If you are like us, and spend as much time as possible in the great outdoors, then you know that it is not fun getting stuck without a bathroom when you really need to go. It’s happened to everyone at some point or another. It’s bad enough when you are traveling alone or with another adult–but it can get really bad and really messy when you are traveling with kids that NEED TO GO NOW. (And they always need to go NOW don’t they?) That’s why we take a Camco Travel Toilet with us on many of our camping and day-tripping adventures.
To say that our travel toilet has saved the day time and time again would be an incredible understatement. Over the last three years it has become an essential piece of gear for our family. Let’s take a look at how we use our Camco Travel Toilet and why we love it.
The RV Atlas podcast is sponsored by Camco. To receive 10 percent off of a Camco Travel Toilet (or any other RV, Camping, and Outdoor Accessories) use code RVATLAS10 at checkout over at camcooutdoors.com.
How We Use Our Camco Travel Toilet
Over the years we have used our Camco Travel Toilet in a variety of different ways. Even though we own an RV with a comfortable bathroom we still use our portable toilet on camping trips when we leave our Grand Design Imagine at home. We also use our Camco Travel Toilet on a wide variety of day trips when we know a public restroom will not be available. We even kept this highly portable toilet in the back of our truck during the pandemic when many public restrooms were closed.
For RV’s Without Toilets
Over the years we have owned several RVs that did not have bathrooms, including a couple of pop up campers. Adding a Camco Travel Toilet to the mix in a set up like this is a complete no brainer. Many pop up campers even have a dedicated storage area for portable toilets so they are out of site and out of mind when not in use.
For Tent Camping Trips
Even though we are RV owners we still love to tent camp. We bring our Camco Travel Toilet with us on every tent camping trip whether there are restrooms nearby or not. No one likes to walk to a campground bathroom in the middle of the night for a potty break. A portable travel toilet can be set up right in your tent (depending on your comfort level and who you are camping with) or it can be set up in a dedicated tent right next door that can be used specifically as a bathroom. Many companies (like WolfWise) make portable pop up tents that are specifically made for products like Camco’s Travel Toilet.
For Cabin Camping Trips
Over the years we have also done plenty of cabin camping. Sometimes those cabins come with bathrooms–but sometimes they do not. Cabins that come with bathrooms often cost quite a bit more as well. So choosing one without a bathroom can save you some money. We always bring our Camco Travel Toilet with us when we are cabin camping without a bathroom because it just makes sense. We often like to cabin camp in remote locations without plumbing and our portable travel toilet helps us do so in relative comfort.
For Long Days on Remote Beaches
Our family also loves to spend long days on the beach in fairly remote locations without public restrooms nearby. We take our truck down on the beach in a location that is several miles away from any public facilities. Having to drive off of the beach to take a child (or ourselves) to a public bathroom is incredibly inconvenient–and is basically a day killer. So in this situation our Camco Travel Toilet saves us again and again. We bring a little pop up tent and set it up in-between the trucks to create a bit of privacy. Our Camco Travel Toilet helps us maximize our time in the great outdoors–which is why it is the unsung hero of our outdoor gear collection.
For Fishing Trips in Remote Locations
Our kids and all of their friends love to fish. And they often love to fish in locations that are far away from public restrooms. So once again the Camco Travel Toilet helps us go where we want to go and experience more freedom of movement in the great outdoors. Since we are not chained to a nearby restroom for the day we can often find more remote and less crowded fishing spots. That’s a win-win for us every single time.
For Winter Activities When Restrooms are Locked
We still love to get outside in the winter for fishing, surfing, and hiking and tons of other outdoor activities. But many public restrooms are locked up for the season during the colder months. But we still need to go to the bathroom during the winter, right? Of course we do. So the Camco Travel Toilet stays in our truck or in our friend’s vans during our winter day trips to the beach for cold water surf sessions and a variety of other outdoor excursions. We don’t need it every single time–but when we do need it we are super glad to have it along for the ride.
Why We Love Our Camco Travel Toilet
Now that we have shown you how and where we use our Camco Travel Toilet, let’s talk about why we love it. The design works fairly flawlessly and it is easy to fill, carry, use, store, and dump.
Comfortable to Use
Camco’s Travel Toilet comes in two sizes. There is a 2.6 gallon model, and a 5.3 gallon model. Both are comfortable and easy to use. We personally own the 5.3 gallon model and find it to be the most comfortable to use because it is taller than the 2.6 gallon model. However, if you need something smaller and more compact for storage the 2.6 might be a better choice. Just get ready to squat a little bit lower.
Easy to Fill and Flush
Camco’s Travel Toilets are easy to fill with fresh water and they are very easy to flush. This toilet basically has two parts. The top part contains a fresh water holding tank for flushing and the bottom part contains the black water tank for storage. After using the toilet you pump water into the bowl and then pull a conveniently placed lever to flush. It’s easy peasy to use–even for small kids.
Seals in Odors
The best feature of Camco’s Travel Toilet is easy to overlook because it is something you cannot see–or smell. The holding tank on the bottom of the toilet completely seals in yucky odors. Especially if you use a holding tank chemical like Camco’s TST which comes in drop-in packets or liquid bottles. Hauling a smelly toilet around is simply not an option for us–and it probably isn’t for you either. Thankfully its not an issue with the Camco Travel Toilet.
Easy To Dump
Dumping the Camco Travel Toilet is very easy to do and can be done without worry of spills or messiness of any kind. Simply unlatch and remove the bottom tank and swivel the sliding gate valve into position to dump the tank. We dump it into our home toilet after each use and then rinse it out using an outdoor hose. That way it is always ready for our next adventure.
Easy to Carry and Store
Camco also sells a nifty carry bag for their travel toilet that makes it easy to carry and store. This bag also makes it a bit more subtle to carry from car to tent or from car to cabin. Most people probably don’t want to say hello to their camping neighbors with a toilet in their hands. But again–traveling with a Camco Portable Toilet will let you camp or day trip miles away from the crowds where there will be few if any neighbors in site.
Owning a Camco Travel Toilet helps us get out further and stay out longer–which are two of the main goals for many of our outdoor adventures. We know that you share those same goals too.
Just don’t forget the toilet paper, okay?
