Potty question?

[nrody]

Not sure if this is the right place or if I should ask in Camping Secrets but here goes. I have been researching porta potty's for our summer road trip. Our tear is very basic and I need to consider the space it will take to pack and the comfort and ease of use. I have narrowed my choice down to either the Reliance fold up and the luggable loo? We are very average size and weight so we are ok with the available weight capacity of either but which packs better and is relatively stable (do not want to clean up spills )

All input is greatly appreciated and will be considered in my choice.
We will be using a pop up style privacy shelter with the porta potty.

Thanks’ All and happy trails

[nevadatear]

We have the reliance fold to go, primarily for its fold up size. It is a little shorter to the ground than i would like, but overall we are satisfied with it, it hasn't broken yet.

[nrody]

Do you use the bags they recommend or do you improvise with other types of bags?

[S. Heisley]

Hands down, I think the Luggable Loo is better, even though it does take up a little more room. Here's why:

- If you have a tear in a bag or a spill because the bag comes loose or wasn't applied properly, it contains the spill.
- It is very stable to sit on; and, because of its stability, is less likely to collapse or be knocked over. (Think kids and dogs with wagging tails.)
- You'd think that the fold-up one would save more space; however, you can take the toilet waste bags out of their boxes and stack the folded bags in the bottom, under the unfolded waste bag that you have installed for use. This makes the Luggable Loo a space saver as well. During last summer's big trip, I stored more than 3 weeks worth of toilet waste bags in the bottom, under the waste bag that was ready for use. This also made it very convenient when it came time to replace the current, in-use bag.
- It is more pleasant to look at because the canister hides even the outline or shadow of waste product. (Of course, with either the fold-up or standing unit, you could hide that unpleasant part of it with a dressing skirt.)

So, in the end, it depends on how you have to pack things, more than anything else. However, there is one other small thing to consider. The plastic connections on the fold-up model are smaller and thinner than the Loo's over-all connections and they will eventually crack and fail. If you go with that style, I would suggest inspecting the unit each year, before your camping trips start, to see if it is time for a replacement. I had a friend who fell when the fold-up collapsed while she was using it, because she hadn't inspected it regularly.

PS. I use Walmart's Ozark Trail Toilet Waste Bags. They work just fine.

[SonofT@B]

I have both the folding and the hassock type. I like the folding one for space saving when packing. The hassock type is more comfortable and more stable. In fact I was using the folding one on a camping trip in a tent recently and got up to use it in the tent one night. I reached over from my sleeping bag and was going to use the Reliance to help me get up. I leaned on the edge and it flipped over and hit me in the head! At least it was closed tight. So remember it's a tripod!

I still use it but more carefully. In our T@B we use the hassock type (same bags in both). We keep it outside during the day and bring it in at night. I also use the Walmart bags. Even at about $2.00 each I feel they are well worth it.

The Hassock type:

[nrody]

I think I am leaning tward the luggable loo as I found it online for $23.99 bucks at Target . Cant beat the price.

[S. Heisley]

angie is used to a tent so she really never has used a porta pot in her life closet she has come to it is her dad's 2 story out house.

and compared to dave birchs 2 story out house there is a lot fancer ones on every campground I go to and a lot fancery ones on every boat dock and they are all over the nationa forest and local lakes.

really both me and angie when it came down to a porta pot. said WHY? and put our foots down and said in a big strong opeions of

NO!

we wont' ever own one.

slow

NO!
we wont' ever own one.
Slow, if you ever get a portable potty or luggable loo, I'm gonna remind you of that statement. (Wait until you have kids!)

Also, What is a 2-story out house? I don't think I'd want to be in the first story of the outhouse when somebody was using the second story!
Did you mean a 2-seater out house?

[nevadatear]

We use doodie bags. Double layer, two seals. Plus kitty litter inside. Slow , you just may change your mind if you have a little girl who has to go in the middle of the night and the pit toilet is 8 campsites away in the dark, or she is scared to death of falling in! You and angie may never consider one, but kids have a way of making us buy things we never planned on. I rarely use ours, but it sure came in handy after spraining my ankle at IRG. Just didn't want to walk that far in the dark on unstable ground. I fell twice during the day time!

[Maureenm]

Hi Nancy, check out the thread under lady Teardroppers, lots more discussion on this subject. I use a pop up with a Home Depot bucket and the Luggable Loo seat (about $9 at Emergency Essesntials online). I buy scented kitchen garbage bags from the Dollar store ( I don't usually care for scented products, but this is an exception :-) then I double bag and use Feline Pine as it is lighter and more effective than clay litter. As far as the storage issue goes, I also store extra bags that have the litter in them in the bucket and any room leftover stores other loose items that might otherwise need space in the car. It's very efficient and has served me well when needed.
Ps let me know if your headed this far North again!

[Catherine+twins]

and not kidding sharon the top flour of the out house has a bay window on both sides.

you can see larmie peak while taking a crap!

Thanks Slow!

Catherine

[S. Heisley]

heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!! sharon not kidding angies dad does have a 2 story out house and the dumper on the top flour is offset to dump behind the first flour.

no poop on head. no to seater.

and it was desinged in wyoming years ago for snowy winters when you got so much snow drifts you could not get into the bottom flour of the out house so you had to use the top flour in winter time.

angies dad like it when he saw it in a local mousem.

and not kidding sharon the top flour of the out house has a bay window on both sides.

you can see larmie peak while taking a crap!

slow

Oh, Slow! It's too early in the morning to laugh that hard! I've got tears running down my cheeks!

When my sister first moved to Maine, she discovered that a lot of the older buildings had the outhouses attached so one never had to go outside to get to the potty. The first house that she bought there was an old, converted school house. Attached to it, it still had two outhouses: a girl's two-seater and a boy's two seater. That's why I figured you meant a two-seater.

...But, your's takes top honors!
However, I would like you to post pictures of this marvel! Please?????

[Reddiver]

I have found in the middle of the night a Tide detergent bottle works well .. But it is hard to sit on.

[S. Heisley]

Slowcowboy wrote:

angies dad does have a 2 story out house and the dumper on the top flour is offset to dump behind the first flour.

Well, after looking a bit, I feel like Santa Claus, looking at the walking M&M's, saying: "They do exist!" This website gives addresses so you could take your teardrop on a trip just to see some of them:

Here is a grouping of pictures: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/29012

When one thinks about it, it's a pretty good idea; especially the one with the walkway off the upstairs master bedroom! A trip like that might be fun!

[mkitchen]

My recomendation is Restop. http://www.whennaturecalls.com/ I have been using their products for a few years and have been very happy with them. I have the commode, the bags and the privacy tent. There are times when a trip to the woods with a shovel and TP just does not work. There are also a lot of backcountry spots that require that you carry out your waste (the Mohave Trail comes to mind as well as the back country of Death Valley).

The tent sets up quickly and the poles are built into the tent. The bags have a double seal that seals very well and can be tossed in the trash when available. Note - we have used this system on some very rough trails with out 4X4 and have never had a bag leak or break open.
Something to check out.
Mikey

[nrody]

Ok now you have done it Slow, all my coworkers are wondering why I am laughing so hard it made me cry, in my cubicle.
I too have no problem taking care of business in most circumstances whether a gas station or campground pit facilities. The main issue here is our summer road trip approaches and I do not want to hike in the middle of the night to the outhouse at some of the campgrounds we will be staying at. We camped between Christmas and New Years with friends at Glamas, Imperial Dunes and the hike to the facilities was way too far in the middle of the night and far too many people around to be comfortable finding alternatives. We are planning on a major loop from Los Angeles area to Zion, Brice, Dinosaur National Monument, Walk in the Winds Wyoming to Mt. Rushmore, down into Colorado, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, Escalante and whatever else I can squeeze in. So as you can see there may be times when I do not want to hike in the middle of the night. The best alternative I have come up with is the porta potty with the privacy shelter. Oh my I have allot of planning to do

All of you have great insight to this whole topic and I appreciate your sharing your experience.
Hope to see you on the road