Getting up at night to pee!!

[Prime Time]

At 60 I understand this all too well. I go almost every night. If in a shelter, I set up everything to minimize any disturbance. My crocks were right at the foot of my sleeping bag, headlight right were I could easily reach it, and I memorized my route before turning in. I almost never turned on my headlight until I was out of the shelter and turned it off after stealing a glance at where my bag was when returning, and always used my red light anywhere near the shelter. I would walk about 50 to 100 feet and generally would get a great star show if there was one to be had. I would say on average at least half of the people in the shelter would get up and "step out" at night.

[rafe]

This is actually a very funny topic for most people who have put down a lot of miles on the AT because of the chain reaction effect that occurs.

Particularly so in the Smokies shelters of old, with a creaky swinging gate in the chain-link fence in front of the shelter. Maybe that's still a thing.

[johnnybgood]

I have a gatorade bottle for exteme weather conditions , otherwise I make a trip outside a few feet away .

Can't speak for shelter pee protocol.

[gypsy97]

On my very first night that I backpacked I had to pee in the middle of the night. I stepped out of the shelter and wondered how far away from it I should go. I then asked myself, "how far would a guy go." Answer: "the first tree" and that is what I always did - behind the shelter of course.

[winger]

Bastions of swarming mice, flotillas of virus transmission, flotsam of human excrement, laboratories of sleep apnea and sleep deprivation, the allure of AT shelter inhabitance continues to mystify.

[saltysack]

Bastions of swarming mice, flotillas of virus transmission, flotsam of human excrement, laboratories of sleep apnea and sleep deprivation, the allure of AT shelter inhabitance continues to mystify.

Couldn't have said it better!! I just don't understand who would prefer to stay there!!


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[steve0423]

This is precisely why I like a tent with two doors. Have gotten to a point where I can just roll over on my side and don’t even need to get completely out of my bag.

[Damn Yankee]

And you can use it to warm up your sleeping bag

[Mr Jellybread]

Though there is potential for leakage, pee bottle. Also works to keep you warm in the wee hours.

[Mr Jellybread]

Oh...I'm too slow.

[skinnbones]

I'm in agreement with RN. I plan to tent the entire trail and will have my tent pee bottle available.

[Drybones]

OK, I'll admit, I'm an older man. That means it's a rare night that I don't get up in the middle of the night to pee (even with medication.. although it does help!!).

If I'm in a shelter, is this going to be a problem? I'll try to be quiet, but I know I'll make some noise.

Where to go? To the privy or into the woods? Just beind the shelter.. LOL Maybe I should just stay in my tent.

Stay in the tent, but if you stay in a shelter your's wont be the only sleeping bag zipper heard at night.

[leaftye]

I'd never use a pee bottle. It only takes the lid coming off one time or the bottle getting stepped on or punctured to make you wish you'd peed in the woods instead.

I'd have a soda water bottle fly down a road at 30 mph for hundreds of yards and I still use that bottle. A Gatorade bottle feels even tougher. Now I'm going to have to test one. So far the only problem I had with a lid was when I misthreaded it AND tipped it over. Now I'm very careful about how I put the lid on, and usually put it outside my tent so there's less mess to be had if it tips over and leaks.

Have you ever had a soda bottle or Gatorade bottle fail? All I hear are unfounded fears or testaments to their astounding toughness.

I'll definitely post if I my Gatorade bottle test results in failure.

[Furlough]

I'd never use a pee bottle. It only takes the lid coming off one time or the bottle getting stepped on or punctured to make you wish you'd peed in the woods instead.

Keep the Gatorade Pee bottle in a zip lock bag. Serves 2 purposes: doubles spillage protection and ensures distinction between non-bagged water bottles.

Furlough

[WingedMonkey]

(most females understandably will use the privy)

One of the smart women I met thru-hiking would set out after dinner and place a flat (somewhat) rock where she planned to pee during the night.

Said that was how she was sure the area was already clear of stuff that might poke her in the night visit.

Would just use her light to find the rock.

[Coffee]

Though there is potential for leakage, pee bottle. Also works to keep you warm in the wee hours.

Wow, I'm definitely not brave enough for that "dual use" idea although I've never had a Gatorade bottle fail!

[The Old Boot]

For all of those older folks who feel that they have to get up too often during the night to pee, take a serious look at pumpkin seed oil. Seriously!!

Both my mom at 87 and myself are having wonderful success with it. After just 3 months on it, I can now get 6 hours uninterrupted sleep as compared to 2 to 2 1/2 hours before.

Mom had been prescribed just about every UT drug on the market, one landed her in the ER with it's side effects. The pumpkin seed oil has done more for her than any of the prescription drugs without the side effects.

[takethisbread]

key is is to make the pee bottle totally different from water bottle. I use a Gatorade bottle as a pee bottle and smart water for water. Even in a sleepy delirium, I can tell the difference!

technique I use


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[perdidochas]

Many privies have a note that recommends that you DO NOT pee in the privy if you can help it for a few reasons. First and foremost the heavy moisture content (water) prevents the aeration of the composting privy which needs air/oxygen for proper breakdown of the fecal matter. Also the heavy weight of the pee pushes down on the stool pile and pushes out the oxygen that is already in there making it a large clump of un-composting fecal matter. In fact the duff that you see in composting privies is for this very purpose. The duff is often a very dry material that holds a lot of oxygen and also acts as a small layer that allows for the aeration of the stool pile. Wow, never thought i'd talk so much crap-talk in such a scientific way.

Anyway, you should pee in the woods. Even around shelters most guys will just head off into the woods a few dozen meters and soak a tree.(most females understandably will use the privy)

Little LNT note. They recommend that you not pee on a tree, but that you pee on ground or on rock. Urine is high salt, and peeing on tree can attract deer to chew on a tree unlike their normal behavior. I honestly don't think it matters much in the Appalachians--plenty of rain, but from what I've read about the PCT, it can be more of a problem in arid areas.

[Damn Yankee]

I am a firm believer in not *****ting where you eat(or sleep) there is just something wrong with peeing anywhere near a shelter. Once the weather gets warm, I would imagine it would stink, possible germs or viruses and the aforementioned salty animal attractant. Maybe it's just me. Also, while in Iraq, we slept in what were affectionately called coffins and pee bottles were acceptable but, in a shelter? I'm not sure about that.