How often have you been worried about going to the toilet while you are out camping? If you thought to dig a hole and relieving yourself was your only option when outdoors, there is good news. There are a bunch of portable toilet options available for the camping, RVing, sailing, fishing and other outdoor adventures or anywhere where you do not have a dedicated toilet.
In this review, we look at the best camping toilets available out there and help you pick the best portable toilet for camping and other outdoor activities. We will cover all the different types of options and help you decide upon the right one as per your needs based on the type, portability, and price.
So which is the best camping toilet that you should buy? Read on to find out.
Best portable toilet comparison list
Our pick of the best portable toilets out in the market and how they stack against each other| Picture | Product | Type | Weight (in lbs) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Luggable Loo Portable Toilet | Bucket | 2.9 | |
  | Hassock Portable Lightweight Self-Contained Toilet | Bucket | 5 | |
  | Hunter's Loo Portable Camouflage Toilet | Bucket | 2.65 | |
  | Camco 41541 Portable Toilet | Flush | 11.5 | |
  | Dometic 301097606 Portable Toilet | Flush | 13 | |
  | Best Choice Portable Toilet | Flush | 12.6 | |
  | Thetford 92360 Porta Potti 550E Curve Portable Toilet | Flush | 10 | |
  | Stansport Portable Folding Toilet | Folding | 2 | |
  | Reliance Fold-To-Go Portable Toilet | Folding | 4.5 | |
  | Cleanwaste Portable Toilet | Folding | 8.2 | |
  | Rothco Portable Camp Toilet | Folding | 2.9 |
Do you need to own a portable camping toilet?
If you are a serious camper or a regular hiker, a portable camping toilet can give you an easy way to relieve yourself when there isn’t a toilet available. Instead of digging yourself a hole, a portable toilet provides you with the regular experience that you are used to daily. Since these portable toilets are lightweight and compact, they make for a good option when going on outdoor expeditions and can give you a hassle-free and better camping experience, especially if you are car-camping or RVing with your family or friends.
Also with portable toilets, waste management is not a big problem. Some of the toilets have chemical additives which break down the waste into a liquid which can be easily streamed out. Other toilets use disposable toilet bags which can be safely disposed of after usage.
One of the biggest issue with portable toilets is the odor. The high-end portable toilet models have odor management which reduces and neutralizes the odor. Other lower end varieties do not have this flexibility and hence are not recommended for indoor use.
In the next sections, we will look at some of the major considerations to keep in mind before picking the best camping toilet and share our top picks.
How to pick the best camping toilet?
With so many different options available in the market, choosing the best camping toilet for your needs can be challenging. To make things easier, we suggest you focus on the following major factors:
- Style/Type of the portable toilet
- Size and Volume of the toilet
- Budget
Different styles of portable toilets
When picking a portable camping toilet, you have a choice to pick from three different types. They are,
- Bucket toilet
- Folding toilet
- Portable flush toilet
Let us look at each one of these types in details and understand what are their pros and cons.
Bucket toilet
The bucket toilet is a minimalist designed option which gets the job done. It is the least glamorous of all the three types. The bucket toilet as the name suggest consists of a bucket with a toilet seat and a handle. This is the most hassle-free type when compared to the other two types. There are literally no moving parts in the bucket toilet except for the handle. The bucket toilet is slightly bulkier compared to the folding toilet type but lighter compared to the flush toilet. Depending on the bucket capacity, the size of the toilet can vary. Due to this, it is not a very good option when hiking or backpacking unless you do not mind carrying it around.
The bucket toilet can be used with a disposable toilet or garbage bag which eliminates the need for cleaning it. Usage of the toilet cover is entirely optional but it saves you a lot of hassle and is good for disposing of the waste.
Advantages and disadvantages of bucket toilets are:
- Simple and durable design due to the absence of any moving parts
- No cleaning required if a disposable toilet bag is used
- Lowest price compare to the other two types
- No maintenance
- Not the best option for hikers and backpackers
- Not as stable on uneven surfaces compared to the other two types
Folding toilet
The folding toilet is a collapsible type toilet which can be folded when not in use. Due to this, they take up very less space and hence are an excellent choice when hiking or backpacking. The folding toilet consists of a chair like structure with a hole in the middle. They come in various models ranging from very simple folding chair types to the Cleanwaste PETT Portable Environmental Toilet which can be neatly folded as a suitcase, very convenient for carrying. A folding Toilet is intended to be used with a disposable toilet bag which can be folded and discarded after use. This makes for a near hassle-free experience.
Advantages and disadvantages of of folding toilets are:
- No cleaning required if a disposable toilet cover is used
- Lightweight design compared to the other two types
- Best option for hikers and backpackers
- Takes very less storage space
- The folding mechanism can fail
Portable flush toilet
The flush toilet is a portable version of the flush toilet you are used to using at home. The flush toilet is a good option to be used inside vehicles or trailers or inside your workshop but does not total as a good carrying option for hikers or backpackers. The flush toilet consists of two storage tanks – one for holding water for flushing and the other for holding the waste, which has chemical treatment mechanism for minimizing odor. The frequency of disposing of the waste depends on the capacity of the tank. A five-gallon portable toilet is the most commonly preferred sized but other size options are also available.
Compared to the other two types, the flush toilet is not that hassle-free and requires frequent cleaning and periodic maintenance. Based on your camping duration, group size and your vehicle type, you should pick a size that suits your need. For example, if you are a single camper with a car, a smaller compact size can suffice your need but if you are a larger group and have a bigger vehicle, picking a bigger size like a ten gallon can suits your needs perfectly.
The height of the portable flush toilets can be adjusted and can be used efficiently by adults or children alike.
Advantages and disadvantages of portable flush toilets are:
- No need to worry about disposing the waste immediately
- Available in a multitude of height and sizes
- Good option when camping with children
- Good option for using indoor as well
- Costly compared to the other two types
- Requires frequent cleaning and regular maintenance
- Water consumption for the flush
- Not very compact
- Not a good option for hikers or backpackers
Waste tank volume
Closely related to the type of toilet is the size of the toilet in terms of the volume of waste it can handle. Most flush and bucket type toilets have a standard size of 5 gallons. Such a toilet would be suitable for a small group for a couple of days. For larger groups, you would need to go with a larger waste tank capacity toilet or make arrangements to responsibly empty it.
For flush toilets, the size should also consider the volume of the flush tank. Popular 5-gallon portable toilets such as Camco have a 2.5-gallon fresh water tank to flush water. If you go with larger waste capacity, you would get a proportionally larger flush tank.
Budget
The budget that you have for your toilet is also a consideration for some people. As discussed above, the bucket type toilets are the cheapest to use. Folding toilets are also not very costly. The budget becomes a major factor especially in the case of flush toilets. Costlier models have special arrangements such as lock seals to minimize odor and leakage. Keep these things in mind while picking the best toilet for your needs.
Which are the best portable toilets and what our picks are?
Reliance Products Luggable Loo portable toilet – Editor’s choice pick for bucket type toilets
The Luggable Loo Portable Toilet is a bucket style toilet with a snap-on hinged seat and cover. It has a capacity of 5 gallons and weighs just 2.9 pounds. It is a great portable toilet for all your camping and fishing expeditions. It is rugged and durable. It can be used with a standard garbage bag which can be disposed of without the need for any cleaning and gives a hassle free experience.
Reliance products Hunter’s Loo portable toilet – Best value pick for bucket type toilets
The Reliance Products Hunter’s Loo Portable Toilet is an economically priced portable toilet designed for outdoor use. It is a bucket style with a snap-on hinged seat and cover. It has a capacity of 5 gallons and weighs 2.65 pounds which make it ideal for carrying along during camping. It has a five-year warranty against manufacturer’s defects. It can be used with a standard garbage bag which can be disposed of without the need for any cleaning and gives a hassle free experience.
Cleanwaste Portable Toilet – Editor’s choice pick for folding type toilets
The CleanWaste portable toilet is an ergonomically designed folding type toilet which unfolds from a neat briefcase shaped block. It has a biodegradable bag uses eco-friendly powder to turn liquid waste into an odorless solid. The lid protects the seat during the night and removes for stability under the legs when you set up on soft ground. It can be used with a regular garbage cover as well. The hieght and bowl size of this portable toilet closely mimics a standard toilet and is sturdy to use. It weights 8.2 pounds and occupies very less space making it ideal for camping.
Reliance Fold-To-Go Portable Toilet – Best value pick for folding type toilets
The Reliance Fold-To-Go portable folding toilet is an ideal option when space is a concern. It is a collapsible portable toilet that folds down to just 5 inches and weighs only 4.5 pounds. It has a built-in handle, which makes it easy to carry. It has an innovative leg locking system, making it one of the sturdiest portable toilets around. The Fold-To-Go has a great weight capacity and is great for camping. This toilet can be used with a regular garbage cover as well.
Camco 41541 Portable Toilet – Editor’s choice pick for flush type toilets
The Camco’s 5.3 gallon portable toilet is ideal for camping, Rving, boating or any other recreational activity. It has a sturdy polyethylene body which is compact and lightweight. The 5.3 gallon holding tank is detachable and includes a sealing slide valve to lock in odors and protect against leakage. It has two side latches which secures the tank to the toilet and a handle for easy carrying. The toilet has an easy to use flush and pull slide valve for easy flushing. The toilet weighs 11.5 lbs when empty.
Best Choice Products Camping Portable Toilet – Best value pick for flush type toilets
The Best Choice Products Camping Portable Toilet is the next level standard “porta petti” in terms of performance. It is portable, convenient, clean, odorless and light-weight. It is best suited for outdoor recreational activities such as camping and road trips. It consists of a seat & a seat cover along with a 5 gallon waste tank and a 3 gallon water tank. It weighs 12.6 pounds when empty. The waste tank is detachable and it is easy to clean.
Privacy with portable toilets
While the privacy for portable toilet is largely provided by the wilderness, you can opt for an instant privacy shelter if you have the luxury of carrying some additional weight. Some of the most convenient and durable privacy shelters available in the market are listed below:
- Cleanwaste Go Anywhere Privacy Shelter
- Leapair Instant Pop-Up Privacy Tent
- KingCamp Portable Pop up Tent
- Matter of Time Instant Privacy Pop Up Shelter
Portable toilet accessories
One of the most common accessory to use with portable toilet is toilet waste bags. Such bags are generally puncture and odor proof and pre-loaded with powder and gels to manage human waste effectively. Some of the best options to consider are,
Alternatively, you can use standard waste bags and use following chemical solutions to eliminate odors and solidify waste:
- Cleanwaste Poo Powder for Waste Treatment: Perfect for use with bucket and folding type toilets and converts any plastic bag into toilet waste bags. Turns liquid waste to solid in a short time, prolonging the uses of toilet bags.
- Eco Gel Port-A-Potty and Emergency Toilet Chemical: Eco-friendly liquid waste solidifying and deodorizing powder. Suitable for bucket and folding-type toilets.
- Reliance Products Bio-Blue Toilet Deodorant: A deodorizer for flush type toilets.
Another accessory to consider is a small motion sensor night light which facilitates easy usage of the toilet in the dark. This accessory is especially useful if you have young kids. Some of the options to consider are,
- Best Light Motion Activated Toilet Night
- Vintar Motion Activated Toilet Night light
- Wellhome Toilet Bowl Night Light
Final thought on the best camping toilet
When shopping for the best camping toilet, we need to consider not only the budget but also the portability, durability, and efficiency of the portable toilets. The portable toilet should be easy to carry and should meet your camping needs. In this article, we looked at some of the best portable toilet options available in the market and shared our favorite picks for each type. We hope that this article would help you pick the most suitable option for your needs. Let us know of your feedback by commenting below. Till next time, happy camping!!
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