Within the van life world, there’s an age-old debate over whether or not having a conveyable campervan bathroom is price it. They don’t work like regular house bogs the place you flush and overlook. Campervan bogs require much more work and energy to empty and clear. However regardless of the struggles, we nonetheless take into account moveable bogs to be a van life important.
The excellent news is that there are a ton of campervan bathroom choices for each finances and van structure. Whereas many take into account having a conveyable bathroom to be a luxurious, it actually makes van life simpler and extra comfy. And we’ll take that any day!
After residing in a number of totally different vans through the years, we’ve performed loads of first-hand analysis on bathroom choices. So right here’s all the pieces it’s good to learn about shopping for a conveyable bathroom and a round-up of the greatest campervan bogs available on the market.
First…let’s deal with some burning questions …
Do you really want a rest room in a campervan?
In the end, incorporating a tenting bathroom into your camper van conversion is a private alternative. Relying on the kind of locations you keep (i.e. campgrounds/metropolis streets/the woods), you is perhaps tremendous with out one. That mentioned, camper van bogs undoubtedly make life simpler and make your van really feel like extra of a house. That is very true when it’s good to go to the toilet in the course of the night time!
Are you able to poop in a conveyable tenting bathroom?
You actually can poop in any moveable camper bathroom, it’s extra a query of if you wish to. Some campervan bogs, like a composting bathroom, are effectively suited to quantity 2, whereas others, must be solely utilized in an emergency.
Van Rest room Choices
Porta Potty/Cassette Rest room
Cassette bogs are the preferred sort of moveable tenting bogs. They’ve a compact all-in-one design with a rest room bowl, flush tank, and small waste tank. You simply open the valve, do your enterprise, and use the hand pump to flush. The waste tank may be dumped right into a sani dump station, or the vault bogs you discover at campgrounds. Clear, rinse and repeat.
The principle draw back to those camper bogs is that they aren’t effectively suited to deal with poop and break down bathroom paper. In the event you plan on going quantity 2 and retaining it in your porta potty for a couple of days earlier than dumping, be ready to make use of harsh chemical substances to interrupt down waste and cease the odor from wafting into your residing area. That is the explanation why these kinds of bogs are also referred to as chemical bogs.
Plan to make use of the bathroom for #1 solely and dump steadily? Then a porta potty or cassette bathroom could also be an appropriate inexpensive possibility for a campervan moveable bathroom.
Mounted Rest room With Black Waste Tank
These are mostly used for RV bogs with built-in bogs. They work like a standard bathroom and hook up with a black tank that holds liquid and stable waste. When the tanks are nearing full, head to a dump station to empty them out. The bathroom expertise is probably the most “regular” however harsh chemical substances are wanted to course of the waste, sani dumping is important and often has a charge.
Moveable Composting Bogs
A composting bathroom is, in our opinion, the most effective campervan bathroom for van life. They’re tall and cozy like a standard bathroom and the most eco-friendly possibility. The bathroom separates liquid waste from stable waste so your #1 may be simply and steadily dumped. In the meantime, your #2 will get changed into compost with the assistance of peat moss or coconut coir and 12V energy.
The compost tank can maintain a shocking quantity of waste whereas not smelling and not requiring any chemical substances. The downside? They are often fairly costly and require designated area since they’re larger than different tenting bathroom choices.
Bucket Rest room
As one of many craftier camper van bathroom concepts, bucket bogs may be nice in a pinch. It’s just about precisely what it feels like: a snap-on lid bathroom seat on a bucket. You possibly can line the bucket with a plastic bag and eliminate the entire thing whenever you’re performed. Bucket bogs are the most cost-effective possibility for a van life bathroom nevertheless it’s actually not a everlasting answer.
Shovel Fashion
For probably the most no-frills—and most moveable—tenting bathroom, you’ll be able to’t go flawed with a trusty shovel. Have in mind that is an outdoors-only answer so it solely works whenever you’re (means) exterior of a metropolis. Merely seize your shovel, discover a spot away from a water supply or path, and dig a cat gap. Depart No Hint ideas suggest a 6-8” deep gap that’s inconspicuous and dry. Many seasoned vanlifers swear by poops within the wild, nevertheless it actually isn’t for everybody.
Issues to Contemplate When Selecting Moveable Bogs
Value
The worth vary for moveable bogs is all around the map. Composting bogs are the costliest ($500-$1,200) with chemical bogs or cassette bogs being extra inexpensive ($100-$300). Alternatively, you’ll be able to choose up a bucket bathroom for 50 bucks or use a backyard shovel without cost!
Dimension/Weight/Capability
The dimensions of your moveable bathroom is vital for 1) area in your camper van and a couple of) capability. Like most van life necessities, taking over as little area as potential is often the aim. How a lot area you’ll be able to dedicate to your tenting bathroom actually is dependent upon your construct.
And by way of capability, simply take into consideration how steadily you’ll be capable to dump it. It appears odd, however a smaller capability waste tank may very well be higher to maintain issues as recent as potential. A bigger full waste tank can get fairly heavy and make dumping a problem, so hold that in thoughts.
Cleansing
Protecting your vanlife bathroom clear is vital. That is the world the place a chemical bathroom shines because the chemical substances clear and restrict the odor. Some individuals additionally use kitty litter or peat moss instead of chemical substances, however that may get messy.
A composting or chemical moveable bathroom must be wiped and rinsed typically. We suggest utilizing pure cleaners like vinegar or lemon juice to clean up the holding tank. Simply keep in mind to by no means use bleach because the ammonia in urine may cause a dangerous chemical response.
Ease of Set up
Most moveable van bogs are fairly simple to put in aside from a composting or mounted RV bathroom. They’re standalone models that may be moved round and saved. A correct flush bathroom like mounted RV bogs require some plumbing to attach the black tank. Equally, a composting bathroom wants to remain in a single spot because it requires venting and energy.
Finest Moveable Tenting Bogs
Finest Composting Bogs
Nature’s Head Composting Rest room
Probably the most widespread composting bogs for van life. Nature’s Head bathroom is totally self-contained and makes use of a dry composting methodology that doesn’t require any water. It does, nevertheless, require venting (AKA drilling a gap in your van) and 12V energy. You possibly can freely flush bathroom paper and do your #2’s to your coronary heart’s content material.
The liquid waste tank can maintain 2.2 gallons (~8L) of urine which they suggest dumping each 3-4 days. In the meantime, the solids tank can final 60-80 makes use of, which could be very spectacular. Nature’s Head suggests dumping it each 3 weeks and retaining it stuffed with moistened sphagnum peat moss or coconut fibre. Whereas comfy and eco-friendly, Nature’s Head composting bathroom is massive, costly, and never moveable. Costs begin at USD $995.
Air Head Dry Composting Rest room
Air Head Composting Rest room is one other choices for a self-contained tenting bathroom that makes use of dry composting with out water. It’s designed to imitate a house bathroom with a snug seat and flushing system. The solids tank can final 60-80 makes use of and so they suggest emptying the liquid tank each 4 days.
It separates solids with the assistance of an agitator and makes use of a 12V fan to get rid of moisture within the holding tank. Fill it with peat moss and also you’re good to go! The Air Heads work effectively in camper vans, boats, and might simply change a hard and fast RV bathroom. Air Head Composting Rest room prices $1,059 USD and requires set up.
Separett Rest room
Separett makes probably the most compact waterless bogs for tenting. It’s a urine-diverting bathroom that has separate tanks for liquids and solids. Separett recommends dumping the solids as soon as every week and liquids 2-3 instances every week.
A cool function of this bathroom is that the Separett brand will flip crimson to point out the tanks are full. This helps to take the guesswork out of dumping. For solids, the tank is lined with a compostable bag so you’ll be able to simply drop it right into a compost bin. The 12V fan exhausts moisture and retains issues odourless and clear. It’s costly at USD $1,050 nevertheless it’s the most effective campervan bathroom if you’d like a fantastic odour-free bathroom however have restricted area.
We’ve been utilizing Separett Rest room in our van and are completely in love with it! Finest bathroom available on the market by far!
In case you are primarily based in Canada, you should purchase Separett Tiny Rest room from an area distributor, Canada Eco Merchandise.
C-Head Moveable Composting Rest room
When you’ve got the area in your camper van toilet, the C-Head Composting Rest room is one other nice travelling bathroom. It’s extra geared towards RVs or tiny houses as a result of it’s fairly massive however nonetheless has useful options. It separates urine from solids and diverts them to an easy-to-empty jug. The solids land in peat or hemp-lined tank the place they compost with out odours.
C-Head recommends that you just empty the tanks weekly to maintain on prime of it, particularly in the event you’re flushing bathroom paper. This composting bathroom is barely cheaper at USD $825 however nonetheless a little bit of an funding.
Solar-Mar GTG Self-Contained Composting Rest room
The Solar-Mar GTG Rest room is one other compact urine-diverting campervan bathroom. It makes use of waterless dry composting to interrupt down solids for straightforward and odourless disposal. The solids tank may be lined with a compostable bag and disposed of each 3-4 weeks. Liquids must be dumped extra steadily, and be aware that the liquids tank doesn’t have a lid.
Whereas the GTG Rest room is cheaper at USD $500, it’s not as well-designed as dearer composting campervan bogs. Nonetheless, it’s a small moveable bathroom that also will get the job performed!
Finest Porta Potty Bogs
Porta Potty or cassette bogs are the commonest alternative for small campervan bathroom. They’re inexpensive, simple to tuck away and provide a good answer for these needed to have a campervan with bathroom.
Nevertheless, it’s vital to notice that the dumping course of for porta potties is cumbersome and might get fairly messy. But it surely’s the identical for all porta-potties available on the market and is by far the most important draw back of this sort of moveable bathroom for van. To empty this sort of camper porta potty, it’s a must to detach the holding tank from the recent water bowl and unscrew the cap on the tube. Then angle the tube right into a pit bathroom or sani dump to pour out the contents.
If the method of frequent dumping and cleansing of the bathroom doesn’t trouble you, listed below are the most effective porta potty for camper to contemplate.
Thetford Porta Potti
The Thetford Porta Potti 365 is excessive on the checklist for the most effective moveable bathroom for all-around use. We used one whereas in Australia and located it to be compact, comfy, and nice for infrequent use. The cassette bathroom is designed for use as a chemical bathroom for tenting however chemical substances aren’t 100% mandatory. You’ll find pure options to deodorize whereas retaining on prime of dumping.
You simply open the valve, use the bathroom like regular, and flush with recent water from the inner tank. It doesn’t separate solids, so put together for that in the event you’re utilizing your moveable van bathroom for #2. It’s an inexpensive possibility at USD $150 with a 5.5 gallon (20.8L) waste tank for 50+ flushes.
Dometic
The Dometic 970 is a conveyable chemical bathroom similar to the Thetford Porta Potti. It’s up there as the most effective bathroom for van life with its 5 gallon (19L) waste tank and straightforward push-button flush. You simply pump the deal with to pressurize and flush away with the press of a button. One other nice function is the prismatic tank degree indicator that helps you establish when it’s able to dump.
Just like the Thetford camper potty, it’s designed for use with chemical substances however they’re not crucial. Plus, it’s truly a conveyable bathroom that requires no set up and may be moved round so it’s simpler to scrub. Dometic tenting bogs are about USD $150 and make nice tenting porta-potties.
Camco Moveable Rest room
One other cassette bathroom possibility is the Camco 41544 Premium Journey Rest room. It’s one of many greatest moveable bogs for value and measurement with its 5.3 gallon (20L) tank for USD $130. That is the moveable cassette bathroom that now we have in our van in Canada and whereas it does the job, we don’t suggest it for full time van life. We discover it could possibly get fairly heavy when full (as much as 56 lbs!) and thus requires frequent dumping.
Camco Moveable Rest room
Different Campervan Rest room Choices
Luggable Lavatory
The aptly named Luggable Lavatory is a moveable bucket bathroom that’s low cost and low-maintenance. With these perks comes the trade-off of much less comfort and doubtlessly extra odor. Not like most of the greatest campervan bogs that use compost or waste tanks, the Luggable Lavatory is all one unit. This implies you’ll must dump it day by day to keep away from odours from creeping their means into your van.
It’s nonetheless a very good answer for emergencies, particularly whenever you’re stealth tenting in city areas. You possibly can line the bucket with a bag for straightforward disposal or simply dump and rinse your liquids. Principally, it may be the most effective bathroom for tenting when it could possibly keep exterior and vent however isn’t nice for long-term or indoor use. For USD $50, it’s a useful camp bathroom in a pinch.
Cleanwaste Go Wherever Folding Rest room
Ever hear of a folding bathroom? The Cleanwaste Go Wherever Rest room is probably the most moveable of all of the tenting bogs on our checklist. It’s the most effective moveable bathroom for tenting whenever you wish to have a short-term bathroom with out taking over area. The bathroom unfolds from flat right into a standing seat that you just then line with tenting bathroom luggage. Then poof, drop the bag within the trash and fold the bathroom again down.
Whereas it’s a very good moveable bathroom to have available, it’s higher as a backup answer for emergencies. The baggage are costly and never compostable so that you’ll be compelled to make use of chemical substances to lower odours. It’s a worthy journey bathroom to have for USD $70 however not the most effective tenting bathroom for day by day use.
For further privateness, you’ll be able to even get a rest room tent within the complete system. All the pieces folds right into a backpack, together with waste luggage and a pop-up tent. It’s greater than a conveyable bathroom, it’s a moveable toilet for tenting!