The Amazon product reviews have long been a source of inspiration and humor. Who could forget the awesome reviews of the Avery Durable View Binder with 2-Inch Slant Ring in the wake of the “binders full of women” debacle? And the laugh-out-loud reviews of the BIC Cristal for Her Ball Pen remind us that there are good, sane, smart people in this world, and hopefully some of them will run for political office soon.

Anyway, we were browsing Amazon the other day, and, inexplicably — at least, inexplicably to us; we’re sure Amazon has a very good reason for pushing this product on us — the Go Girl Female Urination Device in Lavender (of course it’s in lavender) kept popping up. People, this product has 744 reviews! Who knew there was such a demand out there for a lavender item that lets you pee into a bottle like a frat guy on a road trip?! Turns out that this is a product that brings together women with urinary incontinence; women who attend Burning Man and other muddy festivals; women who drive trucks or are married to men who do; women soldiers; female to male transgender people; pregnant women giving pee samples; campers; hikers; road trippers; drunk college girls; and hundreds more. We went down a wormhole reading their reviews — here is just a sampling of our favorites. Some are funny, some are impressively, oddly helpful, and some just make us want to stand up and pee our names in the snow…

Wicked Pissah!
By Dawn Elizabeth
I peed everywhere. That bush? Yep. Peed on it! That tree? Uh huh. Peed on it. Those tiny woodland creatures? Screw you, b*tches! Peed on them. I peed in the sun. I peed in the rain. I peed just for fun. I peed down a drain. I peed in the light. I peed in the dark. I peed left and right. I peed in the park.

You just hold it in place, pull your pants down just enough for it to stick out and pee. No taking your pants all the way off. No squatting. No accidentally peeing down the side of your leg. When you’re done you just shake it out, rinse it if you can, and stick it back into the container. Easy PEEsy.

The directions say to try this at home first in your toilet. I did not do that and it was fine….HOWEVER…. My friend, on the other hand, who also got a GoGirl for our long weekend adventure, tried it for the first time after several bottles of wine. She didn’t pee on anything. Except herself. So maybe follow the directions unless you’re as awesome as I am, especially if you’ve gone through, like, a bottle and a half of red AND white wine in like 45 minutes. I’m just sayin’.

Also, mine is lavender and hers is khaki, I don’t think that made a difference in pee skill, but I feel like I was more fashionable when doing it. They should make more colors so a girl can coordinate her PEEnis with her outfit.

Either way, I can’t wait until winter so I can try to write my name in the snow.

A travel must
By Simple Style
When you don’t know where the next bathroom will be located or what the state of it may be, this handy devise saves you from pure and utter disgust. I’ve filled my shoes and wet my pant cuffs all across Europe, but not any more. I’m so thrilled to have this product before my trip to Asia. I tested it out at home, find it easy to use and easy to clean. I also purchased a set of Kushies “On The Go” Wet Bag 2-Pack, Girl Print in which to store this. The small bag fits the Go Girl tube, a little toilet tissue and a sanitizing wipe too.

No better gift for a wife
By Jeff Hill
Best gift I gave my wife for her bday. She uses it all the time.

Too soft unless you can undress to use.
BySheeshaon
I have been using these devices for about 25 years, starting when I discovered the Freshette and used it for 17 years in the Army. Recently I started trying other models thinking I might find something better, looking for one to use on my farm when it is inconvenient to go back to the house but inappropriate to just drop trou and go where I am. Things to consider when choosing one are whether you want to pee only standing up or in other positions, how much of your clothing you can pull down or move aside, and how compact it needs to be for you to be comfortable carrying it. The following characteristics will therefore affect your choice: 1) rigidity vs. flexibility, since a firmer device will be easier to seal if you are in positions other than standing and require less adjustment of clothing, but a very flexible one will fold up smaller; 2) overall size and especially length of spout, since a longer spout makes it easier not to pee on your shoes but may be harder to fold up and store. I have tried the Freshette, the pStyle, the TooGoo, and the GoGirl. Although the Freshette served me well, the separate extension tube was hard to keep clean and without it the spout was a tad short, so overall my favorite is the pStyle. It is just about as compact as any to store since it is compressable, but it is still firm enough to hold clothing out of the way without collapsing, and it extends far enough to miss your shoes. Both the TooGoo and GoGirl are way too soft, so you have to just about drop all your clothing in order to get a seal and not deflect the spout in an unintended direction. This is fine if you’re in a public restroom, but does no good out in the field. All are better than nothing, but these are my preferences.

easy to pack away
By amy nichole gill
Very flexible, easy to pack away. Tried it out in the shower and enjoyed myself immensely. I can finally pee like a man!! And don’t have to endure those cold drafts on my cheeks in the outhouse. No more looking for logs to sit on when I go camping!

GREAT
By Terrygirl
I love it! I can stand up! I can pee on that brush

5Happy Peeing!
By R
I am a pre-T and pre-surgery FtM and this was great for me. I was hesitant due to all the bad reviews, but I don’t know why they complained. All you do is put it up to your junk, and pee. I’ve never spilled or overflowed, not even my first time. Though I dread the name “GoGirl”, it is a wonderful product for active women, or people in my situation. Now I can use the stalls in the men’s bathroom without waiting for the bathroom to be empty. When I’m done I just take some toilet paper, wipe myself, and any urine remaining in the funnel. I don’t have to pull my pants down all the way, it really is a great thing for my self esteem.

This may be TMI…
By Briana
The only thing I would say about this item is CONTROL YOUR FLOW. The first time I used this, I had to pee so bad and I just let it out….I peed all over myself because the stream wasn’t flowing out of the hole fast enough before backing up and spewing out the top and running down my legs. One thing I did find though was if you pinch the end (there is a rectangular slit, why it doesn’t just have a round hole is beyond me, squeeze it to bow out the sides and make it wider) it flows out faster. But still try to control the rate at which you let it out. Otherwise this came in extreme handiness because port-o-pots are gross! 🙂

Five Stars
By Pickyourownnose
Nothing like being able to whip it out and squirt.

No Go for this Go Girl!
By Jamerica, Inc.
What a mistake! I defied my nature, and sprung for this contraption for camping. To spare you the sordid details and to make a long story short, this item was used ONCE, and that turned out to be a messy, messy mistake. LOL If you can stop and start on demand (if you know what I mean), you may have better luck than I did. Personally, I felt like the Niagara Falls would never end, and clean up (in a tent!) was NOT a snap. LOL! Hilarious now, but not so funny at the time!

5Five Stars
By candy
All lady campers need this. Weird but on point.. enough said

The “pee”dom to go standing up!
By Leshell
I love to hike, however I hate the trail outhouses in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve visited loos in third world slums that felt fresh and clean compared to the squalid conditions we’ve deemed acceptable here. I am not princess by any means, but it came to me contemplating dehydration as an acceptable solution to avoid sitting in the outhouses at Poo-Poo Point (yes, that is a real trail name). A solution was needed.

A little back story for you, I did extensive online research before I committed to my first female urinary device, and I was convinced that I’d found the absolute best product on the market to pee in the woods. I practiced for weeks in the shower, and I never quite got it. I was devastated and gave up on the concept. DO NOT DO THIS! After another season of hiking I broke down and ordered the Go Girl. I was desperate, but I wasn’t hopeful.
Cue angels singing and beams of light shining down. The Go Girl worked perfectly. After my previous failed attempts, I could hardly believe it. I was so thrilled about it that I wanted to show my husband, but that would be weird. So instead, I’m telling strangers on the internet about it.

Now, this is my caveat. Every woman’s body is different. What worked for me isn’t going to work for everybody. Don’t despair if you don’t instantly find a solution that makes sense for you! This may seem like a frivolous product, but the freedom of being able to pee standing up should not be underrated.

Even with practice, had difficulty using device. Long …
By C. Wells
Even with practice, had difficulty using device. Long story short, if you urinate faster than the urine can exit the opening on the end of the tube…you’re going to wind up with a lap full of hot urine once the cup fills. In the dark. In a port a potty. Ugh. I think I’m going to cut a bigger hole in the tip and give it another try.

OMG this thing is way too awesome. MY 5 year old loves it so much …
By John Bates
OMG this thing is way too awesome. MY 5 year old loves it so much that she thinks she is a boy. I love the product so much I bought six one for every car one for the boat and one for the each backpack.

A MUST for Burning Man or camping festivals
By Doomspore
This is a lifesaver for Burning Man, or any other festival where bathroom opportunities are slim, Takes a bit of getting use to how to position it to avoid leaks but you can easily pee in a bottle. Stays clean and easy to clean and folds up pretty small. Can’t imagine burning man without this.

Don’t hold that urine till you get to a rest room
By Donald S.
Purchase a Go Girl and you girls can piss like a man. When on the road if you have to go stop the car on the shoulder of the roadway and pop the hood lean over look at the engine and let it rip. [ Pee ]

Love the color. Hate the fit.
By Jason Schary
so I feel it matched perfectly when I run into those times when I just need to go. Couple of complaints however.

First off, I a firm supporter of equal rights. So while I do understand, it is called Go Girl, as it is intended for women. I do feel this should not stop one from using it. We are all equals now. Despite the fact that I do have a smaller sized penis, compared to the average man, I did have problems getting the fit correct. I tried it out while in church. Those services can sure last a long time. With my enlarged prostate, I tend to go every 15 minutes or so. I was able to fill that bad boy up and just toss it away without anyone noticing. Very little spillage.

One other complaint. I understand this is meant for urination. I assumed this could also be used for defecation as well. I found it very difficult to line the cup up with my anus. So I ended up getting fecal matter all over my hands. That is rather disgusting. I think the Go Girl company should enlarge the cup so this does not happen. Plus my feces really clogged up the entire device. I was in the stands at a Dodger Game the first time I used it. It was quite messy. Kershaw was 6 innings into a no hitter. I am not exactly going to leave my seat. My poor grandmother, who I went with, had to go up to the concession stand to get me some napkins to wipe everything off. Not cool.

Despite all of these fit issue, I am quite happy with my Go Girl. Mostly because of the beautiful lavender color. I often say to myself “Girl! I gots to go!” and am able to go where and whenever I wish. Praise the good lord for that.

Great idea great gift if you need a stocking stuffer …
By Filomeana Paresi
Great idea great gift if you need a stocking stuffer or someone just had a baby as I bought it for my granddaughter who just started going on the potty and it’s great when you go to the mall or anyways and you don’t want to use those stinky dirty bathrooms this is the perfect perfect way to go to the bathroom, S.I.N.Y.LADYRIDER

BEST THING EVER!
By Lindsay Shoup
HIS THING IS AWESOME! I have always hated peeing in the woods. I hate squatting, I hate having to watch getting pee on your pants or shoes, and I hate that there could be a real possibility of some one seeing my naked behind. Problem is I LOVE being outdoors. I love camping and hiking, plus I work construction. Those places almost never have a bathroom for girls, leaving me to squat, but not anymore! Oh no, now I can walk out and totally be one of the dudes!
Serious:
I started really looking into one of these things cuz I’m getting ready to go on a six day hike through the woods. I found this and instantly bought it to try it out. It works great! I take it everywhere!
Funny:
So when I first bought this, my first thought was “I COULD TOTALLY HAVE A PISSING CONTEST!” Then all my friends, who already think I’m a dude cuz I always have three things on my mind, beer pizza and well… Adult fun time, started giving me ideas like “now you can pee in a bottle”. My parents are scared that next winter they’re going to have my name spelled out everywhere on the snow, and they are smart to be scared cuz that probably will happen.
I took this out camping with a group of my friends, I’m not one to hold back personal stuff, so they all knew I had one. We talked and joked about it and somewhere, through a little alcohol, they ended up nameing my go girl peter.
Only thing I recommend being cautious about is that if you are a little on the too much alcohol scale, make sure you REALLY focus, or you gonna end up wearing pee!
BEST INVENTION EVER!

Shake it off!
By Chelsea Fergen
Go Girl will turn your mundane sitting-to-pee life into a total adventure! Now you can write your name in the snow, pee off tall buildings, and freak out your coworkers in the ladies room in the stall next to you. The best part is that it’s not awkward at all to wash off after use. Shake off your Go Girl like a man shakes his junk, and simply wash it off in the public restroom sink – nothing to see here! Really, just buy it, and start thinking of awesome hashtags you can put on Facebook. #peelikeaman #standingurinationqueen #didntpullahammie #peefunnelfun Thank me later, you gorgeous adventure-loving piss ninjas.

Wow this is a great product, I’m glad I found it agin
By T. H.
Wow this is a great product, I’m glad I found it agin. As a female soldier I was issued on on a deployment loved it but lost it 🙁 so this is great very convenient and sanitary. 😉

Neat, Clean, Discrete
By Amazon Customer
I have a busted ankle, so doing the dirty toilet squat in mid-air is impossible for me. Yes, it used to suck to be me! Not anymore.
I pee standing up now!!
I don’t touch dirty toilets with ANYTHING. I don’t have to make a nest before I can go. I also don’t do a sprinkler thing, or make a mess (I’m REALLY not sure why men have such bad aim!).
3 words: Neat, Clean, Discrete

Now we too can participate in pissing contests!
By Pnurga
This device makes public urination possible for women. We’re so infrequently seen peeing while standing, that passers-by won’t even realize that’s what you’re doing. Pretending to talk on the phone with the other hand really completes the illusion of nonchalant loitering from behind. It’s also handy for relieving yourself into when stuck in gridlock traffic. Keep a pee can available in your vehicle. Never leave home without it in your purse, because 9 times out of 10, it’s your better option when considering gas station rest stops.

FREEDOM!
By WheelyZ “WheelyZ”
I LOVE my Go Girl! No longer do I have to bare my buns to the world risking cold, poison ivy, passers by, snakes, etc etc while my husband stands by oblivious to my discomfort! Now we stand side by side proudly peeing anywhere and everywhere! I don’t know how I never heard of this before. I will tell all my friends about this awesome device. I always said my only regret that I am not a man is because I couldn’t pee standing up and that is no longer an issue. I feel FREE! Yay Go Girl!!!!

too flexible for my needs
By Heather Watson
I searched and researched long and hard to find the best FUD. let me preface this by saying: I need something for more than “hygienic” or “sanitary” purposes. when I travel with my husband in the rig, sometimes stopping at a rest area isn’t an option and I needed something that would enable me to pee in a bottle/container. ladies, this DOES NOT work for that. it works great when I’m home and can take my pants off and stand still over a toilet; however, for parked/driving and standing this won’t. I’ve tried. peed on my pants, it’s impossible to make this flexible thing stay stationary so I have to do short bursts of pee (uncomfortable) and STILL peed on my clothes. if you just want something to enable you to pee in a toilet while standing, this may work for you (if you remove pants) but not for anything else. very dissatisfied with my decision.

Freedom!
By Backyard Librarian
This item is freedom from the tyranny of squatting. Gone are those days of stumbling out of your tent at 3 am in the dark to pee only to have some grass and other foliage bad-touch you while your business gets done. This thing is lightweight, easy to use, easy to clean, and a very attractive shade of lilac making it easy to spot in a dark pack.
If you must do your business outdoors you need one of these.

You don’t have to sit.
By Danny
I got this to use in Italy as many public toilets are trough style and as a US toilet user that frightened me. This is actually fun to use. I mean, I got to pee like a guy.

Great for pregnant women!
By K. Ober
It did take a little getting used to, but this device is SO helpful for pregnant women who have to routinely give urine samples toward the end of their pregnancy! SO happy with this!!

Wife likes it but….
By Jeffery Lawrence
My wife wanted one for the times we go 4×4’ing or generally not around a restroom. It works as advertised but it’s a little disturbing to see it in action. Guys, turn your backs like a gentleman should and you won’t have the visual image of your girl urinating standing up. : )

Good idea but not easy to use
By Vania Freitas
I trained at home but it’s still not easy to use. So in festivals I was too scared to use it when a bit drunk

Took this on my camping trip and pee’ed like a man for the first time
By Insiya Jariwalla
Took this on my camping trip and pee’ed like a man for the first time!!!! Life IS GOOD!!!!!!
Highly recommend this product for every female out there!!! Soft silicone, and can easily be stuffed back into the container!!!

It was my first choice, until I tried pSyle!
By Pacia
I have a bladder disease: Interstitial Cystitis, therefore I need to urinate a lot, (ie on dog walks in my neighborhood, at the beach, during car rides, you name it). Squatting in public is just not an option anymore. Here are my needs: Discretion is key, comfort, usability and performance are also top priorities. I ordered “Go Girl”, “Shewee”, “Wiz Freedom” & “pStyle”. I tried them all right out of the box, without a “shower trial”. Initially I used my own home bathroom, standing over the toilet with my pants only as far down as discretion would allow. I also tried them with jeans, bicycle shorts and yoga pants. Here are my results:

Shewee- When I used this product I had urine on my clothing. I tried using it 3 times with the same results. It’s very bulky and therefore not discrete, The clear tube must be used because the green funnel isn’t long enough to exit the urine safely away from the body. It is made of hard plastic, so it will not collapse during use but still needs 2 hands because it’s so long and narrow you need to hold both ends. It comes with it’s own caring case, which is a plus. The part of the funnel you hold next to your body is extremely narrow, the funnel itself is so narrow if one was to release a large volume, quickly, I think it would overflow. You also need to wipe afterward because if you try to wipe yourself with it, it’s just to narrow, plus now you have 2 plastic pieces that are also wet (besides yourself and your clothing). This devise is generally hard to use, indiscrete (dark green…really?) and bulky both to carry and use. I would give the Shewee a rating of 1 star. I expected more from REI.

Wiz Freedom- Out of the package, first try worked fine. It’s flexible and therefore needs both hands to keep it in place and prevent crimping. This devise was not very discrete, anyone seeing you from the side would wonder about this long bright pinkish-purple thing sticking out from between your legs. It doesn’t come with a carrying case and I couldn’t figure out how on earth I would carry this discreetly in my purse or use it in an emergency. It also stays wet and there’s the issue of self-clean-up, since you are wet after use. At least it doesn’t wet your clothing so, I would give this 2 stars.

Go Girl- no leaking on first try, more difficult with elastic clothing due to the flexibility of the product, good discretion, you do need to use both hands to hold it tight to your body and keep it from crimping. I liked that it folded in half- and I could fit it into a small iPhone case on my waist when not in use! I didn’t like that there was still moisture in the devise and on my body when I finished, and therefore needed to wipe myself and figure out what to do with the paper. I would give this product 3 stars.

pStyle- Worked great out of the package. Just the right length, the color option of semi-clear lavender makes it discrete as well. Because this devise is made of semi-flexible smooth plastic with rounded edges you can effectively use it to wipe yourself, when you are done. By gently pressing up and away from yourself, you are virtually dry- the last few drops go out the end. If you shake it, the pStle is virtually dry. as well If you want to really get it clean, just use a little water from your water bottle to shoot down the spout. If you buy the caring case you can pop the pStyle in there quickly and easily, and carry on without any fuss. The case just looks like an eyeglasses case and is totally washable with a Velcro closure. The case also comes in a blue-jean material, it can be hung on a belt loop or on the outside of a bag, purse or backpack with it’s mini carabiner. Because it is semi-ridged it requires only 1 hand in the middle to hold it in place— it won’t collapse. It also will not overfill or back-up because it is not a funnel, it’s more of a half-pipe. This is the only one I use now. I would give the pStle 5 stars, with a BIG thank you to the people who designed and distributed this product.

Don’t know how I lived without it
By M. M. “inquisitive designer”
The Go Girl is fantastic for active women and other people with uteri who enjoy the outdoors, sports, music festivals, camping, hiking, biking, traveling, etc. Sketchy bathrooms — or nonexistent ones! — are no match for this handy device. Honestly, before I ordered it, I wasn’t quite sure how it would even work: would it properly form a seal with no leaks? What if it was too hard or too soft? What if it didn’t “fit” me or just plain didn’t work? How the heck would I get it back in that tiny case? But I thought for the price, it was worth trying.

How it works: You hold the Go Girl up to your body and relax your muscles, and the pee comes out the little “exit” tube at the end. It’s made of a soft, flexible, medical-grade silicone, so it molds to your unique shape and forms a leak-proof seal. When you’re done, you either 1) rinse/wash/dry the device and put it back in the case, or 2) put the unwashed device into a plastic bag to wash later. The Go Girl I bought is a pinkish-lavender, but you can also get it in khaki. (Although I’m not a “pink” kind of person, the khaki one was little too phallic-looking for my tastes — but it could be a great option for others who, for various reasons, want something that blends in a bit better. Suggestion to the company: please make the Go Girl in more colors!)

The Go Girl comes in a small, resealable plastic tube, rolled up with a plastic bag and a small paper napkin. The bag and napkin are for “emergency” situations when you can’t rinse/wash the Go Girl. You’re supposed to toss the plastic bag and the napkin after use and replace them with your own baggie and toilet paper in preparation for your next “emergency.” The instructions that come with the Go Girl advise you to practice using it in the shower a few times so you can get the hang of it. Holding and positioning the device was a little awkward at first for me (hey, I’ve never used anything like this before!), but after a few times, it felt natural.

The only thing the instructions lack is a detailed description of how to fold the Go Girl small enough to get it back in the plastic case. They advise you to go to their website to see a video, which I had to watch four times (!) before I could figure out how they were actually folding it. Here’s how you do it:

1. Hold the Go Girl so the “narrow” side with the exit tube is facing you.
2. This seems counter-intuitive, but stay with me: fold the Go Girl flat from front to back so that the two narrow rounded ends meet at the top. It should now be in a diamond shape with the exit tube pointing down and slightly towards you.
3. Fold the exit tube upwards. Now the Go Girl should look like a rounded triangle.
4. Roll the Go Girl up from left to right like a tiny sleeping bag and stick it back in the plastic carrying case. Voilà!

I carry mine in my purse in case I come across any sketchy bathrooms while I’m out and about. There have been several times where I was so thankful I had it with me. I also find that it’s actually faster and more convenient to stay standing, adjust your clothes, and use the Go Girl — instead of sitting down and doing all that that entails.

I would absolutely recommend this product without hesitation. I actually bought several to give to my sister, mom, and girlfriends, and they love them. Every person who otherwise has to sit or squat to use the bathroom should have one of these!

** Update: I still keep my Go Girl in my purse, and I use it all the time. It has never leaked, not even once. I’ve used it at two Bonnaroos, and, honest to maude, I don’t know if I would have survived without it. I’ve also used it on several train trips, cross-country/international flights, and a month-long backpacking trip through Europe. It’s a life-saver.

** Another Update: I keep using my Go Girl, and it keeps being awesome. The girlfriend I go to Bonnaroo with also has a Go Girl (guess who got it for her? LOL), and this past August we ventured to San Francisco for Outside Lands, a three-day music festival in Golden Gate Park. They had the standard porta-john setup, and we were once again thankful to have our Go Girls so that we could stay standing up and use the built-in urinals, thereby completely avoiding the gross toilet seats. Also, over Labor Day, I used my Go Girl while hiking in the Big South Fork — and I would not have felt as comfortable or safe (from bugs) without it. And finally, I got into road and mountain biking several months ago, and just last week I ordered a second Go Girl to keep in my bike kit permanently — it’s so small that it fits perfectly inside my seat bag along with my spare tube and patch kit. This way, I’m never without my Go Girl on the trail or greenway. I actually can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get a second one! LOVE IT.