Porta Potti 365

We purchased the Porta Potti 365 to put in our van conversion, which we use for short, 3-5 day camping trips. Our primary reasons for purchasing it were the price (didn't want to spend ~$1K on a composting toilet); because it is "low-tech" and seemed bomb-proof; and because we didn't want a toilet that was permanently installed in our van. We've used it for many trips over the past 3 years and been totally pleased with it. It is still holding up well and doing a great job. We bought the 365 so we could go multiple days between emptying; it usually takes about 3 days for us (2 people) to fill it up. We also like that the 365 is about normal toilet height, which is good when you have old knees that don't like squatting too low. Lastly, we liked that you don't need a dump-station to empty it; you can empty in any regular bathroom or park pit-toilet. The only reason I give it 4 stars for ease of cleaning is because, when it's full, it is HEAVY and being a relatively wimpy gal, it can be hard for me to carry (but I have managed when needed). If you're a strong, or have a strong partner to help you it's no problem. I really like that the lid and seat are detachable, so you can thoroughly clean the seat assembly. While on a trip, we just empty the bottom chamber and add a new RV toilet tab; we don't deep clean. Deep cleaning happens when we get back home -- we empty the bottom chamber in our house toilet, then do 2-3 rinse-outs of the bottom chamber with PineSol and water. We also wipe down all the external surfaces with a Lysol bathroom cleaner. This routine has kept our potty clean and new looking. We just use dissolving RV toilet tabs in the bottom chamber, and this takes care of the ambient smell, and breaks up the solids and the cheap 1-ply Walmart TP we use. We don't put any chemicals in the top chamber, just fresh water. We use it to do both #1 and #2; and yes, when you've loaded it up with a bunch of #2 it is stinky when you empty it. But I've been in a lot of putrid pit-toilets and changed lots of sloppy diapers in my lifetime, and it's not any worse than that. We don't experience any smell in our van while we're on a trip. There is a little "point-of-use" smell, but no more so than you'd experience for a regular toilet. A few tips for new users: 1) Empty it before the indicator is totally red; it's just a little less unpleasant that way. 2) If you've taken the potty from a low elevation to a high elevation, open and close the "hatch" with the toilet lid closed, before you use it (because the bottom chamber will be pressurized and may "burp" up at you). 3) To prevent "skid marks" in the bowl, open up the hatch right before you "launch the torpedo," if you know what I mean. 4) When you're done with your business and have flushed everything down and closed the hatch, pump one or two squirts of water into the bowl; this will help prevent smells from escaping the bottom chamber.

This is an excellent portable toilet . The only issue is none of the suggested cleaners that Thetford make are readily available in the US as they are an Australian company. That’s a huge problem as you are not supposed to use typical cleaners on this, there are special types that don’t harm the finish

I was hesitant to put a toilet in our camper after hearing so many horror stories; I went with this one and have no regrets. It's a great size, most adults can use it comfortably as is and older kids have no trouble. We have had no issues with leaks or flushing parts (if get over zealous with your flush water will splash out), when the unit is closed odors are contained. We use chemicals to keep the odor and waste under control and emptying this is no worse than anything you may have encountered as a parent, dog owner or party person in your 20s... sure, it smells a bit and looks ugly, but I've never had anything splash on me while dumping into pit toilets, regular toilets, or dump stations. Once emptied it is very easy to clean, no odd corners or anything to trap solid waste like I've seen with some other toilets. We've had the lower waste section nearly full and had it in the camper for 2 hours of bumpy driving and nothing leaked. It also won't leak when it's full and you carry it upright to your dump location. We can get about 3 days use out of it before it's full with 2-3 people.

I am a semi driver and this is my first porta potti. I will NEVER drive without one again. I love this thing. I’ve been using it about 6 months now. I haven’t had any issues with it thankfully. It’s worth every penny. It takes up some space in the sleeper obviously, but I work around it. I was worried initially about dumping it, but where I unload/load, I’ve dumped it in the porta potties at the refineries, or in a toilet if needed. It does get heavy if it’s too full, so I dump it regularly. I don’t throw toilet paper in it, so there’s no issues getting rid of the waste. The “flusher” I usually do 3x because if you don’t use enough “oomph”, it does miss a spot in the middle. I have no complaints though. It reattaches easily, top to the bottom, doesn’t leak, and throw a pouch for scent when needed, so I never smell anything in the truck. Love this product!

Pros: Nice clean look, comfortable and works grand for inside your pop up camper. Cons: there is absolutely ZERO product support. There is no phone number that works, the email for contacting them requires the VIN number of your vehicle, etc, etc. I’d like to know how to store it properly in the off season. Nope. That’s not in the user manual. Tip: don’t try and flush briskly and with force. This only causes the water to accumulate under the seat. When you sit on it again or get up, the water squeezes out, causing you to think that it’s leaking. I found that what works best (for liquids) is to keep the valve closed, pump twice, then open the valve to dispose of the water TP, and urine. Now close the valve. The Portapotti would get 5 stars, except the lack of support knocks it down.

Porta Potty is exactly as described and expected. It's great purchase for dry camping (boondocking) when other facilities are not available. The system is designed well, easy to assemble, keeps potential odors contained and is easy to clean. The construction is sturdy and dies not leak, a very good value for the money.

Great product!

My family and I used this for the first time this past weekend on a 3 day dispersed (ie no toilets) camping trip just outside Grand Canyon NP. Temperatures were mild. I filled the holding tank with 2L of water (as instructed) and popped one Walex blue drop-in upon first use. We used it as frequently as we would a normal toilet at home - both No 1 and 2. I did instruct my kids to be thrifty with TP and flushing. We used Scotts brand RV TP. It was 2/3 full by the middle of the third day. I didn't empty it until I got home - a 9 hour drive. It trapped odors so well that we did not smell anything throughout the trip home! I forgot it was there in the back. Of course, it did not leak. Fresh deposits into the bowl smelled foul as expected, but we found a spritz of Poo-Pourri during or immediately after helped a lot. We also carefully wiped away any smears on the bowl, and flushed it away. The pump flush worked really well, squirting water all the way around the bowl. I emptied it into a toilet the next day in a well-ventilated bathroom while wearing a mask. It was not as awful as I feared. Everything was broken down into a thick stinky slurry, It took four rinses to get everything out. The trapdoor is big enough to get the tip of the spray hose in and point the water at the corners. I considered (purchased then returned unused!) a SereneLife toilet because it was forty bucks cheaper and the plastic seemed much sturdier. But I kept the Thetford because the other one had negative comments about not being able to completely empty the cassette - it's evident from how its shaped, and the Thetford has a noticeably deeper bowl. It's sturdy enough; just don't drop it. No regrets about spending the extra money.