5 Best Portable Toilets For Travel Emergencies

By Will Brendza | Updated: 02/06/2024

Portable Camping ToiletToday I’ve got something important to share…

A Complete Guide On Finding (& Using) A Portable Toilet

Because no matter where you are OR what you’re doing, you’ll eventually need to use the bathroom.

It’s a fact of nature.

In our day-to-day life, THIS fact rarely causes problems.

But in survival, traveling or camping presents a unique challenge!

Today we’re going to cover the good, the bad, and, yes, the gross…

TOPICS IN THIS GUIDE…    ↓(click to jump)
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Best Camping Toilets On The Market Today

Many companies make portable toilets.

Some toilets are big, some are small, and some are odd-looking.

But they’re all different in some way, shape, or form.

Here’s a list of some of the highest-rated and most popular ones available today:

1.
Emergency Zone Brand Honey Bucket Emergency Toilet Seat

This is one of the most straightforward, versatile options out there.

This simple snap-on toilet seat can be attached to almost any regular 5-gallon bucket or pail.

It transforms any receptacle into a toilet!

And it’s about as minimalistic as these things get. Just snap your Emergency Brand toilet seat onto a bucket, do your thing, and tuck it back into storage.

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↓ Securing the Honeybucket Toilet Seat to a Bucket

2.
BLIKA Upgraded Portable Toilet for Camping

This option is slightly more involved than a snap-on toilet seat.

This folding commode consists of a seat and a folding 4-legged frame that can support a weight of up to 450 lbs!

At only 4.4 lbs itself, it's very lightweight and easy to pack into a small space.

To use, place a receptacle under the seat and get to it.

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↓ Modified BLIKA Collapsible Vanlife Toilet | Step Stool

3.
Reliance Products Hunter's LOO

This toilet was designed with hunters in mind (hence the camo).

When you're sitting on this bad boy, you'll blend into the foliage. But to stay hidden, you'll need to keep quiet as well, which can be a challenge for some of you out there.

This is a very affordable option, especially if you're not keen on spending much on something you're just going to crap in.

And with a 5-gallon capacity, you never have to worry about not having enough volume to handle your waste.

Even if you are out hunting with a few buddies.

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↓ Reliance Products Luggable Loo Portable 5 Gallon Toilet Review

4.
TRIPTIPS Upgrade XXL Retractable Portable Toilet for Camping

The TRIPTIPS Retractable Portable Toilet is a camping toilet designed to provide a convenient and comfortable solution for outdoor activities.

It has a retractable design that makes it easy to store and transport, and it features a large seat and a sturdy base for added stability.

It can support up to 440 pounds of weight, making it suitable for people of all sizes.

The toilet also has a removable waste tank that can hold up to 5.3 gallons of waste, which can be easily emptied and cleaned.

One of the key features is its retractable design. When not in use, the toilet can be collapsed and stored in a compact and easy-to-carry size, making it perfect for camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

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↓ TRIPTIPS Upgrade XXL Retractable Portbale Toilet

5.
Alpcour Portable Toilet Outdoor Commode w/Travel Bag for Camping

Here's where luxury meets minimalism and utility in toilets.

This futuristic portable toilet features:

  • a comfortable seat
  • a 5.3-gallon storage capacity
  • and a three-way flushing system!

It's genuinely a portable toilet of the future.

But that technology comes at a price:

  1. First, it's not as light as other models
  2. It also costs a fair bit more than the minimalistic options on this list. But you're paying for higher quality and technology.
  3. It also doesn’t store as easily as the foldable options, but it’s a tradeoff.

This might seem like an absurd option for some, but to others; it may be the first sensible one on this list.

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↓ Alpcour Toilet for Camping, RV, Truck, Boat, Etc.

Camping Toilet Accessories: Tents, Bags, And T.P.

Portable Pop Up Tents

Yes, they allow you to sit while doing your duty, but they’re not private.

You’ll still need to carry it outside your campground or use it inside your RV or tent for privacy.

But none of those options are very appealing to me.

So instead, you should upgrade your experience with a tent like the Lightspeed Outdoors Xtra Wide Quick Set Up Privacy Tent.

It’s a lightweight, portable tent.

Plus, you can use this privacy tent to change clothes standing up or even take a private camping shower (remove the toilet first, ok!)

Toilet Bags

Now, as far as toilet bags go, any plastic bag will get the job done.

But if you want to buy toilet-specific waste bags, there are some decent options.

For example, Double Doodie Toilet Bags make for handy waste management.

Cleanwaste also makes some good options.

Be sure to look at your toilet’s specs before you buy waste bags all willie-nillie.

Not all bags will fit all toilets.

Some need specially shaped and designed bags to hold the waste.

Otherwise, you could be looking at a leaky situation, and that’s a nightmare when poop is involved.

T.P.

No, there’s nothing wrong with bringing a roll of your favorite “at home” toilet paper.

But a pack of Coleman Camper’s Toilet Paper might interest you if you’re trying to be a minimalist camper and keep weight down.

They’re a compact roll that helps to minimize pack bulk, and the packaging doubles as an easy-to-use dispenser.

Each case contains at least 65 squares of soft, premium biodegradable tissue2-ply tissue.

Or you can use one of these camping hacks to build your own coffee can toilet paper storage kit.

But whatever you do decide, don’t forget to pack it.

No one wants to revert to using leaves and corn cobs!

Why You Should Get One

They’re are quickly becoming camping essential among campers, RV-ers, and survivalists.

They make pooping in the wild an easy, mess-free, carefree, worry-free experience.

And they’ve been around a long time.

But only in recent years have they come into their own as useful survival sanitation and outdoor utility item.

Our advancing technology has made it possible to craft portable toilets.

Nowadays, they are light, compact, and extremely useful in the bush.

So no matter what neck of the woods you’re in, you can do it from the comfort of your own throne.

There’s one thing you need to keep in mind.

We’re talking about camping gear you’ll become intimately familiar with.

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Want a free camping essentials checklist?

Click here to instantly download this Complete Checklist PDF. No purchase necessary.

So don’t throw your money at the first one you find.

NOT ALL TOILETS ARE CREATED EQUAL.

And with so many options, it can be a tough choice to make.

Especially if you’re buying one online and don’t get a chance to try it first in person.

You can’t “try” it until after you buy it.

Still, research and find one that meets all your needs.

toilet buckets

How Camping Toilets Work

The idea of a portable, lightweight, compact toilet is groundbreaking to some.

And, perhaps, even life-changing for others.

But the tech behind these toilets is not earth-shattering – they’re insanely simple.

Most consist of:

  1. a seat
  2. something which props the seat up above the ground
  3. a catching system

and…that’s about it!

↓ How do portable camping toilets work?

Almost every option on the market requires that you use waste bags.

That way, you can easily remove the deposits.

Otherwise, you’d have to clean the inside of the toilet, which can be a nasty task.

Set the toilet up, sit yourself down, do what you gotta do, then remove the waste bag afterward.

That is it.

Easy, efficient, and comfortable all at once.

survival toilet

Best Camping Toilet Features To Look For

As with any tool, there are some key characteristics every good survival toilet will have.

Portability

Portability IS the most essential feature.

If it were easy to bring your own toilet straight from home, you would, right?

But the fact is, traditional toilets are not portable.

And even among those claiming to be “portable,” they’re still cumbersome.

That’s why finding a compact and portable one is so important.

Because if it’s too heavy, you won’t take it with you. 

For example –

  • Can you fold it down?
  • Is it small enough to pack away into a cabinet or closet?
  • How much space will it take up inside your vehicle?

You should ask these questions while shopping.

Lightweight

This accompanies portability, but a heavy one is no good.

Even at a modern campsite, and more so in the backcountry or a survival situation – the lighter, the better!

Minimalistic Design

The more bells and whistles it has, the higher the odds of malfunctioning.

Also, the fancier the toilet is, the more cumbersome and less packable it will be.

When shopping, zero in on minimalistic options.

Sturdy

No wobbly thrones allowed.

The last place you want to worry about balance and support is on the toilet.

It needs to be robust and handle your weight without question.

Low Maintenance

This is one camping tool that NEEDS to be easy to clean.

If it has nooks and crannies or requires washing instructions, it will not be an enjoyable toilet to own.

The easier it is to clean and keep clean, the happier and healthier you’ll be.

Benefits Of Having A Packable Toilet

There are many situations when a portable toilet is useful.

There are millions of circumstances when these little porter-pots can save your butt.

But here are just a few of the best reasons:

No More Digging Cat Holes

If you’ve been camping and woke at night with a bowel emergency, you know what a desperate situation that is.

Time is of the essence!

Good luck finding a shovel, hiking to the bush, locating a spot, digging a hole, squatting, and relieving yourself.

All those difficulties can be avoided.

No holes, shovels, or running off into the woods to find a spot.

Just grab the toilet take a seat, and take care of business.

Avoid Nasty Public Outhouses

Porta-Johns and outhouses can be disgusting places.

Occasionally you’ll find a decent one – but everyone’s been in one of those foul and repulsive ones.

The ones that wreak human waste and are teaming with flies and spiders.

Perhaps it was so disgusting you couldn’t do it and held it until you got home.

With a camping toilet, you no longer have to rely on those places because you’ve got your own private toilet.

Familiar and Comfortable

Everyone likes to be comfortable when they’re pooping.

And toilet seats make a big difference in this department.

Especially when you have a toilet seat you have known and used for a long time.

You’ll build a unique relationship with yours.

It’s like traveling with an old friend who can put you at ease.

The DIY Camping Toilet

For those of you out there who want to make your own dookie bucket – here ya go:

↓ How To Make The Business Bucket

Pooping In A Pinch: Creative Toilets

empty toilet paper roll

Okay, it’s time to address the elephant in the room: you can poop in about anything if you are desperate.

And, if you are outside, you need nothing except a bit of privacy.

But you DO NOT NEED a toilet seat with a waste management bag.

It’s nice, it’s comfortable, and it’s convenient, but it is not necessary.

However, if you are ever desperate, with no time to get anywhere else, here’s a short list of last-resort toilet options:

Trash Can

You probably won’t want to reuse one after you use it as a toilet.

But in an emergency with no toilet or time, grab that sucker and do your worst.

Helmet

In the trenches of WWI, soldiers had few options and nowhere great to do their business.

So, they took to crapping in the helmets of dead German soldiers.

They would squat, crap, and chuck the helmet over the banks of the trenches.

They became makeshift poop grenades lobbed into no-mans-land.

Problem solved.

PVC Poop Tubes

PVC “poop tubes” are a popular option for climbers and hikers.

They are lightweight and easily fit in a backpack or climbing bag while you continue to ascend.

Open the tube up, position it carefully, and do your business.

Seal the tube and pack it out of the wilderness when finished.

No mess, no pollution, and no bags necessary.

↓ Poop Tube 101

Final Thoughts

Few things will change your remote camping experience more than a portable toilet.

It brings the comfort of a toilet into the wilderness.

It eliminates the need to crap in the woods like a barbarian.

Stay civilized, regular, and classy – buy yourself a camping toilet.

Trust me; this is one camping gear you won’t regret buying.

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