Featured product: P-Mate

On September 25th, we held our first New Product Showcase. We wrote about this in a blog last week. One of the products presented was the P-Mate, a portable urinating device that allows women to urinate standing up wherever and whenever they need to, without losing their dignity or risking unhygienic and unpleasant public restrooms. The P-Mate can be used during any activity where restroom facilities are less than desirable, or not available at all.

If you are a woman and have traveled to some parts of the world, you know the uncomfortable circumstances you can find yourself in. I recall coming off the Maras salt flats in Peru in desperate need of a restroom. Sorry, our guide told me. I finally had to resort to the old crouching method. I have never been terribly skilled with that approach. Need I say more? How many times have you been camping or hiking and just wished you could stand and be done with it like your pal, Joe. Imagine, too, if you were on crutches. No squatting possible.

A woman does not have to undress to use the P-Mate. Just move one leg of the underwear to the side, put the P-Mate in place and you’re good to go. Urine is funneled through the P-Mate and away from feet and clothing.

Karen Diamond, founder of the North American distributor, Go Your Way, represented the product and gave away samples to our product testers. She told the story of Moon Zijp, the Dutch woman who invented the P-Mate. While on a trip to Indonesia, she found herself, as many women have, in circumstances that were uncomfortable and embarrassing. Upon her return she created the first prototype and demonstrated on live TV on a local talk show in the Netherlands! Her fame was instantaneous and the P-Mate was born.

The feedback from the testers was unanimously approving of this product. “I would purchase this product today,” one said enthusiastically. Another called P-Mate a “definite product for Capabilities…unique AND functional.” Pam and I were also impressed with the simplicity and usefulness of P-Mate. The P-Mate folds to fit discreetly in your pocket. Carry a zip-lock bag for later disposal. This thing is amazing. So, after seeing the enthusiastic response of our testers and reflecting on our own impressions, we have added P-Mate to our roster of products.

Check it out in Our Products section or stop by Capabilities and pick up a five-pack for your next road trip. Then let us know your reactions. If you have already used this product, share your thoughts today by posting a message to this blog.