Lady campers, would you use an eco/composting loo at a camp site? If not, why?

[theparkkeeper]

Should I spend money on conventional flush WCs to improve my campsite or would it be a wise move to only add decent compost loos?

We tried a basic compost loo many years back and got mixed feedback and problems with women not using them properly (non separation of waste type). Men seemed to be better users (seperate, conventional urinals and solids only facilities).

Last season, a number of customers actually suggested that we get some compost loos going

The type of compost loo I'm thinking of is supposedly smell free but it does have the complication of 2 "aiming" zones for liquid and solid waste (aka pee and poo/paper). See photo for the type of arrangement.

If you stayed at a camp site that had compost loos, would you see it as a plus or a negative - or neither.

Would you use a "pee only" loo (conventional loo seat, no need to aim but no solids other than paper allowed).

There will still be a conventional WC option but at the moment, we get queues which understandably causes complaints.

We are adults only - so no children under 16.

Before anyone asks - no we don't compost close to the pitches. The waste will be taken away and used on a seperate, private garden.

I'm looking for the opinions of tent and tourer caravan users.

Thanks

I've used them camping - bad experience at festival with hundreds of people using them, good experience at a small campsite in Dorset. It's the handwashing facilities that make or break the experience, for me!
Mild preference for an actually flushing toilet, but it wouldn't be a deal-breaker.

The separation is important in both departments - it is the mixing of wee with solids that causes the pongs and it also makes the handling of the waste difficult (you end up with a slurry that is neither pumpable (urine) or moved with a shovel (composted/broken down poo/paper mixed with sawdust) - sorry if that is TMI)

Is the suggestion here that you have seperate loos for poo and pee?

Can understand why that doesn't work for ladies, once you sit down what happens happens.

And lots of ladies don't like to admit they poo so wouldn't want to be seen going to those ones 😆

Totally impossible I'm afraid.

Composting/separating isn't a problem, but like others it's the handwashing that makes the difference to comfort. It doesn't put me off booking an off-grid campsite, but I do look forward to going home and not having handgel-flavoured fingers.

Regarding misdirection a pp was asking about, the pee shouldn't go in the solids box either, or it gets smelly very quickly.

I have an onboard loo but generally use the campsite loos if not wild camping. If I was going somewhere with EHU I’d probably expect a conventional loo along with showers. If somewhere that was off grid but still had facilities, I might not find it too jarring. But I’d probably stick to my own loo

Thanks for everyone's input and comment. I think we will add one composter (all cleanable surfaces - no wood) with H&C hand wash and one conventional flusher like most folks have at home also with proper H&C hygienic hand wash.
It is interesting to see that there is something like a 50:50 split in opinions.

I have used long drop compost toilets in campsite in Norfolk

There was no need to separate pee and poo

They were lovely clean and clean smelling

I go camping in a big mixed group and this is an issue every year when we are choosing a site. The women want proper toilets. The men don't care. We went somewhere with composting toilets one year and they were pretty grim.

I don't see how the separation thing would be possible for many women. And what about blood? Where would the clots that fall out of me go?

I’d avoid the site on this basis I’m afraid. Clean, well-maintained, wildlife-free (as far as possible!), modern WCs and showers are the primary thing I’m looking for on a campsite.

This is the reason I find it so difficult to find sites I love. Because it’s also essential for me that the site is rural, no clubhouse or bar, no onsite entertainment. Just a lovely field or clearing in the woods, somewhere beautiful, small and quiet. And these places don’t tend to have the facilities I like. But there are a few!

Like a pp I’ve used long drop toilets where there want a need to separate out. No problem, liked them and would actively choose a campsite that had them, esp if hot water available for hand washing nearby.

separate pop and wee loos sound more challenging. Like others I don’t always 100% know until things get moving. Plus something uncomfortable in signalling quite so hard what I’m planning ;-)
also, are you Assuming mixed sex loos? the idea of going into a loo where blokes were weeing (all over the seat) or doing great stinky, very extended poo breaks would not appeal. I’d be very keen on seperate sex loos in that scenario. I’d also be unclear which if either loo worked to empty a moon cup into (& in that scenario would need hot water easily available to rinse too). Basically the whole things starts to sound unpleasant and complicated…

I’ve used them at a few places including here https://thistledown.org.uk/onsite/
Really nice loos, easy to use, no smell. And I have a very good sense of smell! IIRC they use varnished wooden loo seats, much nicer than the one in your pic. They post clear instructions on how to use the toilets. There is h&c water for handwashing. The whole toilet block was very clean.
These loos are a million times nicer than Portaloos.
The only limitation could be the users on some campsites. There’s always a possibility that there will be a few people who make a mess. But then that’s the case in all campsite toilets.

The only compost loos I’ve used have also been the long drop type. No separation, no smells. What you’re describing does come across as confusing, whether or not I used it would depend on cleanliness, smells and signage in that case! I wouldn’t be put off booking somewhere with compost loos.

@Puppers wildlife-free - seriously? You want a rural campsite, beautiful and quiet, but you don’t want to see wildlife?! Deer, squirrels, badgers, rabbits, hares, which are part of a rural environment? Or do you just mean rats/mice/cockroaches and the like?

I hate compost loos. They do smell even with the seperate wee part. I would rather wee in a bush than a compost loo again.

Are you near North Yorkshire ?
The Hideaway at Baxby Manor is idyllic, and has "the sanctuary" for extra peace and quiet, as well as one of the nicest toilet blocks ever. They're eco friendly too.

QI recently did a piece on women usually urinate when defecating and it can be involuntary - so I think it is a demographic biological issue. Another vote for flush - the compost ones usually smell horrendous and look rather unappealing.

We found out many years ago that mixed sex loos on a campsite don't work and we don't have them. The plans I'm seeking advice on are for female only facilities. We already have male only compost loos (well away from the Ladies loos) and these work well. Our experience is that men campers generally prefer them (they have proper hand wash facilities). They are based on separate installations within the same private, lockable cubicle/stall (urinal exactly the same as all others and next to it a loo seat over the collection/compost chamber with approx 2m drop (no chance of waste catching on the sides of the chamber).

I've only used long drop composting toilets at festivals, and they've been rather grim, with the sink separate outside the toilet block. Just about OK for an emergency, but I'd literally cancel going to the festival if I was on my (heavy) period as no private sink for washing menstrual cup. I definitely wouldn't choose a campsite with one if there were any other options. Not sure how most women could be sure to separate out solids and liquids! Oh, and no to mixed sex compost toilets too. Urine soaked wooden seats were not a pleasant experience with toddlers.

They work better for men surely because it is more difficult for women to separate poo and wee.

And are you sure you can keep men with ladyfeelz out of them anyway. By which I mean single sex not single gender.

Having used similar toilets I would happily use them again. I think they sound a lot more complicated than they actually are! They are designed in such a way you don't need to aim as such. Everything should go where it's supposed to. Perhaps less so with children!

I would (and have) use a standard compost loo, but not one that had to be separated like that. Firstly, I don't know how I would sit and whether I could handle the pressure of aiming that accurately. I really don't want to have to read a manual about how to use the loo when I'm desperate to go. And secondly, I quite often have a wee and a poo in the same session. I don't think I would ever poo without also weeing (obviously I frequently wee without poo), so how would I be supposed to separate?

I wouldn't go to an adult-only campsite anyway, so not relevant for me.

Same. I've used them plenty of times but it's generally just one big hole!

You sit on it and use like a normal toilet. Solids fall fall to the back and go into the solids container. Fluids are caught at the front and drain into the liquids collector. You don't have to aim! Unless you are sitting bizarrely on the toilet it will go in the right place 🤷🏻‍♀️