Camp toilet

[Scott Brady]

There are times when you either cant, or dont want to dig a hole, so what do you all use?

My plan is to use this (on the way) in my Tepee shower enclosure.

This is the only company I could find where the bags are biodegradeable. So you could dig a hole and bury the waste.

http://www.biogroupusa.com/portable-camping-toilets.html

http://www.biogroupusa.com/images/biotoi4.jpg

[Life_in_4Lo]

Scott, will that actually decompose if you bury it? I am a bit skeptical of that... seems like you would have to actively composte it to get it to degrade?

I was taught the 'pack in/pack out' method... certainly if this is an acceptable method, it would be a bit less hassle w/ garbage packing.

[Desertdude]

I have the P.E.T. System (http://www.thepett.com/) and the wag bags for those occasions when it is required - I try and travel light so a hand full of wag bags and a nice hole can work too. :archaeolo

If you do it right it can be a no trace deal.. I find it amazing that we humans make such a big deal out of it. It is not to hard to make it work right out in the woods. Cows do it - birds do it - all animals do it -

here is the definitive book on it :)

How to S**t in the woods (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0898153204/104-6866363-3509555?v=glance&n=283155&v=glance)

Wag bags (http://www.thepett.com/wag2.html)


a few FAQ's on the wag bags

Q: What is in the powder?
A: It is a specially engineered mix of a non-toxic polymer based absorbent, along with an organic decay catalyst & odor neutralizer (no perfumes).

Q: Tell me more about the bags?
A: The bags are degradable; they are made with a patented blend of polymers and natural starches to break down in landfill conditions after 6-8 months, depending on conditions. There are two bags, one funnel bag w/ powder to contain the waste, and a heavy gauge zip lock bag (12"x10") to secure and transport waste. They are approved for disposal w/ normal trash, as group II non-hazardous waste. The bags will work in any marine, R.V. or household toilet.

Q: Is it ok to use the bags without the PETT®?
A: Yes, the WAG BAG® can be used in any toilet, hollowed out log, bucket or by simply laying it on the ground. It is used by rock climbers and backpackers.

[Life_in_4Lo]

I always thought human waste was not like animal waste b/c of what we eat... but anyway, so do you bury your wag bags Pasquale?

That is what I'm getting- the PETT w/ wag bags. It seems to be the choice-de-rigeur.

On another note, never knew there was so much written about crapping in the outdoors! lol

[Desertdude]

I have a nice fold up military shovel and have done so in the past - but finding a park dumpster is not hard to do :)

Yeah the vegitarian thing... :Wow1:


http://idisk.mac.com/desertdude-Public/fold-shovel.gif

I remember what you said about being king of the mnt at DVDaze05 - I still can laugh at that comment :)

[Life_in_4Lo]

Good info.
Yes, king of the mtn again in 06 but in style on a pett! LOL

[njtacoma]

When I was a raft guide, on longer multiple day trips, we used an ammo can (50 cal I think) and a trash bag, they called them "groovers" because of the indents left behind, anyway later someone added a simple toilet seat with 2X2's on the bottom to keep from sliding off the ammo can.

We had to pack out all solids, so we set it up when we stopped to camp, than tied off the bag the next morning, that evening took a new trash bag, put the previous bag in and started again, no smell from the previous day that way. After the trip we found the first available public dumpster to ditch the bag.

I think packing it out is a good idea if you can, if I remember correctly they closed a section of forest near the beginning of the Rubicon last year due to all the human waste in the area.

[Scott Brady]

Scott, will that actually decompose if you bury it? I am a bit skeptical of that... seems like you would have to actively composte it to get it to degrade?

I was taught the 'pack in/pack out' method... certainly if this is an acceptable method, it would be a bit less hassle w/ garbage packing.

They are designed to decompose completely in 40 days. They adhere to leave no trace disposal guidelines.

[GeoRoss]

I went on a Grand Canyon Field Institute wilderness studies class some years ago. We were going through some of the side canyons in the west end of the GC. We did this excerise where everyone took two bricks outside (9 people) and then placed them in a 1/2 acre plot. We had no clue what we were doing. The instructor then informed us that we had just plotted ~2days of 'catholes'. It was an eye opening experience at the impact a group can have in enclosed area ie a slot canyon, especially in a basecamp type of situation.

Ross

[Life_in_4Lo]

Ross,
I'm not a very experienced outdoorsman; by plotting catholes do you mean that there was a 1/2 acre of human crap??

I remember some discussion about this a long time ago where someone said that you shouldn't bury waste in the desert but to smear it on rocks ?!

Anyway, it is good to know that burying approved bags is in line w/ responsible wheeling. Anything is better than the disgusting display I saw at the Rubicon... :Wow1: :mad:

[GeoRoss]

This was simply to show how 'concentrated' a popular area can become. So if you can hold it and maybe do your business a mile or so from the high usage areas you would be doing the area a good turn.

The last best practices with regards to pooping in the desert was to use shallow cat holes, 2-3". Since there is not a well developed soil or soil bacteria the only way to break down/sterilize poop is through solar radiation. On the surface would be better, but gross.

Ross

[Jr_Explorer]

After the trip we found the first available public dumpster to ditch the bag.


I've searched this forum quite a bit... Is the above method legal and/or sanitary? I mean throwing a plastic bag full of $h!t in a trash can? Not a Wag bag that has gelled the waste but just a plastic bag of... stuff.

[expedition4x4]

People do it with dog crap all day long

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 2

[Healeyjet]

Not sure of legality in parks etc. but disposable baby diapers also go directly into public disposal cans everywhere as well.
Ward

[Jr_Explorer]

Not sure of legality in parks etc. but disposable baby diapers also go directly into public disposal cans everywhere as well.
Ward

Well... There's that! LOL!

[Colonal Angus]

This was an EPIC thread resurrection. 2005 to 2013...awesome.

[Jkfisher84]

This was an EPIC thread resurrection. 2005 to 2013...awesome.

LMFAO

[Willy G]

THIS :sombrero:

[Yuman Desert Rat]

Well... There's that! LOL!

See, babies are killing the environment. People need to stop having so many damn babies!

[Jr_Explorer]

This was an EPIC thread resurrection. 2005 to 2013...awesome.

Well... When you have a question and don't search existing threads on some of these forums you catch serious hell. So search I did and resurrect I did. Zombies walk among us!

[spikemd]

The PETT toilet rocks and WAG bags rule.

You also need to pack out waste on most park waterways now so be sure you have a good toilet.

[Cee-Jay]

Another option is the "poop burrito (http://amountaintophigh.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-poop-in-woods.html)":

Materials needed for a poop burrito
A sturdy container to keep poop in (I'll expand on this later)
Toilet paper
Sheets of wax paper (about 20" square)
Sheets of brown butcher paper (about 20" square)
Paper bags

Method to create a poop burrito
Find a private spot. Lay the brown paper on the ground and lay the wax paper on top of the brown paper.
Cop a squat and do your business onto the wax paper.
Wipe with TP and drop TP onto poop.
Roll your poop up like a burrito first with the wax paper then with the brown paper.
Put your steaming burrito inside a paper bag and roll the paper bag closed. You can even use tape if you wish.
Deposit your neat little poop packet into your poop container and seal the container shut.

You have plenty of options for a poop container. Just choose something appropriate for the size of your group/length of your trip. For the Aztec Adventure trip (12 people, 5 days) we used a 5 gallon bucket with a solid screw on lid and double lined the bucket with garbage bags. The bucket was bright orange so that we didn't accidentally mix it up with other buckets. Bulk was not an issue since we were traveling by canoe.

For a backpacking trip a popular option is a length of PVC piping with screw on end caps. You can find something like this at a hardware store. You could also buy yourself an opaque Tupperware with a snap on lid and clearly mark it so that it doesn't accidentally end up in the kitchen later. If you can't find an appropriate container that's opaque you could always line it with a garbage bag or cover the outside with duct tape.

[sixbennetts]

Oh GREAT! Thanks for ruining burritos for me, Cee-jay. I don't EVEN wanna ask what you do for Cinco De Mayo!

:D

[Honu]

the burrito thing the finding a opaque thing would be good :)

when I worked on boats if we had people that got seasick the only thing we had if they refused to go over the side was clear zip lock bags ! most then chose getting up and going over the side :) hahahah
nothing like carrying around a clear bag of your lunch :)

ironic the burrito thing rolling in a paper bag ?
when I lived in the Caribbean thats what the locals used as rolling papers and the one guy who owned the dance hall would roll his own about that big !
maybe if you travel in the Caribbean label not for smoking :) or some one might think cool man grab one shove it in their mouth and say light me up !

[Honu]

where are folks getting wagg bags cheap these days ? seems pricing has really gone up over the last few years ?

[Ramjet]

Backcountry.com has them fairly cheap. I know Cabelas had them for 44 but Backcountry had them for 29 for a 12 pack. How many times are you guys able to use one bag. Pee to Dump ratio per person?

[Honu]

I think we can get more in a bag but dont like to :) haahahaha

[Ramjet]

Yea, you don't want it "piling up" on your back side.

[Mc Taco]

Easier to seal when less than full.

[Stumpalump]

where are folks getting wagg bags cheap these days ? seems pricing has really gone up over the last few years ?

I use these from Walmart. They are Ok. http://www.relianceproducts.com/products/sanitation/191.html

[Honu]

I use these from Walmart. They are Ok. http://www.relianceproducts.com/products/sanitation/191.html

Thanks was curious what they were like :)

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Definitely check out backcountry.com for the PETT system. Good price on a complete package. Although there is no substitute for a friendly sit while looking out on your favorite panorama, the PETT rocks, especially when you're in a less secluded area. Works as advertised. :sombrero:

[bearman512]

I say lugable loo and kitty litter!

[kb7our]

Backcountry.com has them fairly cheap. I know Cabelas had them for 44 but Backcountry had them for 29 for a 12 pack. How many times are you guys able to use one bag. Pee to Dump ratio per person?

~2 days w/extra "powder" you can get before replacing bag :D.

[Honu]

~2 days w/extra "powder" you can get before replacing bag :D.

Obviously no woman camping with you ? :)

[Ramjet]

Obviously no woman camping with you ? :)

X2 on that. I don't think my wife will go for that.

[chromisdesigns]

X2 on that. I don't think my wife will go for that.

Anybody ever go river rafting or paddling as a newbie and get the infamous "bunker buddy" lecture?...

Our first trip, I thought my wife was going to murder me right there on the spot when they started describing how the process worked....!

[Honu]

What is bunker buddy process ?

From working on tourist dive boats have lots of horror stories :)
As they say on a ship/boat you never want to be the HEAD mechanic :)



Anybody ever go river rafting or paddling as a newbie and get the infamous "bunker buddy" lecture?...

Our first trip, I thought my wife was going to murder me right there on the spot when they started describing how the process worked....!

[chromisdesigns]

What is bunker buddy process ?

From working on tourist dive boats have lots of horror stories :)
As they say on a ship/boat you never want to be the HEAD mechanic :)

We ran into it at a paddling school in Oregon on the Rogue River. Apparently, it's a tradition among kayak outfitters to give the "river sanitation talk" a little something **extra** for the newbies. It starts with them discussing how important it is to pack in/pack out, keep the river banks clean, etc., etc. and then they get into the toilet part of the talk. Two guys haul up a rocket box, pull out a box of large zip-lock bags, and a roll of duct tape. Then with elaborate descriptions and pantomime, they describe how you "do" #2 in the wilderness (astronaut style...). They say it helps immensely to have a "bunker buddy" to give you a hand sticking the open end of a ziplock to your butt with strips of duct tape...it goes rapidly downhill from there.

Around this time, all the newbies are looking around, staring at each other (and especially the women) and you can hear
them thinking "are these guys shi*tting us? This can't be for real!". Eventually somebody can't hold in the howls any longer and then they give the real talk.

So the moral is, be careful in picking your bunker buddy -- it's a really sh*tty job!

[Honu]

Hahhahaha thats funny :)

I can totally relate :) dive guides river guides I think all of us agree a mind is a good thing to mess with :)

On Lanai we dove this one place a lot had a big cave you could drive a car into :)
On top the dive brief was
oK I am going to go into this cave and get some sharks to come out and swim around no worries they are really slow
Just stay on the sides and give them a way out :)
But !
If I dont come out in 2 minutes just all head up and wave your arms the captain will know what to do :)

If you dive you cant see in to a cave but you can see out just fine :)
So I go in watch them start to try to look in and they start packing up in front of the cave so I give the rear sleeping shark a good wack and about 6 sharks come flying out full speed brushing the divers :)
Hahahaaha you never saw so many bubbles
Just white tips so no biggy
But a few might have wished for a strapped on bag by the looks in their mask :)

But everyone comes up saying that was one of the most exciting dive trips they have had :)

[chromisdesigns]

@Honu --

You guys are just sadistic! The fun-est bit I remember from the paddling school talk/demo was when they got to what to do with the bags AFTER use...they had a great time describing in exquisite detail how to be sure to squeeze all the air out of the ziploc before zipping it closed, and to "press it flat" so the rocket box didn't fill up too fast, because "we've only got the one box and it has to last the whole trip!"

By then people were rolling on the ground laughing hysterically.

[Honu]

I worked on boats 15 years about :)
I think its just stuff ya do to tourists in good spirit :)

Here is a funny one
One of my sayings in the dive brief is dont touch it unless it touches you first :)

Cruising along with my group I notice this huge you know what floating mid water About 20 feet away As I go past I just hope nobody else sees it
Well this one lady sees it grabs it and well underwater your only senses are touch and sight and not sure what she thought it was
But as she grabbed it looked at it then squished it between her fingers she quickly realized what it was :) hahahahahha

[sixbennetts]

158913

"S'ok, just a Zagnut, folks! Nuthin' to worry 'bout! "

[kb7our]

Obviously no woman camping with you ? :)

Oh, well Honu, that's a different story altogether!!! Actually, not bad, really - 1 per day for 2. Maybe I'm lucky ;)

[Honu]

Oh, well Honu, that's a different story altogether!!! Actually, not bad, really - 1 per day for 2. Maybe I'm lucky ;)

hahahaha awesome :)
I know I have a easier time going behind a tree if I need to than my wife and daughter and want to keep things neat for the wife :)