An unavoidable, even if mostly unspoken, logistical consideration for Teardrop trailer outings is toileting. When people first see a little Teardrop camper they might wonder—Is there a toilet in there? I was one of those people… though once I actually got a Teardrop I my thoughts were more like—Seriously? How the heck would a toilet fit in that space?

So, if you are one of the wondering, no, there isn’t any toilet. Take a peek inside… it’s basically a bed on wheels, an experience closer to camping than RVing. There are a few trailers at the very large end of the Teardrop spectrum with an internal toilet of some sort, that is more the exception than the norm and the typical compact and minimalist units which are the focus of this blog do not.

Seeing as there is not toilet, what to do about number one and two when out Teardropping? That, dear readers, is the topic of this blog entry! (I considered titling it “The number one Teardrop trailer question is about Number Two” but then thought better of it.) And with a nod to the practical slant I apply to content on this site, I won’t make any effort to be delicate in my wording, or dance around anything awkward or odd… here’s the straight goods on (what I do about) peeing and pooping when on a Teardrop trailer road trip.

When it comes to peeing, I realize have things a bit easier with a bodily gender which includes on board equipment for conveniently and accurately aiming. However, there’s a wide variety of devices to be found at camping shops and backcountry outdoor outfitters if your body does not have this peculiar appendage.

Public Washrooms

My primary option is using public washrooms along the way at roadside stops or shops/restaurants/etc, and overnighting in campgrounds that would have facilities, even if only pit privies. You get to know certain franchised chains of coffee shops or fast food spots which have tighter standards. Some fuel stations are getting much better at washroom maintenance, though many continue to be gross. Usually, I camp at Provincial and National Parks, which tend to have pretty good maintenance and cleanliness routines for their facilities. It’s all pretty straightforward when such facilities exist.

A Particularly Portable Porta-Potty

If I’m camped out somewhere with no toilet facility at all—which typically means some variation of dispersed camping and not in the immediate company of others—I use one of two options. I might dig a “cat hole” like when backcountry camping. (For a comprehensive exploration see the Trailspace article on how to poop and pee in the woods.)

Or if I don’t feel like squatting in the woods 200+ feet away from my camp (like when bugs are really bad or if there might be another camper within sight) I use my particularly-portable, super-simple porta-potty! The PPSSPP consists of a 5 gallon pail onto which snaps a compact toilet seat (readily available at outdoor stores for around $20). A few options for managing the human waste deposited in the PPSSPP include:

• Add a generous layer of naturally absorbent matter (e.g., duff, leaves, dried grass, wood chips, etc) to the PPSSPP before use, then dump it all into a proper cat hole either immediately or toward day’s end.
• As above, but dump it into a pit privy if available.
• Line the pail with a sealable bag (ideally opaque not clear) for later disposable into a trash receptacle.
• Whichever method is used, a useful strategy is to pee before beforehand so as to add minimal liquid to the PPSSPP waste.

Now, if the notion of depositing your poop into the trash seems a bit weird or “ick”, my question is this: Seeing as people discard millions of bags of doggie doo and soiled diapers (baby & adult) into the waste management stream every day, how is this a whole lot different? If anything, a properly sealed bag is more sanitary than folded up diapers.

Mid-Night Pee Time

Perhaps a sign of aging (or of having a beer or tea too close to bedtime), sometimes I am awoken from my comfy teardrop slumber by the need to pee. I used to exit the trailer and relieve myself while gazing up at a glorious starry night. But it’s not always glorious, like if it happens to be pouring rain or the bugs are ravenous, or I am at a conventional campsite with little privacy.

So now I am more likely to stay inside and pee into a 2 litre juice bottle. It does require a degree of dexterity and concentration but it is possible, even inside a tiny teardrop camper. Just rise onto our knees, and focus! I like using a 2L plastic cider/juice bottle: enough volume for overnight, plus airspace to minimize splash-back; handle allows sure hold, squared shape stores more reliable upright.

If peeing into a bottle doesn’t sound likely to be a successful endeavour for you, there are various medical-style bed urinal containers to be found online… have a browse and see what might be best suited to your needs.

Once you find the right solution you’ll be happy you did because, odd as the notion might sound manoeuvring to pee inside your little Teardrop camper, it’s a lot nicer than having to exit the trailer for a mid-night pee… especially if you wake multiple times.

Poop Bags

There are even fancy poop bags for human waste designed to be used in bucket or fold-up latrines. They will often have a double zip-lock closure and sometimes also include some kind of absorbent crystals which suck up liquid waste and mange odour. Kindy pricey, but I use them quite rarely.

Hints & Hacks

• If you’re going to use a pee bottle or portable urinal inside the camper, try it out a few times in your bathroom (or even in the bath tub) at home before using it in your sleeping cabin… practice makes perfect heh!
• In minimalist Teardrop camping, we like multiple uses for a single piece of equipment we are carrying. If you use a plastic bag to line a bucket latrine like the PPSSPP, then you also have that bucket available to be used for all kinds of other purposes!

So, that’s how I do things with my Teardrop Trailer but by no means the full story or the best way. What about you? Add your own methods, ideas and experiences using the comment box below for the benefit of all readers.