Popular Portable Camping Toilet Brand Recommendation and Performance

Selecting the right portable camping toilet is crucial for an enhanced outdoor experience. This guide explores popular brands like Dometic, Thetford, and Modiwell, detailing their features and performance to help you make an informed decision.

Dometic: Style, Efficiency, and Reliability

Dometic, renowned for its high-quality RV equipment, brings the same excellence to its portable toilets. Expect sleek designs, compact footprints, and advanced flushing mechanisms.

• Model Recommendation: Dometic 970 series (e.g., Dometic 972, 976) are highly favored models.
• Flush System: Many Dometic models feature an intuitive push-to-flush system, offering effortless and efficient operation without manual pumping.
• Capacity: Available in 2.6 gallons (approx. 9.8 liters) and 5 gallons (approx. 18.9 liters) wastewater tank options. Larger capacities provide extended use but increase weight when full.
• Weight: Relatively lightweight when empty; the Dometic 972, for example, weighs approximately 12 pounds.
• Durability: Constructed from robust materials like high-density polyethylene, ensuring a sturdy and reliable structure, often praised by users for its ruggedness.
• Odor Control: Equipped with an excellent sealing system to effectively prevent odor leakage.
• Ease of Use: Simple flushing; some models include a water level indicator for timely emptying. Waste dumping is designed to be clean and convenient.
• Comfort: Thoughtfully designed seat height and size provide good comfort, mimicking a home toilet experience.

Thetford: Innovation, Versatility, and Odor Control

Thetford is a leader in portable sanitation, with its Porta Potti series enjoying widespread popularity. Known for innovative designs and a range of sizes and functions, Thetford aims to deliver home-like convenience and comfort.

• Model Recommendation: Thetford Porta Potti series, including popular models like the 135, 345, 365, and 565E.
• Flush System: Options include reliable piston pump (manual) and convenient battery-powered electric flush systems.
• Capacity: Thetford offers diverse wastewater tank capacities, from compact 2.6-gallon models (approx. 9.8 liters) to larger options exceeding 5.5 gallons (approx. 20.8 liters), providing longer service intervals.
• Weight: Generally light; the Thetford Porta Potti 135 weighs less than 8 pounds (approx. 3.6 kg) when empty, making it highly portable. Larger capacities will be heavier when full.
• Durability: Made from sturdy, durable plastic, well-designed for a long lifespan and resistance to leaks.
• Odor Control: Features an exceptional sealing system and exhaust valve design that effectively suppresses odors. Many users describe them as "odorless."
• Ease of Use: The two-part design facilitates easy emptying and cleaning. Some models include extra features like integrated toilet paper holders.
• Comfort: Various models offer different heights and sizes, such as the Porta Potti 365, ensuring a comfortable sitting position.

Modiwell: Lightweight, Portable, and Waterless Solutions

Modiwell dry flush toilet for camping introduces an innovative approach to portable toilets, emphasizing extreme lightness, portability, and "dry flush" or "waterless flush" systems. These toilets typically utilize sealable garbage bags and solidifiers, eliminating the need for water and septic tanks.

• Flush System: Primarily uses a dry flush system with specialized garbage bags and solidifiers for waste management, negating the need for water. Some models advertise "one-click flush" and "automatic hot garbage disposal technology," referring to their bag sealing and handling rather than traditional water flushing.
• Capacity: Dependent on the size of the garbage bag. As a dry system, bags usually need to be sealed after single use, with long-term capacity managed by bag replacement.
• Weight: Exceptionally light due to the absence of a water tank, often foldable for enhanced portability.
• Durability: While materials may be lighter for portability, designs often incorporate metal support feet for good load-bearing capabilities.
• Odor Control: Relies on securely sealed garbage bags and curing agents to prevent leakage and odors.
• Ease of Use: User-friendly; simply replace the garbage bag. Ideal for environments without water sources or waste disposal facilities.
• Comfort: Generally designed with ergonomics in mind to provide a comfortable seating experience.

How to Choose Your Ideal Portable Camping Toilet

Your ultimate choice hinges on your specific needs, camping style, and preferences for portability, capacity, comfort, ease of maintenance, and waste disposal capabilities.

• For Comfort and Home-like Flushing (with water-based waste handling):

  Dometic and Thetford are excellent choices. Both are market leaders, offering reliable, durable, and easy-to-clean products. Thetford's Porta Potti series is renowned for its superior odor control and diverse sizing, while Dometic is favored for its straightforward flushing mechanism and modern aesthetic.

• For Extreme Lightness, Portability, and Waterless Use (in challenging environments):

  A Modiwell dry portable toilet might be your best bet. These systems require no water, simplify waste disposal, and are particularly beneficial for hiking, backpacking, or use in areas with limited water resources.

Pro Tip:

Always consider the availability of waste disposal points at your chosen campsites. Water-based toilets require designated dump stations, while dry systems require proper disposal of sealed waste bags.