A portable composting toilet is ideal for camping excursions

In order to protect the environment of national parks and trails, hikers and campers should follow the “Leave No Trace” guidelines. These guidelines help ensure that no individual leaves behind waste that others will encounter while on the trail, and this applies to every kind of waste.  I can remember how on one of my earliest hiking adventures I came upon a disgusting mess of toilet paper and human waste left on the side of the trail.  If you are planning a family camping trip in the near future, you should consider investing in a portable composting toilet to help ensure you follow the “leave no waste” guidelines and leave the outdoor areas as clean as they were before you arrived.

The idea of bringing a portable composting toilet with you to the outdoors might have you envisioning lugging a port-o-potty along with your family on the trail.  But be assured there are other much more reasonable and lightweight options.  Most portable composting toilets on the market will weigh less than five pounds, and will fold down to an easily packable size.  Most models rely on you decomposable composting bags that you will pack-out with you when you return home.

For example, the Nature Bio-Toilet is ideal for family camping excursions. It folds up to only 4 inches high, and weighs less than five pounds.  This model is quite affordable and can be purchased online from Cabelas for around $50.  The toilet can support individuals who weigh up to 250 pounds.

Another option is the PETT Environmental Composting Toilet (pictured above).  This very portable toilet is used by Forest and Park Services and can hold up to 800 pounds, while only weighing 7 pounds.  Pair this with a Cabana portable shelter for privacy if you like as well.

Finally, one of my favorite designs is the Jimmy’s Thunderbox portable composting toilet, made by an Australian manufacturer.  It folds down to less than an inch in height, sets up in just minutes, and weighs well under 10 pounds.  You’ll have to order and have it shipped from Australia if you are interested in using it on your next camping outing, however, so be sure to allow adequate time for delivery.

Please take the time to ensure you are well prepared for your next camping outing by looking into investing in a portable composting toilet.  By doing so you will be able to ensure you truly “leave no trace” and help protect our natural environment.

For more information about portable composting toilet systems suitable for outdoor applications (including larger models that are ideal for large outdoor events), or about toilet composting in general, please return to the Toilet Composting Home Page, where you will find many articles covering the basics of the toilet composting process and answers to commonly asked questions about the safety and advantages of switching to a composting toilet system.

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Related posts:

1. Outdoor Portable Composting Toilet Systems
2. Guide to Purchasing a Composting Toilet

Fortunately there are now new portable composting toilet models being manufactured that are ideal for campers, boaters and RVs.  And if you aren’t interested in purchasing a ready-made composting toilet for your next outing, there is also the option to build a cheap portable composting toilet at your final destination in a matter of a few hours.

Manufactured Portable Composting Toilets

There are now several models of portable composting toilets on the market:

1)  Large Portable Composting Toilets

If you are looking for a portable composting toilet similar to the portable toilets you see at fairs and other outdoor event, you should take a look at the BIOWC portable composting toilet.  This model is suitable for events where there will be large numbers of people in need of a portable toilet.  The downside may be that it is quite large and you will need a trailer of some sort to transport it to the location where you will be using the portable composting toilet.

2) Medium Sized Portable Composting Toilets

If you are looking for a portable composting toilet for your recreational vehicle or boat, there are several decent ones available on the market.  Nature’s Head has a small self-contained composting toilet that is quite popular with boaters.  You will need no chemicals to maintain this composting toilet.  The only thing you will need to add is peat moss to keep the composting mixture balanced in terms of green and brown organic matter.  The Sun-Mar Mobile is another excellent choice in terms of medium sized portable composting toilet (although also a bit pricey – it costs around $1600 U.S.).

3) Small Portable Composting Toilets

Jimmy’s Thunderbox Portable Composting Toilet is ideal for camping and has a unique design. This portable composting toilet folds down to 1 inch in height and weighs under 10 lbs, and only take minutes to set up.  It is manufactured in Australia, however, so if you live in the United States and Canada you will have to plan for adequate shipping time.  The cost is quite low, and the toilet relies on you using degradable composting toilet bags which you will also have to purchase.

Another option is the Boi Toi Nature Bio-Toilet, which also relies on decomposable composting bags and is available in the United States at Cabelas outdoor stores.  It is only four inches high when folded (13×21 inches in diameter) and weighs under five pounds, also quite affordable.

Build a Composting Toilet on Site

If you are interested in an even cheaper option for a composting toilet outdoors, you can build a composting toilet toilet on site cheaply using five gallon composting containers.  If you are interested in learning how to build your own composting toilet, you can read the instructions here.

For even more information about composting toilets, including articles on How Toilet Composting Works and the Environemental Benefits of Composting Toilets, please return to the Toilet Composting Home Page.

Related posts:

1. Leave No Trace: Portable Composting Toilets for Camping
2. Composting Toilets for RV’s