Does a human shit in the woods? | 5 Portable Toilet Options

 

poop

I’ve had this love-hate relationship with the portable toilet for a long time. I attribute it to my father – no seriously, I’m blaming my dad on this one.   I’ve always had this weird issue with pooping in a bucket and saving it till the end of the trip.  I’ve spent a lot of time on a river that was once un-permitted and now, because of high use, has become permitted.  With the permits come regulations.  One of the new regulations was to carry an approved portapody on your boat and to have it setup with 10 minutes after arriving at camp.

We roughly followed this rule – In that, we set the toilet up at some point during the trip, with the impression of use, but in reality, never intending to use it.   I used it more for transporting my bungee cords than anything else.

We would routinely get checked by state police  to verify we had our portapody. There were a number of stories that developed over the years including the one where they wanted to check our toilet to make sure we had used it. They never did check it that time.

My dad would make up stories about how his doctor would write a letter for the cops stating that he had an “issue” and wouldn’t be able to poop for 4 days at times. Is this even possible? So, we ended up grabbing a shovel, and burying it 2 feet below the surface.  Ok, maybe it was closer to a foot.

In any case, we didn’t poop in the bucket. Was this ok. Does the poop become one with the earth? Is the jury still out on that or do we have solid answers about the impact of our poop on the landscape?

Canadian Poop

Then, much later in life, there was the canada trip. We took are portapody out on our 10 day river trip in the canyon. Similar to the big canyon trips in the lower 48, we thought we had to pack out our poop out.  So we did.

When we finished the trip, got back to the local town, and asked where we could dispose of the poop.  We heard questions like  “you pooped in a can?”, “you did what?”, “tell me again what you did?”  No body seemed to understand why we would do that and not just poop outdoors.

So we ended up bringing the poop back to our home state of Oregon.   Rez, bless his heart, ended up taking the poop back to one of our receptacle stations for disposal . This was after two weeks sitting in the case. Wow, I can only imagine the smell.   Rez, maybe you can clarify if you are reading this one. By the way, I’m curious if this sounds about right as far as how the trip it went down?

Where do you poop? Are there other methods?  I actually enjoy sitting on the toilet but don’t like the hassel of carying the poop. But, if its required by law, it’s what we should do. Better yet, if it’s best for the environment, its what we should do. Let’s dig in and see what else there is to know about pooping outdoors. What are the top portapodies to use? When do you have to use one?  Why should you use one?  Going back to my father, would I be different today if I didn’t have him steering me toward the dark side? Is there more to this story?

Should I poop in a bucket or in a hole?

The answer is yes and yes. There are some situations where you don’t have the option of pooping in a bucket – backpacking. But, if you have the option, and if you are in a heavyily used area, you should poop in a bucket. I will get to those bucket options a little bit later.

How do I dispose of the poop?

Before deciding on whether you should use a bucket, you should find out where you are going to dispose of it. Is there an RV park or similar recepticle area that accepts poop. If you poop in a bag, is there a good place to put that poop. It doesn’t seem like the garbage is the best place. By the way, does it make more sense to bury your shit if you cant dispose of it anywhere like in our situation.

When you should pack it out

In the very busy remote camping areas, like the grand canyon trips, MF Salmon or remote wilderness boating trip of similar nature, you are required to bring a portapody.

How to poop in the woods

If you don’t bring a bucket, how do you shit in the woods? The easiest way to answer this and most thorough is to check out this book: How to Shit in the Woods: An Environmentally Sound Approach to a Lost Art.

If you want a quick diagram of different techniques, take a look at this quick link.  I think I’ll try the tree hug next time.  If you would prefer a short video on a few poop tips, take a look here.

 

5 Portable Toilet Options

 

Bucket and Lid

portable 5 gallon toilet

You can just do a simple bucket with a lid. This option is simple and effective. You have to make sure you have an approved facility to dispose of the waste. Or you can bring it home and take care of it.

The bucket can be a little messy unless you make sure to get a good lid that seals.  I still recommend keeping it upright when transporting it.  The big benefit of this one is the price.

 

 

Stansport Portable Toilet

stansport portable toilet

 

The bag style toilets are the simplest and some ways the easiest to use. At the end of the day you will need to find a way to take care of the poop.  The bad that are used aren’t necesaryly eco friendly.

 

 

 

Cleanwaste Portable Toilet

leanwast portable toilet

There is a more conveneint and enviro friendly bag toilet. This includes a catalyst that helps neutralize the odor and initiates decomposition.

The approved bio bags or safe for natural disposal.  This toilet is like a mix between the bucket and bad toilet.  Providing comfort, compactability and control.

 

Sanitation Equipment Visa Potty Model

portapody

There’s the portapody style which include a handy toilet flush system.  These are another benefit for comfort in that you don’t have to look at the poop because it’s in a storage container below.

This model includes a rinsor within the flush system and a seal that keeps the smell away.

 

 

 

 

Cleanwaste Privacy Shelter

privacy shelter
The privacy shelter is another added blast of comfort.  Go ahead and set your toilet up in any campground with this baby.  Use it for a shower as well for added benefit.

Very easy to set up and take down and includes cross ventalation when needed to clear things out.

Conclusion

Utilize the book and description above to determine when you need to poop in a portable toilet and when you can poop in the woods.  Make sure to take a look at the products I listed above which will all help to provide a little additional comfort.

If you are interested in purchasing one of the portable toilet models above, just click on the photo and you can see a few of the reviews and ratings for each.

Comments
  1. smithjosephine
    • Dave
  2. Sharon Reams

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