clicking here for a pack of 10, or here for a pack of 20.
Vive la revolution!