diva cup cathole?

[pants]

Alright. So I've decided to get a diva cup. I have a question though. I would assume that in following with leave no trace practices I will need to dig a cat hole every time I need to empty my diva cup. Is this correct? Or do I leave my mess for the little hungry forest critters? (ew)

[VictoriaM]

Ick, no. Dig a hole. You'll need one for the paper, anyway, since you'll need to wipe out your cup each time.

[RiverWarriorPJ]

Removed by Admin

[Michele]

Alright. So I've decided to get a diva cup. I have a question though. I would assume that in following with leave no trace practices I will need to dig a cat hole every time I need to empty my diva cup. Is this correct? Or do I leave my mess for the little hungry forest critters? (ew)

Yes, dig a cathole. Keep in mind, unless you flow extremely heavy, you don't have to empty the thing but twice a day. I plan on doing that chore after I set up camp and before I tear down the next morning. And like Victoria said, you'll need to wipe it out after emptying and that paper needs to go somewhere as well.

Oh, one bit of advice. Try to use the thing a few months before you leave for your hike. There's a tiny learning curve and it's just easier to deal with out in the woods if you're already comfortable w/its usage....kind of like any other piece of gear I guess. You'll love this thing by the way.

[Smile]

I was on another site and some gal was talking about washing it out in a water source - that totally grossed me out. I wonder if stuff can 'live' on one of these things as far as water bacteria that could be a problem for the ladies that use these.

[pants]

Thanks for the advice! I got a Keeper, Whole Foods didn't carry the Diva cup and I'm leaving Monday. Also I was just anxious to get use to it since I only have two days left of my "special time", and I know I need practice. I guess it'll be a lot better than packing a bunch of tampons around everywhere.

[Mammoth]

Maybe it's just me, but I've had the best luck with the Divacup while on the trail. Sometimes at home it doesn't pop open, but in the woods, it's almost foolproof. Hopefully that happens with the rest of you as well.

And I would say yes to the cat-hole. Aside of needing a place to bury toilet paper, I would feel guilty at the slim chance that someone else could be walking off the trail to the same place and have a yicky surprise on their shoe. Oy.

[gypsy]

[quote=Smile;326994]I was on another site and some gal was talking about washing it out in a water source - that totally grossed me out.
Ewwww!!!!!!

[Obsidian]

I love my diva cup I've used it for 2 plus years with only one incident which involved the little piece at the bottom breaking off and having issues removing it (thanks diva cup customer service lady for telling me how to birth it out) But...I think it calls for a cat hole, no one wants to happen upon the little contents of the cup..

[Michele]

I was on another site and some gal was talking about washing it out in a water source - that totally grossed me out. I wonder if stuff can 'live' on one of these things as far as water bacteria that could be a problem for the ladies that use these.

If I'm not mistaken, I think it's safe to wash it out with water that would be safe to drink, so I guess "technically" it would be safe to wash it out in many places where you'd retrieve water, but I'm pretty sure most women would just rinse it out w/a little water from their water bottles over the cat hole. That way, the water can also help break down the toilet paper quicker as well.

I'm carrying 2 for this reason. Get things situated and my pants back up from around my ankles , and then I can focus on properly cleaning the other one and have it ready to switch out the next time. All of this can easily happen within the cathole.

[lvleph]

I convinced my wife to get a Diva Cup a while back (more environmentally friendly). She said that it didn't really work as well as she would have liked and that it was messy. Is that a normal thing. From what I had read it wasn't really messy. Any suggestions?

[bananainablender]

I convinced my wife to get a Diva Cup a while back (more environmentally friendly). She said that it didn't really work as well as she would have liked and that it was messy. Is that a normal thing. From what I had read it wasn't really messy. Any suggestions?

The Diva Cup is messy because does not absorb the blood, it collects it and from there the woman has to be involved of in the disposal of her own menstrual blood. Tampons are nice because they deal with all the dirty work for you. For most of my friends, the cup is too much. Their periods already cause them enough pain and headaches; they want to keep the comfort of a tampon. And I don’t blame them. If women want to be wasteful with one part of their life, menstrual products are what I would choose. Your body is already everywhere during your period, you just want a little comfort and security.
As I said, compared to tampons, the woman has to be more involved in her own menstruation and body functions. For me, it is not messy because I am comfortable with using it, and I found the right fit. Each woman can differ on how comfortable it feels, you have to learn how to use it and many women have to try many different brands and sizes of cups before finding their perfect one. When you are brought up using tampons since childhood, it is a little different to get used to at first. Also, I do not know if your wife first used it at home, but it is difficult to master if you are just using it in the woods.

I love my Diva Cup, but it takes just that, love, really to want to understand how to use it. If you wife feels weird about it, it is going to be uncomfortable to use. When dealing with menstruation, personal comfort does come before the environment in my book. Be patient, after all it is your wife's choice.



In dealing with empting cups- you can dump blood in water, but I would never want to. Keep the waters clean!

[lvleph]

Yeah, I realize it is her choice. I was just trying to be helpful. I am sure she would have used it if she could have adress those issues.

[Smile]

I know quite a few friends who use Glad Rags. ( gladrags.com)
But I think they'd be a huge hassle on trail, but a good environmentally friendly choice for home.

[mindi]

Yeah, Smile..Gladrags are really great for home...comfortable and good for the environment. Definitely not something I'd want to carry around in my pack or wash in a laundry mat, though.

I tried and tried with the Diva cup, I really did. I didn't have a problem with emptying and cleaning it or any of that, I don't think that part is all that bad (of course how much you want to deal with that part of it is a personal choice). It just won't work with my anatomy.

In any case, I strongly recommend that you try it out BEFORE you go on a long-distance hike. If I had waited until my thru to try it out, I would have had a minor disaster on my hands...(actually, on my shorts)! And take advantage of the information on their website and maybe even calling their customer service line before you give up...they will help you figure it out if you have trouble. Unfortunately it just won't work for me, but I'd still recommend it to others.

[Creek Dancer]

I checked out this thread because I was hoping to find some feedback on Diva cups. Lots of good information, but I am really surprised to read that some people bury used toilet paper. Leave no trace. If you pack it in, pack it out ladies.

[jazilla]

I checked out this thread because I was hoping to find some feedback on Diva cups. Lots of good information, but I am really surprised to read that some people bury used toilet paper. Leave no trace. If you pack it in, pack it out ladies.

Or you could burn it in the cat hole. Thats what I do when I #2.