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Toiletries

January 1, 2016 By Nick Giustina

Going Places: Women Only

GoGirl
GoGirl

When nature calls, your COG reporters step behind the closest tree, bush, boulder or serac … in town, absent a nearby WC, we’ll stroll between parked cars for a moment. We’re discrete, if not genteel.

Or female COG reporters, on the other hand, bridle at this behavior. When they call out, “boys are so lucky,” they’re not amused.  You can guess why.

“Standing up would be so much simpler,” our main COG gal opines. Often.

Now COG’s Patricia Crawford has taken biological “advantage” … ahem … head on. A gal with super leg-strength, Patricia’s able as any fellow taking a “natural break” outdoors; Or in Left Bank Parisian toilets with only footpads for support. But she’s been “PO”ed about this for years.

Enter GoGirl, sent along by the FemMed for COG testing.

GoGirl in package
GoGirl in the package

From the GOGirl website:

Simply put, GoGirl is the way to stand up to crowded, disgusting, distant or non-existent bathrooms. It’s a female urination device (sometimes called a FUD) that allows you to urinate while standing up. It’s neat. It’s discreet. It’s hygienic.

“FUD” is of Euro origin COG reckons.

Patricia’s first response: “I’ve tried this kinda of thing years ago. The plastic was too hard, too small and you couldn’t aim it.”

Well, twenty-plus-years’ materials-science advancement changed our GOG gal’s mind.

“Amazing,” was Patricia’s first report. “I stood in the shower, assumed the upright stance and let go. No overflow, no problems hitting the target [i.e., GoGirl’s reservoir], no problems managing at all. Using this thing with hiking-up a skirt or dress: no brainer. I can’t wait to try it with jeans.”

Conscious of our own shoes under similar circumstances, the COG guys queried, “did you have to stand with your feet apart, particularly.”

“Nope. That tube’s really flexible; you can aim wherever you want.”

Which remark had the COG guys checking their hydrodynamics textbooks for liquid flow-rates in relation to the GOGirl’s “reservoir” volume. Without going into detail here, it would seem the GoGirl’s architecture projects fluid-volume more advantageously than male’s corresponding plumbing. We’re taking our female testers word on this: COG will not perform side-by-side testing.

Very flexible, germ-resistant, class VI medical grade silicone fabrication seems key here along with catenary-cut design of the reservoir’s downward-facing inner edge. The generous, ovoid-shaped upper opening should more than accommodate any anatomy, according to COG’s tester. Apparently, the “seal” is foolproof.

Now as a sporting sort (riding, climbing, running, diving, paddle-boarding, parasailing…), Patricia’s not given to floppy trousers. So she set about how to work the GoGirl with tight jeans.

Her words:

I stood with my skinny jeans just below my hips: just enough room to get the ‘spout’ over the zipper opening. Feet [were] about the width of the toilet. I was afraid I’d ‘miss’ with my knees barely bent, but I had no trouble hitting the bowl. Standing up: no leakage whatsoever.

Recommendation:

With a GoGirl, I’ll never squat again. Anywhere. Especially those creepy Left Bank restaurants.

Now about GoGirl’s medical grade silicone, 12” extension tube. We think this is intended for use with bedridden or convalescent patients. Our COG gal mused, “I think this might work in a tent with a pee-bottle!”  COG’ll take her word on that.

GoGirl’s designed by a female oral surgeon and a medical device expert. Launched for consumers at the Minneapolis Women’s Expo on Jan. 16, 2009, GoGirl went big at retail, July 2013, Outdoor Retailer.

GoGirl by FemMed Inc. lists GoGirl’s price as $9.99 and $12.99 each; three-pack at $26.97 and $34.97. Pricing differentials might reflect initial offering and big retail release dates.


Going Places (Original French title, Les Valseuses )
A novel by Bertrand Blier, Lippincott & Co., 1972.
Film directed by Bertrand Blier, 1974.

Going Places by Bertrand Blier

$13

Filed Under: Toiletries Tagged With: GoGirl, women only

August 20, 2012 By Chas Bruce

The Art of Wet Shaving for the Camper — Merkur Travel Razor

Merkur Shave Set
Merkur Shave Set

You never know when you might need to tidy up for a foray into civilization. A good shave to remove three days of dark stubble will keep that liquor store owner from hitting the alarm as soon as you cross his threshold.

As a slave to the modern marketing machine, I’ve moved lately from double blade razors to triple blade razors and I was thinking about an upgrade to quads or quints. But then I realized I was paying around $3 or more per blade unit and I wasn’t getting a week’s shaving out of them. That’s when I  decided to take a look back to the old fashioned way… but no way I was going to a straight edge. I bleed much too easily and make far too many mistakes. I was thinking safety razors like those pioneered by King Gillette (the man), and I was planning to hone and resharpen them. What I discovered was Wilkinson Sword Double Edge Stainless Blades, five for a buck. Hardened Stainless, so no need to hone, they last a good two-three weeks or more on this craggy old face of mine.

Merkur Razor
Merkur Razor

I’ve wet shaved for many years with hot water and a shaving brush. Best done after a hot shower.

In the interests of furthering outdoor science I tried cold brush shaving on a cold face, just as you would in camp. The results were surprisingly good. No blood spilled, and my face felt smooth as a babe’s backside.

The trick is to shave three times. That didn’t make sense the first time I heard it. But the technique works. The thing is: a single pass with a double edge razor won’t remove even half your beard whiskers. Don’t fight it. For the first pass lather up and hold the razor more perpendicular to your face. Use a gentle touch and just stroke your face. Lather up and shave again. Angle the blade closer to your face. You’ll get even more of the whiskers. Lather up again. Take a third pass and you’ll find a perfectly smooth face hidden under that beard. A fourth pass would be beyond perfection. Warning: as with any change in shaving equipment, there may be blood.  Using a different profile blade on your face may remove some unexpected bits. Always stroke down with the blade perpendicular to your face, never sideways. Be careful, go slowly and use a light touch. Get your face used to the feel and you’ll find shaving a daily treat that you will look forward to. A chance to pamper yourself.

Most grocery stores still carry shaving soap, shaving brushes and blades. The razors themselves may be harder to find. Look on Amazon where you can put together a complete setup for $24-30. A bit more if you go for the German hardware that goes in the $30-50 range. The fine Bone-handled English ware goes in the $60-120 range.

Filed Under: Toiletries Tagged With: DOVO Solingen, Merkur Solingen, shaving

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