Keeper on the trail - ladies?

imported
#1

Is there anyone out there who has used the Keeper or Divacup (canadian equivalent) on the PCT?

(for those of you who don’t know, it’s a menstrual cup, reusable, no waste, only one initial expense then nothing, and very clean - it’s the best invention for periods ever.)

I’ve just started using this recently, love it, but it requires clean hands. With the lack of water on some parts of the PCT - and the abundance of sand - worried about the ability to keep clean hands. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Thanks!

Sophie

#2

I hiked 900 miles of the PCT in 2004 and I only used my Keeper. When I hike again next year, it’s what I’ll use again.

On the trail I would clean my hands with Purell, rinse the Keeper with water, reinsert and clean my hands with Purell again. Sand was never an issue (I think it only would be if you actually dropped it), but I’m sure my hands were never completely clean…

I was on the trail for roughly three months and I think I only had two periods and they were very short and very light. You might not end up using it much!

Keepers are great, though! Good luck!

Jenny

#3

Why not go on the pill and wack those periods.

Jar

#4

I used it for 1400 miels on the AT, I always packed some alcohol wet wipes to clean my hands with before and after, very light, prewet and they sanitized everything I needed.

Grassy Ridge

#5

I used it during my PCT thruhike in 2004 and I really loved it.
First of all you will probably have your period just once or twice on the trail - in the five months period of my thruhike I just had my period twice.
Second, there usually is some water at some point - and because you can leave the keeper in for almost 24 hours you just change it when there is a water source nearby.
Third, nothing on a thruhike is 1000% super hygienic. You won’t die if you change the keeper and your hands are not completely sterilized.
Fourth, forget about going on the pill like Jar wrote. You don’t want to carry pills around and screw up your hormone system with that.
And last but not least: Enjoy your hike!

German Tourist

#6

I’ve been using the Keeper exclusively in my daily life for the past 5 years and absolutely love it. I think that using alcohol wipes and/or Purel hand sanitizer will make it plenty hygienic enough for my '06 PCT hike; I’ve had friends use theirs on long hikes and it worked out fine. I was sad to see no mention of it in Yogi’s PCT Handbook, although I e-mailed her and suggested she put it in her next update.

Rhiannon