Category Archives: Book & Product Reviews

Backup Power You Can Carry With You – A Review

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As a prepper, I like things that are rechargeable. It minimizes the gear I have to store and carry. I especially like rechargeable batteries, with very little pre-planning you could continue charging and using them for a long period of time —  even during a collapse.

One of the primary rechargeable devices that I–and everyone else–carry is my phone. Most of the time keeping my iPhone 5S charged isn’t a big deal, I keep it plugged in if I’m in the car, at work, or in bed; in between those times it typically has plenty of battery life. But for the times I’m not around a standard outlet, I like to have a portable charger. Previously I used a New Trent i-Torch External Battery, but recently–after testing and evaluating–I’ve changed to Portable Power Solutions M110 External Battery.

External Battery compared to iPhone 5

External Battery compared to iPhone 5

The M110 External Battery is ruggedly built, it feels like I could drop it and it really wouldn’t care. It’s not much bigger than a deck of playing cards at 4″ x 2.8″ x 1″, weighing 10 ounces (a deck of cards is 3.5″ x 2.5″ x 5/8″). It nicely fits into a convenient pocket on my EDC bag (it even fits in my back pants pocket). It has enough power to completely recharge my iPhone, even if the phone’s dead, four times. The External Battery has an USB outlet so it’s easy to recharge; to completely recharge it takes about 10 hours.

Portable Power Solutions also has a 7W Foldable Solar Panel that pairs nicely with their External Battery. But the Solar Panel can also provide enough power to charge your cell phone, or even tablet, directly from the sun. It folds down to a convenient 7.5″ x 7.5″ x 1″ with a rugged cover that includes a pocket to store accessories. When in use, it folds out to 15 inches long and can easily be attached to your pack (it has eyelets for this purpose), or set down angled toward the sun.

portable power productsPortable Power Solutions’s final product is a 10K Solar Charger. It has the same lithium battery storage capacity as the M110 External Battery, and is about the same size (5.2″ x 3″ 0.8″, weighing 6.2 ounces). It’s a highbred, meaning it can both store power and be recharged by the sun — but it doesn’t do either thing as well as the two individual ones above. It has a small solar charger so it takes a long time to charge (36 hours). And though they still try to make it rugged, it does have a solar panel on it and needs to be handled with much more care. But it can, and does, do both jobs to the best of it’s capability.

Portable Power Solutions is veteran owed, and they’ve “been there”. All of their products are built to be heavy duty, durable, and weather resistant — they’re designed primarily for military guys to take to the field (who are notoriously hard on gear). I like the products and the company, and it’s definitely earned a spot in my everyday carry (EDC) and my Get Home Bag.

A Smaller, Lighter MRE ?

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14-10 MRE 2 courseA couple years ago, I reviewed Meal Kit Supply’s MREs. Meal Kit Supply offers quality, U.S. made MREs that contain 100% military MRE components. Our family stocks them for emergencies, and I recommend them to friends.

So when Meal Kit Supply came out with a new product, a 2-course meal (as opposed to their traditional 3-course meal), I was interested in seeing it.

(new) 2-Course Meal(traditional) 3-Course Meal
containsentrée, dessertentrée, cracker/bread w spread, dessert
weightapprox 11 oz (310 g)approx 20 oz (560 g)
caloriesapprox 600approx 1200
per case612
cost$44.95 (free shipping)$129.95 (free shipping)

Both also contain: electrolyte drink mix, spoon, napkin, and flameless heater. The 3-Course Meal also includes instant coffee and condiments.

I’ve been asked: Why not just take a standard MRE and break it down, throwing away all the excess packing (weight and size), and then taping it up — like we did when we were in the military? My answer: That was fine if you knew you were going to eat the meal in the next day or two. But these meals are factory packaged: water proof, hermetically sealed (to keep out pests), with a five year shelf life! 

13-8 MRE shirtI like them. They’re a smaller, lighter meal with all the quality you’ve come to expect from Meal Kit Supply, and military grade MREs in general. Adding one (or two) to your every day carry kit adds very little weight or bulk, but a lot of piece of mind.

 

Post Script (10/7/14):

People have asked about how they tasted. They have the same good flavor/texture/taste as the other Meal Kit Supply MREs we reviewed before. But our family (five of us, Ryan was living in Moab at the time) did eat, evaluate, recorded comments, and rated them on a scale of 1 to 5 (1=terrible, 3=not bad at all, 5=pretty darn good). So of the random three we ate, here’s our menus, comments and average scores:

  • Beef Ravioli in Meat Sauce, Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Grape Electrolyte Beverage Powder (EBP): “really good” / “tastes like real ravioli” / “a little dry/chalky” — SCORE: entrée 4.0  / cookie 4.0
  • Vegetarian Ratatouille, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Lemon Lime EBP: “good texture” / “plenty of flavor” / “a little metallic taste” / “tastes like meat” / “mushy vegetables” — SCORE: entrée 3.8 / cookie 3.5
  • Spaghetti w Meat Sauce, Oatmeal Cookie, Orange EBP: “texture was like real spaghetti” / “noodles were soft” / “tastes like elementary school spaghetti” — SCORE: entrée 3.4 / cookie 4.0

On a side note, the kids are getting much more proficient using the heaters now that they’ve had some practice.

Momma Bear: Book Review: Wool

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by Leah, Momma Bear -

WoolI recently picked up the book Wool, by Hugh Howey. There were a couple reasons I picked up this book: it was a post-apocalypse story set in a missile silo, it was originally self-published as a short story/e-book and then later picked up by Simon and Schuster, and the movie rights have been picked up by Ridley Scott. I will be curious to see if this book ever develops into a movie. While this was a decent book, I would not put it on the same level as some of the genre classics.

I come from a family of big science fiction nerds. I have had a long love affair with science fiction and the end of our world, a science fiction sub-genre known as apocalyptic or dystopian fiction (the basic “we’re doomed” theme). From movies to books, I love it all. Most of us think of the apocalyptic genre as stemming from the 1940’s and beyond, coming from the Cold War at the end of World War II. But the truth is that the genre is actually much older. Mary Wool-1Shelley (the same lady who gave us Frankenstein) wrote The Last Man in 1826, which is believed to be the first modern apocalyptic novel, about a world-wide pandemic. Seventy years later, HG Wells hit the literary scene with such masterpieces as The Time Machine in 1895, and War of the Worlds in 1898. These stories, with their end of the world themes, continue to be popular today as we see them portrayed each summer in the latest movies. In fact, many of our favorite apocalypse movies are rooted in literature. For instance, Blade Runner is loosely based on the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick.

Wool is an intriguing read because it deals with the intricacies of human nature in a post-apocalypse society. Within the silo are the last vestiges of humanity, following some unexplained and no longer remembered apocalypse that has left the outside world toxic. Inside is a tightly contained, controlled, and stratified society in which every birth must be preceded by a death, a one for one population control essentially. Society itself is divided by a person’s occupation and location within the 100+ level silo, with the administrative/political people residing closest to the surface and the workers on decreasing levels until you reach the dark bottom, mechanics levels (though they are the ones who provide everything from air to electricity). But when a few people start to question authority, society within begins to crumble.

I found the setting of Wool particularly interesting because of the current popularity of Doomsday Preppers using old missile silos for end of the world retreats. Today in America, a couple hundred thousand dollars can buy you a rusting hole in the ground without electricity, or a million can buy you a small apartment within a luxury silo. It seems that these silos fall into the categories of “fixer upper” or “buy your survival”, with the latter leaving you unable to choose your neighbor and silo mates.  Whichever you choose, like Wool, it will take more than a few people and some structured society to keep it running. How do you choose the people for your silo team? How do you keep control when the s**t hits the fan and you’re in lockdown?

missile-silo-houseCheck out these links to available silo properties:

For more great apocalyptic reading, check out these lists:

Apocalyptic movies lists:

 

Mother Earth News Fair Review

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Mother Earth News logoThe first weekend of June Sarah and I attended the Mother Earth News Fair at the Puyallup Fairgrounds (Brynn also attended most of Saturday). It’s held annually here, but we had never been before. It was highly recommended by some good friends who went last year, and since it’s practically in our backyard we made it a priority to attend.

The Mother Earth News crowd was different from the typical prepper crowd. There were a lot of old (and new) hippies, tree huggers, and minimizing your carbon footprint types — not that this is a bad thing, but different. Mother Earth News describes themselves on their Facebook ‘About’ page as: “Launched in 1970, Mother Earth News features practical and money-saving information on organic gardening; do-it-yourself projects; cutting energy costs; using renewable energy; green home building and remodeling; rural living; and conscientious, self-sufficient lifestyles.” All these are also prepper goals, but their motivation and scope are different. For example, with the exception of Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy (yes they were there, more below), there was no discussion of collapse scenarios or disaster preparedness. And there definitely wasn’t any mention of guns, security, or home defense.

Again I’m not saying this as a negative observation, just an observation. Just because they don’t have the same endgame in mind doesn’t make their skill-sets, knowledge, and goals any less valuable. It was actually refreshing to approach some of these topics without the typically implied doom and gloom caveats.

The fair was centered around two full days of classes (six class blocks each day), with thirteen available choices each block (yea, there were a lot to choose from). Of course there were also the many booths and vendors supplying both information and equipment, ongoing demonstrations, and animal displays.

Sarah and I, after pondering the list of classes, took a class almost every block; some together but mostly separate to be able to cover more information. Some of the notable classes we took were:

Mother Earth News w Joe & Amy-1We learned a ton and are very motivated to apply the new knowledge we gained. As we get closer to getting our own 5-acre homestead we can’t wait to try our hand with more livestock, permaculture planning, and alternative power! (Quick home purchasing update: We recently got the appraisal back and were very happy with it, hopefully we’ll close about mid-July.)

A highlight of the weekend was getting to meet Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy (aka Joe and Amy Alton). We’ve “known” them for a couple of years, but had never met in person. They are awesome and incredible people, anxious to share their vast knowledge, and full of positive Mother Earth News w Dave-1energy! We were able to have dinner with them and, because Amy had just met Dave Duffy the founder of Backwoods Home Magazine, Dave and his assistant Toby came to dinner also!

It was a great weekend: the organization, the people, the knowledge, and the energy. We’re already looking forward to next year’s Mother Earth News Fair. If there’s one in your area I can’t recommend it enough! (Seven Springs, PA September 20-22, Lawrence, KS October 12-13).

 

Product Review: Duracell Digital Inverter 800

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  1. Do you live in an area where the power could ever go out?
  2. Do you own a vehicle (or, more accurately, own a vehicle battery)?
  3. Do you have small devices such as cell phones, laptop computers, tablet devices, power tools, or even lamps that you would like to be able to power during a blackout?

inverterIf the answer to all these questions is “yes”, do yourself a favor and spend about $65 and get a Duracell Digital Inverter 800 (or another comparable quality inverter).

How does an inverter work? To review, batteries store DC (direct current) power, while common household devices use AC (alternating current) power. An inverter converts stored DC power to useable AC power (anything with a two/three prong plug).

When people first begin thinking about backup power, they frequently discuss getting a generator. While a generator can be a good step — when it’s an informed decision, and it’s capabilities and limitations are understood. But a generator can be expensive, it takes up space, needs to be maintained, and storing gasoline for it can be a hassle. An easier first step to backup power is a quality inverter. If you already have a generator this adds a second level of redundancy, and might work even better for smaller devices and when you’re on the road.

I first heard about these inverters on The Survival Podcast in an interview with Steven Harris (here’s a list of the many interviews Steven has done on a variety of backup power topics).The Duracell Digital Inverter 800 is convenient and simple to use. It’s relatively compact (7.5” x 4.5” x 2.25”), solidly built, and light weight (1.8 pound). It has a nice LED digital display that shows input and output voltages, making it very easy to oversee and troubleshoot the inverter.

inverter in JeepTo use, connect the inverter directly to your car’s battery terminals (using the DC battery cables with alligator clamps). Then, I’d recommend, run a long 14-gauge extension cord into your house and plug it into a power strip. Plug your devices into the power strip; when you’re not using it, you can turn off the power strip to ensure you’re not inadvertently drawing power to an appliance. Of course you can always plug appliances, or tools, directly into the inverter.

When you’re using the inverter an alarm will sound when your car’s battery gets low, and the inverter will automatically shut off before the battery gets too low; this ensures you’ll never drain your vehicle’s battery further than you should. At that point you can either drive around for a bit, your car’s alternator will recharge your battery, or switch to another vehicle’s battery. For those that have a diesel pickup truck (like our Ford F350) you have TWO batteries, so twice the backup power potential. If you leave your vehicle idling, you can draw full power as long as you have available fuel; this is especially handy for larger devices (the inverter can handle devices that surge up to 1280W). The inverter also has a high voltage shutdown, an overload shutdown, and an overheating shutdown.

There are different size inverters, both higher and lower rated, but the 800 seems to fit the best for most of us. Their 400 is handy because it also comes with a DC lighter adapter allowing you to draw up to 150 watts without having to connect to the battery; very useful for road trips. (Despite what Amazon.com says, the 800 watt inverter does not come with a lighter adapter.)

Having an inverter will allow you–during a power outage, or anytime you’re away from an AC outlet (camping, job sites, etc.)–to convert the DC power stored in your car’s 12-volt battery into 120-volt AC power that you can plug electric devices into.

We tend to take electricity, and our access to it, for granted. When it’s not available our lifestyles quickly change. Having a Duracell Digital Inverter 800 around is an easy step to provide needed power for communication devices, tools, and light when needed.

 

 

Sarah’s View: Product Review: iTorch External Battery

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iTorch-1The New Trent iTorch IMP52D is a portable, rechargeable, external lithium battery I use to recharge my cell phone (an iPhone). It is compatible with any device (i.e. phone, MP3 player, tablet) that uses a USB plug.

Currently I am travelling for work…again. There are many things on my ‘must pack’ list these days, but ever since Trace bought each of us an iTorch about a year ago, I don’t go anywhere without it. It stays in my purse and goes with me pretty much everywhere.

The iTorch is 3.5” x 1.5” x1”; not tiny, but certainly a reasonable size. There are four blue lights, one indicates the iTorch is charging a device, and the other three indicate the level of charge remaining. It also includes a built-in red laser pointer and an LED light; just in case you need a laser pointer or emergency flashlight (repetitive and redundant!). It comes in a handy drawstring bag with a cord to charge the iTorch itself. In order to charge our phones we had to supply the needed USB iPhone cord.

The iTorch is advertised as having 3.5x the normal iPhone charge. I honestly don’t know if this is true or not as I’ve never used the iTorch to its full capacity. Even when I’ve needed to recharge my phone multiple times before I could recharge the iTorch, I’ve never fully depleted the iTorch charge. For this trip in particular it’s been useful as a charger in the car because I totally forgot to bring a car charger for the rental car. It’s also been handy during the day as I’m in training sessions and I can charge my phone as needed without crawling all over the place looking for a wall plug.

Trace first heard about the iTorch from Steven Harris’ site: battery1234.com — which lists many useful devices, all of which Steven has thoroughly tested and personally recommends. We own many items on this list, it is our go-to list when we want to expand our back-up energy capabilities.

Recommendation

iTorch-2I highly recommend the iTorch, for travel, for the prepper, but also as a simply back-up charger. I can’t count the number of times it’s allowed me to charge up my phone after a day in someone else’s car, or in training, or at an airport.

It’s reasonably priced (about $40) and a compact, and durable, enough to carry in a purse or backpack on regular basis (weights 4.5 ounces). And we’re not the only ones who like it, it has an Amazon Customer Review rating of 4.11 starts (of 5) with over 900 reviews.

As Trace has said before: as a prepper–trying to be prepared in case of emergencies or disasters–communication is very important. Sure the cell network can go down, but if it’s up and available it’d suck if you couldn’t access it just because your phone’s battery is dead. This is a product that can help prevent that from happening.

 

Sarah’s View: Community

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meet the neighborsThe topic of community comes up quite often in the prepper world – what does forming community really mean? How do you develop it? What is too much? Too little?

I recently read a story on NPR, The Key To Disaster Survival? Friends and Neighbors. This got me to thinking more about this topic, and I agree even if it’s somewhat loose, a basic awareness and familiarity with neighbors is a good thing.

extrovert vs introvertBut in our house I’m the introvert. And, to clarify, when I say introvert I mean in the sense that I gain energy from being alone — I recharge in solitude. An extrovert (i.e. Trace), on the other side, would be someone who gains energy from interacting with others. Most days, when I get done with work, all I want is to curl up and not talk to anyone. I want to sit and be quiet and recharge.

For me, the idea of forming community makes sense; I completely agree that it is so important to be a part of a group that helps each other. However, in reality the last thing I feel like doing is taking time to chat with the neighbors when we pass them going to check the mail, or when we’re out doing yard work. I just want to be left alone.

In addition to my personal desire for solitude, I’m also struck by the United States’ emphasis on the other side of the coin – independence. Being independent is viewed and portrayed as a sign of strength; asking for help is viewed as a sign of weakness. We are raised to be suspicious of those who can’t do it on their own; to see those who need aid as a nuisance or even a threat. And, as preppers, there could be a real threat if we have supplies, power, a refuge and those around us do not.

Meet-Neighbors.jpgSo, how do we reconcile all of this? There is the need (and desire) for a community. There is the need for solitude. There is the pride of independence. There is the threat of strangers. I think the key–and it’s something Trace does well–is to form relationships simple at first, and develop them over time. Start with waving at the neighbor as they unload the groceries. Then maybe say hi and ask who they’re rooting for in the game when you see each other the next time. Get to know their names, a little about their family, where they work. Eventually you might even ask them over for a backyard BBQ.

Maybe it only gets as far as a simple “hi” when you see them. That’s okay. The two of you have moved from the unknown (strangers) to the known (passing acquaintances). For humans moving out of the realm of strangers is incredibly powerful on a very basic level. I can barely remember our neighbors’ names, yet I know what house I’d go to if I needed help, or to just borrow a cup of sugar. I don’t know them well, but they are not strangers.

Being prepared isn’t just about stuff or even skills, it’s also about stretching ourselves to reach out and meet new people, thereby forming the community that could be the difference between success and failure.

 

Nuts & Bolts by Nick: Tool in focus – Cordless Reciprocating Saw

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by Nick Romaniello -

On December 26th the snow was falling fast and heavy here in Pittsburgh. I opened the curtain and saw a vehicle stuck a few houses down on my steep front road. It’s a spot where cars often get stuck in bad snow, I grabbed my shovel and salt bucket and went down to offer help. The older gentleman inside informed me that in addition to being stuck that he had a flat, and a tow truck may be hours away due to the weather. His Dodge Caravan had the spare mounted underneath the chassis held in place by a metal and plastic retainer and lowered by turning a nut inside the tailgate. The retainer was corroded into place and could not be lowered. I returned to the scene with my trusty cordless reciprocating saw. I slid under the stuck van and within moments had cut through the retainer allowing the spare tire to be removed. In no time the tire was installed, and with some shoveling and salt, the driver was on his way.

Ryobi SawzallI have a lot of tools, but in a disaster situation where I could only take one power tool it would likely be my cordless reciprocating saw. It is commonly called a “sawzall” (original trademarked name) because that’s exactly what it does. With the right blade it can hack its way through anything from metal to wood to plastics and even some masonry applications. Easier to handle and more versatile than a chainsaw and faster than handsaws, a sawzall is a good choice for emergency cutting. In construction it’s used most often in demolition and rough carpentry, but with its wide variety of blade choices the sawzall is able to step in and do the job of almost saw bladesany other saw in a pinch. A corded sawzall is more efficient for extensive work, but battery power will work where and when an outlet isn’t an option. Definitely choose lithium ion batteries over NiCad since sawzall’s are energy hungry. I will make a plug: the Ryobi One+ 18-Volt Cordless Reciprocating Saw (available at Home Depot for about $60 plus battery). I have one that, despite its hobbyist status in the tool hierarchy, has been in my professional tool kit for seven years. The One+ system has multiple tools that operate with the same interchangeable battery and is reasonably priced. A car charger is even available so that the batteries can be maintained on the road. Whichever brand or model you choose, make sure that you also purchase an assortment of blades, including a few “fire and rescue” blades which cut aggressively through a variety of materials.

It is worth mentioning that this was actually the second time I had to perform this exact same procedure on a Dodge Caravan. The first I went out to rescue a friend who’s Caravan got a flat on the interstate in the heat of August with her infant daughter aboard and she was unable to lower her spare. Everyone, apparently Caravan owners especially, should take the time to locate their spare tire, familiarize themselves with how it is deployed, and make sure that everything related to changing the tire is actually in working order. Practice changing a tire in your driveway on a nice day so you don’t have to learn how on the side of a busy road in a snowstorm.

My cordless sawzall is the ‘go to’ tool for all-around cutting, from pruning trees to extracting someone from a wrecked car. Its seemingly limitless abilities should earn it a place in every prepper’s tool kit. But just like the spare tire, be sure to familiarize yourself with it’s operation before you need to put it into use.

 

Momma Bear: Back-Up Cooking Systems & a Review of the Jetboil Zip Stove

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the kids with their hobo stoves

the kids with their hobo stoves

Redundancy is key in good prepping. We live in the D.C. area and I worry about another Snowmageddon that could result in multiple days without power. We have a nice propane fireplace, so we would have heat for quite a while without electricity, but cooking can really be a chore in the cold. We can always use our BBQ grill, but who really wants to go outside if it’s THAT cold? Therefore, here at our suburban fortress I keep multiple cooking systems in reserve for just such an emergency. I divide my cooking into two categories: home cooking and field cooking. While many of you probably have the exact same home cooking systems.

My first line of defense, for heating things up at home, is a case of sterno I picked up at Costco (for less than $20). I have two different sterno cooking setups: one contentsis a fondue set, and the other is actually a hot beverage urn holder. Sterno is also super easy for the kids to use! Our second and third lines of ‘electricity-free cooking’ are my small cooking stoves, one uses propane and the other butane. The butane comes in a giant can that looks like a big can of hairspray. You don’t tend to see butane stoves as much as the propane ones, but we have had ours for some time and it’s a pretty compact piece of equipment. Typically I have each stove packed in a bug-out kit in the garage. setupLast, for the home cooking, I keep two of the small portable grills for better fuel economy in an emergency.

When it comes to field cooking, we have a small variety of hobo stoves that we have in our bug-out bags. These have been great for the kids to get hands on fire making experience. But my husband, Mr. Marine, likes something a little bit quicker when he is in the field so I thought you would enjoy my husband’s review of his new Jetboil Zip Stove. Since he goes to the field so often, we have recently invested in the Jetboil Zip Stove. This is a smaller version of the original Jetboil and cost about $70 online. The big plus here for him is that it is a self-contained non-stick stove and coffee mug/cook pot all in one, with a coozie, handle, bowl and even a sipper lid. The pot even serves as the holder for the stove and fuel. The compactness is awesome for field use. Please note, we bought the one without the igniter so ours requires a lighter or matches to start. The cook system gets its name based on the extreme flame it puts off, which looks very much like a jet engine burning!

flameAfter recently spending a week in the field with his new stove, Mr. Marine said he was boiling 16 oz. of water in about 3-4 minutes, half of which would be used for his meal and the other for his instant coffee. A Jetboil fuel canister costs about $5, and in a week of light usage he still had fuel. Compared to a number of past field stoves, from years of deployments, he found this one to be far superior, primarily because of its compactness, simplicity and rapid cooking speed. The biggest downsides are you have to buy the Jetfuel pre-filled fuel canisters, and he mentioned that the pot gets extremely hot. The sippy lid and coozie are there to protect from the hot metal, so make sure you use it. You won’t forget after the first time you burn your lip!

We intend to eventually buy a couple more and stick them in the bug-out bags. I could also see putting one in the vehicle if I was taking any sort of winter driving trip where we could encounter serious weather. For anyone who preps, camps, hunts, or hikes regularly, the Jetboil Zip is a great stove.

Sierra Kate: Reusables, Self-Reliance & Feminine Hygiene, Part 2 – How Do They Perform?

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Last week I wrote Part 1: Options, about alternative reusable menstrual products from a prepper perspective. However, potential users of a new alternative feminine hygiene product will also want to know how well it performs/functions. That is what I am here to discuss this week.

FIRST – OUR CHOICES:

Disposables

  • Pads & Tampons – semi-synthetic rayon
  • Pads & Tampons – cotton
  • Menstrual Cups – elastomer

Reusables

  • Pads – cotton
  • Tampons – natural sea sponges or cotton
  • Menstrual Cups (bell-shaped cup used internally) – natural latex rubber or medical-grade silicone

Let’s compare our options, shall we?

Reusable Menstrual Pads

Reusable Tampons – Sea Sponges

Reusable Menstrual Cup

 

SECOND – REVIEWING PERFORMANCE:

1. Comfort

  • Interior winner – Menstrual Cups. No internal options are felt, but cups win because they are non-drying and do not interfere with one’s healthy and natural lubrication or secretions.
  • Exterior winner – Unclear. It’s a trade-off; next to sensitive skin the winner is probably the more bulky cotton pad that is soft and breathable. But some prefer the thinner, less breathable rayon,  but it does have potential irritants.

2. Convenience

a) Capacity

Winner – Menstrual Cups. The 1-ounce cups have double the capacity of a max-absorbency tampon. That means half the bathroom trips!

b) Portability and Active Living

Winner – Menstrual Cups. You only need one cup at any time, they are easy to clean and there is no trash to hide. Cups are popular with outdoor enthusiasts, including wilderness backpackers. Also, the non-drying cup can be put in the day before you expect your period.

3. Cost

Winner – Menstrual Cups. Both reusable cups and pads last at least 5 to 10 years. A cup costs about $30 to $40; a commercial set of reusable pads about 2 to 3 times that. A set of two sponges costs $13 and last 3 to 12 months.

4. Health

a) Hygiene 

Winner – ALL. No menstrual products are sterile; however they are all sanitary with proper care.

b) Harmful Substances

Winners – Reusables. Processing rayon requires a lot of chemicals that are potential toxins or irritants that may leave traces in the final product.

c) TSS and Microbes

Internal Winner – Menstrual Cup. The cups smooth surface does not lend itself as easily to microbial growth; tampons, especially high-absorbency, seem to be associated with TSS, along with causing micro-abrasions.

d) Odor

  • Internal winner – Menstrual Cup. The menstrual fluid is not exposed to any air, which eliminates odor.
  • External winner – Cotton pads. Cotton allows moisture to evaporate, which reduces odor.

5. Environmentally friendly

Winners – Reusables

6. Anatomical Fit Concerns

For cups a good rule-of-thumb is if the person (this includes virgins) has no problems using tampons then they should be able to use cups. If you can’t use disposable tampons, but dislike pads, consider trying sea sponge tampons. At the bottom I’ve included a link to a positive review of them by a women affected by pelvic organ prolapse.

7. Learning Curve

Cups are more hands on, and require you to be comfortable, or willing to become so, with your body and intimate anatomy. Most users say it takes 2-3 cycles to get the hang of easily inserting and removing them.

8. Customer Service

Winner – Reusables. Companies of reusables are knowledgeable and helpful. They have to be, they mostly advertise by word of mouth.

9. Care, Cleaning, and Storage

Reusable winner – Menstrual Cup. The cup’s smooth surface is simple to clean. It is also easier to care for away from home than the reusable absorbent options. In a pinch, after emptying, if both the cup and your clean hands do not come into contact with anything else then it isn’t necessary to wash the cup before reinserting.

10. OKAY, but are they pretty?

Really…? Sigh. Yes! They have cute pouches. Many pads do come in awesome colours and patterns. A few cups come in bright pretty colours. Sponges, I think, already look decorative. And then you can make your own pads, tampons or carry pouches as beautiful as you like. What I find beautiful is how well reusables work. The disposable synthetic products, to me, are a disappointment, not just environmentally but from a health and performance point of view.

 

Disclaimer: I claim no special medical knowledge. I wrote from my personal experience with rayon products and menstrual cups; most of the rest was obtained from Internet research.

 

RESOURCES

Disposable 100% cotton pads and tampons:

Disposable menstrual cup: http://www.softcup.com/faqs

Reusable cloth pad brands:

Pads4Girls: http://lunapads.com/about-us/donate-pads

To make your own cloth pads:

Reusable sea sponge tampons

Reusable menstrual cups

Lastly, the following is a link to a story with a very rare concern with tampons that is not about rayon, dioxins, chemical irritants or even TSS bacteria. Open at your own risk of being utterly and horrifyingly grossed out: http://www.wfaa.com/news/consumer/Test-Results-Confirm-Mold-on-Tampon-147404735.html