Customer Reviews

Freshette by Freshette

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

To be perfectly honest, I've only used it 4 times and it functioned exactly as it's advertised to do. My husband was at first a little apprehensive about his wife going like he does but he's gotten used to the idea now. Besides, that's his problem. However, it will not work with tight clothing. I tried it while wearing a tight pair of jeans and no way was I able to get it "placed" into position without dropping trow at least a little bit. Loose, baggy pants or shorts is about the only way to go with this thing. And I doubt you'll be able to write your name in the snow like the guys can because they have the real thing with much better control. The tube in the "Freshette" is much, much larger in circumference than a male's urethra and no matter how full your bladder is and how much muscle power you give it, your stream will be just a pour out at best. No shooting zings of pee like they can do ~sorry~ But still you get to pee standing up without having to pull your pants down and squat! Yea!

And the reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of five is 1.) It's really over-priced for what you get. It's just a narrowed plastic funnel with a plastic tube attached at the end for cryin' out loud. It shouldn't cost more than ten or twelve dollars. But, necessity sometimes overrules the cost. 2.) I'm not crazy about the princess pink color. It's just too girlie for me. Maybe tie-dyed or cammo, or just plain blue but pink is......just to girlie. And 3.) My artificial whizzer tube bends rather severely to the right causing me to be extra careful with my aim.

We are planning several camping trips this summer and I will certainly report back as to how it works out in the great outdoors. Though, my tests over the inside toidy seem to indicate it will work just fine outside. Also, I have two young daughters so I will see how it works with kids. And I really wished I had one of these things while in China for those months we traveled there. On the positive side though, at least I developed some mighty fine thigh muscles!

UPDATE 6/30/09

We went on a week-long camping trip last week and I used my "Freshette" many times. It was very nice being able to walk a few yards from the tent late at night and "go" without having to walk all the way down to the smelly outhouse. Then, when we emptied a half-gallon milk jug I was able to use it with my "Freshette" and not even leave the tent. Also, on a very long all-day hike I and my seven year old daughter used it and it worked great for her as well. Just rinse it off with bottled water and put it back into a zip-loc back and voila! you're ready for next time. I did wash it out with soap and water real good when I got back to camp.

My husband and I have really gotten into hiking, however I would always limit the duration of the hike because of the fear of having to go to the bathroom outdoors. Some of the trails we go to have alligators in the area, and I'm really too scared to wander too far into the brush. This product is the answer. I can finally pee standing up! LOL...what a concept.

I just got the product today and with great trepidation decided to give it a whirl. I stood over the toilet (clearly expecting to make a mess of the bathroom and my shorts), pulled the leg of my shorts off to the side, did the same thing with my underwear, put the Freshette in place and let loose! Didn't spill a drop...amazing. I'm probably getting too detailed, but I know that I appreciate details when I'm reading reviews. If you wear a pantyliner wiping isn't really necessary. I know this sounds gross, but if you're out on a trail and your hot, sweaty and dirty...it doesn't really matter. Rinse the Freshette with some water, wrap it in a papertowel and place it in a ziplock and clean it when you get home. I also think that if you wear loose, baggy shorts you can just pull them aside with the least hassle. I haven't tried them with tighter pants/shorts yet, but I imagine that with some practice it will be just as easy. You can really urinate without showing any skin or having to squat in some unsightly fashion.

To cut to the chase, I'm a 50+ yr old lady mountain biker who, like any mortal, must use the great outdoors when nature calls during a ride. Unfortunately my joints have been giving me grief about deep knee bends. Recently the knees simply said, "No more". So I purchased my Freshette reluctantly, out of desperation. There is a bit of a learning curve-- stay with it because Freshette works better outdoors than in! Now that I have my routine down I can whip that puppy out (of my hydration pack) and take a leak about as quick as any dude. No more searching for the perfect secluded spot to squat, no more twigs in my shorts, no anxiety about someone seeing my bare behind. PRO TIP: I keep my Freshette wrapped in a clean bandana and then stored in a plastic bag within my hydration pack. After each use, I shake out the Freshette & rinse it with a little H2O b4 stowing it back in my pack wrapped in the bandana. The bandana also provides bonus frontal (modesty) coverage so I can "do my thing" in a relatively care-free way. Ahhh.. :)

The third time is a charm. Prior to trying the Freshette, I had also tried two other feminine urinary directors (F.U.D.), one of which was an odd-shaped purple one whose name rhymes with "biz". I did not like either one. I wanted to try the Freshette because it had great reviews and I liked the design. The trough is what sold me. No leakage here, unlike with the purple device. Also, I do not need to disrobe or drop my pants to use this device. Just unzip your fly, pull your panties aside, and position the trough against your body. A few tips: You will want to stand with your feet slightly apart and thrust your hips forward (this helps direct the flow of pee more towards the front of the trough and not away from it towards the back). Peeing standing up is fun thanks to the Freshette!

I spend a great deal of time outdoors, running, biking, birding, hiking, camping, boating...and the list goes on. Quite often I find myself in very difficult situations when nature calls. We are quite often in mixed groups and it is simply embarrassing to have to squat at the side of a trail or hang your tail end over the side of a boat...you get the picture. Goodness know that over the years I have had to do this plenty of times, but I cannot say I enjoyed one of them.

This nifty little item has solved about 99 percent of the problems I have encountered. It is easy to use. You can stand, slip it in place and go right on the bushes just like the "guys." Yes, there is usually some teasing going on, but at least it is not teasing while I am in the act of exposing myself to the entire world.

I always have one of these in my pack and actually keep one in each of my cars and in fact, I even have on in the carry-all pouch on my bicycle. They have come in handy more than I can tell you. They have made my life much more comfortable.

These are easy to clean...all you need is a bit of water for rinsing. They pack well and do not weigh much. Now I am not a shy person, never have been and I can fight back with just as many verbal barbs as are dished out but this saves me from having to do that and it allows me a bit of dignity that I did not have before.

The price of these is quite reasonable here on Amazon...I paid much for mine at a retail store.

If you are an out doors type of girl, then these are a must and they will make your life so much easier.

I just went on a trip and didn't need to use it. But knowing it was there let me venture out a bit further than I might have. I've tested it and it does seem to work. The tube is a separate piece if you were wondering like I was. So it does fit in my fanny pack for hiking. The "travel pouch" is only a zip-lock bag (about 8 1/4 x 4 3/8) with printing and diagrams on the outside so I need to find a better way to keep it private, store it damp and store it dry.

We went hiking with my daughter and about 200 people of her school. It was a 9 km walk!!! My 9-year-old and her classmates all flew up the hill and the rest of us (parents)went on and on chatting! When it came to finding a "private" place to pee it was a problem... as a woman it is unconfortable to pull down your pants and pretend that no body is going to watch your behind....NOT FOR ME!!!! NOT A CHANCE!!! WITH THIS ITEM I JUST UNZIPPED MY PANTS AND... VOILA!!! AMAZING!!!!! NO BUTTOCKS ON THE AIR!!! NO SHAME!!! WONDERFUL.... I EVEN BOUGHT ONE FOR MY DAUGHTER AND ONE FOR MY MOM!!! LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!

It was too bulky for what I was looking for, which was a sleek design to carry in my bag. The disposable bag was a ziplock basically. It was also twice as expensive as a comparable product that I found later on the internet. And I have returned it 2 weeks ago and have not been compensated for it.

This thing is perfect for hiking in the desert, where you have to drink a lot but don't have many bushes to hide behind. And when hiking with a group, it's so much quicker than finding a private spot, baring everything, squatting, doing your business, cleaning up, standing up, zipping up, and catching up.
After a few tries I think I've perfected the process: In a sandwich-sized plastic baggie I always carry a small amount of TP, folded into a three-inch wad (about the size of a panty liner). After unzipping, FIRST I insert the small wad of TP into my panties, then just pull the front of the panties down and place the Freshette over the girl parts. Fire away. Then, when I remove the Freshette, if there are any residual drops of moisture the TP will catch it. Then I remove the TP and place it inside the baggie. I put the soiled Freshette in the same baggie and carry it all home. If you're in an area with plenty of water, you can rinse the Freshette and use it again.
I cut the pointy tip off of the plastic tubing so that it wouldn't poke a hole in the baggies; you don't need the pointy tip at all. Just remember two important things that the guys already know: keep your feet out of the splatter zone (pee on organic matter instead of rocks) and NEVER pee into the wind!

I have used this product with great relief and wish I had had this years ago. A great tip from a previous review was to wear a mini pad while traveling. Just be sure to not tip it backwards while removing after use. :) I used it with my car door opened and even my husband didn't even know that I had used it. Very Handy to have while on the road, fishing, biking or hiking. No "Buns" about it!