5 Best Portable Camping Toilets

The Down and Dirty 

Consider the statistics on bodily discharges. Fifty percent of the world’s population poop once a day. That’s roughly 3.85 billion people. 

Twenty-eight percent, or about 2.15 billion, go twice daily. Most people urinate between six to eight times in a 24-hour period. Those who drink plenty of fluids or take certain medications can pee as often as ten to twelve times a day. Toilets sure do take a lot of, well, crap. 

A communal portable toilet harbor as much germs and bacteria as the average public restroom. A more disturbing fact is that a computer keyboard can have two-hundred times more pathogens (micro-organisms that can make you sick) than a toilet seat. But that’s another matter. 

Fun Facts on Portable Toilets 

It Started in Jersey                                                                                                               

World War II saw the need to build more warships. Shipyard supervisors observed that the long hike that the workers took from the ships to the dock for bathroom breaks consumed precious work hours. The administrators decided to build small and transportable makeshift cubicles equipped with a holding tank.

They were constructed from wood and metal, and considerably more basic than modern portable toilets. Stench would waft from the cubicles to the shipyard. The holding tanks were tough to clean. But more ships got built, the Allies won the war, and the portable toilet industry was born.     

They’re Great for the Environment                                                                                   

As reported by the Portable Sanitation Association, portable toilets save 125 million gallons of fresh water daily, or a staggering 45 billion gallons every year. The average American uses more water for flushing the toilet than for showering, car washing or laundering.

A running toilet can consume up to 200 gallons of water each day. A portable loo uses ninety percent less water than a traditional toilet. 

Portable Potties and Presidential Inaugurations                                                         

There were five thousand portable toilets at Barack Obama’s inauguration. While that may seem like a lot, the presence of 1.8 million attendees meant that there was one toilet for 360 individuals. At Donald Trump’s inauguration, the line of portable toilets stretched for 1.9 miles.   

Go for Number One                                                                                                               

The next time you need to use a portable toilet, choose the first in the row because it’s the cleanest. Since everybody thinks the first toilet is the most used, people tend to avoid it and go further down the line. But now that the secret is out, maybe the first toilet in the row won’t be the cleanest for long.  

Portable Camping Toilet Buying Guide    

Ah, responding to the call of the wild. For some, it’s communing with mother nature in quiet solitude and reflection. For others, it’s fun and adventure in the great outdoors. Whatever your preference, one thing is for sure: at some point, you’ll have to answer the call of nature.  

But the campsite outhouses and toilets won’t likely be within 500 yards from where you’re camped. Plus, the rules of responsible camping decree that you leave your campsite and its surroundings exactly the way you found it. This means digging a dung ditch or cat hole then filling it up with soil, twigs and leaves after you’ve gone about your business.

Now, what if you have to do it in the middle of the night? In bear country or rattler region? With a particularly bad case of diarrhea? Or you can save yourself the trouble and keep your sanity intact by getting a portable camping toilet.  

The Benefits of a Portable Camping Toilet 

A Throne of your Own

The convenience that a portable toilet affords can’t be emphasized enough. Who wouldn’t want their own toilet when they’re out in the woods? For the elderly, people with disabilities, people with kids, and those with bowel-related health conditions, easy access to a toilet when outdoors is essential. The lack of easy access to a toilet is the only thing keeping them from enjoying the health benefits of the outdoors more often. 

Say Goodbye to Outhouses and Public Toilets

Those who have used outhouses and porta-johns in festivals and campsites know how disgusting those places can become. Deducing how many individuals have sat on the seat in just the last hour after it was cleaned will surely rouse your inner hypochondriac.  

For the queasy, venturing into a public bathroom can be a challenge. For people with small children or those with medical conditions, using a public portable restroom can be downright unsafe. With your own portable toilet, cleanliness and sanitation can be actively maintained. 

Styles and Types 

Bucket Camping Toilet: Also called bucket potty and potty pail, it is the simplest portable camping toilet style. It’s basically a bucket with a toilet seat for a cover. It’s lighter and less expensive than other styles. Its straightforward design makes it the camping toilet of choice for those who want simple functionality at an affordable price. Be warned that it’s rather sloppy to clean and you may have to get your hands dirty. 

Chemical Toilet: This type of toilet is designed for effective waste management and disposal. It comes with a detachable waste tank and sealant to prevent leaks and contain odors.

It has a base of liquid chemicals that sufficiently breaks down solid waste material. Most are designed to be self-contained much like an airplane toilet with a lid, a comfortable seat, and a flush system.  

Collapsible Camping Toilet: A collapsible or foldable camping toilet has three basic components: a seat, a waste bag, and a tubular framework that acts as its legs. When not in use, it can be easily folded which allows for excellent transportability.  

High Volume Camping Toilet: This style of camping toilet is for those who camp regularly with large groups of people. Though heavier and generally more expensive, a high-volume camping toilet can accommodate a large capacity of waste.  

Composting Toilet: It is the eco-friendly alternative to conventional camping toilets. A composting toilet uses the organic mechanisms of evaporation and decomposition to convert human waste into fertilizer. It has a water-less disposal system that uses sawdust to breakdown waste. It’s designed with air vents to expend odors faster. It requires an electric or solar power source to run.  

Features to Consider 

Portability – You’ll be lugging your camping toilet from your car to the campsite, so it has to be reasonably lightweight. A lot of models are made from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), a lightweight plastic. High-end models come with their own carrying backpacks to make transport a breeze.  

Also, consider dimensions when buying a portable restroom. It shouldn’t take up too much space in your vehicle where space is at a premium when travelling to and from the campsite. A compact, or foldable camping toilet is also useful for clutter-free storage when not in use. 

Comfort – Doing your business in the wilderness is awkward enough. Make the exercise a little more comfortable by choosing the right seat. It should be wide enough to accommodate your buttocks securely. There are models that come with cushioned seats.

Disposal – Your portable toilet will require emptying and cleaning at some stage. See to it that you choose a camping toilet that comes with biodegradable waste bags or sacks. These bags are very easy to dispose of in designated campground locations or open wooded areas.

Biodegradable bags contain a special powder that turn solid waste into liquid form. The bags can be buried without doing harm to the soil or any nearby water source.  

Camping toilets with flush systems are more convenient to use but impractical to empty. Most campsites assign a special spot for disposal which is usually a long way off the main campground. When camping in a secluded, wooded area, careless emptying of flush toilets causes harm to the environment and may cost you a hefty fine. 

Volume – Another factor to take into account is how much waste your camping toilet can store. It all depends on the size of your camping party, and the length and duration of your trip. A portable john with an insufficient waste capacity will need to be emptied more often.  

For three to five persons, a camping toilet with a 5-gallon capacity should be adequate. A larger group may need a toilet that can handle a bigger volume of waste. When opting for a portable toilet with a flushing system, take note of how many flushes it can handle before it needs to be emptied.      

Ease of Maintenance – Your portable toilet needs to be hosed-down and scrubbed after every camping trip. Go for a portable toilet with a clean and simple design. An uncomplicated construction has fewer nooks and crannies which will make it effortless to clean. 

Privacy – If you prefer the utmost privacy, there are deluxe models that have their own “privacy shelters.” These are small pop-up tents with high ceilings. They’re perfect for picnics and tailgate parties. 

Bonus Tips 

Camping Toilets Can be Very Useful in The Following Circumstances: 

• On long road trips where public restrooms may be few and far between. 
• When travelling with small children because when they need to go, they need to go. 
• At the bedside of a person with an illness or disability who can’t walk to the toilet. 
• Nighttime use for children or the elderly for quick and convenient access. 
• Can be kept in a van when going to fairs and festivals, where toilet facilities may not be sanitary, or to avoid long queues.