Disposable cups vs. Diva Cup etc

ArcticFox

Just wondered if any of you have tried the disposables?  I know they are totally not 'green' but I was wondering about trying them for stuff like travel (and I do have a Diva cup that I haven't tried yet).  Wondering how they compare (in terms of use - obviously the Instead/Softcup creates a lot of waste).  Thanks!

WendyGR

I have not, but I'm wondering what the advantage would be. I travel overseas and LOVE my Diva Cup. We always have bottled water for drinking and it doesn't take that much to rinse it out.

brideofaussie

You mean Instead?

Horrible.  HORRIBLE.

I got them b/c I forgot my Diva when I went on vacation last year.  They simply did not work for me.  I wish I had just bought tampons from the very beginning.

laddiebug

I tried the Instead cups and hated them. It never failed that I looked like I murdered someone when taking it out. I love my Diva Cup though. I haven't tried any of the other brands out there, but hear that the Lunette is awesome.

MrsOjoButtons

I used Instead cups in high school.  They hold more than a tampon does, but because it's so wide, it can be difficult to get it out while holding it at an appropriate angle so you don't spill.  It can also be uncomfortable to get your finger in high enough to 'unhook' the cup from the pubic bone.

jen5-03

I tried the Instead. I just couldn't get the hang of it. It goes in completely different from a cup and I felt like my angle was always off.

sillygoosegirl

I tried for a long time to get the Instead cups to work, never with any luck at all.  They leaked constantly for me.  This was before I'd ever heard of the Diva cup, and because of the bad experience I didn't try the Diva cup for a very long time after I heard about it.  Which turns out to have been misguided.  They are completely different.

I've use the Diva Cup overseas and deep in the wilderness.  Just wash it out with a little bit of bottled or filtered water if you are someplace you wouldn't drink the tap water. Not needing to use a disposable product is even more of a plus when you are on the go, since you don't need to worry about running out. 

Nonny

I use my Diva Cup now (and have for the last several years... I can't even remember now how long it has been) but I used Instead Cups towards the end of college and in the years leading up to using the Diva Cup.  I *LOVED* them and still think they work better for me (as far as leakage goes) than the Diva Cup.

But the learning curve with those types of cups is different than with the reusable cups, because they fit around your cervix and they aren't as forgiving as a Diva Cup when it comes to positioning.  There is also only one way to insert them (by pinching the rim) so I think that may seem daunting to people.

Towards the end years of my wearing of them I experimented a little with washing and reusing them after I found myself on my period in a city where I couldn't find more Instead Cups.  You can reuse one Instead Cup for several days if you are gentle with it, but if you are washing and reusing you might as well just be using a cup that's actually designed for that and intended to be used that way.

But regardless of which type of cup you use, I wouldn't recommend trying them out for the first time on a trip.  You'll want at least 1-2 cycles to get used to inserting and removing, and figuring out how often you need to empty them. 

CDMay2006

brideofaussie:

Horrible.  HORRIBLE.

Seriously bad.  One time i had one in and was talking to a friend (just standing still), when it came out of position, making a schluuuurrrrpp sound.  Loud enough that my friend heard it, too.  Thankfully i was near a bathroom, or else it would have been horribly messy, as well.

I travel and backpack with mine and it is a-ok.