Great "field demonstration" and thanks for showing the other options! A tip my friend once told me is to "commit to the squat". As for stp devices, I've tried a funnel similar to the Go Girl, but it didn't end well... beware that you need to get it fully under you and "attached", which is difficult if you're wearing fitted jeans - at least it was for me. I wish more people would actually show how to use things. Good for you not being embarrassed - it's helpful!!
I grew up camping and backpacking, and was very comfortable with the full squat. With the issues of my knees and hips, I can no longer do a full squat, and a half squat is iffy. I love the idea of a rope. Thank you Mandy!
I want to see ALL of the outtakes on this one! Thanks for tackling and honestly discussing a sensitive but important topic for those really in the outback.
I was a tree planter for 20 years so I got pretty good at the squat thang! Love your message to not let having to pee in the woods hold women back from being in the woods :) Awesome video!!
It was the best of times and the worst of times ha ha... 10 hours in the rain would be one of the worst of times :) but great money and paid for my university and beyond :) probably went on too long though - great if you love the outdoors which I do!
Great job covering the leave no trace method of doing ones business in the woods. I hope this video gets lots of views because I see so much toilet paper while hiking as well as soiled campsites in areas where level ground is at a premium. When people know better, hopefully they will doo better.
You all probably dont care at all but does any of you know of a tool to log back into an instagram account? I was stupid forgot my account password. I love any assistance you can give me!
@Terrance Jeffrey i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm trying it out now. I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Thank you for the great tips, along with the modest way you presented this. It was a refreshing change from the vulgarity that is normally used in this world.
Good morning Mandy. Yvonne and I had some good chuckles while having our coffee, lol. She’s a bush girl and nothing stands in her way! Good for you making a video about issues most people won’t discuss. 👍😊
Hands down the best video I've seen yet about dealing with the wee wee business outdoors. Thanks for the clear and non-embarrassing way you explained all of this. The she-we thing is certainly helpful for a circumstance where there is little "cover" like bushes etc making it difficult to not feel exposed with trousers/pants down!
Finally got to see this video. Good job keeping it real! I personally really like the Go Girl. I practiced with it first in my bathroom standing over the toilet before I used it while hiking.
I clicked ready to say who doesnt know how to shit in the woods but after watching i am impressed how much knowledge this chick has to offer and she put together a GREAT video!
OMG! I laughed so hard at this one I almost peed my pants! Great tutorial Mandy! Probably a first on teaching women how to go in the woods! Love how you keep life real! Eventually we all have to go! 🤣
Really? Omg Mandy! I guess I’m a roughing it kind of girl and take it for granted as a natural thing when you gotta go, just squat and go! Winter is the most challenging though, I have heard of people peeing or pooping in their snow suit hood by mistake! Lmao!
I'm an over the road semi driver for 30+ years. The back brace against the sleeper wall is best for older ladies, can be done against the rear of a pick up truck too.
Ha... I chuckled at your video but it is the best I have ever seen covering the topic. I grew up camping and using the restroom of nature. I'm 60 now, but it never failed that I almost always had my period during my camping trips. Ugg. It just happens that way, ha. You gave excellent tips and now that I'm older I'm going to try the tree/rope trick to help my knees out. Thanks for the suggestions . I'm sure you helped out tons of viewers .
When I was very young and we went camping in the bush I asked my father where I should go to the bathroom...he said find a log. Your tips where really good. I find it surprising that so many women are afraid to try any of these methods and would make themselves sick holding it for a toilet. Before Go Girl type products I just used a funnel. Now with COVID I hope many people are using some of these technique. Great video.
We usually camp at State Parks are not using the campground bathrooms this season either... and may not ever again... We bought a Thetford porta-potty and only use it for #1 ... but also I use a Dollar Tree funnel with one of my dad's old urnials HaHa! hey... it works! We also set up our Luggable Loo to be a sort of "composting toilet" ... We line the Loo with a plastic bag, then a paper Trader Joe's bag that has some peat moss in it... then I spritz some poo-pourri and add a little peat moss each time. It does not smell! We bury the paper bag deep in the ground when we get home. Thanks Mandy and Kendrick for adding a great tutorial to the list!
THANK YOU!!!! Yes, this has been getting in the way of experiencing the camping/hiking life, well, at least the #2 part anyway. As an older person I tend to use the tree method as a brace. Depending on the time of year, I often don my rain poncho which affords one some privacy while bracing against the tree. The tips on how far one's pants should be rolled down are golden, uh, no pun intended.
Brilliant! Very informative and to-the-point; I'm so glad someone has taken it upon themselves to demystify the knack of wilderness business (and nothing feels better than that natural squat in the woods, ya feel?). This is only my second video of yours and I see myself on a binge-journey. Thanks
Thank you. My little brother can do it easily when he gotta go but when I gotta go I always end up having to hold it for so long or wetting my feet. I saw this video some days ago and I already tried it on a walk! Works perfectly when I gotta relieve myself on the outside 😌
Thanks Mandy, I'm 69, so I figured out how to pee in the woods already when hiking with our friends( they are 75 and 73, married 50 years and they hike 3 times a week usually 10 miles each) anyhow, her and I go our separate ways in the woods and pretty much do as your video says. Thanks for telling others who haven't figured it out how to.
I'm 76 and cant squat without falling back on my butt, and I like the go girl. But that rope trick around the tree gave me an idea. I would have to have maybe a carabiner on 1 end and steel circle or clip on other so I could hold the now secure circle rope with 1 hand while other hand holds the go girl in place. Sounds like an acrobatic act doesn't it?!
I'm with you.. the go girl is the best! & just let me say, michelle... You Go! Girl! 76 & still camping! YES! Hope I achieve that! & Thanks Mandy for putting out some great info on this topic! As always I love your vids! Happy trails from Michigan!
Instead of using the shovel or some digging gadgets, I use my machete as a shovel as well. It cuts roots and buried branches too. After that, cover the hole or spillage with soil and leaves.
I love my p style! It was such a liberating tool. No more need to find a far bush to hide and if you do it right, no need to wipe after. It hangs in my pouch off my backpack. Easily accessible but discreet. I then just clean it in the shower when I get home. I'm now also using it in our camper with a bottle with a large opening. Soooo much easier.
I grew up in the PNW backpacking and camping. I wanted to see if there were any hints I didn't know about. This is a fantastic video! So well done. Thanks so much for putting this together. Sending to my outdoorsy daughters.
Hey, Mandy Lea! I came to give you a hard time about spelling (casette), but stayed for the great content! As an LNT Master Educator, I loved this video. Let me toss out a couple of other things that you might find useful. 1) For #1, when you pee in the wood, you leave behind salts when the water evaporates. Animals (esp. deer) like to take advantage of this. That’s why you don’t pee on trees; the pee doesn’t damage the bark, but the deer going after the salt will just chew up the bark, possibly killing the tree. So, if you can find a nice big rock, you can pee on that, and create a diy salt lick for the critters! 2) For #2. Your cathole demo is great, the only problem being that more and more areas are recommending (or requiring), carry out of all solids. My “go to” choice for this is Cleanwaste’s Go Anywhere products. The main item is a bag that contains “poo powder” rendering any waste into an inert gel. You can put TP in there, and they are often good for several uses. They are also approved for disposal in any municipal or commercial trash receptacle! They also make a small, portable toilet that you can actually back pack with. Anyway, I look forward to watching more videos!
This is a wonderful, clear demonstration of the options. Next time, it would be super helpful to show some of the ways to take care of business in a camping rig without holding tanks. So, the Thunderbox would be a wonderful idea in a rig. But, in my rig, I pee standing up by peeing into a plastic container and then pouring it into a bottle that gets emptied each day. Also, the use of coconut coir for number 2 as well as some of the other options would be so useful to have demonstrated. I love, love, love that you spoke about LNT!!! Hurray!!
In my little trailer I use a lug-a-loo, which is basically a bucket and a seat. I line the bucket with a heavy duty garbage bag do what I gotta do then cover it with wood pellets. It gets layered like this while used then I tie the bag and tossbit in the garbage when full. Since the pellets are 100% wood the load minus the bag can also be dumped in a pit toilet. Clean and no smell. I used to use kitty litter, but pellets are far superior. I used that method with a bedside commode when I had fractured both ankles.
I have the complication of working as a surveyor with a crew of 4 ladies and mostly in the raw outback. (Desert). We solved the toilet problem with a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket and a pool noodle with a slit. Fitted around the rim of the bucket as a seat. A garbage bag and TP stored in the bucket below the garbage bag. A simple towel draped across the lap gives all the privacy you need. You’d be surprised how soon you lose all inhibition. When done, zip up your bag for use or dumping later and keep the noodle and spare bags in the bucket. A regular lid turns it into a seat.
This is one of the best videos that I have seen about toilet in the wild!!!!! Good on you for the vid, demo's and Great Advice. Have never seen or heard of anyone approaching the issue head on! Diane and I tried the Assist method right here in the living room and it really helped her to regain standup from the squat, she saved the pee for the washroom here in the house. Also when you said the Thunder Box was good up to 500 lbs, I almost split a gut until I realized it was the weight it was able to bear as far as person sitting...... The Question that Diane was wanting to have addressed is what happens when you bare you bottom to the Wild and the Mosquito's attach........new video?
Being a truck drivers daughter, I have an oil funnel. It's small enough around that it goes in between my legs great. I use it either in my pee jug or while i am out in the woods. I have a bag that it goes in while out and clean it up when I return back to camp. Works for me!!
First time watching your channel and I appreciate you talking about really things that no one wants to talk about. I've now subscribed to you channel Love & Light🐾
Yes! We have that Thunderbox, it's great 😁🙌. A well done vid, thanks. Ladies, look into menstrual cups instead of tampons and pads too, definitely recommend.
Thank you! Thank you! I'm dang high maintenance, and going to the bathroom outside is one thing I've not mastered. Here is to saving room in my black tank!
Glad you addressed this issue. Funny I’m 65 now but most of my adult life ive had a bad left knee, weak left side altogether and no thigh muscles even when dancing etc. in my early 50s for 4 years i was relegated to grocery store clerk in the economic downswing of 2007. Needless to say i gained muscles and lost weight bagging beer packs and dragging in carts but I still couldnt bend over to get spots on floors. I ended up doing same thing I had always done. I bend knees slightly less than half squats put my left elbow on top of my knee. When peeing I do the same, elbow on knees and yes holding the crotch of pants. Leaning forward like this with elbow on knees keeps me balanced and I pee backwards. Nothing goes toward pants or feet. Look for a downhill slope too. Where I live now there are some areas you have to pack the pee and poop out. I do not do those trails. Called wag bag?
When I was a kid, Mom would bring an old large metal coffee can to use if you had to go to the bathroom when hiking, fishing, hunting ect... and there was no bathroom.
Line with a bag (or TWO), and easily do the "pack it out" method. Having a can or large plastic cup gives people unaccustomed to wilderness or small-container potty-ing some structure and something to aim for lol
Really good info! I'm sharing this video with a friend who is in her forties and has never ever peed in the woods and in fact has never gone camping! Also sharing this with my two grown daughters so they can show my young granddaughters. Both are Little Divas and won't even pee in a vault toilet or sani-can. I even bought a little portable toilet setup from Walmart for them but unfortunately it was basically a TV tray stand with a toilet seat on it and it collapsed when one of my daughters was demonstrating it for the girls, so of course they wanted nothing to do with that either! Once I get my T@b 320S with the nice bench-style cassette toilet AND bathroom sink, the little girls AND their Nana (me!) will be soooooo happy! 👭 👩🦳 🚽 PS I clicked on the link for the Thunder Box. Thanks for demonstrating it as far as setup. They advertised that it is so well made that it can be passed down through the generations! I'll share that link with my daughters as well because they do a lot of tent camping and I won't always be able to join them, especially when I head cross-country in my T@b!
The P Style is the way to go. After using the Go Girl for several years and realizing you still have to pull down your pants, I was disheartened. It offered no more privacy that the regular girl squat and you had to pack it away dirty. I learned about the P style through FB. So much better. So much cleaner and you don't have to pull down your pants. Just slip throw your zipper. Yoga pants, no problem, lower the waist band and let your shirt cover you. On our trip to Nepal over the 3 high passes, where there are no trees etc., I was able to pee with confidence. Not showing your back side to everyone was a huge relief to me. I been a user of P style now and have mastered pushing my shorts to the side at the crotch and going no problem. I just squirt a bit of water from my camel back into the trough and back it goes into its case.
Wow, the last part of the video had stuff I haven't seen elsewhere, great job. That thunderbox looks especially interesting and easy to use. I had a female funnel and it definitely overflows easily. I will try the other one you suggested.
You've got a new subscriber with me. I love your videos. Me and my guy are getting ready, researching, trying to learn all we can from start to finish , to look for an RV and move out of this apartment life. We both hate it. We are at the stages in our lives that this is ideal and we both are looking forward to it. We've traveled but never like this. Wish us luck and keep the videos coming. Hugs, peace and love
Very good job! As always we love your videos, especially since Covid. You and Kendrick are doing a great job with the channel. I married my wife because she could pee off the running board of our truck! She also has a go girl and we used the bottle method to keep us from dumping our black tank for over 35 days in Colorado! David and Juanita
Thanks. I’m going to check out the thunderbox. One thing you should add is the Kula cloth. A little pee rag, buts is not a rag. It is excellent. No more carrying out tp from peeing or getting hands wet with urine, etc.
Awesome video. I had not gone in the woods in a looooonnnngggg time and was concerned how I was going to do my business now that I am older. You gave me a lot of ideas. Thank you
Great video! Answering the questions girls are embarrassed to ask in a very direct & informative presentation. Really want to see about getting the Thunder Box.
Loved your video! When I started hiking, I remember the first time I peed in the woods off trail. (I'm female,btw.) Wow! I felt like I'd discovered fire! It was such a sense of accomplishment and freedom from worrying if the next bend in the trail held a miraculous porta-potty. I tried the GoGirl. It was literally "hit" and "miss". I really envied how guys aim those things of theirs. Pooping was another story. I remember just feeling relieved. :)
Great video. I have a Go Girl and like it. It's easiest to use wearing a dress or skirt but I can stick it up the pant leg of my shorts and not take them off.
Great video!! I'm still surprised when I run across women who have never peed out in nature. I've used the rope or tree tip when on hilly or slipped or slippery (rain snow) . I just can't poop in the woods, and have refused to backpack longer than 3days away from a real toilet or outhouse. Definitely thinking about that Thunder box👍
If I'm camping in a place with set campsites, I will not do the cathole thing. If everyone that uses the site peed and pooped in the woods around, it could become a field of landmines. I use a lug-a-loo and heavy duty garbage bags. The thunder box looks really cool! Instead of having waste sloshing around in the bottom of the bag or having to toss out a bag every time it is used, I have found that basic wood pellets are terrific and they mask smells very well. We use the lug-a-loo in our little trailer. I also used the pellets in a bedside commode when I could not walk with two broken ankles. No smell whatsoever. Kitty litter will also do the job, but not as well as the pellets and the littler lifts a cloud of dust every time you pour some in.
@@MandyLea I thought the same thing at first, I then saw that Canadian Tire carried basic pellets for wood stoves for much less than the same weight of kitty litter. Walmart also carries them. Pellets being less dense than litter we got a whole lot more uses for that same weight. Obviously you don't get the fancy ones for BBQ smokers. 🙂 Here in Canada it costs under $6 for 40 pounds. I would suspect a similar bargain in the US.
Great advice, young people these days just think you can’t possibly go because of the blood or just the trouble. I’ve camped for yrs. and done a lot of squatting 😜. Love the thunder bod- my husband used to build me a lil thunderbox when we would go out for a while. Now we just use them5-gal bucket-which stores all the TP and wipes -shovel, etc... good storage and easy to use. We have a toilet seat attached to the top. Same principal.
Nice work. While I am a guy, I have 4 gals that travel along so we all get that nature calls and sometimes or virtually all times at the most unique times-Like a single walking trail next to a river and heavy tree line. Good topic and for the guys,,be sensitive to the topic-its gonna happen.
You. Are. FAB!! “Commit to the pee!” 😄 “Field demonstrations” 😁 I love people who can talk about the awkward stuff without awkwardness, and normalize the conversations. Good on ya! 🙌
So many comments I did not read them all, so this may have already been brought up. More on the topic of the period. I use the diva cup. It has worked great for me. Can stay in place longer than other options, yet it will be another item to clean back at camp.
I don't know what I was expecting when you called for your assistant, but I definitely wasn't expecting a Greek god. I've totally overflowed the pee funnel when standing up and not into a bottle. Super gross. Great tips and way to demonstrate!
Super sensitive topic that you handled beautifully and super helpful info! The only little thing I would add is if someone’s uses a bottle at Walmart or anywhere else, PLEASE don’t leave it behind! Great job👍..... lol no pun intened🤣😂🤣
So I found you while looking for a video for a diy PUD. I DONT like my flimsy gogirl! Just wanted to add, make sure you pack out all that monthlies stuff in a scent proof bear bag! You sure dont want anybody with claws sniffing around your camp! This is reason #1 I'm glad to now bè in my 50's!!😉 Love your video!!
😂 this is awesome! I have a funnel thingy which I haven’t used in the woods (squatting is just quicker/easier) but I’ve never thought about the bottle idea 🤯👍😁
Excellent video! Thank you! This is such an important topic and you handled it like a pro. I wear dresses and found it pretty easy to pee standing up without anything extra but I won’t go into too much detail. It reminds of of how I tried to pee like my brother when I was a kid. Hahaha and pee hard is the key.
I am a long time P-Style girl. I keep one in the camper or truck and one in my bike gear. The Go-Girl was a big fail for me. With a little practice, it can be used one-handed. We have used the jar method when tent camping to avoid opening the tent and letting the cold air come in. In the morning we empty the jar. Thanks for covering a much needed topic for the ladies and the men who want to support us.
What is it about going to the bathroom that makes us giggle? I LOLOLOLOL so much and watched in joy. VERY informative. I really needed to know. Thank you Mandy, what a joy!
Maybe I'll practice in my back yard. :-) Usually I hold on to a bush, suspend myself back beyond my feet, and make sure it's downhill behind me. But I never thought of squatting all the way down to reduce splash. So thanks!
Finally! A sensible and detailed video on the unmentionables! Loved it! Go Girl is too small for some larger women. I like the Thunder box, but it's one expensive toilet cover!😄
So I have no issue with peeing outside, I've just always wondered if other people do?... like how do other people on the trail feel about other people leaving the trail and peeing? If they see me, will I get yelled at?? Or is it just a pretty normal thing to see on a trail?
Great video! Makes me want to go out in the back yard and try them out 😉 but I’m kinda old and outa shape and might fall over. I wish I were younger, that’s for sure! 😉
Oh my gaaa I was dying! We were in Baja with my 84 year old mom and she did the facing uphill squat and she fell backwards and we were laughing so hard I couldn't get her up for about 5 minutes. I thought I was going to have to go get my husband and his brother. I'm crying laughing at that now! So yeah, amazing tips Mandy and the leave no trace so important. One added suggestion to the young ladies: Diva Cup. PS Since high school I have said all of my girl friends must be able to drink a beer and pee in the bushes. I have since graduated to wine, but I still think my friends should be able to pee in the bushes.
Wow another Mandy. LOL I discovered how to do that ( roadside I'm afraid ) but any vehicle will do. I was younger but heavier when I discovered this. I was coming back on a long road trip and my bladder was already starting to get middle aged. LOL meaning it held only a few ounces. I made my husband pull down an old dirt road and I had pants on. In desperation, I hoisted the jeggings ( lol ) down and leaned back on the car ( facing away from any oncoming traffic ) and turned the clay road into a red river! LOL i got all pulled back up and not 2 minutes later ( back in the car ) a sheriff's car came boop'n down the road. I just waved and hoped he didn't see the pee puddle on the red clay. LOL...Not sure what kind of ticket I woulda got from the Deputy? Indecent exposure to raccoons? I dunno. Bracing the back really helped alot. I saw unders tossed aside in the Smoky Mountains once I guess another gal had to pee and maybe a bear scared her? Men are lucky in this one regard.
When we used to tent camp we sometimes were in areas where there was only a few inches of top soil over hard rock (granite, gneiss or limestone.) in those cases we pooped and scooped it up and put it in a bag that we carried out and disposed of later. One of the advantages of campers is that they have real toilets with built in storage for the waste, so we rarely have to use the old shovel and bag or buck and bag system.
I actually really appreciate this. I tried one of those funnel things last time hiking and it absolutely went all wrong 😅 they do not make the exit part wide enough to keep up with draining the flow of liquid and well, you can imagine. I have a really hard time squatting so maybe this will help. I'll have to try to do some balance practice or something with these methods.
I sent this video to my 18 year old daughter who is leaving for a vanlife adventure with her boyfriend to the Pacific Northwest.
Very well done.
Thank you for the video
Great "field demonstration" and thanks for showing the other options! A tip my friend once told me is to "commit to the squat". As for stp devices, I've tried a funnel similar to the Go Girl, but it didn't end well... beware that you need to get it fully under you and "attached", which is difficult if you're wearing fitted jeans - at least it was for me. I wish more people would actually show how to use things. Good for you not being embarrassed - it's helpful!!
thanks Dianna! I'm about to post video 2 with more tips... these were good points!
Mandy, thank you😊 this has been the most comprehensive how to video on this subject that I’ve seen. Much appreciate it👍
Thank you!! I tried to make it shorter, but there was just too much to say! I even left some stuff out, LOL
@@MandyLea g
I grew up camping and backpacking, and was very comfortable with the full squat. With the issues of my knees and hips, I can no longer do a full squat, and a half squat is iffy. I love the idea of a rope. Thank you Mandy!
It helps a surprising amount! I've heard of some people using a bungee cord as well.
I want to see ALL of the outtakes on this one! Thanks for tackling and honestly discussing a sensitive but important topic for those really in the outback.
William Bingham Ha! I was also looking forward to the outtakes on this one. 😄
LOL, there really are a lot more - but I tried to keep it short!
Don’t look i’m peeing
I was a tree planter for 20 years so I got pretty good at the squat thang! Love your message to not let having to pee in the woods hold women back from
being in the woods :) Awesome video!!
Well that sounds like a great job!!
It was the best of times and the worst of times ha ha... 10 hours in the rain would be one of the worst of times :) but great money and paid for my university and beyond :) probably went on too long though - great if you love the outdoors which I do!
Great job covering the leave no trace method of doing ones business in the woods. I hope this video gets lots of views because I see so much toilet paper while hiking as well as soiled campsites in areas where level ground is at a premium. When people know better, hopefully they will doo better.
Thanks Jan! There is so much more to it too, but doing my best!
You all probably dont care at all but does any of you know of a tool to log back into an instagram account?
I was stupid forgot my account password. I love any assistance you can give me!
@Ricardo Dayton Instablaster =)
@Terrance Jeffrey i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm trying it out now.
I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Terrance Jeffrey it did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I am so happy:D
Thanks so much you saved my account !
Thank you for the great tips, along with the modest way you presented this. It was a refreshing change from the vulgarity that is normally used in this world.
Thanks Maria! Trying my best to actually be helpful. When I looked up other videos I knew I had to do mine better :)
Good morning Mandy. Yvonne and I had some good chuckles while having our coffee, lol. She’s a bush girl and nothing stands in her way! Good for you making a video about issues most people won’t discuss. 👍😊
Glad I could bring a smile to your morning!
Hands down the best video I've seen yet about dealing with the wee wee business outdoors. Thanks for the clear and non-embarrassing way you explained all of this. The she-we thing is certainly helpful for a circumstance where there is little "cover" like bushes etc making it difficult to not feel exposed with trousers/pants down!
No problem! Glad it was helpful Jackie!
I love the Go Girl!! I've taken my to a few festivals and a many road trips. Great video!!
Thanks!! Glad you enjoyed it!
Finally got to see this video. Good job keeping it real! I personally really like the Go Girl. I practiced with it first in my bathroom standing over the toilet before I used it while hiking.
Yep, I love it too. Mostly for the bottle trick though ;)
I clicked ready to say who doesnt know how to shit in the woods but after watching i am impressed how much knowledge this chick has to offer and she put together a GREAT video!
LOL! Thanks Dave! It's an art for sure ;)
OMG! I laughed so hard at this one I almost peed my pants! Great tutorial Mandy! Probably a first on teaching women how to go in the woods! Love how you keep life real! Eventually we all have to go! 🤣
Thanks Yvonne! It's amazing how many friends I've gone camping with who told me they can't do this - so I decided to make a video!
Really? Omg Mandy! I guess I’m a roughing it kind of girl and take it for granted as a natural thing when you gotta go, just squat and go! Winter is the most challenging though, I have heard of people peeing or pooping in their snow suit hood by mistake! Lmao!
I know! I was laughing, but mainly because of pee accidents I have had! Ha ha!
I'm an over the road semi driver for 30+ years. The back brace against the sleeper wall is best for older ladies, can be done against the rear of a pick up truck too.
Yep! Just need something sturdy and you're "good to go" LOL
Ha... I chuckled at your video but it is the best I have ever seen covering the topic. I grew up camping and using the restroom of nature. I'm 60 now, but it never failed that I almost always had my period during my camping trips. Ugg. It just happens that way, ha. You gave excellent tips and now that I'm older I'm going to try the tree/rope trick to help my knees out. Thanks for the suggestions . I'm sure you helped out tons of viewers .
Thanks Arleen!! I'm glad you found it useful. I don't want any girls staying home because of their period.
When I was very young and we went camping in the bush I asked my father where I should go to the bathroom...he said find a log. Your tips where really good. I find it surprising that so many women are afraid to try any of these methods and would make themselves sick holding it for a toilet. Before Go Girl type products I just used a funnel. Now with COVID I hope many people are using some of these technique. Great video.
We usually camp at State Parks are not using the campground bathrooms this season either... and may not ever again... We bought a Thetford porta-potty and only use it for #1 ... but also I use a Dollar Tree funnel with one of my dad's old urnials HaHa! hey... it works!
We also set up our Luggable Loo to be a sort of "composting toilet" ... We line the Loo with a plastic bag, then a paper Trader Joe's bag that has some peat moss in it... then I spritz some poo-pourri and add a little peat moss each time. It does not smell! We bury the paper bag deep in the ground when we get home. Thanks Mandy and Kendrick for adding a great tutorial to the list!
Very creative! Sounds like you have a good system going!
Thank you Deb!
THANK YOU!!!! Yes, this has been getting in the way of experiencing the camping/hiking life, well, at least the #2 part anyway. As an older person I tend to use the tree method as a brace. Depending on the time of year, I often don my rain poncho which affords one some privacy while bracing against the tree. The tips on how far one's pants should be rolled down are golden, uh, no pun intended.
LOL... golden indeed :)
Brilliant! Very informative and to-the-point; I'm so glad someone has taken it upon themselves to demystify the knack of wilderness business (and nothing feels better than that natural squat in the woods, ya feel?). This is only my second video of yours and I see myself on a binge-journey. Thanks
Oh I hope you binge away ;)
Thank you. My little brother can do it easily when he gotta go but when I gotta go I always end up having to hold it for so long or wetting my feet. I saw this video some days ago and I already tried it on a walk! Works perfectly when I gotta relieve myself on the outside 😌
So very happy I could help :) Much love and luck to you!
@@MandyLea thank you :))
Thanks Mandy, I'm 69, so I figured out how to pee in the woods already when hiking with our friends( they are 75 and 73, married 50 years and they hike 3 times a week usually 10 miles each) anyhow, her and I go our separate ways in the woods and pretty much do as your video says. Thanks for telling others who haven't figured it out how to.
I'm 76 and cant squat without falling back on my butt, and I like the go girl. But that rope trick around the tree gave me an idea. I would have to have maybe a carabiner on 1 end and steel circle or clip on other so I could hold the now secure circle rope with 1 hand while other hand holds the go girl in place. Sounds like an acrobatic act doesn't it?!
Definitely give either the Go Girl or the PStyle a try - I think you'll love it!
I'm with you.. the go girl is the best! & just let me say, michelle... You Go! Girl! 76 & still camping! YES! Hope I achieve that! & Thanks Mandy for putting out some great info on this topic! As always I love your vids! Happy trails from Michigan!
I'm a 66 year old guy and can't squat either, so got a garden auger and a tripod seat. What ever works right?
Instead of using the shovel or some digging gadgets, I use my machete as a shovel as well. It cuts roots and buried branches too.
After that, cover the hole or spillage with soil and leaves.
Good tip!
Thank you for being bold to give awesome and necessary info to us ladies!!!! 👍🏻
I love my p style! It was such a liberating tool. No more need to find a far bush to hide and if you do it right, no need to wipe after. It hangs in my pouch off my backpack. Easily accessible but discreet. I then just clean it in the shower when I get home. I'm now also using it in our camper with a bottle with a large opening. Soooo much easier.
Yes! Perfect!!
I grew up in the PNW backpacking and camping. I wanted to see if there were any hints I didn't know about. This is a fantastic video! So well done. Thanks so much for putting this together. Sending to my outdoorsy daughters.
Oh good! I love complements from the pros ;)
Well done Mandy. I have never seen a demonstration of the how to best and easily squat. I think this is a unique video!
Thank you very much! Hope it was helpful!
Hey, Mandy Lea! I came to give you a hard time about spelling (casette), but stayed for the great content!
As an LNT Master Educator, I loved this video. Let me toss out a couple of other things that you might find useful.
1) For #1, when you pee in the wood, you leave behind salts when the water evaporates. Animals (esp. deer) like to take advantage of this. That’s why you don’t pee on trees; the pee doesn’t damage the bark, but the deer going after the salt will just chew up the bark, possibly killing the tree. So, if you can find a nice big rock, you can pee on that, and create a diy salt lick for the critters!
2) For #2. Your cathole demo is great, the only problem being that more and more areas are recommending (or requiring), carry out of all solids. My “go to” choice for this is Cleanwaste’s Go Anywhere products. The main item is a bag that contains “poo powder” rendering any waste into an inert gel. You can put TP in there, and they are often good for several uses. They are also approved for disposal in any municipal or commercial trash receptacle! They also make a small, portable toilet that you can actually back pack with.
Anyway, I look forward to watching more videos!
This is a wonderful, clear demonstration of the options. Next time, it would be super helpful to show some of the ways to take care of business in a camping rig without holding tanks. So, the Thunderbox would be a wonderful idea in a rig. But, in my rig, I pee standing up by peeing into a plastic container and then pouring it into a bottle that gets emptied each day. Also, the use of coconut coir for number 2 as well as some of the other options would be so useful to have demonstrated. I love, love, love that you spoke about LNT!!! Hurray!!
Thanks Phyllis! I definitely think there is more to the subject that I could talk about... maybe a second episode!
In my little trailer I use a lug-a-loo, which is basically a bucket and a seat. I line the bucket with a heavy duty garbage bag do what I gotta do then cover it with wood pellets. It gets layered like this while used then I tie the bag and tossbit in the garbage when full. Since the pellets are 100% wood the load minus the bag can also be dumped in a pit toilet. Clean and no smell. I used to use kitty litter, but pellets are far superior. I used that method with a bedside commode when I had fractured both ankles.
Great video! Thanks for your no-nonsense candor about a subject that people need to learn about.
Thank you Sue!! It was a fun video to put together!
I have the complication of working as a surveyor with a crew of 4 ladies and mostly in the raw outback. (Desert). We solved the toilet problem with a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket and a pool noodle with a slit. Fitted around the rim of the bucket as a seat. A garbage bag and TP stored in the bucket below the garbage bag. A simple towel draped across the lap gives all the privacy you need. You’d be surprised how soon you lose all inhibition. When done, zip up your bag for use or dumping later and keep the noodle and spare bags in the bucket. A regular lid turns it into a seat.
Great system!
I was actually searching for tips on how to better manage an overactive bladder. But this video is very helpful, thanks!
Great job. Over 50 bad- bad knee was concerned about such problems. We not all young healthy and flexible.
There are always other options!! Thanks for watching!!
This is one of the best videos that I have seen about toilet in the wild!!!!! Good on you for the vid, demo's and Great Advice. Have never seen or heard of anyone approaching the issue head on! Diane and I tried the Assist method right here in the living room and it really helped her to regain standup from the squat, she saved the pee for the washroom here in the house. Also when you said the Thunder Box was good up to 500 lbs, I almost split a gut until I realized it was the weight it was able to bear as far as person sitting...... The Question that Diane was wanting to have addressed is what happens when you bare you bottom to the Wild and the Mosquito's attach........new video?
Not much you can do about mosquitos but be fast!!!! Thanks for your kind words! Glad you all enjoyed it!
Being a truck drivers daughter, I have an oil funnel. It's small enough around that it goes in between my legs great. I use it either in my pee jug or while i am out in the woods. I have a bag that it goes in while out and clean it up when I return back to camp. Works for me!!
Sounds like a creative solution!
First time watching your channel and I appreciate you talking about really things that no one wants to talk about. I've now subscribed to you channel Love & Light🐾
Thanks Barbie! So happy to have you!
Your helpful (and succinct) tips were the BEST.!
Thank you also for explaining and identifying each product. Great job, very full advice.
Brandy
Thanks Brandy! I'm so glad it was helpful. Appreciate the compliment!
Yes! We have that Thunderbox, it's great 😁🙌. A well done vid, thanks. Ladies, look into menstrual cups instead of tampons and pads too, definitely recommend.
Thanks so much!
This video is the best : instructions are clear and details, differents options. Love it ! thank you!
Thank you! I have a version 2 all planned out with even more tips. Stay tuned :)
Thank you! Thank you! I'm dang high maintenance, and going to the bathroom outside is one thing I've not mastered. Here is to saving room in my black tank!
Hahaha, at least you can admit it ;) Going outside will make you feel free!
Glad you addressed this issue. Funny I’m 65 now but most of my adult life ive had a bad left knee, weak left side altogether and no thigh muscles even when dancing etc. in my early 50s for 4 years i was relegated to grocery store clerk in the economic downswing of 2007. Needless to say i gained muscles and lost weight bagging beer packs and dragging in carts but I still couldnt bend over to get spots on floors. I ended up doing same thing I had always done. I bend knees slightly less than half squats put my left elbow on top of my knee. When peeing I do the same, elbow on knees and yes holding the crotch of pants. Leaning forward like this with elbow on knees keeps me balanced and I pee backwards. Nothing goes toward pants or feet. Look for a downhill slope too. Where I live now there are some areas you have to pack the pee and poop out. I do not do those trails. Called wag bag?
When I was a kid, Mom would bring an old large metal coffee can to use if you had to go to the bathroom when hiking, fishing, hunting ect... and there was no bathroom.
Ugh, I think I'd rather go outside than in a coffee can! But I can totally see that happening :)
Line with a bag (or TWO), and easily do the "pack it out" method.
Having a can or large plastic cup gives people unaccustomed to wilderness or small-container potty-ing some structure and something to aim for lol
Really good info! I'm sharing this video with a friend who is in her forties and has never ever peed in the woods and in fact has never gone camping! Also sharing this with my two grown daughters so they can show my young granddaughters. Both are Little Divas and won't even pee in a vault toilet or sani-can.
I even bought a little portable toilet setup from Walmart for them but unfortunately it was basically a TV tray stand with a toilet seat on it and it collapsed when one of my daughters was demonstrating it for the girls, so of course they wanted nothing to do with that either!
Once I get my T@b 320S with the nice bench-style cassette toilet AND bathroom sink, the little girls AND their Nana (me!) will be soooooo happy! 👭 👩🦳 🚽
PS I clicked on the link for the Thunder Box. Thanks for demonstrating it as far as setup. They advertised that it is so well made that it can be passed down through the generations! I'll share that link with my daughters as well because they do a lot of tent camping and I won't always be able to join them, especially when I head cross-country in my T@b!
Thank you for the kind comments!! Yes, I think the Thunderbox will be a nice sturdy solution - it's not going to collapse for sure!!
The P Style is the way to go. After using the Go Girl for several years and realizing you still have to pull down your pants, I was disheartened. It offered no more privacy that the regular girl squat and you had to pack it away dirty. I learned about the P style through FB. So much better. So much cleaner and you don't have to pull down your pants. Just slip throw your zipper. Yoga pants, no problem, lower the waist band and let your shirt cover you. On our trip to Nepal over the 3 high passes, where there are no trees etc., I was able to pee with confidence. Not showing your back side to everyone was a huge relief to me. I been a user of P style now and have mastered pushing my shorts to the side at the crotch and going no problem. I just squirt a bit of water from my camel back into the trough and back it goes into its case.
Awesome!! I have the P style so I'll have to give that a shot! Sounds great!
Wow, the last part of the video had stuff I haven't seen elsewhere, great job. That thunderbox looks especially interesting and easy to use. I had a female funnel and it definitely overflows easily. I will try the other one you suggested.
So glad to show you some things. The funnels are tricky until you get used to them.
@@MandyLea Yes, they look it! I'll have to practice! :-)
You've got a new subscriber with me. I love your videos. Me and my guy are getting ready, researching, trying to learn all we can from start to finish , to look for an RV and move out of this apartment life. We both hate it. We are at the stages in our lives that this is ideal and we both are looking forward to it. We've traveled but never like this. Wish us luck and keep the videos coming. Hugs, peace and love
Very good job! As always we love your videos, especially since Covid. You and Kendrick are doing a great job with the channel. I married my wife because she could pee off the running board of our truck! She also has a go girl and we used the bottle method to keep us from dumping our black tank for over 35 days in Colorado! David and Juanita
She sounds like my kind of girl! haha... thanks for watching!
Thanks. I’m going to check out the thunderbox. One thing you should add is the Kula cloth. A little pee rag, buts is not a rag. It is excellent. No more carrying out tp from peeing or getting hands wet with urine, etc.
I'll have to check that out!
Wet wipes are great for #2 and for pee dribble. I use a menstrual cup-- less waste and more comfortable.
Awesome video. I had not gone in the woods in a looooonnnngggg time and was concerned how I was going to do my business now that I am older. You gave me a lot of ideas. Thank you
So happy to help Karen!
Great video! Answering the questions girls are embarrassed to ask in a very direct & informative presentation. Really want to see about getting the Thunder Box.
You would love it! We've been very happy with ours!
Loved your video! When I started hiking, I remember the first time I peed in the woods off trail. (I'm female,btw.) Wow! I felt like I'd discovered fire! It was such a sense of accomplishment and freedom from worrying if the next bend in the trail held a miraculous porta-potty. I tried the GoGirl. It was literally "hit" and "miss". I really envied how guys aim those things of theirs. Pooping was another story. I remember just feeling relieved. :)
Exactly! I don't want anyone to miss out on adventures because they are afraid to go somewhere without a bathroom.
Great video. I have a Go Girl and like it. It's easiest to use wearing a dress or skirt but I can stick it up the pant leg of my shorts and not take them off.
Very handy!
One of the most valuable videos on the subject since Bob’s original “Poop” video. Great job!
Thanks Mike!
The thunder box....sounds pretty badass !! Never thought about the tree or rope and tree trick...
It's my favorite camp accessory :)
I been blastin my quads all these years while on hunting and fishin trips...
Great video!! I'm still surprised when I run across women who have never peed out in nature. I've used the rope or tree tip when on hilly or slipped or slippery (rain snow) . I just can't poop in the woods, and have refused to backpack longer than 3days away from a real toilet or outhouse. Definitely thinking about that Thunder box👍
You can do it!! haha
Okay this is great! But how do I stop mosquitos from biting my butt?
If I'm camping in a place with set campsites, I will not do the cathole thing. If everyone that uses the site peed and pooped in the woods around, it could become a field of landmines. I use a lug-a-loo and heavy duty garbage bags. The thunder box looks really cool! Instead of having waste sloshing around in the bottom of the bag or having to toss out a bag every time it is used, I have found that basic wood pellets are terrific and they mask smells very well. We use the lug-a-loo in our little trailer. I also used the pellets in a bedside commode when I could not walk with two broken ankles. No smell whatsoever. Kitty litter will also do the job, but not as well as the pellets and the littler lifts a cloud of dust every time you pour some in.
We use kitty litter often, mostly because it is easy to get!
@@MandyLea I thought the same thing at first, I then saw that Canadian Tire carried basic pellets for wood stoves for much less than the same weight of kitty litter. Walmart also carries them. Pellets being less dense than litter we got a whole lot more uses for that same weight. Obviously you don't get the fancy ones for BBQ smokers. 🙂
Here in Canada it costs under $6 for 40 pounds. I would suspect a similar bargain in the US.
Exactly the info I was looking for. Thank you for your detail and honesty
Thanks so much and glad it helped!
Great advice, young people these days just think you can’t possibly go because of the blood or just the trouble. I’ve camped for yrs. and done a lot of squatting 😜. Love the thunder bod- my husband used to build me a lil thunderbox when we would go out for a while. Now we just use them5-gal bucket-which stores all the TP and wipes -shovel, etc... good storage and easy to use. We have a toilet seat attached to the top. Same principal.
I am 61 years old and you just showed me new techniques....thank you. ✌️
Yay for new things!
Nice work. While I am a guy, I have 4 gals that travel along so we all get that nature calls and sometimes or virtually all times at the most unique times-Like a single walking trail next to a river and heavy tree line. Good topic and for the guys,,be sensitive to the topic-its gonna happen.
Yes it isn't always easy to find a good spot! But kudos to you for being sensitive :)
This will help for my DofE expedition next weekend! Walking for 3 hours with no bathrooms 😃
Glad it could help! Have fun!
@@MandyLea tyyy I did the expedition:)) doing silver soon
Who'd a thought this would be a video I would watch! Well here we go
LOL, hope you enjoyed!
You. Are. FAB!! “Commit to the pee!” 😄 “Field demonstrations” 😁 I love people who can talk about the awkward stuff without awkwardness, and normalize the conversations. Good on ya! 🙌
I feel like I talk about pee all day long... maybe I'm just desensitized to it?
OMG where have you been all my life lol! Great video!
Ahahaha... probably out peeing in the woods!
So many comments I did not read them all, so this may have already been brought up. More on the topic of the period. I use the diva cup. It has worked great for me. Can stay in place longer than other options, yet it will be another item to clean back at camp.
Yep, a few people brought that up... a great suggestion!!
I don't know what I was expecting when you called for your assistant, but I definitely wasn't expecting a Greek god. I've totally overflowed the pee funnel when standing up and not into a bottle. Super gross. Great tips and way to demonstrate!
Love this morning nonsense no shyness answering questions someone might not have dared ask
Thank you for checking it out!!!
You are amazing!! You do the best video’s. Thanks for thinking of us ladies!!
Thank you so much!
I just subscribed to your channel. Very clear. Very much needed info! Thx!
Thanks Stella! Happy to have you!
One more option is to use a battery powered drill and a gardening auger especially for hard pack desert.
Super sensitive topic that you handled beautifully and super helpful info! The only little thing I would add is if someone’s uses a bottle at Walmart or anywhere else, PLEASE don’t leave it behind! Great job👍..... lol no pun intened🤣😂🤣
Cheers 🍻,
thanks for the brilliant tips. ThunderBox, the GoGirl items and Shovel are going in my kit for the ladies.
Safe travels. G🙋♂️.
Those are perfect additions! Thinks I use almost daily.... :)
Thanks for dealing with this! I take vitamins, etc..do you still think it's okay to pee right on the ground?
I've never heard otherwise....
For your period use a menstrual cup! They are less scary than they look and lighter/smaller than carrying pads and tampons.
Always wondered how it worked for you gals! 😉 Great lesson Mandy!
Haha, glad you watched it even though it was an off topic!
So I found you while looking for a video for a diy PUD. I DONT like my flimsy gogirl! Just wanted to add, make sure you pack out all that monthlies stuff in a scent proof bear bag! You sure dont want anybody with claws sniffing around your camp! This is reason #1 I'm glad to now bè in my 50's!!😉 Love your video!!
I love my PStyle. And I’ve tried the go girl. Great video well done. Thank you.
You are so welcome!
Try the She wee as well. There are also Bidets that fit in a water bottle to help clean up
Ya I've heard of that one too!
😂 this is awesome!
I have a funnel thingy which I haven’t used in the woods (squatting is just quicker/easier) but I’ve never thought about the bottle idea 🤯👍😁
Works perfect ;)
Excellent video! Thank you! This is such an important topic and you handled it like a pro. I wear dresses and found it pretty easy to pee standing up without anything extra but I won’t go into too much detail. It reminds of of how I tried to pee like my brother when I was a kid. Hahaha and pee hard is the key.
Now THAT'S a skill!
I am a long time P-Style girl. I keep one in the camper or truck and one in my bike gear. The Go-Girl was a big fail for me. With a little practice, it can be used one-handed. We have used the jar method when tent camping to avoid opening the tent and letting the cold air come in. In the morning we empty the jar. Thanks for covering a much needed topic for the ladies and the men who want to support us.
I've done well with both products... but peeing in a bottle/jar is definitely something more women need to try!
What is it about going to the bathroom that makes us giggle? I LOLOLOLOL so much and watched in joy. VERY informative. I really needed to know. Thank you Mandy, what a joy!
Happy to make you giggle!
Kudos to you for showing it real!
Maybe I'll practice in my back yard. :-) Usually I hold on to a bush, suspend myself back beyond my feet, and make sure it's downhill behind me. But I never thought of squatting all the way down to reduce splash. So thanks!
Finally! A sensible and detailed video on the unmentionables! Loved it! Go Girl is too small for some larger women. I like the Thunder box, but it's one expensive toilet cover!😄
It is a bit pricey, but I promise the first time you use it you'll be happy :) Its so sturdy and surprisingly comfortable.
I am transgender (male to female) I needed this video and learned a lot. Thanks for teaching me.
No problem! Hope it is helpful! So many useful tools.
This was super helpful, thank you for your effort. I’ve yet to work up the nerve to pee in the woods, but someday soon!
Give it a shot! It is so freeeeeing!
Lol...it's been a long time since I had to go outside. All good advice. Big fan of the back brace on a tree as I recall.😉
I haven't had a bathroom in 4 years :) haha
Great vid. Thanks. I'd throw in some gloves as well to minimize contamination on the hands.
So I have no issue with peeing outside, I've just always wondered if other people do?... like how do other people on the trail feel about other people leaving the trail and peeing? If they see me, will I get yelled at?? Or is it just a pretty normal thing to see on a trail?
It's pretty normal so long as you follow the leave no trace guidelines, its fine!
Great video! Makes me want to go out in the back yard and try them out 😉 but I’m kinda old and outa shape and might fall over. I wish I were younger, that’s for sure! 😉
haha, there are certainly things to make it easier :) You can do it!
Omg, I so need this coz I’ve been wanting to camp for awhile now
Don't let a lack of bathroom stop you from adventuring!
I’ve never tried it but some ladies like the menstrual cup! No trash and wear it for 12-24hrs 🤯
I have never tried it either...
Oh my gaaa I was dying! We were in Baja with my 84 year old mom and she did the facing uphill squat and she fell backwards and we were laughing so hard I couldn't get her up for about 5 minutes. I thought I was going to have to go get my husband and his brother. I'm crying laughing at that now! So yeah, amazing tips Mandy and the leave no trace so important. One added suggestion to the young ladies: Diva Cup.
PS Since high school I have said all of my girl friends must be able to drink a beer and pee in the bushes. I have since graduated to wine, but I still think my friends should be able to pee in the bushes.
I think that's a good rule for your friends :) I'm glad I qualify!!! And what a funny memory, so happy when I can bring up memories like that.
love the transparency
I'm nothing if not honest!
Wow another Mandy. LOL I discovered how to do that ( roadside I'm afraid ) but any vehicle will do. I was younger but heavier when I discovered this. I was coming back on a long road trip and my bladder was already starting to get middle aged. LOL meaning it held only a few ounces. I made my husband pull down an old dirt road and I had pants on. In desperation, I hoisted the jeggings ( lol ) down and leaned back on the car ( facing away from any oncoming traffic ) and turned the clay road into a red river! LOL i got all pulled back up and not 2 minutes later ( back in the car ) a sheriff's car came boop'n down the road. I just waved and hoped he didn't see the pee puddle on the red clay. LOL...Not sure what kind of ticket I woulda got from the Deputy? Indecent exposure to raccoons? I dunno. Bracing the back really helped alot. I saw unders tossed aside in the Smoky Mountains once I guess another gal had to pee and maybe a bear scared her? Men are lucky in this one regard.
Hello Mandy! Great name! That's a fun story. I pee on the side of the road a lot - I open the front and back doors and go in between them :)
When we used to tent camp we sometimes were in areas where there was only a few inches of top soil over hard rock (granite, gneiss or limestone.) in those cases we pooped and scooped it up and put it in a bag that we carried out and disposed of later. One of the advantages of campers is that they have real toilets with built in storage for the waste, so we rarely have to use the old shovel and bag or buck and bag system.
Yes, one of the products I totally meant to talk about at the end was a "wag bag". I just completely forgot until I was editing and it was too late!!
I actually really appreciate this. I tried one of those funnel things last time hiking and it absolutely went all wrong 😅 they do not make the exit part wide enough to keep up with draining the flow of liquid and well, you can imagine. I have a really hard time squatting so maybe this will help. I'll have to try to do some balance practice or something with these methods.
Awesome! Best of luck melissa!