If there is one creature comfort to take camping, it would have to be a portable toilet!
Getting outdoors and going camping can be a lovely experience, made even better if you are prepared and have a few pieces of equipment to make life in the bush or beach just a little more comfortable. I’m sure the majority of women campers out there would agree that a camping toilet is high on their list of items to pack in the camper or truck every trip.
A camping toilet doesn’t have to break the bank. There is a wide range of options available for all budgets and styles of camping! In cases where there are no public toilets, a camping toilet is actually required by law with the waste to be disposed of at a designated dropoff area. In cases like this, it’s best to get a camping toilet that ticks all the right boxes.
Anyway, enough toilet talk, let’s get straight into our camping toilet comparison and reviews. In our opinion, the best camping toilets are:
How to Choose a Portable Camping Toilet
Portability
The main factor to be considered while buying a portable camping toilet is the portability of the toilet. You want something which can be easily moved from one place to another, same goes for most camping items such as camping chairs and tents. The kind of portability you would wish to have depends highly on the type of camping you will be doing. It should be easy to carry no matter you are going to the campsite in a car or hiking to reach your destination. You want a very compact and light-weight toilet which you can carry around easily.
Compact
While selecting a portable toilet, the size of the toilet should not be ignored. For camping, the recommendation is the smaller, the better. A portable toilet should be compact enough to make space for itself with other luggage. You have to make sure that the measurements of the collapsed toilet seat are as per the carrier you will be travelling in so that it can fit in well.
Light-weight
A portable camping toilet has to be light-weight. Some toilets are portable and compact, but they are pretty heavy. Camping is all about carrying light. You don’t want to get into the hassle of getting a heavy toilet and then tire yourself by moving it from one place to another. Hence, this feature should not be ignored.
Strong and sturdy
The toilet you want to buy should be sturdy and robust to handle your weight while you sit on it. You don’t want to invest in a toilet, which is of poor quality and cannot tolerate weight on it. A quivering toilet, while you are using it, is the last thing you would want to happen during your time at the camping. It should be stable, durable, and long-lasting.
Simple Design
This feature is essential, especially from a travelling point of view. When you are travelling, you don’t want to carry any such thing which can become a hassle. Opt for a portable toilet that has a simple design. Fancy toilets can become troublesome to handle while travelling. They look stunning, but it can get challenging to pack them and carry, especially while hiking.
Easy to clean
Cleaning toilets sounds disgusting, but you have to do it, especially when you are carrying one with you while camping. A low-maintenance portable toilet is what you should look for. It should be easy to clean. You don’t want to spend more time cleaning it rather than enjoying it at the campsite. It should have lesser crannies and corners to clean. A simple, straight-forward design is what you should look for.
Odour-free
This is the most important feature which you have to consider while selecting a portable toilet. You want a product that has odour-management features in it. Toilets with double seal should be preferred as they prevent odour from spreading around the toilet area. Make sure the seal of the toilet closes correctly without any issues. That also causes the odour to spread.
Privacy
Privacy is another feature that is not to be ignored. There are portable toilets that come with a proper privacy system. They include miniature tents that provide enough space to sit on the toilet comfortably. These tents can be bought separately as well. If buying a tent separately, make sure it’s the right size for the model you have purchased. A tent would also be ideal if you plan on using a camping shower.
Waste Disposal
This is a feature that needs proper thought-process. How is the waste going to be disposed of? Mostly portable toilets come with disposable bags that are attached to them. These bags have to be changed whenever you want to use the toilet. Make sure the seat has proper support for handling the bag; you don’t want the bag to fall while you are using it. Also, select the brand which offers biodegradable bags that don’t harm the environment when you dispose of them.
Comfort
This is one of the essential features. The toilet has to be comfortable no matter what. Portable toilets can be very uncomfortable, and you don’t want to buy any such product which might make you regret later. Select the model which has a wider seat for better support and is not small in height. You will be in a squatting position because that is how much high portable toilets are generally. The shape and size of the seat should be according to your preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you poop in a portable camping toilet?
Yes, you can poop in a portable camping toilet. There are mainly three types of portable toilets -Bucket, compost, and chemical.
Compost and chemical toilets have the same features, and there are two trap doors in a portable toilet – one for “pee” and the other for “poop.” When you have to poop, there is a lever on the side of the toilet that opens a kind of “trap door” to trap poop. It is so simple! But make sure you close it when you are done.
Besides, the bucket toilet also comes with waste bags which allows easy disposal. So, whether you are on a camping holiday in the forest or enjoying your weekend on a boat, managing a portable camping toilet won’t be a nasty task.
How do you empty a camping toilet?
Camping is not all about sitting around the bonfire, telling stories, and eating with your friends but more than that. You cannot ignore other tasks – cleaning the tent, washing, drying your clothes, and last but not the least disposing of human waste.
Emptying and disposing the waste bag varies depending on the portable toilet you are using. For example, bucket toilets come with waste bags; once it is full of human waste, remove and tie the waste bag carefully and throw it in the designated disposal area.
If you are using any other caravan toilet, then first look for the disposal area where you can empty and wash it. Then take your portable toilet for unloading carefully to the allocated area. Keep in mind the disposal areas can vary. Now remove the cap from the top of the spout of your waste holding tank and prepare it for emptying. Once you are done with pouring out the waste onto the grid or disposal tank, wash it off and refill it with fresh water (if required).
How often do you need to empty a camping toilet?
It totally depends on the use of a camping toilet like how many people are using it and in which climate it is being used. For example, if you are traveling with two people, your caravan toilet tank will probably be full in about two to three days.
So, to give an idea, if you are using a chemical toilet, its 20-liter tank probably fills in three days. There are also portable toilets available with handy indicators on the front, which tell the users when it is full and needs to be emptied.
But you should not wait until the last moment, instead clean it frequently. After all, the fuller the tank will be, the harder it will be for you to carry from the camp and bring it to the designated disposal point.
What chemicals do you need for a camping toilet?
The chemicals come in liquid and tablet form, so you have the option two choose amongst the two as per your convenience. Chemicals used in the chemical toilet will help kill germs, and help mask smell. So, choose the portable toilet chemical carefully as they work in different ways.
Even if you have a larger tank for a camping toilet, you still need chemicals to treat the human waste. These chemicals not only break down the waste but also eliminate smell and reduce gas build-up.
Keep in mind; you add chemicals to the waste tank before you use it for the first time and after that each time the tank is emptied. Plus, handle all the chemicals with care and ensure that they are safely kept at a place where kids and animals cannot reach.
Can you empty a camping toilet into a normal toilet?
No, you cannot flush a camping toilet into a regular toilet. The tank should be emptied into a sewage system. Emptying your camping toilet waste can pose hygiene problems, and the chemicals can kill the bacteria that make the infected system work. If you cannot find an authentic emptying area, your only option will be to empty your toilet’s waste into a regular toilet.
How to stop a portable camping toilet from smelling?
The smell inside a portable toilet can get very strong if you don’t clean it regularly. It can also make it unbearable for you to stand near it. So, to avoid this situation and keep portable camping toilets from smelling bad, using an air freshener and cleaning tablet can be helpful. Besides, there are solutions that deodorize your portable toilet and help keep the unit smelling fresh.
But one of the most common things you should do is open the door and let the toilet ventilate regularly. Try to find a time when people are unlikely to use a caravan toilet and keep the door open for at least half an hour.
