Portable Toilet Recommendations for People With IBD

For those with digestive or urinary problems, a portable toilet can mean freedom

Updated on February 20, 2021

The purchase of a portable toilet has been considered by many people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who are frustrated with their inability to go very far from their own bathroom. These items are not only handy for camping, fishing, or hunting, but also for long car trips, state fairs, or anywhere else amenities may be unavailable or unclean.

Coming around to the idea of traveling with a portable toilet may take some doing for people who live with digestive disease. It's not easy to face the fact that sometimes, even when feeling relatively well, that the need for a bathroom can strike quite suddenly. However, it's also a quality of life issue: if a portable toilet can help in making a car trip to see a friend or a relative or to take a camping trip, it's worth investing in one.

For these portable toilet top picks portability and ease of use are weighed heavily. Some of the units can get quite expensive, so considering the amount of use it will see is an important factor in choosing the right one.

Cleanwaste Go Anywhere Portable Toilet/The PETT

Phillips Environmental PETT Portable Environmental Toilet — Photo from Cleanwaste

This ingenious, but relatively expensive potty folds up to the size of a briefcase and weighs 7 pounds. It does require the use of a Go Anywhere Toilet Kit (it comes with one). Every kit comes with a waste bag, storage puncture-resistant zip bag, toilet paper, and hand wipe. The waste bags include Poo Powder which "quickly turns waste into a stable gel for easy transport and safe disposal." This portable toilet is recommended by the Leave No Trace program.

Coleman Portable Toilet

This is another more expensive but completely self-contained toilet. It has a holding tank of up to 5.3 gallons and a fresh water tank of 4.8 gallons. It latches securely for ease of portability. It has an elongated seat and can be flushed with one hand. Some reviewers point out that this unit is pretty low to the ground, and that it's a bit bigger than what they expected.

ECO-Safe Toilet System

It looks like the porcelain variety, but this toilet only weighs 11.5 pounds. Once set up, it is good for 50 uses. The reservoir can be easily cleaned for reuse. The manufacturer states that it can be transported in a 20 mm rocket box available at sporting good and Army/Navy stores, which makes it a good choice when space is at a premium. The toilet can hold up to 330 pounds.

Reliance Luggable Loo

This is a chemical toilet that closely resembles a large bucket (13" high) with a molded seat on top. It's a no-frills option for sure, but it's also the most affordable unit. It has a 5-gallon capacity and a useful carrying handle.