[How-To] Pee in the Woods & Best Devices for Ladies

Does the thought of urinating in the great outdoors make you nervous? You aren’t alone.

I’ve heard from a ton of ladies who balk at the idea of extended outdoor adventure simply because they aren’t sure how to handle one of the most natural and basic bodily functions.

As someone who grew up peeing in nature and who spends plenty of her adult life far from modern plumbing, I’m a seasoned pro.

Don’t let apprehension and nerves prevent you from enjoying everything the great outdoors has to offer.

So today, I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know about peeing in the woods.

By the end of this article, you’ll feel empowered enough to leave civilization far behind and enjoy some time in nature.

How It’s Done

While peeing in the woods is totally doable for 98.6% of the population — that’s a made-up statistic, by the way — there is no one-size-fits-all formula for getting it done.

That said, some methods are more popular than others.

You’ll probably want to give a few of them a try to see what works best for you.

The Squat

This is the classic pee-in-the-woods position for women. It’s how I first learned to go, and it’s still my go-to in most situations.

Here’s the step-by-step:

• Pull your pants down. (Duh.)
• Position your feet at least hip-width apart. If you can go wider, it will help add some stability.
• Get into a deep squat.
• Let the waters flow.

It’s important not to hold back. Commit to the act and let it out fast. Dribbling just ends up being messier than letting the stream flow.

And when I say deep squat, I mean it.

If you can get your hips lower than your knees, it will help reduce splashing. If you aren’t flexible enough to pull this off, don’t worry. There are other options.

Though the squat is a classic, it can be challenging when your legs are tired. So, if you’ve just hiked a steep trail, you might want to try another method.

Also, you may need to hold this position for more than several seconds, so go ahead and strengthen those quads before you head into the wilderness.

The Half Squat

If you just can’t get into a deep squat, the half squat can work in a pinch.

Just be prepared. This one can get splashy and could end up with urine on your boots.

You can reduce a bit of splashing by digging a shallow hole before you release the floodwaters.

For best results, get your hips back as far as possible. Push that tushie out like you’re trying to get free drinks at the club.

The Assisted Squat

It isn’t unusual to need a little help to hold the classic squat long enough to empty your bladder, especially if your legs are already burned out from hiking.

So, use what’s around you — back up to a rock, tree, or log and lean back for support. Or you can grab a sapling in front of you and lean back into a squat.

Not only does this method take some weight off trail-weary knees, but it also reduces the chances of falling into a pee puddle.

However, before you grab that tree or lean against that log, do a quick inspection for insects and poison ivy.

An itchy rash on your butt cheeks or a surprise encounter with ticks, chiggers, or hairy spiders can quickly ruin any outdoor adventure.

This position is also a gem for going number two, but that’s a topic for another day.

Dude Style

During discussions of gender inequality, few people mention peeing in the woods. In this area, guys really do have it easier than women. Dudes just unzip and let ‘er rip. Easy peasy. 

If you’ve dreamed of peeing standing up like the guys, a pee funnel will make your dreams reality.

Female Urination Devices, a.k.a. FUDs or pee funnels, are cone-shaped extenders that allow women to pee standing up, just like the guys.

You don’t even need to pull your pants down around your ankles.

As a bonus, a pee funnel also makes pit stops at grungy interstate gas stations significantly less traumatizing.

Peeing in a Treestand

If you’re 20 feet up a treestand when nature calls and climbing down isn’t practical, you’ll need to master the art of the pee bottle.

A large, wide-mouth bottle makes it easier to achieve a good seal to prevent splashing or spill-over. If you can kneel over the bottle, all the better.

A pee funnel is also a helpful accessory to use here, especially when kneeling isn’t an option.

But be sure to mark your pee bottle clearly so it doesn’t get mistaken for something potable.

While you might think that won’t happen, pee in a bottle isn’t particularly recognizable at twilight – a huge skull and crossbones should do the trick.

This method also works well if you’re stuck in a hunting blind or don’t want to leave your tent in the middle of the night.

Other Considerations

Finding the Right Spot

When relieving yourself in nature, look for a piece of dirt that is obstruction-free.

Have you ever stuck a spoon under a running faucet and ended up with a face full of water?

The same thing can happen with your urine stream.

Before you let loose, make sure there aren’t any rocks, stumps, or other obstacles where you plan to go.

You don’t want pee splashing erratically onto your feet, pants, or backside.

While performance anxiety and modesty often motivate female adventurers to seek secluded spots to urinate, you don’t have to hike miles out of your way to use the bathroom.

If you’re in a party of dudes, you probably already know they aren’t hiking anywhere.

They rarely step 5 feet from the campfire to wizz.

While you may need to venture slightly further to avoid embarrassment, don’t wander so far away that you risk getting lost or falling off a cliff.

You don’t need to be completely out of sight of camp – just put something between you and wandering eyes to block accidental views of your backside.

Here are some places you shouldn’t pee:

• Near hiking trails
• Anywhere within 200 feet of water (including ponds, streams, rivers, etc.)
• Steep hillsides or other surfaces with dead leaves, mud, or scree.

Keeping Clean

Thanks to our internal plumbing, women are more prone to urine-related hygiene issues.

Yeast infections and UTIs are real concerns, especially if you’ll be roughing it without a modern bathroom for more than a couple of days.

You’ll need to do what you can to keep things clean down south.

Drip-drying is a sure-fire way to a UTI, so pack some TP or use a handkerchief.

Just be sure to pack out whatever you use. You know? “Leave no trace,” and all that.

A Ziplock bag is a handy tool for toting used tissue.

Biodegradable wet wipes can be a godsend, but they take up precious pack space when you’re heading into the backcountry.

If you can spare the weight and space, use them on your hands as well as your nether regions.

Lack of handwashing can make you sick, so you’ll need to do what you can to keep your paws clean as well as your private region.

Practice Makes Perfect

You definitely want to practice these methods before you head miles away from a toilet. Usually, personal experience is the best way to overcome hang-ups.

If you don’t want the neighbors giving you the side-eye for peeing on the backyard hydrangeas, rehearse your methods in the privacy of your shower.

Not only will no one see your fumbling attempts, but it’s super easy to clean up any mishaps.

The first time you try to urinate in the woods, you may experience some performance anxiety.

Take deep breaths and relax.

I promise women peed on the ground longer than we’ve peed in toilets.

You can totally do this!

Best Pee Products for Ladies

If the pee funnel sounds like it’s right up your alley, it’s worth noting that they come in a ton of shapes and sizes. So, how do you know which is the best?

No worries, friends, I gathered a bunch of styles and headed out into the woods to see which ones proved easiest to use with less spill.

I drank several cold beers to speed the need to tinkle — figured if I could use the products while slightly inebriated, they should be super simple to use while sober. And also, It’s science, people.

(Have I mentioned how much I love my job?)

Note: pee funnels are understandably intimate, so what worked well for me might not work at all for you.

1. Pee Pocket

If you don’t like the idea of peeing multiple times in the same funnel, the Pee Pocket is the answer to your prayers.

These FUDs are disposable, individually wrapped, and include a “hygienic tissue wipe.” The wipe acts as a folded-up piece of heavy-duty toilet paper.

Pee Pockets are pretty simple to use.

They come folded, so you need to press the edges together to expand the funnel.

You’ll need to keep some pressure on the edges with your fingers because the funnel wants to collapse and fold back up.

After use, you simply fold up the pee pocket, placing it and the wipe back into its Ziplock packaging.

Pee Pockets slip easily into the back pocket of your jeans, making them super discreet.

Because they are single-use and go right back into a sealed plastic bag, they are also sanitary.

Compared to reusable funnels, the pee pocket feels flimsy.

The thin cardboard doesn’t create a good seal around your nether region either, so you could end up with urine running down your legs if you aren’t careful.

Where do this work best?

Pee Pockets are perfect campgrounds and music festivals, where porta potties can get pretty nasty, but you don’t want to cart around urine-soaked trash all day.

These tools could also be handy on a shorter day hike.

However, these just aren’t practical for extended backpacking trips.

You would have to pack enough individually wrapped pee funnels for the whole trip. Then pack out all the used ones and their accompanying hygienic wipes.

That turns the convenience into a major inconvenience.

What I love:

• Fits in my back pocket.
• No need to wash.

What I don’t love:

• Flimsy structure.
• Have to maintain pressure to prevent the funnel from collapsing.
• Toting around several packages of urine-soaked cardboard.

2. Pibella Female Urination Device

I admit that I was pretty intimidated by the Pibella FUD when I first opened the package.

Of all the funnels I test drove, this one has the narrowest mouth. As such, I prepared myself to end up with pee on my pants, thighs, and girl parts.

But looks can be deceiving, which was true in this case. Actually, the Pibella FUD ended up being my favorite.

Although the mouth of the funnel looks slim, the design proves incredibly ergonomic.

The Pibella has a small “tongue” that you insert and press against the forward wall of the vagina. This locks the funnel into place, ensuring the urethral opening is completely enclosed.

Because the “tongue” provides a solid point of reference, you know when the device is positioned correctly — even when slightly inebriated.

The design also diverts the entire urine stream away from the body, leaving your lady parts dry.

There was never a need to wipe away excess urine. All I had to do was shake the last few drops from the end of the funnel, and I was ready to go.

Another perk to the Pibella’s slim design — I didn’t have to pull down my panties. I could just push them to the side and slide the funnel into position.

That slim design also makes this one super easy to pack.

Although it doesn’t fit into the pocket of my favorite jeans, it will definitely slip into an outside pocket on my backpack.

The Pibella comes with a plastic zip bag for easy transport. However, the plastic feels pretty flimsy, so I’m not expecting it to last through a rough, backcountry hike.

What I love:

• “Tongue” ensures proper position every time.
• Slim design is easy to pack.
• No need to pull down underwear.
• Diverts the entire urine stream away from the body, so you don’t necessarily need to wipe.

What I don’t love:

• The carry pouch isn’t up to rough outdoor adventure.

3. GoGirl

The GoGirl FUD uses flexible, medical-grade silicone for its design.

That means it rolls up into a compact package and even comes with a discreet, cylindrical carry case.

The silicone feels much more comfortable against your body compared to the hard plastic material of most FUDs.

Also, urine doesn’t splash as much when it hits the soft silicone, meaning less mess to clean off your body.

The mouth of the GoGirl funnel seems pretty wide, so you don’t have to worry much about spilling, even if you don’t get a tight seal.

However, it’s nearly impossible for me to use this one without pulling my undies down.

What I love:

• Soft silicone material is comfortable, flexible, and reduces splashing.
• Rolls up to a discrete, easy-to-pack size.

What I don’t love:

• Have to pull underwear down.

4. Shewee Extreme

The Shewee Extreme claims it’s “The Original Female Urination Device,” although we weren’t able to validate or refute their claim.

This device makes it easy to pee while standing.

Using Shewee recyclable polypropylene, the surface feels kind of hard. But it opts for a “liquid-repellent surface,” ensuring you won’t see any lingering drips inside the funnel when you’ve finished your business.

With the included extension tube, you can pee to your heart’s content without getting any on your shoes.

It also comes with a hard carry case. Now, the case isn’t exactly compact nor discreet, but it is durable.

My biggest gripe with the Shewee is that it is insanely uncomfortable against my body. The hard plastic feels foreign, and the end of the funnel digs into my anus.

It works. But the experience left me feeling slightly violated.

What I love:

• Extension tube keeps pee well away from shoes.
• Liquid repellent makes for minimal clean-up.

What I don’t love:

• The hard plastic funnel digging into my butt hole.

5. Freshette Feminine Urinary Director

So, the Freshette FUD features one of the best customer satisfaction ratings on Amazon, but despite those stats, this was my least favorite pee funnel.

It makes it easier to pee standing up, but there are several reasons I have beef with it.

First, it doesn’t come with a carrying case or pouch, so I had to stuff it into a freezer bag. Not exactly discreet.

While the mouth of the funnel is rigid by design, it makes the Freshette a smidge uncomfortable.

However, my biggest challenge with this FUD was the urine lingered inside the funnel, even after giving it a good shake.

Although the amount of lingering pee was minuscule, it was enough to make removing the extender tube a messy affair.

What I love:

• It works.

What I don’t love:

• No carry case.
• Lingering pee.
• Rigid funnel.

6. Portable Potties

If you pitch your tent close to your vehicle, consider investing in a portable toilet. These make your outdoor stay feel more like home.

Most feature a snap-on toilet seat that attaches to a foldable stool or 5-gallon bucket.

The most popular portable camping toilet is the Luggable Loo from Reliance.

If you close your eyes, you’ll almost forget you aren’t at home perched on your favorite porcelain throne.

Place your Luggable Loo in a pop-up shower tent, and you’ll have all the privacy you need to pee and poop in peace.

You can fit your portable loo with plastic bags to catch waste, but you’ll need to safely dispose of them when you return to civilization.

Yes, this is as unpleasant as it sounds.

Conclusion

Outdoor adventures require a ton of planning and preparation. Knowing how and where to pee is no exception.

This isn’t something you want to attempt for the first time when your bladder is bulging.

Take some time to try out different methods, positions, and products before you venture far from modern facilities and prancing through the moves of the potty samba.

And trust us, you got this, girl!

Do you have any outdoor potty tricks up your sleeve? Tell us about it in the comments below. Before you head off into the wilderness, be sure to check out our Guide to Hiking Survival.