Is a port-a-potty worth it?

[WApop]

I have a electric flush porta potty, Thetford 565. Camping with DW, we stay at campgrounds with flush toilets, but when I camp with guys it’s a pit toilet. I was hesitant to use pp at first but now have gone over the learning curve.

Camping by myself in the pup, I only fill the water storage half way if by myself as I do not use that much water. Easier to carry and move.

I use a YETI cooler, so I’m thinking of getting rid of the 3 way fridge (which never gets used so far) and putting the pp there.

I have read people prefer the pp vs the hoses and dump stations. I think I fall into that category.

 

[LorenHaas]

On a Facebook post an acquaintance wrote that his girlfriend hesitated to go camping with him because of the shared public toilet situation. I gave him some dating advice:
"Purchase the nicest potable toilet you can find, use lots of waste chemicals, fluffy TP and baby wipes. Set up a little tent designed for just this use. You will be golden!"

 

[sherpa]

We only use our Camco 41545 5.3 gallon Travel Toilet at night. During the day it sits under the camper. At night it is in the doorway. There is an strict #1 rule, and only sitting. I have 2 boys, 15 and 10. If it is me or the 15 year old I'll often walk up to the bathhouse during the night, but sometimes I'm not in the mood.

If I'm up early and the bathroom is empty I'll dump in a toilet in the bathroom. Make sure to bring stuff to clean up so you aren't leaving blue chems all around the rim. I have dumped at a transfer at a campground but it is super inconvenient as you have to hold the cover open while you pour it in. And I always go barefoot. (I won't do that again.)

It is the biggest thing we have done to make my wife comfortable. Getting up in the middle of the night was very tough for her.

We travel with it empty, both ways, so weight isn't an issue. I do worry people will freak if they see me empty the fresh water tank on the ground, but it is fresh water.

 

[Woodland Readers]

Even when tent camping, we always had a designated "chamber pot" for nighttime and first-thing-in-the-morning use (with any t.p. going into the trash.) Contents were often tossed in with the deer, moose and bear contributions in the brush nearby.
When we moved up in the world (into a pop-up) we acquired the refinement of a compost bucket. With the lid closed, it's easily carried to the park bathroom for emptying.
One friend of ours claims she's too old to squat, but so far we're still younger than that!

 

[Dingit]

"Dealing with human waste sucks" says someone who then says they pee outside. Great. I hope you're boondocking cuz we feel the same way!

 

[Ratherbecamping]

I talked to my husband and he’s not concerned about the gross factor (we’ve cleaned up enough diaper blow outs our noses are immune) but the weird looks if we take it into a bathroom. I could empty it too as long as it’s not too heavy. But you all make good points, no one really cares and if they do we’ll never see them again anyway!

 

[Ratherbecamping]

We only use our Camco 41545 5.3 gallon Travel Toilet at night. During the day it sits under the camper. At night it is in the doorway. There is an strict #1 rule, and only sitting. I have 2 boys, 15 and 10. If it is me or the 15 year old I'll often walk up to the bathhouse during the night, but sometimes I'm not in the mood.

If I'm up early and the bathroom is empty I'll dump in a toilet in the bathroom. Make sure to bring stuff to clean up so you aren't leaving blue chems all around the rim. I have dumped at a transfer at a campground but it is super inconvenient as you have to hold the cover open while you pour it in. And I always go barefoot. (I won't do that again.)

It is the biggest thing we have done to make my wife comfortable. Getting up in the middle of the night was very tough for her.

We travel with it empty, both ways, so weight isn't an issue. I do worry people will freak if they see me empty the fresh water tank on the ground, but it is fresh water.

I read some reviews about the Camco 41541 building up pressure from heat etc and creating a blue geyser. Have you ever had this issue?

 

[Dingit]

You can always wrap it in a towel or something.

We usually use the local facilities enough to empty ours at home. I think it's a no-freeze climate building thing but we can just use our sewer cleanouts and don't have to use the toilet. (I remember my cleanouts in Michigan were not the simple "hey look there's the main line" access points that I have now.)

I have had pressurized portapotty syndrome associated with altitude. The potty swells so much it won't come out of the cabinet--hey that means it seals well! Release the pressure by opening the gate a smidge. (Gate? The thing that opens to let things fall into the tank.) You should open at least a smidge before you use the toilet too so you don't get potty splashback when you open it to flush. My potty is totally manual, by the way. I don't see a need for electrics. Even my home potties are manual.

 

[Stars are Calling]

It's a life saver. Purchased on Amazon.
Suggestion: Carry wipes to clean if water is not available. Having a container is handy when there's no where to dump and no trees around GREAT investment and helps during long drives and no toilets around.

 

[dbhost]

I talked to my husband and he’s not concerned about the gross factor (we’ve cleaned up enough diaper blow outs our noses are immune) but the weird looks if we take it into a bathroom. I could empty it too as long as it’s not too heavy. But you all make good points, no one really cares and if they do we’ll never see them again anyway!

Something to consider. Would he be cringey if he were carrying a dirty diaper in a bag to the trash can?

Yes, occasionally you do get people that don't know how Port o Potty works. They are typically inexperienced campers that would look at you funny for starting a camp fire, cooking s'mores.

Long story short. Being overly sensitive to other peoples feelings about how you live your life as long as you are not harming them, is not worth spending the emotional energy on. If you go through life worrying about what jerks think of you will make for a miserable life.

 

[nhcaveman]

We had a Thetford 365 for nearly 10 years in the popup, the first couple years we used a shower tent for it, but eventually just had it in the popup. It was a great height, not too low, not too high, and had a pump to flush. We have dumped it down a sewer hookup a time or two when were were on a full hookup site by chance. We also dumped it in the bathhouse, or in a port a potty at a campground that had them, but most trips we would just wait and dump it at home and clean it right away. I included it when we sold the popup and last year wished we still had it, as we did some late season camping after winterizing the travel trailer. We bought one of those lids that snaps onto a bucket and bought the bags as well, we hated it, it was a pain in the ass. This year if we do some early or late season camping we'll buy another Thetford 365.

 

[TG2020]

Hi All,

We are new to PUPs and are getting a Rockwood 1940LTD next week. I’ve been doing lots of research here to help buy the necessities but trying to minimize weight wherever I can. We will always be camping in campgrounds that have toilets (at least in the near future). We have 3 boys 6 and under, 1 in diapers. Too be honest I’m a scaredy-cat so walking to bathroom alone at night is my main motivation. I’m sure it would be super convenient with the kids. Once the kids are older I’m wondering if we could hang a curtain or get a potty tent. I’m known to WAY overpack and love shopping for anything camping related (even a potty, lol). My husband thinks we don’t need it but he’s not an over thinker like me.

I’m eyeing the Camco 41541 so only a $67 investment.

Thanks!

My wife and 4 year old and I will be camping in our newly acquired pop up soon too. We plan on using a pop up camp shower for privacy and setting up a porta potty inside (or maybe just a 5 gal bucket with a toilet seat) to keep everything outside of the popup but eliminate the need to walk to the bathhouse in the middle of the night.

 

[Ratherbecamping]

Something to consider. Would he be cringey if he were carrying a dirty diaper in a bag to the trash can?

Yes, occasionally you do get people that don't know how Port o Potty works. They are typically inexperienced campers that would look at you funny for starting a camp fire, cooking s'mores.

Long story short. Being overly sensitive to other peoples feelings about how you live your life as long as you are not harming them, is not worth spending the emotional energy on. If you go through life worrying about what jerks think of you will make for a miserable life.

Very true! Life is too short for that.

 

[Dingit]

Tell him to wear a mask.
1. covid
2. won't smell as bad
3. won't be recognized as easily

 

[VillageGirlPDX]

Hi All,

We are new to PUPs and are getting a Rockwood 1940LTD next week. I’ve been doing lots of research here to help buy the necessities but trying to minimize weight wherever I can. We will always be camping in campgrounds that have toilets (at least in the near future). We have 3 boys 6 and under, 1 in diapers. Too be honest I’m a scaredy-cat so walking to bathroom alone at night is my main motivation. I’m sure it would be super convenient with the kids. Once the kids are older I’m wondering if we could hang a curtain or get a potty tent. I’m known to WAY overpack and love shopping for anything camping related (even a potty, lol). My husband thinks we don’t need it but he’s not an over thinker like me.

I’m eyeing the Camco 41541 so only a $67 investment.

Thanks!

 

[Patrick keller]

I will give you a scenario...It is 3:00am in the morning, about 55 degrees and a heavy mist. The kiddo wakes up with, I gotta go, now. So I pull our coats on track down our shoes only for a shoe to be missing. Kiddo is crossing her legs in desperation while I find a flashlight and the missing shoe. Then we practically run to the bathhouse so she can go. We just made it and walk back to camp. However in that time her body woke fully up and now she is wild. I want nothing more than to get back to the warm bed but the kiddo wants to play. Me trying to force the kiddo back to bed while she constantly gets up to run off. Gets up, redirection, got up redirection a constant cycle until about 5am. She Finally gave in and I drag myself to bed. Come 6:30 the kiddo wakes up to the sun in a cranky mood. So YES. That toilet, no matter where in camp you decide to put it will be your saving grace, your sanity.

We just use a old person's potty chair for in the middle of the night potty, #1 only then we just jump in the bathroom the next morning

 

[VillageGirlPDX]

Just another perspective. We are 60 and 62 and have a barebones Aliner Scout. We use a 5-gallon bucket with a toilet seat on it and that has been our port-a-potty (for #1 only) since 2008. We have honestly never felt the need to upgrade. We tent camped with our kids from the time they were little until they flew the nest, without even the 5-gallon bucket. I don't remember any catastrophes. That said, cassette toilets are so inexpensive and small, if it gets you camping more often with greater peace of mind, just go for it! (hmmm, am I talking myself into one?)

 

[Kate of the Palace]

Do you dump it at the dump station? If it’s only #1 and we just throw TP in garbage can you just dump in a toilet?

Sorry if TMI. My husband won’t be thrilled about emptying it so curious how easy it is. He might be a little embarrassed carrying around a tank of pee. I guess I could take one for the team and do it myself!

For now we only #1 in the portapotty, and I either dump at the dump station or, if the dump station is closed, I dump it down the sewer cleanout of my house.

 

[Matt D Wilder]

You do not have a toilet problem you have a shoe storage problem. Adding a bowl full of poop to the chaos will not help!

 

[Dingit]

Oh...please put your used toilet paper in the portapotty. Please. Portapotties don't stink. So don't start a stink elsewhere.