Whiz Review

Many women, myself included, have sighed enviably when a male companion has simply turned his back and stepped off a trail to go to the bathroom, while we’re left wandering in search of a bush that we hope is bigger than our behinds, wad of tissue paper in hand.

Faced with this dilemma, some women in Queensland, Australia decided to do something about it and created the Whiz.

The Whiz products allow women to pee standing up – no more cramped legs from hovering over a dodgy toilet seat, or immodest mooning of your friends when you’re camping. Shaped like funnels, The Whiz and WhizPlus are made of soft, cupped plastic and an angled tube that keeps the flow of urine away from your pants – and hands. To use, simply unzip your pants, slide the cup next to your body and go! Gravity will do the rest.

The Whiz is made from antibacterial plastic and machine washable. It is best used indoors, where you have access to running water and soap for cleaning. The WhizPlus comes with an antibacterial coating that allows it to always stay dry and clean, making it a better bet for outdoorswomen.

I used the WhizPlus a few times on a recent trip up Mt. Kilimanjaro. I was too embarrassed to experiment with it in public, but had reasonable success behind a few rocks. I added on the attachable 20 cm of tubing, as extra precaution, although this is usually only used to aid peeing in a bottle or catheter. Despite my fear of making a mess, I was pleasantly surprised with how well the WhizPlus worked once I got over my nervousness.

After use, I gave the WhizPlus a few shakes and returned it to a plastic bag. However, the tubing does not come with the same water-resistant covering as the WhizPlus and was a little more awkward to deal with. I avoided it in the future.

One drawback is that The Whiz and WhizPlus do not come with storage bags. Even if the WhizPlus is dry and hygienic, I still don’t feel comfortable shoving it into my pack next to the trail mix. Make sure you have a sturdy zip-lock bag to use.

In order to overcome their embarrassment and nervousness, I suggest women should practice at home with the device before planned use.

Why Have it: You plan on doing lots of hiking, climbing or outdoor activities…or really, really hate the hover position.
Why Leave it Behind: The thought of using the Whiz makes you so uncomfortable it will never come out of your pack.
Super Cool Extra: Optional connector tubes even allow you to pee in a bottle if you have to.

All of the Whiz products are available online at www.whizbiz.com.au. Cost is $24.95 AUD for the WhizPlus and $19.95 AUD for The Whiz.