An STP device (stand-to-pee) allows you to stand up and pee, preferably while fully clothed. They are made from plastic, paper, or silicone and come in various funnel shapes.

If you are someone who has sat or squatted to pee all your life, it may be hard to imagine why it would be more comfortable.

Why Are STPs So Great?

Standing to pee has many advantages over sitting or squatting in a variety of situations.

Natural Settings

In nature, there are all kinds of itchy, scratchy, biting things hanging out near the ground that you can be exposed to by squatting to pee. Using an STP urination device allows you to keep your clothes on to protect your body while you pee.

Keeping your clothes on while peeing also prevents freezing your butt off if it is cold.

Toilets

If you are uncomfortable sitting on a public toilet, a standing urination device like the pStyle allows you to keep a distance from the seat.

Even at home, some people find the pStyle is more comfortable than sitting to pee because it contains the urine stream and keeps it from spraying all over you. Messy urination is more of an issue for some than others, but if it bothers you, STP devices can help.

Standing to pee is a blessing for people who experience pain whenever they have to sit down and get back up, as in recovering from abdominal or hip surgery.

Standing to pee can also give you a feeling of safety and empowerment, whether you are a trans man who feels joy from the gender affirmation of standing to pee or a cis woman who feels safer keeping her pants on in the wilderness.

How to Use the pStyle

Successful use of the pStyle — the best STP device, in our opinion — relies on understanding how it works. Your urine must drop into the broadest part of the cup and immediately encounter gravity pulling it down the spout. Things could get messy if your urine doesn't fall into the cup properly or you don't use gravity to your advantage.

The main things you need to do to prevent a mess are:

• Place it correctly; not too far forward or too far back. Center the widest part of the cup underneath where your urine naturally falls. We recommend trying it in the shower first to determine the correct placement.
• Keep the entire device level from side to side to prevent urine from going over the edge whenever you’re using STP devices.
• Keep clothing out of the cup as it can wick urine out and onto your body.
• Tilt the pStyle just far enough for gravity to work. If you tilt it too far, there won't be a good seal against your body, and problems may result.

Clothing

Your clothing affects both your success and comfort when using a pStyle.

Because the cup needs to fit under your urethra, with the spout pointing down, there must be enough space between your body and clothing for the back of the STP device.

• Loose or relaxed-fit pants or shorts with a zipper at least 4-5" long are ideal.
• Pants with an elastic waistband that easily stretches around 5-6" inches are also very workable.
• A skirt will also work, provided the waistband is loose enough to pull down, or the fabric can be pulled up far enough to position the pStyle.

If the zipper of your pants is short, it restricts your ability to tilt the spout down. It causes the cup to be pressed too firmly into your body, potentially causing discomfort. As with a short zipper, extremely tight waistbands can make you uncomfortable.

Reducing Splash

As with squatting, splashback often occurs when using an STP urination device. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce this, regardless of your situation.

Toilets

Most toilets and urinals are not designed to prevent splashback from standing urination. If you pee directly into the water, it can cause quite a mess. Researchers at Brigham Young University studied the physics of urine streams and discovered a few tips to stay cleaner when using these stand-to-pee devices.

• Stand close to the urinal or toilet. The longer the stream, the more it breaks into smaller particles, causing a splash when it hits something solid.
• Stand to the side and aim to hit the vertical back wall of the toilet at a downward angle.

Natural Settings

Standing close to a vertical surface like a rock and peeing on it at a slight downward angle is ideal for splash control.

Don’t pee directly on vegetation as the concentrated nitrogen could harm the leaves.

Cleaning

It's essential to clean your pStyle for health and hygiene. Check out our in-depth article about the best ways to do it.

Storage

Proper storage keeps your pStyle clean for its subsequent use. Some simple DIY STP device holder options are a clean sock, bandanna, or zip-lock bag.

We produce a sturdy pCase from organic cotton canvas if you want something ready-made. This fabric is durable and breathable, so if any liquid is on your pStyle after use, it should dry quickly. If you want something made from synthetic material, our friends at Cozy Folk make a cute PUL pee sling.

Cheap glasses and pencil-carrying cases are also workable options. Check the dimensions of the pStyle on our website to ensure it will fit.

We have heard from some trans men who have sewn a special pocket inside their boxer shorts to turn the pStyle into a pseudo-packer STP device. It will not work for everyone, but if it works for you, please let us know!

Once your pStyle is in a case, you can clip it to the outside or store it inside any bag you carry, such as a purse, backpack, or pannier. People also keep them in more stationary places like the glove box of a car or on a bathroom shelf.

Standing to Pee is Within Reach

Using an STP device is something you can learn to do that will increase your comfort in a number of situations.

The pStyle is the best way to start your standing-to-pee adventure. Visit our website to learn more — and contact us if you have any questions about how it can work for you.