We’re tired of trekking miles off trail to pee in peace. Finally, there’s a solution

Over the last decade, I have come across many devices, tips, and tricks to help women compensate for certain anatomical possessions that make it tricky to pee on the side of a trail. 

I have not liked any of them. 

To be fair, I have not tried them all. It only took a single wayward Freshette experience (like a ‘pee funnel’) in 2015—in the Grand Canyon, in view of my family and many tourists—to become leery of all feminine urinary devices. (It was not a fun experience.)

Then, this summer, I came across Gnara’s Go There Pants, which have a second, concealed zipper that starts below the main fly. Actually, it would probably be more accurate to say that Gnara’s very persistent PR team came across me, and all but insisted I give them a… go.

The design is simple but clever, intended to make it possible for the wearer to urinate without exposing themselves by pulling their trousers down to the knees. The second zip is hidden by a flap that looks like a standard trouser seam, and extends from below the main fly all the way through the crotch and to the top of the back waistband.

If you unzip and squat, the effect is similar to any slapstick comedy pants-splitting you’ve seen before. In other words, the open seam exposes your backside but in such a way that you appear fully clothed to anyone who happens to come across your path as you squat behind a tree.

I wore them for at least four out of six days on the trail, and whenever I had swapped them for a pair of lightweight leggings, I missed them.

At first, I was skeptical. It looks and sounds like a brilliant idea, but I had some questions. Aside from worrying about cleanliness and function, I was also skeptical that a crotch zipper could lend itself to a comfortable hiking situation.

I trail-tested the trousers in a pretty intense way: Without thinking about how I had not even soft-launched them into my kit by wearing them for a walk around my local park, I packed them for a six-day trek in northern Sweden. This was some pretty serious commitment, as I had only a pair of leggings as spare pants for the entire week.

Turns out, I didn’t need to worry. It was love at first (un)zip.

Gnara suggests that hikers can comfortably go commando in their trousers, but I opted for underwear to keep them as clean as possible for the many days I had accidentally committed to wearing them. I was surprised to find the trousers still worked as promised, and that it was much easier than I had expected to simply pull the extra layer of fabric out of the way.

I am even more pleased (and relieved) to report that my worst nightmare did not come to pass: At no point did I feel desperate for an extra, clean pair of pants. I wore them for at least four out of six days on the trail, and whenever I swapped them for a pair of lightweight leggings, I missed them.

I was hiking part of the famous Kungsleden (King’s Trail) in Arctic Sweden, which was even more heavily trafficked than usual as I was there for the Fjällräven Classic, a social backpacking trip organized by the Swedish gear maker. There were at least 1,700 other hikers on my section of the trail during the week I was there, with many miles between toilets. There were few places to truly hide from view, and I much appreciated the ability to pee in plain sight without mooning the whole trail.

And as for hiking with that extra zipper? I didn’t think about it at all. Several times, I forgot about the trousers’ secret power, only remembering when it was time to put it to good use.

The trousers also have several other features which make them practical for a day hike or backpacking trip. Each pant leg has two snaps so that you can secure the cuffs in place above the ankle, providing a nice breeze on a hot day. The hems also have drawstrings so that you can cinch them tight against your ankles, and there’s a drawstring in the waist for a more custom fit.

I do have one small beef with the trousers, which is that the side pocket on the right thigh is an awkward size for its most obvious use as a cell phone pocket. I have an iPhone 16 and while it does fit inside the pocket, it’s snug. I’d like to see a bit more roominess there.

All in all, I think the Go There Pants are a clever solution for a problem that has plagued women for far too long. Gnara also sells a pair of shorts equipped with this extra zipper, and has recently debuted leggings and compression shorts that are available for pre-order. 

Now, if only they could make ski pants…

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