The list of reasons for camping in the great outdoors is full of positives. Whether it’s proximity to nature, delicious fire-grilled food or the chance to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, convincing someone that camping is a worthwhile endeavor is pretty easy. However, with the good comes the bad. And one thing that’s enough to scare some people away from committing to a weekend in the wild is “the toilet situation.”
The idea of sharing often dirty camping facilities is a scary prospect by itself. That is, of course, if there are actually any toilet facilities in the first place. However, one easy answer to this potential toilet dilemma is to come prepared — with your own toilet.
Portable camping toilets come in a range of shapes and sizes. While they do require a little bit more effort than on-site facilities, they put you in control of your privacy and personal hygiene. Choosing the right one for you will very much depend on your personal preferences and how much you need the device to do. There are generally five types of portable camping toilets:
- Trowel & Hole: This is the traditional way of doing your business in the great outdoors. Dig a hole with a trowel, and then cover it up when you’re done.
- Bucket: The cheapest portable toilets are similar to a large, five-gallon bucket with a seat attached to the top. You can use these with a bag liner if you prefer.
- Seat & Bag/Hole: For people with mobility issues, defecating in a whole in the ground may be problematic. These portable toilets offer seats that rest off the ground and over the hole or over a bag.
- Flushable: Some advanced portable camping toilets look like complete systems and even flush your waste away from view, meaning you don’t need to see it until you have to empty the device.
- Portable Outhouse: Portable outhouses offer the most privacy. They usually include one of the above toilets inside a tall tent.
Below, you’ll find a selection of the best portable toilets available. The list includes options for all kinds of campers. Whether you’re heading out for a week in the backwoods, taking a long car journey in your RV or heading out on your friend’s unequipped boat for non-stop fishing, there’s a portable toilet for your needs. Scroll through and find the right potty for your body. Pro tip: check out the TUSHY travel bidet to clean your bum out in the wild.
1. Camco Portable Travel Toilet
BEST OVERALL
Sitting pretty at the top of our portable toilet list is the Camco Portable Travel Toilet. This versatile toilet option is great for camping, boating, parties and RVs. The design includes a handy 5.3 gallon holding tank, which is detachable for easy emptying, along with a 2.5 gallon tank for flushing. Odors and leakages are protected against by the sealing slide locks. There are also latches which ensure the tank remains attached to the toilet itself. In addition, the toilet is made from a durable and lightweight polyethylene and includes a 13-inch wide seat for plenty of comfort.
Buy: Camco Portable Travel Toilet $61.40
2. Reliance Luggable Loo Portable Toilet
BEST VALUE
When you’re camping in the backcountry, you may not need all the bells and whistles of a normal toilet. If that’s the case, consider the cheap and functional Reliance Luggable Loo Portable Toilet. This toilet consists of a five-gallon bucket with a snap-on seat. It holds Reliance Double Doodie Bags, making clean up super simple. And, while it’s quite bulky, this portable loo only weighs 2.38 pounds.
Buy: Reliance Luggable Loo Portable Toilet $37.65
3. Sea to Summit Pocket Trowel
MOST OLD-SCHOOL
For the most compact and easiest to carry solution for going in the woods, you can’t beat the old-school trowel. While this isn’t necessarily a portable toilet, carrying a trowel will give you the ability to dig your own toilet in the ground in order to do your business in the wild. The Sea to Summit Pocket Trowel was made for that purpose. It boasts a handle that stores the blade, making it even more compact than a traditional handheld shovel.
4. TripTips Portable Folding Toilet
MOST PORTABLE
If portability is your number one concern, the TripTips Portable Folding Toilet could be the right choice for you. It’s available in a range of designs and colors including camo and blue as well as round and square. The design is simple and lightweight, making it great for use on hiking trips, boating trips and road trips, too. To use it, you simply place a garbage bag inside the collapsible exterior, replace the lid, use and then dispose of the bag. It also comes with a handy travel bag for easy storage.
Buy: TripTips Portable Folding Toilet $39.99
5. Reliance Products Fold-to-Go Collapsible Portable Toilet
BEST FOLDING
The Reliance Fold-To-Go Portable Toilet offers two advantages over competing options. First, the legs fold in to create a compact and lightweight portable toilet. In fact, it only weighs five pounds and includes a convenient carrying handle. Second, this toilet can hold people of up to 300 pounds thanks to its innovative leg-locking system, and the three-leg design makes it easy to use on uneven surfaces. Furthermore, this portable loo can be used with waste bags or positioned over a trowel-dug hole. Reliance Products includes one waste bag with this toilet, but you can buy packs of Double Doodie Toilet Waste Bags on Amazon. This is a solid choice for boaters, campers and hunters.
Buy: Fold-to-Go Collapsible Portable Toilet $45.16
6. KUDOSALE Portable Travel Toilet
BEST BUCKET SEAT
Sometimes all you need is the comfort of a real toilet seat. That’s exactly what the KUDOSALE Portable Travel Toilet offers. The lightweight plastic frame hides a fully enclosed, interior five-liter bucket that you can use multiple times without needing to empty. In addition, the frame boasts convenient carrying handles as well as a flip lid and seat. When the lid is closed, you could even use this toilet as a stool. But, the best part of this portable device is the removable toilet paper holder which allows you to always keep your paper at arm’s reach.
7. Green Elephant Folding Commode
ECO-FRIENDLY PICK
Depending on where you are, sometimes all you need is a comfortable way to go, without worrying about collecting your waste. In the Green Elephant Folding Commode Portable Toilet Seat, it’s easy to choose either option. The fold out seat gives you a comfortable way to go in the wild, especially if your legs aren’t up to the task of squatting. Alternatively, if you need to collect the waste and remove it, it’s an easy job to add a garbage bag around the seat and remove it after you’re finished. The folding nature of this seat means it’s easy to store and lightweight, too.
Buy: Green Elephant Folding Commode $49.99
8. Cleanwaste GO Anywhere Portable Toilet Seat
BEST FULL SEAT
The Cleanwaste GO Anywhere Portable Toilet offers users a full seat that folds down into the size of a briefcase. The folding tripod design can hold up to 500 pounds and sits at the same level as a standard toilet. Plus, the eco-friendly design and included GO Anywhere Toilet Kit ensures no one has to come into contact with waste. The kit boasts a waste bag, a puncture-resistant storage bag, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and poo powder, which turns your number twos into a gel and neutralizes odors. Finally, thanks to the thermoplastic used during construction, every bit of this portable toilet can be sterilized using high temperatures.
9. VINGLI Portable Flushing Camping Toilet
BEST FLUSHABLE OPTION
If you’re after a self-contained toilet option which includes a flush, the VINGLI Portable Flushing Camping Toilet ticks those boxes. It comes with a handy bag for easy carrying, and the toilet itself features a built-in carry handle. The mechanism includes an indicator showing how full the waste tank is, and a three-way flush to help ensure everything goes down. You’ll also find a rotating spout on the waste tank to make emptying cleaner and easier.
Buy: VINGLI Portable Flushing Camping Toilet $109.99
10. Dometic SaniPottie Toilet
QUALITY PICK
Somewhat similar to an airplane toilet, the Dometic SaniPottie gives you the ability to go anywhere with a clean bowl every time. That’s because this device includes a bellows-operated flush which rinses out the bowl after each use. The toilet itself can be hooked up to a water source and even attached to a waste pipe in RVs. If you don’t have anywhere to send waste, the toilet has its own 2.5-gallon waste tank which is secured with side-locking latches. This is a great choice for anyone who feels squeamish using a toilet with visible waste still inside.
11. Playberg Indoor and Outdoor Folding Toilet Seat
BEST INDOOR/OUTDOOR
This portable toilet might look a little strange, but its multi-functionality makes it a winner for many campers. The toilet itself is a folding chair with a hole cut in the seat and a removable bucket positioned underneath. After you’ve done your business, simply remove the bucket, rinse it out and then add the additional cushion to the top of the seat to create a comfortable place to sit around the campfire. Not only does the Playberg Folding Toilet Seat make a great hiking or camping toilet, it’s also quite useful as an indoor toilet for people with mobility issues.
12. Stansport Easy-Go Portable Toilet
MOST ATTRACTIVE
It’s not that often we call toilets attractive, but compared to the others on this list, the Stansport Easy-Go Portable Toilet is a looker. The heavy-duty plastic construction painted in dark colors offers a clean design that won’t look out of place in the woods. Plus, the full-size seat and lid will keep you comfortable while you do your business. This toilet, which can support up to 275 pounds, includes one disposable waste bag, and others are available for purchase separately from Stansport.
Buy: Stansport Easy-Go Portable Toilet $68.99
13. Thetford Porta Potti
BEST SPLURGE
Available in both attractive white and grey choices, Thetford Porta Potti is an award-winning, top-of-the-line, portable toilet option. The design is sleek and compact, meaning it’s great for RVs, trucks and vans as well as camping, boating and more. The odorless and leak-proof design ensures once you’re done, you won’t have to worry about your business again until it comes to emptying the device. There’s also a secret compartment for storing toilet paper and an optional hold down kit for keeping it in place when you’re on the move.
Buy: Thetford Porta Potti $133.87
14. Cleanwaste Complete Portable Toilet System
BEST FOR PRIVACY
If our options up until this point have had you asking, “But what about people seeing me?” then the Cleanwaste Go Anywhere Complete Portable Toilet System is the choice for you. This comprehensive toilet kit includes a surrounding tent to put a barrier between you and the outside world while you’re doing your thing. It’s quick to erect and can be used to house a camping shower, too. The kit comes with its own travel bag, meaning it’s ready to come with you from the moment it arrives.
Buy: Cleanwaste Complete Portable Toilet System $299.05
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