Dry toilet, separation toilet, chemical toilet, bucket toilet – there are countless solutions on the market that are designed to make “going around the corner” easier when camping. But do I really need a toilet in a van or motorhome? After all, I'm out in nature! And if so, which toilet is best for me?
We asked ourselves these and similar questions when expanding our van and therefore clicked through various websites and forums. So that you can start your van life as carefree as possible, we have decided to provide you with an overview and thus a basis for decision-making.
Our answer in advance: Which toilet you need depends on you and how you travel.
You can find an explanation of the individual terms/types of camping toilets at the end of the text.
But first back to our question: Is a camping toilet really necessary?
Let's look at the advantages of camping toilets:
Advantage 1 - Flexibility
After the first trip with the camper, it became clear to us: A camping toilet is a huge gain in flexibility. Many overnight places are often completely overcrowded and, especially in times of Corona, many public toilets are temporarily closed. The camping toilet allows you to stand independently and anywhere without falling into a panicked search for the next quiet place. Are you not alone? Are you in the middle of the city right now? Or are you just not feeling well right now? No problem with the toilet in the motorhome!
Advantage 2 - Hygiene
Public toilets or toilets on campsites are rarely among the most comfortable places in van life! ;) Often it's pretty dirty, stinks and you're happy when you get out again. With our own toilet we always had our own, clean alternative.
Advantage 3 - Cleanliness of the pitches
Another problem is the masses of campers that are currently on the streets of Europe. Whether on southern beaches or Nordic lakes, we discovered heavily polluted places everywhere. After we found up to 40 people (!) at some pitches, we were no longer surprised. If each of these people had a camping toilet, the pitches would stay cleaner and thus be preserved in their original beauty. And clean pitches not only make the future campers happy, but also the residents. Because we still want to be free camping everywhere in a few years, right?!
Our conclusion: Bring on the camping toilets!!!
And which camping toilet suits me best?
We are all different, so why not our camping toilets?! ;)
A long-term traveler will most likely have different needs than someone who travels for a week three to four times a year. Are cleanliness and hygiene very important to you? Here, too, there are tips and tricks on how you can avoid a lot of work with little effort.
To give you a good impression of the possibilities, we have decided to divide the campers into three groups - maybe you will find each other again ;)
1. The weekend camper/The campsite romantic/The short tripper
- Do you always travel on weekends or a few weeks a year?
- Are you always camping, but would like a toilet in the van when you're on the go, especially at night, to be more flexible?
- Are you new to vanlife and trying out camping?
Then a dry toilet such as the Dry Toilet "Camper" would be ideal for you . The remains are all collected in a container, with the help of the “Poop Powder” the liquid components are removed bound and the smell neutralized. By covering yourself with the odor-neutralizing bedding, you also don't have to look at your predecessor's leftovers;). Your advantage on short trips: You only have one container that needs to be emptied and cleaned! There are no hose systems, no seals or adapters that require laborious cleaning. This saves you a lot of work and allows you to dispose of the entire contents in one go. Then you rinse the box and you're done! Go on!
Top price-performance ratio: The Goldeimer toilets!
The non-profit company Goldeimer manufactures its toilets in Germany under fair conditions and from sustainable materials. The toilet can be assembled and dismantled for long journeys and with every order a portion of the proceeds goes to charitable projects for sanitation around the world. And the best thing at the end: If many offers on the market are very expensive, the price-performance ratio of the Dry toilet "Camper" unbeatable.
If you start your van life with a slightly higher budget and if you don't mind more cleaning, we recommend the dry separation toilet from Trelino (also available here in the shop). Cleaning is a little more complicated here due to the different containers and accessories. In addition, the price is significantly higher than that of the Goldeimer dry toilet due to the production of precisely fitting containers. You have separated liquids and solids, which significantly reduces the development of odors and therefore requires less litter. span>
2. The wild camper
- Do you prefer to be free in nature and prefer to be all alone?
- Do you travel frequently, often for several weeks or months a year?
- Do you want to be as spontaneous and independent as possible and be able to be completely self-sufficient with your camper?
Then both a separating toilet and a pure dry toilet can be practical for you.
Dry toilet:
If you spend a lot of time in a campervan throughout the year, you should definitely think about the topic of camping toilets in detail. Regardless of whether you are planning a longer trip or are even at home in a camper, a camping toilet is an absolute must. Unless you live in communities with their own sanitary facilities, you will appreciate the luxury of having your own toilet in your camper or motorhome. Here we clearly recommend a dry separation toilet, either mobile or permanently installed.
If we assume that you are traveling with your partner, a lot of liquid is produced every day - which, in a purely dry toilet with only one box, can quickly lead to an odor and an overfilled container. With the dry separation toilet you can keep the liquids separated from the solids and also dispose of them separately. We recommend the following products:
Why don't we recommend a chemical toilet?
Alternative disposal options for liquids and solids:
So let's get started! Let's make the world a little cleaner and camping a little more convenient at the same time! ;)
I hope our article gave you a better idea of the topic of “camping toilets” and that the article helped you!
If you have any further tips or ideas, please contact us using our contact form. We are always happy to receive any comments, product tips or ideas!
Kind regards,