Travel toilet options

One of the most important conditions for a favorable and comfortable hike is the arrangement of a sanitary zone. Unfortunately, not everyone understands that a camping toilet is not just a piece of forest or other terrain chosen at random. Its organization should be approached responsibly, in compliance with hygiene standards.

Before starting the arrangement of a latrine in nature, it is worth considering for what period a hike or a rest in the forest is planned, since long hikes will require more comfort. A trip lasting 1 day does not require the construction of a stationary toilet, but it is necessary immediately, upon arrival at the place of rest, to determine a place for it. This place should be located no closer than 100 meters from the parking lot, as well as near paths, on a slope and near water bodies.

It is possible to equip a small camping toilet with your own hands, at no extra cost. To do this, you need to take a small shovel (garden or sapper) on a hike, with which to dig a hole in the ground. This hole will serve as a toilet. After coping with natural needs, the waste, along with toilet paper, must be buried and marked with a stick to orient other “wishers”.

With a long hike for several days and a large number of tourists, you can build a short-term toilet. After choosing a suitable place, you should dig a shallow hole (up to 50 cm in diameter and depth), on the sides of which place two boards or logs for the legs. For the same purpose, a toilet chair will come in handy. This folding version of the travel chair is stable, comfortable, does not take up much space and provides maximum comfort for solving the most delicate problems.

You can protect the “bathroom” with the help of branches, fabric, or build a small tent over this place. To avoid the spread of an unpleasant odor, you can use a container with earth or ash, and sprinkle the hole after each use.

Technological progress does not stand still, and modern tourist equipment provides the most comfortable conditions for the tourist, regardless of the area in which the trip is planned. The most economical product is toilet bucket, made from durable plastic. Outwardly, it looks like a bucket equipped with a comfortable seat. As such a toilet is filled, the waste is transferred to a specially prepared pit and buried.

A simple camping toilet can be equipped using toilet chair, installed in a separate tent. As a storage tank, special tight bags are used that can decompose in the ground, fixed under the seat. To isolate the odor, special fillers or aromatic powders should be used.

A dry closet is considered more “solid”, which looks like a home bathroom made of high-quality plastic. The package includes an upper tank filled with water or peat, as well as a waste storage tank (lower tank). The water from the upper tank is used to flush waste, which, once in the lower tank, come into contact with the utilizing substances.

A modern portable toilet recycles biological waste, utilizing and converting it into a homogeneous mixture that is absolutely harmless to nature. Depending on the waste disposal process, a dry closet can be:

• chemical;
• organic;
• peat;
• electric.

The safest for nature is a dry closet that processes waste products using peat placed in a tank. Its loose structure can absorb moisture and allow the decomposition of denser waste, neutralizing odor. The resulting compost can be used as fertilizer. When using such a toilet at home, it is required the presence of a ventilation duct.

Dry closets, working with chemical fillers, convert waste into a monotonous liquid, and the smell is neutralized by special flavors and fragrances. The work of the electric "bathroom" is in the department of waste of different density. Liquid enters the drainage system, and solid waste quickly dries and is compressed by a compressor.

This option requires an electrical connection.. In an organic toilet, waste is processed by special microorganisms, and the resulting mixture will be a good fertilizer for a garden or cottage.

A multi-day hiking trip is not a reason to deny yourself comfort. Modern dry closets combine sanitary functions, are distinguished by high functionality and a long service life. Consider the most popular models.

• Thetford Portal Potti Qube 145. It features modern design, comfortable construction and affordable price.
• Thetford Campa Potti Qube XG. It is a compact and lightweight chemical dry closet with a water drain and a bellows pump.
• Thetford Campa Potti Qube XGL. Portable toilet with a maximum load of 250 kg. The convenient, compact design and availability of the storage tank full indicator make it very easy to use.
• German toilet Mobil-WC Comfort. Differs in high functionality and durability, it is calculated on the maximum loading in 130 kg. The light weight of the unit, its compact dimensions provide maximum ease of use and transportation.

Maintenance and care of portable dry closets provides the use of special disinfectants that exclude the reproduction of bacteria and their accumulation on the walls of the product. For washing storage tanks, it is recommended to use a special antiseptic shampoo that prevents the occurrence of mold.

Modern travelers and lovers of long outdoor recreation note the following advantages that a portable toilet has, These include:

• a separate "secluded place" and ease of use;
• aesthetic appearance;
• absence of unpleasant odors;
• ease of waste disposal;
• possibility of use by adults and children;
• varieties of compact and lightweight models.

Of the shortcomings, users note relatively high cost of units and accessories to them, however, with proper use of a portable bathroom, the consumption of disinfectants is very economical, and the issue of hygiene while traveling is one of the main ones.

Some tourists are fans of homemade toilet options and do not consider purchasing a portable bathroom appropriate, especially for short-term one-day picnics in nature. However, in the conditions of organized camping and outdoor recreation the use of specialized dry closets will be more civilized and as comfortable as possible.

When choosing options for a camping toilet, you should initially take into account how many people it will be designed for, the duration of the hike, the number of stops for spending the night. Far from civilization, in the mountains or in the forest, you can equip a budget version of the sanitary zone with your own hands. The main thing that should be strictly observed is the elementary rules of hygiene, care for the environment, and do not forget to clean up after yourself.

Traveling by car most often involves rest in specialized tent camps - campsites. In such places, it is recommended to give preference to more hygienic dry closets.When choosing a suitable unit, you should pay attention to its technical characteristics, overall dimensions, weight, volume of storage tanks, cost, as well as personal preferences.

When planning outdoor recreation, hiking or traveling, do not forget about hygiene and comfort. A properly organized place for meeting natural needs will allow you to solve a “delicate” problem, relax comfortably and enjoy unity with nature.

How to choose a camping toilet, see the following video.