Camping toilet - from bushes to dry closet

14.02.2019

More than bears and calluses, many novice tourists and travelers are concerned with the question: “How to go to the toilet in the forest?” Relax, this is what man has been doing for thousands of years. However, first you must do the following:

Research the
No Trace .
The best thing you can do for your fellow hikers is to leave the land as clean, or cleaner, than it was before you arrived.

Find out if the area you are camping in has any additional regulations regarding human waste disposal.

Apart from this, there are a number of important recommendations that need to be followed, so let's dive deeper into this issue.

How to relieve yourself in the wild

Choose a location that is well away from the trail or campsite. The group may designate separate areas for men's and women's "restrooms." When choosing a location, also consider what area you are in:

• Shallow bodies of water:
  Never relieve yourself directly in a small pond, stream or lake. Always move at least 60 meters (approximately 70 steps) from any water source.
• Alpine areas:
  High in mountain goat territories, it is recommended to urinate on the rock surface. Goats are attracted to salts in urine, so they can damage fragile vegetation in their quest to dig them up.

Tips for women

Below are some useful tips especially for ladies. If possible, find a soft area of ​​soil that absorbs moisture quickly (pine needles work great).

• When going on a day hike, bring a couple of packs of toilet paper or tissues and a small plastic ziplock bag. Place the used paper in a bag and throw it in the trash when you return.
• If privacy is not an option, use a light sarong, towel, or hiking skirt wrapped loosely around you as cover. If you go on a hike with someone, that person can keep an eye on the surrounding area and alert you if other hikers appear.

Accessories for composting toilets

When going camping with a portable toilet, you need to take care of some useful accessories:

Set of products for dry toilet

• if there are children present, you should purchase a special child seat, which is installed on a standard one;
• In a large company, you should take care of personal hygiene - buy disposable toilet seat covers;
• If the trip is planned in the cold season, then a thermal seat would be appropriate. It is made of a material similar to foam, sitting on it you will feel pleasant warmth; Read all the latest sports news on our website.
• tent for toilet and shower - light and compact, it will be much more convenient than film stretched over sticks;
• liquid filler is an irreplaceable thing. The required volume is determined by the duration of the trip and the number of people who will use the toilet;
• washing liquid - quickly removes dirt and odors, and also disinfects.

A dry closet complete with accessories will bring much-needed comfort in limited traveling conditions.

How to walk in the wild when you need it

Before you go on a hike, make sure you have everything you need and are familiar with all the correct techniques.

Consumables:

In addition to the essentials—toilet paper and hand sanitizer—it's worth bringing a
Camp Scoop:
This typically weighs very little, but will be extremely useful when you need to dig a hole.

Find a suitable location:

• Carry all your supplies within 60 meters (70 steps) of the trail, campsite, or water source. For privacy, choose bushland. Be sure to pay attention to your surroundings so you can navigate back to your campsite or hiking trail.
• If possible, choose an area with soft, loose soil that is sunny. Both of these conditions contribute to faster decomposition of waste. Using a shovel, stick, stone or boot heel, dig a small hole approximately 10 centimeters wide and 15-20 cm deep.
• If the ground is so hard or rocky that you can't dig, try removing some rock and using the exposed area. After you have done all your work, put the stone back in place. Or put all waste in a special bag.

How to choose the right one

It is clear that it is best to buy travel equipment in specialized stores. But before you go shopping, you should determine the acceptable parameters for yourself:

1. If you are going to travel by car, then you have practically no weight restrictions. If the trunk allows it and you like comfort, feel free to take a full-fledged dry closet and a tent. If there is little space in the car, choose folding options;

There is no need to talk about privacy on such a device. As well as the cleanliness of your car.

A tent is necessary not only to create privacy, but also to protect from rain, wind and scorching sun. You can’t refuse it, if only because it weighs 1.5 kg and can be installed in a couple of minutes.

1. For traveling on motorcycles or bicycles, only folding options are suitable. Why? Lack of roomy trunk;
2. For hiking, you need models with minimal weight and dimensions.

Practical, but too cumbersome. When hiking, dimensions play an important role.

Let's take a closer look at which toilet models you can purchase for travel.

For autotourists

For campers, stores selling camping equipment offer the following models of camping toilets and showers.

Special kit for autotourists.

As I said, when traveling long distances, the most important thing is to have a full toilet available. First of all, this is:

1. Dry toilets;
2. Bucket toilet;
3. Folding seats with waste container.

It is enough to simply remove such a device from the trunk of the car and install it in the toilet tent.

I won’t talk in detail about dry closets - such information is available in other articles on our website. I will focus on highly specialized models intended exclusively for travel.

Canadian device for autotourists.

My verdict: the simplest model, the idea for which is borrowed from the classic chamber pot. All you have to do is remove the lid with your own hands, secure the waste bag and you can use it.

Toilet stool.

My verdict: combining a latrine with a stool, in my opinion, is controversial. If we consider the model solely as a toilet, then overall it’s not bad. One of the advantages is the possibility of using ordinary plastic bags.

As for the shower, everything is simple:

1. The tent should have a hole for the hose to enter and a loop for attaching the shower head;
2. Choose the color of the water bag black - it heats up the water faster;
3. For a company of 3-4 people, 40 liter bags are preferable.

The installation arches are designed for a certain load.

The instructions for the toilet tent contain information about the maximum possible load. If the weight of the rubberized water bag exceeds the permissible value, set up the tent near a tree from which you can hang it.

For motorcycle and bicycle tourists

Folding toilet chair.

The manufacturer assures that 3 steps - and your bathroom is ready.

My verdict: it is clear that you have to pay for compactness, but, in my opinion, the price is too high.

Portable toilet model.

My verdict: the model is interesting due to its compact size and the presence of a lid. Its appearance is more classic, maintenance is the simplest.

Another interesting model for transportation is a toilet-suitcase from an American manufacturer. When assembled, it doesn’t look much like a bathroom.

Suitcase-shaped design.

My verdict: an original solution. The cost is justified by its versatility.

For hiking

Choose models with windows - get natural light.

Tourists who go hiking on their own prefer secluded places to relax, going deep into the wilderness. Accordingly, they choose tents of “hidden” colors.

Cardboard models of toilets have recently gained popularity - every tourist can take an individual toilet with them.

Regardless of the model of folding toilet you choose, you need to address issues with odors while camping. Locating a bathroom at a great distance from the camp is not an option, so it is more logical to use special kits for the disposal of human waste.

Hygiene kits GO ANYWHERE.

What is included in such a kit?

1. Double recycling bag made of durable material:

• The outer bag is used to transport waste;
• The internal one contains a filler - a disposal agent that absorbs odors;

1. A set of toilet paper – 4 meters;
2. Hand sanitizer in a plastic bag.

Captain Obvious informs: the cost of such a solution is 1,400 rubles per pack of 12 bags. As for me, for such a complete set – quite reasonable money.

What to do with toilet paper:

• Use the smallest pieces of toilet paper possible. To reduce your toilet paper use, you can replace it with natural resources such as large leaves (make sure they are not poisonous), moss, and even snowballs. The main thing is to take the selected material before getting started.
• Dispose of used toilet paper or natural alternatives in the trash, or better yet, bag the paper in a waste bag.
• Wet wipes can be handy when hiking. However, do not throw them into the dug hole. Such wipes should always be placed in a special bag so that you can later throw them away at home in the appropriate container (the same applies to pads and tampons).

How to cover up your tracks:

• Cover the waste (including toilet paper, if you do not take it away in a special bag) with soil until the hole is completely covered. Pack the ground with your foot. Place a stone or throw branches over the hole to prevent wild animals from digging it out. You can also stick a vertical stick into the hole to discourage future tourists.
• And of course, don’t forget about antiseptic hand gel; Rub it thoroughly into your hands, paying special attention to your fingers.

How to Maintain Hygiene While in the Wild

Unwashed hands can lead to intestinal diseases both during and after the hike. The following tips will help you keep your hands clean when there is no water source nearby:

Secrets of personal hygiene:

• Always take antiseptic gel with you (or wipes. But remember that they should not be thrown away in nature). Use it after every trip to the toilet and before handling food. Of course, soap and water will help clean your hands much more thoroughly. Although, by performing the same actions with an antiseptic gel, you can achieve a similar result.
• While hiking, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water at least once a day.
• Dry your hands with a separate towel.

Keep the environment clean:

On longer hikes, you'll definitely want to treat yourself to a full body wash, or at least a dip in the nearby body of water. The following tips will help you keep the environment clean:

• Never lather directly in a river or stream. Even biodegradable soap can harm aquatic life.
• Use a camp sink (or pot) to carry the wash water at least 60 meters from the water source.
• Use only biodegradable, unscented soap.
• Before swimming, remove sunscreen and bug spray from your skin; these chemicals can be toxic to small bodies of water.
• Pour the dirty water remaining after washing onto the ground, not onto plants or moss-covered stones.
• Take a small, quick-drying compact towel with you on your hike.

Vladimir June 17, 2021 at 00:25 #
Yo-moe. And if there is nothing. The industry is dead. It's an apocalypse, so how can you wipe your ass while living outdoors or in the forest?

Toilet

During the hike, the most gorgeous view opens from the toilet! Because if there is no equipped toilet, you simply go to a secluded place and continue according to the scenario.

Take a rug with you - it will create an atmosphere of solitude and isolate you from the outside world at such a helpless moment. If there are a lot of mosquitoes in the forest, it will save you from them too.

Wash your hands after going to the toilet! For some reason, many people neglect this rule, they say, camping conditions, in the forest every blade of grass is a vitamin. Believe me, not every one, some can cause an intestinal infection.

Cover everything you leave with soil, moss or stones. It is aesthetic and civilized.