Keeper Vs. Yuuki
I seem to have developed a latex sensitivity over the past few years, which means I can no longer use my Keeper (made of "natural rubber" aka latex). A bit sad, since I only used it for a few years and it certainly would have lasted me many more. Anyway, here's a comparison of the Keeper and Yuuki, my new silicone cup.
Size
When shopping for a new cup, the first thing I checked was size comparison between brands. I felt that the Keeper fit me pretty well so I wanted something similar but a bit smaller. I found the Yuuki to be the perfect size. It is slightly smaller (by a few millimeters) in all dimensions, including length, which was a significant point for me since I had to trim the stem of my Keeper to make it more comfortable. Since the Yuuki is shorter to begin with, I don't have to trim it.
Keeper (size B)
Capacity to air-holes: 13 mls
Capacity to rim: 28 mls
Total length: 7.9 cm
Without stem: 5.4 cm
Rim Diameter: 4.5 cm
Stem type: Tube
Measuring Lines: Yes
Composition: Rubber (non-vegan latex)
Squishiness Rating: 10 (firmest)
Yuuki (size 1)
Capacity to air-holes: 13 mls
Capacity to rim: 25 mls
Total length: 6.7 cm
Without stem: (?)
Rim Diameter: 4.2 cm
Stem Type: Solid (I would consider it a "tube"-type, personally, since the stem is hollow. All the info I'm finding is saying the stem is solid but mine definitely is not...)
Measuring lines: Yes
Composition: Silicone
Squishiness Rating: 5
Information from http://menstrualcups.wordpress.com/
Comfortableness/Ease of Use
I didn't find that "squishiness rating" stuff until just now, but it would have been some good information to have before buying. The Yuuki is much, much more malleable than the Keeper. I guess it's probably about as squishy as most other cups and I was just surprised because I started out with the firmest cup of them all, apparently. The squishiness makes the Yuuki very easy to fold up and very comfortable to insert/remove. My only issue is that since it's so malleable and doesn't have a firm shape, it's a bit difficult for the Yuuki to unfold once it's inside the body.
That said, I haven't had any leaks so it obviously creates a good seal once it does unfold (I often did have leaks with the Keeper if I didn't position it just-so, so this is a huge improvement for me). I suspect it's just a matter of finding the right fold. For the Keeper, I found that the 7-fold worked best, but doesn't work well at all with the Yuuki. The simple U-fold seems to work better but I will have to try a few others.
The Yuuki is comfortable to wear and the stem is the perfect length for me. I wasn't sure how the ridges on the stem would feel, but I actually don't feel them at all, and they make it easy to grip for removal.
Price/Where to Buy
I bought my Yuuki on ebay for about $20 (here is their ebay profile, username yuukicz). Judging by their past sales, you can get one for under $10 if you're lucky. Shipping was reasonably priced ($5) and took a few weeks; not too bad for international shipping (from Czech Republic).
Overall Impression
I'm very happy with the Yuuki! No need to trim the stem, no leaks, and it's much easier to remove (even after years of using the Keeper, it was still difficult for me to remove it without some pain/mess). Definitely a change for the better.
Size
When shopping for a new cup, the first thing I checked was size comparison between brands. I felt that the Keeper fit me pretty well so I wanted something similar but a bit smaller. I found the Yuuki to be the perfect size. It is slightly smaller (by a few millimeters) in all dimensions, including length, which was a significant point for me since I had to trim the stem of my Keeper to make it more comfortable. Since the Yuuki is shorter to begin with, I don't have to trim it.
Keeper (size B)
Capacity to air-holes: 13 mls
Capacity to rim: 28 mls
Total length: 7.9 cm
Without stem: 5.4 cm
Rim Diameter: 4.5 cm
Stem type: Tube
Measuring Lines: Yes
Composition: Rubber (non-vegan latex)
Squishiness Rating: 10 (firmest)
Yuuki (size 1)
Capacity to air-holes: 13 mls
Capacity to rim: 25 mls
Total length: 6.7 cm
Without stem: (?)
Rim Diameter: 4.2 cm
Stem Type: Solid (I would consider it a "tube"-type, personally, since the stem is hollow. All the info I'm finding is saying the stem is solid but mine definitely is not...)
Measuring lines: Yes
Composition: Silicone
Squishiness Rating: 5
Information from http://menstrualcups.wordpress.com/
Comfortableness/Ease of Use
I didn't find that "squishiness rating" stuff until just now, but it would have been some good information to have before buying. The Yuuki is much, much more malleable than the Keeper. I guess it's probably about as squishy as most other cups and I was just surprised because I started out with the firmest cup of them all, apparently. The squishiness makes the Yuuki very easy to fold up and very comfortable to insert/remove. My only issue is that since it's so malleable and doesn't have a firm shape, it's a bit difficult for the Yuuki to unfold once it's inside the body.
That said, I haven't had any leaks so it obviously creates a good seal once it does unfold (I often did have leaks with the Keeper if I didn't position it just-so, so this is a huge improvement for me). I suspect it's just a matter of finding the right fold. For the Keeper, I found that the 7-fold worked best, but doesn't work well at all with the Yuuki. The simple U-fold seems to work better but I will have to try a few others.
The Yuuki is comfortable to wear and the stem is the perfect length for me. I wasn't sure how the ridges on the stem would feel, but I actually don't feel them at all, and they make it easy to grip for removal.
Price/Where to Buy
I bought my Yuuki on ebay for about $20 (here is their ebay profile, username yuukicz). Judging by their past sales, you can get one for under $10 if you're lucky. Shipping was reasonably priced ($5) and took a few weeks; not too bad for international shipping (from Czech Republic).
Overall Impression
I'm very happy with the Yuuki! No need to trim the stem, no leaks, and it's much easier to remove (even after years of using the Keeper, it was still difficult for me to remove it without some pain/mess). Definitely a change for the better.