Here is an article I wrote several years ago for my site that might be helpful.
The Outdoor Girl section was never part of our original plan for Outdoor Adventure Canada but when I discovered the Diva Cup I was compelled to share my discovery with you. Because of the personal nature of the product I thought that the men might feel a little uncomfortable with this review in the main part of our e-zine so a new section was necessary. This is a delicate subject that includes much personal information.
In February I was at the Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show with the male members of the OAC team. A woman handled me a pamphlet and started to talk to me about the Diva Cup. My insensitive counterparts went on their way leaving me to look at this device. The Diva Cup is just what it sounds like, a cup that collects the fluid of menstruation. It is made of latex-free, 100% hypoallergenic, medical grade silicone. It is odorless and does not disturb the natural function of the vagina. You can wear it for up to twelve hours depending on your flow. Then you simply wash it and reinsert. My first reaction was that the Diva Cup was too good to be true and I sure wasn't going to spend the money on one. I grabbed a few pamphlets for my girlfriends and went on my way.
An hour later I met one of my girlfriends at the show and told her about my skepticism. We talked about how you would never have to buy tampons again let alone pack them out from a wilderness trip. She promptly asked me to show her where the booth was and told me about a cyclist friend who swears by her Diva. So we went to the booth and trusting the advice of my friend I purchased one as well.
My personal experience started with much skepticism and a dose of nerves. I felt much like I did when I was trying my first tampon. There are two Diva sizes; size one is for a person under 30 who has never given birth or had a c-section, size two is for the rest of us. I was a size two which is the larger of the two sizes. My period had arrived and there I was in the bathroom with my freshly cleaned Diva and the instructions. I had trouble because I was nervous and I wasn't angling the device correctly, so much so that I gave up and called Diva International Inc. to tell them that they had given me the wrong size. It was too big and I was sure of it. The lovely person on the other end of the line told me that it was actually the right size but that I just needed to relax and get used to the insertion process which involves folding and seating the device. She recommended that I push toward my tailbone instead of the more upward angle that most of us naturally try. So I attempted use later in the day — a little more relaxed and to my amazement it worked!
I am grossed out when I have to pack out my feminine products and leaving them buried in the woods is not an option because of the impact on the environment (I found some stats that showed over 7 billion tampons and 13 billion sanitary pads making their way into American landfills and sewers each year). Now it was time to put it to the full test on a weekend backpacking trip. No leaks, no discomfort! As long as you have potable water and soap you can easily clean the Diva and once a day I clean mine with a little isopropyl alcohol. Removal was easy and clean-up a cinch. The best part of all is that I didn't have to be embarrassed about my garbage bag contents — the guys I was hiking with had no idea that I even had my period.
The manufacturer recommends just wiping the Diva with tissue and reinserting it if you are in a public washroom, then cleaning it at the next convenient time. Because I can wear this for up to twelve hours I find that I rarely have to empty the cup in a public washroom. It is soft and you cannot feel it. The best thing is that it the Diva doesn't leak. It can even be worn overnight. It is ideal for swimming and sports.
The Diva comes with a cute little storage bag so that you can keep it handy in your purse or pack. I highly recommend trying the Diva Cup and with a one-year money back guarantee you can't go wrong. The cost is about $40. Consider the money you will save not having to purchase pads or tampons. Now consider what you would be doing for the environment. Several cycles later I am now convinced this is the best purchase I have made in a long time.
Now, five or so years later, I couldn't imagine going back to more conventional measures - even at home.