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Camping and spending time outdoors is a great way to get in touch with nature, to give ourselves a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and can allow us to take a break from non-stop screentime. But there are some basic human requirements that make spending extended time in nature a little less appealing for many people.
What do you do when you are out camping or hiking and you have to go to the bathroom? Are you really supposed to just cop a squat behind a tree or bush and hope everything works out okay? Fortunately, this isn’t the case. There are actually a range of different types of portable toilets that are space-saving, easy to carry, clean, and are very convenient. They can make a camping trip a lot more comfortable for all involved.
A portable toilet is a small, unattached toilet that can be easily stored or moved around when not in use. This can refer to a wide range of types of toilets. Most types of portable toilets do not require any type of access to sewer or plumbing services, which makes them great for use while camping or spending long periods of time outdoors.
It should be noted that a portable toilet must be a piece of equipment that can be moved around, easily assembled, and stored when necessary. Holes in the ground or other latrine-like services are not what we are talking about here.
Portable toilets can be quite sophisticated and many even offer a range of privacy features so even though you are doing your business outdoors, you still have a bit of normal privacy like most of us are used to.
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Camco makes an affordable and high-quality portable toilet that is easy to use and simple in design. It is a bucket-style system that is made from commercial-grade polypropylene and will stand the test of time.
It is easy to assemble with a snap-on toilet seat and lid attachment. The bucket is lightweight at about four pounds and is easy to clean and has a carrying handle for easier disposal. The lid allows you to keep the bucket covered when not in use to keep smells down and bugs away.
The bucket can be used on its own, or you can use bag liners for easier disposal. The bucket comes with three bag liners included. It features a 5-gallon capacity, making it suitable for multiple uses.
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If you are looking for a high-end, top-of-the-line portable toilet that has a ton of great features, Nature’s Head composting toilet is a great option. It is a lot more expensive than the other models we review here, but it also has a lot more features as well.
This is a flushable dry toilet that does require assembly but can be put together by most people with a minimal level of tool skill and know-how.
It is made from the highest quality materials and uses the latest in technology to create a toilet that is comfortable, smell free, and that composts waste in a safe and environmentally-friendly way.
It separates waste without the need for water or tons of chemicals. The toilet also features a built-in circulation fan that helps to keep smells down and the air fresh.
The toilet is a high capacity toilet and can meet the needs of two people using the toilet for about 4-6 weeks before needing to be emptied. Emptying the toilet is also incredibly easy and can be done in just a few minutes.
For peace of mind, the toilet also comes with a 5-year warranty.
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NRS makes an environmentally-friendly and convenient portable toilet system that combines quality and value into a versatile toilet that is easy to assemble and can make life in the wild or on-the-go just a little easier.
The toilet features a traditional-style toilet lid and a large, high-capacity tank that is 5.5 gallons and can be used up to 50 times before needing to be emptied or cleaned.
It is made from the highest-quality, commercial-grade rotormolded polyethylene, so you can have the confidence that this is a durable toilet that can withstand the elements and is built to last.
The system is lightweight and high-capacity and is also designed with easy cleaning in mind. The system also comes with a cleanout hose and a washout hose adaptor, in case you want to use a garden hose to quickly clean the toilet between empties.
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Cleanwaste is a trusted and well-known brand, so it just makes sense that we would review more than one portable toilet from this brand. If you are looking for a simple and very affordable portable toilet, their toilet in a bag is an excellent option at less than $30 for a 15-pack.
As the name implies, this is a bag-style system that can be used with a bucket-style portable toilet system or on its own. On their own, you can’t find a much more convenient way to handle waste on the go.
This is a very “no-frills” version of a portable toilet but it is affordable and effective and comes with what you need to do your business wherever you are.
The system comes with 15 Cleanwaste bags with handles for easy disposal. It also comes with 15 treatments of poo powder and a scoop to divvy up said powder. (There is also a 30 bag option)
Once the waste is treated with the poo powder, it can be disposed of in normal trash. You can also dispose of it a more traditional way but burying it well away from your campsite with the bag is full.
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Alpcour is a trusted and reputable manufacturer that makes the unique and well-designed compact portable flush toilet. It is a great value for the money, using the latest technology and the highest quality materials in construction.
The toilet features a wide, comfortable seat.
It uses water to separate waste into a separate storage container and does not require any access to services to operate. It features a 3.2-gallon water tank and a separate 5.3-gallon waste tank. This means that it can hold a lot of waste and can be flushed as many as 50 times between emptying.
It is made of heavy-duty plastics and materials and is easy to assemble. It is lightweight and easy to clean. There is a rotating spout to make adding water to the tank very easy. The toilet features an anti-leak valve which also helps keep odors down.
The toilet features both a water and waste level indicator so you know when you need to add more water or empty the waste tank. The waste tank can easily be separated from the rest of the system by engaging a latch, which makes it easy to remove the waste tank for disposal.
The toilet comes with a case to carry or store your toilet in. It also comes with an easy to understand user manual that gives you all the information you need to properly use and operate the toilet.
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Whether you are taking a road trip across the country or spending a long week out in the wild, a portable toilet is an excellent way to make the outdoors feel a little more like home and will give you the privacy you expect to do your business in peace.
There are numerous types of portable toilets and what will work best for you will depend on your preferences, your budget, and your expectations.
The most common types of toilets are dry flushing toilets, which feature a flush, but do not require water or other liquid to operate. Folding toilets are another common type of portable camping toilet that, as the name implies, folds up when not in use and is very convenient and space-saving.
Bucket toilets are a bit more primitive feeling but they are also affordable and highly effective. They utilize a modified bucket with a seat to hold waste. Porta-potty toilets are more traditional types of toilets that may or may not use chemicals in their operation.
For the purposes of our explanation, we are going to briefly look at the inner workings of bucket toilets, collapsible toilets, and flushable portable toilets.
A bucket toilet is not a sophisticated piece of equipment. It is, in essence, a bucket with a toilet seat attached. Once you do your business, you will put down the lid until the bucket is full.
To safely dispose of waste, use gloves, and bury the waste away from your campsite at a depth of at least six inches.
With a bag toilet, there is, as the name implies, a disposable and often biodegradable bag that is attached below the seat of the portable toilet. This type of toilet is also very simple. You attach the bag to the seat, do your business, and then bury the bag well away from the campsite when it is full.
Remember to keep the toilet away from food areas and to have antibacterial soap or lotion accessible at all times. It is also helpful to have gloves when disposing of the waste.
With more complicated toilets the operation gets more, well, complicated. Flushable camping toilets are usually comprised of two tanks. One that has water in it and another that holds waste. Water is pumped to move water through the tank, removing the waste from the top chamber of water to the waste chamber. When full, you will need to empty it and bury the waste as you would any other portable toilet.
Though the flushable portable toilet provides an experience more like home, they will require more maintenance and cleaning than more simple models.
When making any purchase, it is helpful to know what to look for and anything you may need to keep in mind when making your final selection. We have compiled some of the most important factors that you will want to keep in mind while shopping.
Budget is always going to be an important factor when making your ultimate purchase decision. It can make the whole endeavor a lot easier if you set out a budget beforehand, so you can easily mark off options that are out of your price range. The more you are willing to spend, the more bells and whistles and features you should expect to get.
A portable toilet can come in a variety of shapes and sizes and you will want to choose one that is comfortable for all who plan to use it, as well as one that is large enough and has enough capacity for the size of your family or the length of time you plan on using it.
A portable toilet will have a capacity limit and if you don’t have a ready place that you can dispose of the waste or clean your portable toilet, you will want to make sure you choose one that has the capacity to meet your needs.
When shopping for portable toilets, keep in mind how many times you can feasibly use the toilet before it needs to be cleaned or emptied, or even disposed of. If you plan on being gone for a week, you will want to make sure you choose an option that will work for that length of time.
While, of course, all portable toilets are, well, portable, some are easier to move around than others. These toilets come in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from something that is as big or slightly larger than a standard toilet, to something that can be folded up and easily carried when not in use.
If you are planning on doing a lot of hiking, you will probably fare better with something that can be easily stored away in a pack or on your back when not in use. If you are camping and staying in a single area, one of the larger ones may be a better choice.
Some portable toilets are as easy to use as unfolding a chair, attaching a bag, and doing your business. Others will need to be set up ahead of time before use. You will want to think about this when making your ultimate choice.
There are a lot of portable toilets, but not all of them will provide a comfortable seat. Some are small and narrow and can be a bit uncomfortable to use. Others have something more akin to a traditional toilet seat, which is often far more comfortable for the user but may be bulkier.
Yes, you can poop in a camping toilet. You may have to find a way to dispose of the waste when you are done or the storage compartment is full, but it is safe to poop in a camping toilet.
Having a portable toilet when the weather may get below freezing may seem like something that just won’t work. However, there are ways to “winterize” your camping toilet in a way that will keep it from freezing, even when the weather is frigid.
Using half a pound of rock salt per gallon of water is an easy and effective way to keep your portable toilet from freezing in as low of temperatures as 26 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are dealing with colder weather than this, you will need a more extreme antifreeze method.
To keep your toilet from freezing in temperatures as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit, you need to mix two pounds of rock salt with 40 ounces of methanol for every gallon of water.
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