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No one wants to talk about camper toilets or where to “go” when traveling to a remote destination. But what happens when there isn’t a gas station or an official campground nearby?
Let’s run through the options for portable toilets and urinary products for women to relieve themselves. The adage of “dig and bury it” still works. You just need a shovel. Too crude? Then read on.
Camper Toilets
This Dometic portable five-gallon toilet weighs about 11 pounds.
An RV or camper toilet can be a lifesaver when camping remotely. They keep you and your surroundings hygienic and clean. And a vehicle-based or portable toilet provides peace of mind for dealing with an urgent “nature call.”
Camper toilets are offered in various shapes and styles. You just need a little space in your RV, van, or adventure vehicle. There are two primary options:
- Cassette toilets are most commonly used in RVs. With a quasi-permanent base and a removable storage compartment, users can dump contents in a nearby campground toilet or other black water dump sites. While more expensive models can be plumbed with the RV’s water system, less costly options use chemicals to reduce smells (although they’re not the best for the environment).
- Composting toilets
The Kohree portable composting toilet boasts a 5.8-gallon waste tank and leak-proof design.
are an excellent option for the environmentally conscious. There’s no need to mess with black water and chemicals. Composting camper toilet users use composting material to help break materials down. A built-in fan (which pulls a small amount of power) creates negative pressure to help keep odors at bay.
If you’re not interested in a full-on camper toilet system, a basic portable folding camping toilet or a toilet seat on a five-gallon bucket may become your best friend when adventuring.
Urinary Devices for Women
The antimicrobial Tinkle Belle urinary device folds neatly in its carry pouch.
Women have extra challenges when “doing duty” in the outdoors. Fortunately, eBay offers a wide variety of urinary devices to allow women to go #1 when standing up—making it easy and clean to wee when others are around.
Female urinary devices, like the one from Tinkle Belle, are easy to use, compact, and come with a carrying case. It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of it. We suggest using it by a toilet the first few times of use. However, once confident, women can camp, hike, bike, or adventure off the beaten path without worrying about where to pee. Just have hand sanitizer nearby and remember to wash it regularly.
Dig and Bury
The Tabor Tool J35A folding shovel can be used straight or at a 90-degree angle. It features a serrated edge.
Hikers and remote travelers agree that the best practice when doing your business in the wilderness is securely packing it out. Portable toilet bags for #1 and #2 contents are readily available and can stash in your car or backpack.
However, if you find yourself without them and need to use the loo, carrying a portable shovel can be the next best thing to an RV toilet. Shovels come in many different sizes, with fixed or collapsible handles.
Simply dig a hole several inches deep by many inches wide, do your business, and cover it up with plenty of soil. Tip: Don’t have “white florets” of toilet paper showing through your mess. Dig deep, and let Mother Nature do the rest.
