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Planning for Bathroom Trips When Out in the Wild

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Trekking around out in nature can be wonderful, until you need to make a trip to the bathroom.  With no bathrooms in sight, you are probably prepared for a quick pee, but what happens when you need to poop?  While the idea of going out in the woods isn’t appealing, it really isn’t as bad as you may think.  You just need to plan ahead, and the entire process will go much more smoothly than you ever imagined.

This is what you need to know:

Plan Ahead

Since you never know when the urge is going to hit, you will want to remember these 6 P’s:

  • Prior
  • Planning
  • Prevents
  • Poor
  • Poo
  • Performance

Research Nearby Bathrooms Before Heading Out

While you can poop out in the middle of the bush, it is always better if you can get to a real toilet.  It’s much easier for you and better for the environment.  However, if you are in the middle of nowhere, you will need to be prepared to bury or carry your poop with you.

Preparing Your Poop Kit

There are two types of kits that you will need and where you are going will determine which one you need to take with you.  Of course, you might want to play it safe by taking them both!

Poop Kit for the Wild

This kit is helpful when you know that you can bury your poop in a self-dug hole.  Inside this kit, you should keep:

  • Toilet paper – Preferably recycled, because it biodegrades quicker
  • Small shovel or trowel
  • Hand Sanitizer

Poop Kit for Carry Out

When you are in an area where you cannot bury your poop, you will need the following:

  • Paper bags for your poop
  • Plastic bags
  • Dry bag
  • Hand sanitizer

After going to the bathroom, you will want to place your hand inside a paper bag to pick up your poop.  Then turn that bag inside out and place it inside a plastic bag.  To keep things as condensed as possible, you should remove all the air before tying a knot to keep the bag closed.  Once that is done, you will place that bag inside a dry bag to protect the rest of your stuff.  Make sure you use your hand sanitizer afterwards!

It’s Time to Go

Pick a Good Location

When you are picking a spot to go to the bathroom, you will want to make sure that you are at least one hundred metres from your campsite, water sources, and trails.  If you are not sure if you are far enough away, go further!  However, a good rule of thumb is to take one hundred large steps and that is approximately one hundred metres.  We recommend choosing an area that has soft, moist soil and where most people will not go, also find somewhere with an epic view… it makes the whole thing more pleasant.  (Unless they need to go to the bathroom too!)

Since it is not always easy to find a good location, you will want to be prepared to carry your poop with you.  After all, it doesn’t decompose that great in certain areas.

Dig Down Far

As long as you can leave your poop behind, you can dig a hole before you start to go.  This hole is commonly known as a cathole.  The hole should be at least fifteen centimetres deep and wide enough, so you can keep everything inside it.  Make sure that you pile the dirt up next to the hole as you will need it to cover everything back up when you are done.

Squat and Go

This is when you can finally go, just make sure that you are completely over the hole when you squat.  A little helpful tip here… Only pull your pants down to your knees or you will take the chance that they will get hit.  Also feel free to remove pants and try many of the more adventurous stances such as tree hugger, monkey grip or even the captain cook. Feel free to email us if you would like a more detailed description of these options.

Grab the Paper

Since you have toilet paper with you, you can use that.  However, you may want to consider using a leaf or two, since they have been approved for leaving No Trace Behind.  While you can bury your toilet paper, you may want to consider carrying it with you, as that leaves less impact in nature.

Cover it Up

When you are finished, you should mix some of the dirt inside the hole with your poop.  You can use a stick to do this, and then cover the hole up with the dirt that you set aside.  Stomp on the section of dirt a few times to pack it down, cover it up with a few leaves, and it will be ready to begin decomposing.

Two Extras

Feminine Hygiene Products

If you happen to need pads or tampons when you are out in nature, you will have no choice but to carry those items out with you.  They do not decompose, and you cannot burn them either.

Urine

It is always better if you can pee on a tree or rocks, so that the animals in the area leave it alone.  Many animals will approach a pile of leaves that have been peed on and begin to eat them.