School me on toilets

[Dozer Dan]

I have no problem with a shovel when wild camping and if the facilities are bad at the camp site I've a decent tolerance, should the facilities be too bad - I've a shovel!
The whole toilet situation has never been a real problem for me. I'm trying to get the wife to come out a bit more and she doesn't do shovel, nor dodgy campsite facilities. Granted, most camp sites have very nice and clean facilities but as I cannot guarantee before we leave home that the facilities on the very day will be freshly cleaned we have a problem.

So I'm looking at portable toilets we can put in a toilet tent. First of all, no business will ever be done into a bag I've been told! So that is one type of toilet out of the running immediately, unfortunately, that's the more portable kind. So I am looking for a chemical toilet. ( Or are there any other kinds?? )
The problem is I've not a whole lot of room so I need something very very small. I've a Defender 90 so very limited space in the back. All chemical toilets I have seen are pretty big.

I'm hoping to ease my wife into the whole camping but this is a big hurdle so I'm really looking for the most appealing solution for a woman (help!)
So what options are there?

 

[Roger M.]

There's nothing wrong with a properly designed "bag" toilet. I'd rather use one of those than use a small chemical toilet that not only has to be constantly doused with chemicals, but also has to be constantly emptied and cleaned (probably by you!).

The nice thing about a "bag" toilet is that the bag gets tied up instantly, goes inside another (supplied) bag, making the entire assembly odour-proof ... and then goes into a garbage can - super-easy, super-clean, and super-simple.

The one down side to a "bag" toilet, is that the better known, well designed models use Wag Bags that are somewhat expensive. There are folks who make their own bags up out of Pampers diapers, which use a similar type of chemical as the factory Wag Bags.

Personally, unless I was going "FULL RV" with a complete dry bathroom ... I've never seen a complete system more suited to quick and easy deployment than this:
http://www.cleanwaste.com/go-anywhere-total-system

 

[dmwhiteman]

When I was at Mid-Atlantic Overland Festival, Mario Donovan from adventure trailers talked about a portable toilet that seals the bags as you go. The bags are already lined with chemicals making the small pouches able to be thrown away in a trash can. I've been meaning to get in touch with him about the make of this spectacular throne and when I do, I will post all the info I can find.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Dozer Dan]

I should have mentioned, I've done research into the bags already. I know the bags are great! There's a psychological hurdle there and maybe over time the bags will become acceptable but right now, not so much.
I'm not looking for the best, most technologically advanced system here. I'm looking for the system which will get my wife into the woods!
The idea of going into a bag is off limits at this point in time.

 

[Roger M.]

The only real downside to a portable chem toilet is that, despite the sliding shutter between the toilet bowl and the holding tank, that lack of an effective seal on that shutter guarantees that if the holding tank starts to stink, the inside of your camping equipment will stink as well.

BUT ... I'm going to guess that, for your wife - the "bag" is a psychological hurdle - not a physical hurdle

 

[thefishhawk]

There really is no magic silver bullet here, crap is bulky and it adds up, you can't make a toilet system that magically reduces it. Something like the Thetford 335 is about the smallest chem toilet you can get. For what you are asking for, that actually sounds like the best option for her. They are nice to use, comfortable to sit on, and having the separate compartments keeps it isolated, with good chemicals it will not smell at all. I've had one of these types in my popup camper for 20 years and never had an issue with the seal, they are water tight. Easy to clean and dump at home, it's really no big deal if you give the chemicals time to work and breakdown everything into liquid, dumps right in the toilet.

Given her aversion to bags, I can't really recommend any other type of tank or bucket system, the rest are pretty similar. That Cleanwaste is about as small as you can get while still having a decent seat, everything else is at least the size of a chem toilet, it's not like a bucket system or Eco safe or anything is any smaller, and then you are back to her exposure aversion. Sounds like you'll have to make room or she won't go....;-)

 

[Stumpalump]

The bag is so simple and clean. Not container to deal with later and your not hauling that soup around with you.

 

[Dozer Dan]

Got your PM Frenchie!

Everyone here is right, there's no real problem. She's just not a wilderness person. I am hoping to bridge the gap a bit to get her a bit more interested and this is one of the big ones.
I know the bags are better for what I need them for but the whole idea of going into a bag is a problem. But maybe she'll get over it after having tried it once.
I've given up on the idea of a chemical toilet anyway. I'll stick to the shovel myself but I'll pick up a bag toilet so I have the facilities.
thanks all

 

[blackwood]

What bags are you people using? I've tried the lugable loo bags with the Ziploc seal, smell leaks through pretty bag. I'm using a small dometic chemical toilet, zero smells even after a rough week of wheeling around the forest. The toilet is pretty small, one of the smallest out there.

 

[Roger M.]

What bags are you people using? I've tried the lugable loo bags with the Ziploc seal, smell leaks through pretty bag.....

The Cleanwaste "Wag Bag" is 100% odor proof. It's a two bag system, which helps.
Also, the first bag is quite thick, and the second bag is at least twice as thick as the first bag. You tie the first bag up, and the second bag has a very heavy "zip lock" type seal system.

Of course, with the bags, you're presumably not hauling anything around for very long, you're getting rid of it shortly after you seal it all up.

But if you're out at Toroweep, or someplace else that requires you to haul your garbage out, the Cleanwaste bags are indeed odor proof.

There is one down side to the bag systems. For many long term, remote dispersed camping areas run by the Feds (Coon Hollow, Wiley Well), they insist on a completely built-in holding tank for both grey and black water. Bag and bucket toilets won't cut it if this kind of campsite is on your agenda. Note that the actual campsites in many of these areas have toilets, and stay limits - the rule about built in holding tanks applies if you like to disperse and enjoy the much longer stay limits.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/recreation/Mule_Mountains_Wileys_Well_Camp_Site.html

 

[outback97]

...
I know the bags are better for what I need them for but the whole idea of going into a bag is a problem. But maybe she'll get over it after having tried it once.
I've given up on the idea of a chemical toilet anyway. I'll stick to the shovel myself but I'll pick up a bag toilet so I have the facilities.
thanks all

Dozer Dan, my wife was also very dubious about the bag concept but is now fine with it. It has allowed us a lot more options of places to camp. Our system is simple and cheap:

Cat litter bucket

plus a standard toilet seat with lid removed and four pins screwed to the bottom to keep it in place when sitting on the bucket. This gets stored in a small action packer tote on top of our other gear, but really can be kept anywhere since it's nearly flat.

Add a bungee cord around the bucket, throw in some wag bags and you're ready to go. We carry a filled Nemo Helio shower in the bucket (protects the Helio and makes it easier to carry) and just pull it out when it's time to use the bucket. Very little wasted space, and the bucket can be used for many other things around camp.

The PETT is a pretty good design, but I didn't like the finger pinching when folding it up, nor the cost, nor the single use aspect of it.

The Cleanwaste "Wag Bag" is 100% odor proof. It's a two bag system, which helps.
Also, the first bag is quite thick, and the second bag is at least twice as thick as the first bag. You tie the first bag up, and the second bag has a very heavy "zip lock" type seal system.
...

But if you're out at Toroweep, or someplace else that requires you to haul your garbage out, the Cleanwaste bags are indeed odor proof.

I don't agree that the wag bags are 100% odor proof. They're pretty good, but in my experience even when sealing them as you described there's a little bit of odor that permeates through. Fortunately our Xterra has a rooftop bin that's great for that kind of thing, keeps it out of the vehicle.

 

[Hilldweller]

We use these and a pickle bucket from Jason's Deli. https://www.walmart.com/ip/14550463...75035&wl11=online&wl12=14550463&wl13=&veh=sem

My wife grew up on a farm in rural South America. The bucket and bag is several steps up the civilization ladder for her.

Good luck with your quest. I think you're getting a Thetford.
We recently added an instant pop-up tent from Cabela's that was about $50. http://www.cabelas.com/product/camp...ssories/_/N-1114557/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_549495180

 

[joelbert]

If you want a Composting style, this link really provides a ton of helpful information via videos/articles and a discount code for purchase.

http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/all-composting-toilet

 

[robgendreau]

Check rafting outfitters. Or RV stores. Or even Amazon; these thetfords are used by some of my peers: https://www.amazon.com/Thetford-928...t_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=R52JN4YARN2KWQMNWV2B

Basically just use an RV disposal station to empty 'em. The rafting ones are more basic versions, and there are even some small ones for kayaking. We use the ones that fit in rocket boxes. Basically just sealed containers and toilet seats and the stuff to dump 'em.

 

[Roger M.]

The PETT is a pretty good design, but I didn't like the finger pinching when folding it up, nor the cost, nor the single use aspect of it.

The finger pinching description I agree with - I use a pair of needle nose pliers to close mine up, and keep my fingers away from the latches.

But "single use"? - Unless it's #2, I use my Wag Bags multiple times (especially during the night), and tie it all up in the morning. They just keep on solidifying whatever you put into them.

I have never experienced any odor with Wag Bags, but by their very contents ... I too always keep the bags outside my vehicle if obliged to transport waste out of any given camping area.

I like the PETT because of how compact it all folds up to be (including the shelter), but in reality - it's absolutely no different than a paint bucket with a toilet seat lid on it!