Club 80-90 Forums

Hi all, looking at spending a month or more away in the van next summer. Hoping to tour GB and maybe nip across to France. To keep costs down we will be wild camping for a few days then campsites for a few days and so on. Wife and 3 young kids make it more of a challenge.

We seem to have most things sorted other than the toilet use when wild camping. I have come up with 3 options. I'd love to hear of any other options or your thoughts on what I'm thinking so far.

* First is the basic portaloo in a box/seat.
Simple and would be moveable. Will take up valuable space and would need to kick everyone out the van for a morning bowel movement. Take it this is most people's choice?

* Second would be that Popaloo.
Seen these a Busfest and their website. Won't take up much space but would need putting together and maybe even use their quick erect tent by the side of the van.

* Final and most ambitious is to make a toilet unit that sits on the tow bar. I envisage this to house a portaloo, toilet roll, maybe even some wet wipes! I will then need to devise a sort of pull down rain cover/privacy shelter that comes from above the rear door. Dead quick to use and always quickly available and takes up no extra space.

Really appreciate any comments or thoughts.

Thanks, Jon.


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How about "boginabag"?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004Y0 ... B004Y00STK" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You would not take a $h1t in your bedroom or kitchen or living room at home.
Same rules apply.

If you are going to France and away from the Normandy/Brittany areas book into a camping municipal. The prices are worth the benefit of having showers and toilets.

itchyfeet wrote:You would not take a $h1t in your bedroom or kitchen or living room at home.
Same rules apply.

I'll remember that cheers. Good shout!


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marlinowner wrote:How about "boginabag"?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004Y0 ... B004Y00STK" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have seen them. But still need something under the seat.


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Ralf85 wrote:If you are going to France and away from the Normandy/Brittany areas book into a camping municipal. The prices are worth the benefit of having showers and toilets.

Hoping to go as far as southern France. What's the score with camping municipal?


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Line your Portapotty with a few bits of kitchen roll have a crap on it ,lift it out and pop it in a biodegradable dog crap bag and burie it.How easy is that and it keeps your toilet clean, Easy,then sit back and have a cup of tea.

Jonnyb416 wrote:

Ralf85 wrote:If you are going to France and away from the Normandy/Brittany areas book into a camping municipal. The prices are worth the benefit of having showers and toilets.

Hoping to go as far as southern France. What's the score with camping municipal?
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My tip is that camping municipals are run by local councils over there. They are normally a lot cheaper than privately run sites away from the coastal sites and really good value compared to the UK. Make sure you have a good camp site book too as a back up. A Michelin or an AA one will assist.

itchyfeet wrote:You would not take a $h1t in your bedroom or kitchen or living room at home.
Same rules apply.

Or eat your dinner in the toilet, or make your family stand out in the rain whilst you do your thing or let them experience real horror.

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I wouldn't take a pi$$ in my bedroom/kitchen/sitting room either but that's cos I have other, better, options in the house.
Depending where we're parked, what I'm wearing (or not) when the need arises I'll either pi$$ outside or in the portapotti which fits nicely between the front seats (not when driving, hahahah) and can be curtained off if so desired.
The Mrs won't pi$$ outside so it's portapotti for her.
If we've got the awning up the potti sits out there.
Purely for reasons of smell, we don't crap in the potti unless it's an emergency and we have no other option nearby.
I'm not adverse to digging a hole among the bushes/woods to crap in as long as the midgies aren't out. please bury it when you're done.

In your situation, with a wife +3, I'd be looking at some sort of toilet tent to put the potti in.
An awning that fits over the rear door when it's closed would be a good bet I think.
Sure you could make one with tarpaulin and old tent poles.

My concern with the popaloo would be... where do you store the full bags until you get to a disposal point? it looks like you can't pick it up in one piece, bag and all.

bigbadbob76 wrote:In your situation, with a wife +3, I'd be looking at some sort of toilet tent to put the potti in.
An awning that fits over the rear door when it's closed would be a good bet I think.
Sure you could make one with tarpaulin and old tent poles.

My concern with the popaloo would be... where do you store the full bags until you get to a disposal point? it looks like you can't pick it up in one piece, bag and all.

The easiest route is to buy a portapotti or the popaloo and a throw up tent. I hadn't thought about what to do with the bag of poo if I get the popaloo.

I'd really like to make some sort of box that attaches to the tow bar but that depends on time and help from my mate who can weld.


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France and camping is like peaches and cream. Camping Municipal is the best option, all are cheap and some are free. I would not wild camp in France when municipal sites with proper facilities can found in virtually every town and village. There are excellent facilities to be found on the 'aires' ( day/overnight parking areas for campers) that are abundant.

Porta pottie great for emergency but it needs emptying, unless you are going to dig a hole you will need to find an 'aires' anyway as well as get water.

Wild camping in the south of France, particularly by the coast, is far more difficult and less tolerated.

Get a towbar mounted bike rack, build a small plywood box ( or buy a small roof box to fix to bkie rack) to hold the toilet and a pop up tent ( maybe also a water bottle for hand washing)
Nobody is going to want to climb onto the towbar to coil one out and if others are in the van the van will shake.
You can empty the toilet casette at public toilets and aires.

I think Fiamma/Thule do a box to fix to bike racks, seen them before but maybe wrong shape.

AngeloEvs wrote:France and camping is like peaches and cream. Camping Municipal is the best option, all are cheap and some are free. I would not wild camp in France when municipal sites with proper facilities can found in virtually every town and village. There are excellent facilities to be found on the 'aires' ( day/overnight parking areas for campers) that are abundant.

To be honest, wild camping was mainly my thought for when touring GB. The plan for France is to slowly mooch to the South where my family are thinking about meeting us at a Eurocamp or similar.

My in laws have used Aires and say they are very good. They may even end up coming with us when in France. A lot easier having 4 people help look after 3 young kids. Especially in a foreign country.


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