Fi reviews the Luii Go hand held toilet system

This might be a strange outdoor gear review but it’s on an important topic.

20% of women in the UK don’t go outside as much as they would like to because they’re worried about not finding a toilet.

I’m a confident outdoor wee-er but these days sometimes struggle with crouching (dodgy knees) and sheer frequency (menopause). You might be surprised to hear that I often find myself in conversation with women (young and older) who have never had a wild wee and find the idea really difficult.

So difficult it stops them doing their outdoor activity.

Whether you love camping, hiking, running or paddling, sooner or later you’re going to need to go in a situation where bushes are limited and discretion difficult. If you’ve been wishing for a neat, easy-to-use solution to your camp life toilet problems, the Luii Go hand held toilet could be just what you’re looking for.

So I’ve taken it upon myself to test and review this nifty toilet solution for you.

Luii is a discreet hand held toilet system that means you should always be able to wee when you need to. I tested the Luii Go, which consists of a flexible frame, shaped plastic bags and gel that turns your pee into a more manageable semi-solid.

I was sent my Luii free of charge but am under no obligation to review it. That said, I was eager to try something that might help me get outside more. And as my allotment has recently been giving me a few where-to-wee issues, I thought that might be a good place to start.

For reasons of access, I chose not to wear my boiler suit that day.

‘Not sure about the disposable plastic.’ Was my first reaction to the Luii Go (see ‘sustainability’ below) but the system itself looked like a neat and feasible solution to my middle-of-the-night camping problems.

The Luii fits neatly into a carryable case that although not quite pocket sized, does have a rather handy belt loop. Perhaps the best thing about this system, is its discretion; looking at it, nobody would know what it was for.

3/5

PROS

Absolutely no mess or cleaning

Can be used sitting or standing

Discreet and tidy solution

Compostable plastic bags

CONS

Non-compostable absorbent powder

The powder bags are tricky to open

You need a bin for disposal

I can think of several situations where a toilet solution like this would be a game changer. My main issue is timing. When I’m on campsites, I love to camp in quiet corners, which often means being some distance from the loo. And my bladder no longer has the capacity for the faff and walk that night time toilet block expedition entails.

When I’m wild camping this isn’t really a problem because nobody is there to see me execute a wild wee but campsites by their nature have people, and those people often have torches!

My other toilet issue is at my allotment. It has some quiet corners but is lacking in bushes for complete privacy. I tried the Luii up there just metres from the public footpath and was successful in my mission.

Easy and self explanatory. The bag attachment was simple (and more importantly, secure) and the frame is such a sensible shape and size that there really wasn’t any chance of missing my mark. This was despite being perched, sitting on the side of a plastic chair.

One thing I might change would be the sachets of absorbent, which are a bit fiddly to open but the powder really does work. It doesn’t turn your wee into a solid but it does make it unlikely to spill once you’ve tied the bag up.

No! If you prefer, you can use the Luii as usual without the absorbent powder then empty your wee as a liquid when it’s convenient.

Obviously transporting or storing a bag of liquid is more tricky than a bag of nearly solid (but not-smelly) gel.

Luii suggested two to three wees for each bag and sachet if necessary but I feel like my one wee used half the bag’s capacity. That said, For me two would be enough overnight on a rainy tent night or when the campsite loo is just too far away for comfort.

I don’t claim to be a toilet solution expert and prefer bushes when they are available, but I have tried a couple of other outdoor toilet aids.

I had high hopes of the Shewee, especially in Scotland when I was trying to avoid a midge-bitten bottom but wasn’t successful. I do know other women swear by their Shewee’s, I ended up swearing at mine and having to change.

Another solution I’ve tried is period pants. These do a great job of catching the little bit of wee that might leak out before I make it to the loo and do give overnight confidence, but on a backpacking expedition, I feel would need to carry far too many of them. Especially now I no longer need them for periods.

A different type of toilet item I can definitely recommend for camping trips is a pee cloth like Kula Cloth. Used instead of toilet paper (because leaving toilet paper in the wild is an absolute no-no) these work for several overnight wees and can be rinsed out and dried in the morning.

Medical VAT-free exemption for this product is available for those with medical needs who meet specific criteria or their charity-based carers. Understandably Luii require an account set up to process VAT-free applications.

Compared to some other hand held toilet solutions, the Luii is expensive and requires refills but I think its ease of use and complete lack of mess and smell might be worth this additional cost.

I’ve listed some comparisons below. Luii is the only one of these that doesn’t require cleaning after each use and Nalgene is just a water bottle but is a popular solution amongst outdoor professionals.

• Luii Go – £26.50
• Shewee – £7.00
• Whizzer – £22.99
• Nalgene bottle – £12.30

Luii have a comprehensive sustainability information page on their website, which is worth a read if you’re considering buying their products. It’s clear to me they are working hard towards a completely circular product.

With their home-compostable bags and recyclable frame, they’re getting there but the absorbent chemicals might be a sticking point for some.