The Best Campervan Toilets: Pros and Cons
Learn about the best camper toilet options, including composting, cassette, and emergency toilets, plus where to find on-road toilets.
I've spent the last 8 years traveling in four different Sprinter Van conversions, and during that time, I've experimented with a variety of camper toilet options. Understandably, where you go to the bathroom is one of the most frequently asked questions about truck life, so in this blog post, I'm sharing the most common restrooms truck drivers use.
Over the years, I've experimented with portable cassette toilets, composting toilets, pee pans, and my favorite, the Go Anywhere Toilet. From my personal experience and conversations with a lot of truckers, I can share the pros and cons of the best camper toilet options for truck life and how to choose the right toilet for your truck conversion.
Pros and Cons of Campervan Toilets
You're probably wondering whether or not you need a toilet in your campervan. You lived the truck life with and without one, and after 6 years, you decided you needed some way to go to the bathroom inside your truck. You don't necessarily need a permanent toilet or a full bathroom, but having something that you can use in an emergency or in the middle of the night is really useful.
Campervan Toilet Pros
Convenience – Having a toilet means you never have to search for a bathroom, dig a hole (where allowed), or go outside in the middle of the night
Comfort - Sitting on the toilet in your truck is much more comfortable than squatting
Privacy – If you're camping with a group, having a restroom allows you to do your business without anyone else knowing what you're up to
Cleanliness - There are some poor public restrooms
MORE NON-TRACE PRODUCTS - With the increasing number of truckers living on public lands, having a restroom on board is a more environmentally responsible option and will help keep our campsites clean
Cons of Campervan Toilet
Emptying a Camper Toilet – No matter what type of toilet you have, there will be a chore associated with flushing it. Some toilets are easier to work with than others. Depending on the toilet you have, this process is not only enjoyable, but when the toilet is full, emptying it becomes your top priority over any adventure you may have planned that day.
Odor – When properly cared for, technically your campervan toilet should have no odor, but that's not always the case. You may get an occasional whiff, even if it's the only deodorizer, in your very small space.
The Space They Take Up – Camper toilets aren't very large, but they still take up quite a lot of space when you live in less than 100 square feet. You also need to plan the conversion and floor plan around the toilet, otherwise you may not have any good place to store it once your truck is built. Dedicating a toilet cubicle means you have to leave something else behind.
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