The Best Portable Camping Toilets [2024]
If you’ve been curious about how to use the bathroom while camping away from developed campgrounds, but some of the more basic camping bathroom methods are too far outside your comfort zone, a dedicated portable camping toilet might be the best solution for your adventures.
Portable camping toilets can provide a similar feel and ease-of-use to your toilet at home, and come in a wide variety of options to fit your comfort level and budget.
In this post we'll outline the three main categories of portable camping toilets, discuss the pros and cons of each option, highlight the top 10 best portable camping toilets on the market, and help you select a camping toilet that’s right for your next camping trip or outdoor adventure.
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Bucket Camping Toilets
Bucket camping toilets are the most budget-friendly and basic of the three camping toilet options, and are little more than a container to hold your waste while at camp.
The simplest of which is the good old 5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat attached; you just add a liner bag to the bucket, a scoop of gelling powder (or sawdust), a roll of toilet paper on the bucket’s handle, and wallah - a fully functional and portable bucket camping toilet!
However there are a few other bucket-style portable camping toilet options on the market that are slightly more compact and come ready-to-use.
Pros:
Inexpensive - by far the cheapest option
Easy to use and clean
Portability - if you decide you need to reposition your camp toilet for whatever reason, you can simply pick it up by the handle - waste and all - and move it. However, do note that these ARE NOT sealed and should never be transported with waste in them in your vehicle
Waste Disposal - the landfill approved biodegradable bags can be safely disposed of in a standard trash can, or can be directly buried (at a depth of 6 inches)
Cons:
Bulky - if you’re car or truck camping and traveling, especially for extended lengths of time, space in your vehicle is precious and a 5 gallon bucket takes up a lot of space
Narrow Opening - a 5 gallon bucket for example is only about 13” in diameter, so depending on the individual this may be a bit cramped, even for a camping toilet
Weight Capacity - typically restricted to 300lbs or less
Best Bucket Camping Toilets
These are the top three portable bucket camping toilets we tested:
The Luggable Loo
The Luggable Loo is a good quality, cost effective, portable camping toilet and comes complete with a 5 gallon bucket and toilet seat lid. Or if you already have a 5 gallon bucket lying around at home you can opt to get the toilet seat lid* separately and make your own.
Reliance Hassock Bucket Camp Toilet
The Reliance Hassock has a secure lid for transport as well as built in toilet paper holder, and at 14.7” in diameter by 14” high it’s slightly more compact than the traditional 5 gallon bucket.
Stansport Portable Bucket Camp Toilet
Stansport’s portable camping toilet measures 14x14 as well but it has a square design that makes it a bit easier to store in your vehicle while camping.
What You’ll Need to Use Your Portable Bucket Camping Toilet:
Biodegradable Portable Camping Toilet Liner Bags* - these camping toilet liners are compostable and one of the more cost effective options we’ve found
Biodegradable Toilet Paper* - this toilet paper readily breaks down naturally
Gelling Powder* - this amazing camping toilet powder is made by the same manufacturer as the original Wag Bag
It will both gel the liquid waste (urine) making transport easier and neutralize the solid waste, speeding the breakdown and making it safe for disposal in the trash. Alternatively, you can use saw dust.
Folding Collapsible Camping Toilets
Of the three portable camping toilet categories, the folding camping toilet is definitely the most compact. They operate similarly to the 5 gallon bucket camping toilet, in that you utilize a liner bag or wag bag. But in this case it is suspended beneath the toilet seat, and sometimes includes a mesh support net to help support the liner bag as well.
Alternatively, you can remove the bag and mesh support, and use these in combination with the cat hole method (where permitted) to avoid the whole squatting-over-a-hole-while-going-number-two challenge!
Pros:
Compact - about the size of a regular briefcase when collapsed
Comfortable - more so than the 5 gallon bucket camping toilet
Weight Capacity - several models capable of supporting up to 500lbs
Waste Disposal - the landfill approved bags can simply be disposed of in a standard trash can
Cons:
Not as easily transportable - due to the nature of the hanging-bag design, we would not recommend re-positioning this around camp without first removing and disposing of the waste
Setup is slightly more tedious
Best Folding Collapsible Camping Toilets
While there are several from a variety of manufacturers on the market, here are the best collapsible camp toilet options we found in our testing:
The Reliance Fold-to-Go Portable Camp Toilet
The Reliance Fold-to-Go Portable Camp Toilet is one the best collapsible camp toilets in terms of ease-to-use, durablity, versatility, and comfort.
Cleanwaste Complete Camping Toilet Kit
If you’d like an all-in-one camping toilet kit that offers the most ready-to-go privacy, the Cleanwaste Complete Camping Toilet Kit is a great solution, plus it’s made in the USA!
TRIPTIPS Adjustable Height Portable Camping Toilet
If you need something a little more compact, another great folding portable camping toilet option is the TRIPTIPS adjustable-height portable camping toilet.
When collapsed it only measures 12.5” in diameter by 3.2” high and only weighs 2.75lbs, making it one of the most compact portable camping toilets on the market, while still being able to support up to 380lbs!
What You’ll Need to Use Your Folding Portable Camping Toilet:
Wag Bags* or Camping Toilet Liner Bags* - If not used over a cathole, all portable folding camping toilets will need to be used in conjunction with a liner bag to ensure waste can be disposed of safely and ethically
Self-Contained Flushable Portable Camping Toilets
Self-contained portable camping toilets - complete with flush and a sealed waste compartment - will offer the most comfortable (dare we say luxurious) camping bathroom experience of all.
These portable camp toilets consist of a toilet seat with two separate holding tanks below - one containing fresh water for flushing, and the other for storing waste. Once the waste holding tank (“black water tank” in RVer lingo) is full, you simply detach it and dispose of the waste in an available RV dump station or pit toilet when convenient.
Pros:
Familiarity - for those that are just not comfortable with doing their business in a hole or a bag while out wild camping, this option offers the closest facsimile to your toilet at home
Ease-of-use - this option offers by far the lowest barrier to entry - no bags, no digging, no squatting. Just do your business, and flush
Fully transportable - with fully sealed holding tanks, you can transport this from campsite to campsite until it’s time to empty the tank
Cons:
Bulky - while not substantially larger than a 5 gallon bucket camping toilet, depending on your intended use and vehicle it may be too large to work in your camping setup
Water Consumption - this is a HUGE down-side, at least for us. The places we most enjoy exploring and camping are usually remote and often water is scarce or the supply is finite, so having to sacrifice several gallons of water to refill a portable camping toilet is no bueno
Proper Waste Disposal is More Challenging - as it requires frequent access to an RV “black water” dump station or authorized toilet vault for proper waste disposal, which can be an issue if you’re remote camping in the wild without access to either.
The Best Self-Contained Portable Camping Toilets
The sheer number of self-contained portable toilet options out there can be a bit overwhelming; below we’ve highlighted the top four flush camp toilets of 2023.
Camco Portable Travel Camping Toilet
The Camco Portable Travel Toilet* offers a great overall value for its size and feature set, and we’ve always had good experience with Camco’s products during our previous years of RV travels. This model has a 2.5 gallon easily-refillable fresh water tank (with each flush using about a ¼ gallon), and a detachable 5.3 gallon holding tank for waste. It measures 16.38”H x 13.75”W x 16.13”D.
Domestic 970 Series Portable Camping Toilet
The Dometic 970 Series Portable Camping Toilet* is another great self-contained portable camping toilet option. It includes a nice pressurized flush system and a detachable 5 gallon waste holding tank in a fairly compact form factor at 15.25"H x 13.5"W x 15.25"D.
Thetford Porta Potti 135
The Thetford Porta Potti 135 has been around for years. It’s a slightly more compact flushable camping toilet at 12.25” H x 13.5”W x 15” D, so it can be more easily stored in tighter locations while not in use. It has a 2.6 gallon fresh water tank, a detachable 2.6 gallon waste reservoir, and averages 27 flushes per fill.
Camping Brothers Portable Camp Toilet
The Camping Brothers Portable Camp Toilet is a relatively new entrant to the portable camping toilet market, and it offers an excellent value at a budget friendly price. At 13.78”Hx16.14”Wx16.14”D it’s not the most compact flushable camping toilet, but it includes a convenient storage bag that makes transporting it easier than other models.
What You’ll Need to Use Your Flushable Camping Toilet:
Biodegradable Toilet Paper* is also the best option to use with self-contained flushable portable camping toilets as it breaksdown readily and cleans out easier
Access to a suitable dump location, like RV dump station or pit toilet, and enough water to refill the fresh water tank frequently
Camping Toilet Accessories
These are some of the most helpful accessories to keep along with your portable camp toilet on your camping adventures.
Pop Up Privacy Tent for Camping Toilets
If you have concerns about privacy where you’ll be camping, the easiest solution is a pop-up privacy/shower tent.* It takes less than a minute to set up, and when used in combination with your portable camping toilet it will act as a dedicated camping bathroom space for your campsite.
Camping Toilet Hand Sanitizer and Biodegradable Soap
No matter what camp toilet you choose, proper hygiene is important. We recommend CampSuds* or Dr. Bronners* biodegradable soap for hand washing as well as hand sanitizer (easier for kids to use independently).
Portable Camping Toilet Caddy
A toiletry caddy* is a convenient way to store your toilet paper, hand sanitizer, liner bags, and gelling power with your portable camp toilet, and helps keep things organized.
How to Dispose of Your Portable Camping Toilet Waste
Any portable camping toilet system is only effective if you dispose of the waste contents in an ethical and safe way after use.
Only human waste and toilet paper should ever be placed in any camping toilet container - trash and feminine hygiene products should be placed in a separate garbage bag. Portable flush camping toilet contents must be disposed of properly, at designated locations provided for that purpose, such as RV dump stations and authorized vault toilets.
If you use a camping toilet with biodegradable liner bags and biodegradable toilet paper, the waste must be buried at a sufficient depth (generally at least 6” deep) and a minimum of 200 ft from any water source to allow for safe and adequate natural decomposition of the waste.
Because laws vary from place to place, always check with local land management agencies to determine what the specific requirements are for the area you plan to visit to ensure you have the means to dispose of your waste in an ethical way, and mitigate the impact on the environment.
By planning ahead, you can make the job much easier and minimize the inconvenience of using your portable camping toilet on your next adventure.
Portable Camping Toilet Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve received a ton of random questions about camping toilets over the years, so below is a list addressing some of the most frequently asked questions:
What is the smallest portable camping toilet?
While the Toilet-in-a-Bag* remains the smallest portable toilet, you may find it less comfortable to use and may opt for the TRIPTIPS collapsible camping toilet* that packs to a paltry 12.5” x 2.6”.
Can you poop in a portable camping toilet?
Yes! Although you’ll need to be prepared for additional cleaning of your portable camping toilet. Many opt to save #2 for public restrooms or opt to use cat holes.
How do you clean a portable camping toilet?
Your camping toilet’s seat and bowl can be cleaned in a similar fashion to your home toilet. if you choose a storage tank based camping toilet the tank can be flushed with water and biodegradable soap once emptied
What do I do with toilet paper?
While camping biodegradable toilet paper can be used and disposed of just as you would in your household toilet.
What chemicals do I need for a camping toilet?
For bag based camping toilet systems, poo powder* can help mitigate odor and break down solids. For storage tank based camping toilet systems, a non-chemical-based liquid holding tank treatment* can help with odor and breaking down solids.
Can I use cat litter for a portable camp toilet?
Yes, kitty litter can be a viable alternative to chemical absorbents and deodorizers for your camping toilet - just ensure that it’s disposed of in a safe and ethical manner, and we recommend using natural wood-based cat litter*.
Do camping toilets smell?
As long as you clean them regularly and use environmentally friendly treatments, like poo powder packets*, the smell will be minimal.
Can I empty a camping toilet at home?
Yes, you can either dispose of the properly treated solid waste in the trash or you can dispose of the untreated contents of your portable camping toilet into your household toilet.
While it’s not the most glamorous aspect of camping, it’s vital to have a portable camping toilet you can use comfortably when needed. We hope this detailed guide to camping toilets has helped you select the best portable camping toilet solution for your needs.
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As always, thanks for reading!
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