I'm off! (and new product review)

I'm off to Wild West! The blogging front has been quiet (I subscribe to 55+ blogs in Google Reader and no one is posting!) so I thought I would post one last thought before leaving.

My first product review! This is especially relevant to women who spend a lot of time hiking and riding in the back country, although I can imagine other uses too (dirty porta potties, if you spend a lot of time travelling etc.).

Attention men and easily offended women: The following product refers to a ummm.....private function, and although I'll try to be as discrete as the packaging the product comes in, you may not want to read the following paragraphs in great detail!

Women - every wonder how you too could conveniently "use the restroom" in a modest and not quite so revealing way when there is no restroom? (OK - I'll break it down for you people - ever want to be able to pee in the back country without exposing all?). I've been using a little device for ~3 weeks and it has given me incredible freedom.

I would like to introduce you to "The FUD". (Real name is "Freshette"...talk about a name that doesn't say anything. Jeez - I bet the namers and package design people went to school just to be able to sell something for 25 bucks that doesn't actually describe what it is or what it does!)

To this product on the REI website, click here.

Don't get me wrong - I am not overly modest while in the back country or on an endurance ride. In fact, I wasn't sure that this device was for me, as I like minimal fuss, and I couldn't the see difference between the potential embarrassment of "just doing it" (bare bottom and all) or the fuss of having to drag this thing out.

I was taken aback at the price, but after using it for the last 3 weeks in various situations (civil war reenactment, porta potties etc.) I've decided I love it. It's discrete, small (the hose portion collapses inside the plastic cup), light weight and easily cleanable. Take a water bottle with you into the potty or behind the bush and just rinse it out. There's no pieces to break or wear out. The freedom is incredible. At Wild West I will have this in my saddle bags. I'm pretty sure that doing it from the saddle won't be a problem (I may have to buy a longer hose).