jeep camping backpack image
Q. would a composting toilet be more appropriate than a pit latrine?
Answer
If you're backpacking then carrying a toilet is going to make your travels more difficult. But if you're car camping or camping out the back of a Jeep and can afford the extra gear, there's a number of options that will work, though a composting toilet is not one of them.
A composting toilet is a large, heavy and expensive item designed for permanent installation. Time is required to convert the solid waste into compost. If you have a vacation cabin or hunting camp, a composting toilet might be a good alternative to a typical outhouse (pit latrine), commercial porta-potti or septic field. For camping you would need something that works on a short-term basis. Camping and outdoors stores, RV accessory stores and boating accessory stores all sell various forms and models of portable toilets.
The most basic and affordable is what Mountain Man describes: a 5-gallon pail with a toilet seat on top. You can provide your own pail and buy a seat that fits on top for $10 to $20. A variation of this is the hassock toilet, which is a plastic toilet seat combined with its own molded plastic base, and can cost from $20 up to $70. There is also the folding toilet, consisting of seat with plastic or metal legs that unfold when setup (this is the type I use on occasion).
All of the above types of toilets are intended to be used with bags to collect the waste; some use standard kitchen- or bathroom-size garbage bags, others have their own proprietary bag. Some also have a gel or granule material to absorb liquids and reduce smell. You must pack the used bags out with your trash, which leads to a word of caution: If using standard garbage bags, don't skimp on quality and always double bag. Even with proprietary bags, you want to double bag. You don't want to know how I learned this lesson. Also, if in bear country, you will want to hang the bags out of reach to avoid any nasty (and I emphasis NASTY) surprises in the morning. If you decide to use without a bag for waste collection, then you'll need to take the precautions Mountain Man describes and also deal with disinfecting the bucket when you get home (do not disinfect out in the wilderness, as the chemicals are bad for the environment).
A step above the hassock toilet is the cassette toilet, where waste is stored in a hard plastic removable container (cassette), which is then dumped, washed-out and reused. Normally you will bring several cassettes (which have tops to seal against spills) and dump them at an RV dumping station or (carefully!) in your home toilet. Cassette toilets have a separate compartment for clean water used for flushing, and either a hand or electric pump to flush. These are common in small campers (pop-ups) and on boats, and can range from $70 up to over $100.
And yes, there indeed are areas where you're required to pack-out your solid waste. But you can still pee on any handy rock, tree or other convenient target.
If you're backpacking then carrying a toilet is going to make your travels more difficult. But if you're car camping or camping out the back of a Jeep and can afford the extra gear, there's a number of options that will work, though a composting toilet is not one of them.
A composting toilet is a large, heavy and expensive item designed for permanent installation. Time is required to convert the solid waste into compost. If you have a vacation cabin or hunting camp, a composting toilet might be a good alternative to a typical outhouse (pit latrine), commercial porta-potti or septic field. For camping you would need something that works on a short-term basis. Camping and outdoors stores, RV accessory stores and boating accessory stores all sell various forms and models of portable toilets.
The most basic and affordable is what Mountain Man describes: a 5-gallon pail with a toilet seat on top. You can provide your own pail and buy a seat that fits on top for $10 to $20. A variation of this is the hassock toilet, which is a plastic toilet seat combined with its own molded plastic base, and can cost from $20 up to $70. There is also the folding toilet, consisting of seat with plastic or metal legs that unfold when setup (this is the type I use on occasion).
All of the above types of toilets are intended to be used with bags to collect the waste; some use standard kitchen- or bathroom-size garbage bags, others have their own proprietary bag. Some also have a gel or granule material to absorb liquids and reduce smell. You must pack the used bags out with your trash, which leads to a word of caution: If using standard garbage bags, don't skimp on quality and always double bag. Even with proprietary bags, you want to double bag. You don't want to know how I learned this lesson. Also, if in bear country, you will want to hang the bags out of reach to avoid any nasty (and I emphasis NASTY) surprises in the morning. If you decide to use without a bag for waste collection, then you'll need to take the precautions Mountain Man describes and also deal with disinfecting the bucket when you get home (do not disinfect out in the wilderness, as the chemicals are bad for the environment).
A step above the hassock toilet is the cassette toilet, where waste is stored in a hard plastic removable container (cassette), which is then dumped, washed-out and reused. Normally you will bring several cassettes (which have tops to seal against spills) and dump them at an RV dumping station or (carefully!) in your home toilet. Cassette toilets have a separate compartment for clean water used for flushing, and either a hand or electric pump to flush. These are common in small campers (pop-ups) and on boats, and can range from $70 up to over $100.
And yes, there indeed are areas where you're required to pack-out your solid waste. But you can still pee on any handy rock, tree or other convenient target.
What's something cute and unique you do with your bf/gf?
Q. or something cute and unique you did with an ex haha :p
Answer
When I read this question one summer of my life popped into my mind. You should try these too:
1.) Where I'm from the summer nights are so warm and quiet. I can practically feel it when I think about it. My bf (now husband) and I would drive in his jeep to this school and hop the fence to the play ground. In the middle of the night is when the school yard sprinklers were set to come on. They would spray all the slides and toys and get everything muddy and soaking wet. We would get down to our underwear and and play in the mud and fly down the wet plastic slides. It was like our little secret. We were under the stars just laughing and having the most amazing time.
2.) You could also drive through the orchards at midnight. Its SO creepy. My hubby had a topless/door less Jeep and he would drive through real slow and scare the crap out of me but it was so much fun!
3.) Go ice blocking. Buy big ice blocks from the grocery store and find a big hill at the park. Then just slide down! It's a lot of fun but do it in the summer time lol.
4.) Have a picnic one night by the lit fire place!
5.) Think like a kid again and make a fort out of kitchen chairs and blankets.
6.) Go to Denny's and get breakfast at 1am. It tastes better then lol.
7.) Go camping or hiking.
8.) Go see a REALLY late movie at the theater.
9.) Leave cute little notes in your bf's dresser, pillow, or backpack. Those are always nice to find!
If I think of any more I'll come back and add them :)
When I read this question one summer of my life popped into my mind. You should try these too:
1.) Where I'm from the summer nights are so warm and quiet. I can practically feel it when I think about it. My bf (now husband) and I would drive in his jeep to this school and hop the fence to the play ground. In the middle of the night is when the school yard sprinklers were set to come on. They would spray all the slides and toys and get everything muddy and soaking wet. We would get down to our underwear and and play in the mud and fly down the wet plastic slides. It was like our little secret. We were under the stars just laughing and having the most amazing time.
2.) You could also drive through the orchards at midnight. Its SO creepy. My hubby had a topless/door less Jeep and he would drive through real slow and scare the crap out of me but it was so much fun!
3.) Go ice blocking. Buy big ice blocks from the grocery store and find a big hill at the park. Then just slide down! It's a lot of fun but do it in the summer time lol.
4.) Have a picnic one night by the lit fire place!
5.) Think like a kid again and make a fort out of kitchen chairs and blankets.
6.) Go to Denny's and get breakfast at 1am. It tastes better then lol.
7.) Go camping or hiking.
8.) Go see a REALLY late movie at the theater.
9.) Leave cute little notes in your bf's dresser, pillow, or backpack. Those are always nice to find!
If I think of any more I'll come back and add them :)
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Title Post: what kind of toilet should i buy for my camping trip?
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Author: Unknown
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Rating: 95% based on 981 ratings. 4,6 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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