Bathroom / NObathroom?

[Casita Greg]

A trailer with no bathroom is just a hard-sided tent. Whatever works for you, but I wouldn't even consider owning a trailer without a bathroom in it. Just me. If I didn't want the "creature comforts" that come with having a fully equipped trailer, then I'd sell it and buy a tent. (Not happening!)

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by stevebell

I really appreciate the input. Thank you. As for the storage I mention, it would be my fishing stuff & extra cold weather gear. I don’t stop being outside in wet cold or snowy weather. There is no bad weather, just illprepared clothing. I do get the point of not having to walk to a bathroom in the night. I guess most are saying they you the bathroom for #1. Thanks again.

We are life long Minnesotans and just out of curiosity , “Are you a Ranger ?”
One of my fondest memories of living on the Range was there ability to enjoy the outdoors whether it was raining , snowing , windy , buggy or 50 deg below zero !!
Nothing stopped them from enjoying nature

If you follow this forum long enough you will find that EVERYTHING on a trailer is unnecessary to someone . IE ; Bathroom , shower , on board tanks , propane , furnace , air conditioning, awning , curtains, cooktop , refrigerator , solar ,
table , bed , radio , television ,wall coverings , roof fan , etc , etc , etc ,etc !! You could end up with a fiberglass shell on wheels .
So , I would take the advice you get here with a grain of salt and do what’s best for you .

[gordon2]

Its funny to me to hear someone talk about using a pot or porta-potty, dumping it every day, or even (EKK!) peeing into a bottle while in bed. To me the commode and black water tank is much better and cleaner way to deal with things. But to each their own. The objections I have heard about them just don't hold (black) water in my mind.

Edit: Potentially misleading statement was removed.. Also some campgrounds require campers to be fully self-contained. Not sure if they think a porta-potty qualifies but with the commode and holding tanks there is no question.

[rgrugg]

I have an Escape 19 so it has a bathroom. At my age (82) I get up 3-4 times a night and I’m not about to do that by going outside. I winter in AZ in it. It’s also very handy when on the road in the middle of nowhere and have the “urge”. I don’t use the shower since it’s a wet bath but the toilet earns its keep.

[Franswa]

my trailer is 8'x13' inside...............104 sq
my wet bath is just shy of 3'x3'........ 9 sq


for me, using less than 10% of the space for the convenience/freedom of a bathroom (WITH shower) is an absolute "no brainer"... my dinette uses up 28sq (THREE times as much space as the bath)


resale??? : I can see how most 13 footers would not have a bathroom....but I bet the vast majority of people shopping for a 16-17 footer would be looking for a bathroom...economics 101 says: smaller market, smaller selling price...if you still don't want to use the bathroom you could convert it to storage...and take out the shelving or whatever when you sell


but hey, to each his own....my "own" is I treasure the ability to have a hot shower whenever and wherever while I'm "on the road"....I never have to wonder/worry about what "condition" the public facilities will be in....I never use them.

[stevebaz]

Our Scamp 13 has no bathroom. By day we don't need a bathroom in our trailer. By night, most nights we do. If its early or a particularly nice night we run to the out house. At other times our trailer turns into the outhouse with its port-a-potty. That gives you an almost 5 foot bathroom. None of these small trailers gives you a dedicated 5 foot bathroom with and extra attendant to keep you company.

Love the person your with and share all life's experience equally.

I would take a larger trailer with out a bathroom but I would not buy a new one without one. If i bought a new 13 footer it would be without a bathroom. Too much space to give up.

If I had a dream it would be a new 19 foot Escape with a full bathroom but that isn't likely in my lifetime. But I really like the ease of my 13 scamp.

[Franswa]

"I don’t use the shower since it’s a wet bath" (???)


a wet bath is the best kind of bath to have, no?....LOL....


but seriously, I am of the opposite thinking on this....the beauty of a wet bath is how easy it is to clean....just hose the whole place down when you're done showering....spotless every time....floor is dry in minutes, walls take about an hour....what's not to like?



it takes some "organizing" and slightly different habits than a normal shower....but it works real well

[DebCost]

After 30 years in a tent sleeping on the ground and crossing my legs. I wanted a bed off the ground and a toilet.
I use my shower and toilet into December and winterize before I get back to Chicago every year.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Casita Greg

A trailer with no bathroom is just a hard-sided tent...

Far from it! How many tents have solid walls and a floor raised off the ground? How many have built-in cooking, refrigeration, heating, and storage? How many have on-board power? How many can be used for a nap or a meal at a rest area? How many arrive at camp ready to use?

[vintageracer]

Originally Posted by gordon2

A camper with a bathroom, cooking and sleeping facilities can qualify as a second home under IRS regulations, if that matters to you.

Under the new 2018 tax code the IRS second home tax deduction regulations no longer apply to a "Towable RV Trailer".



https://rvtravel.com/towable-rv-owne...-new-tax-bill/

[Franswa]

to Canadians, getting a tax deduction on the interest to finance an RV or boat....sounds like a different planet...


So if I get this right if you pay cash (no loan) you don't get a deduction...for having purchased the very same thing as the guy next door???

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by stevebell

I like to keep things really simple and have never used any water in my Scamp other than jugs. I live in Minnesota and don't want "winterize" the scamp so i've just kept anything that freezes out. My 13' foot doesn't have a bathroom and that has been very ok with me. I am now consider a larger fgrv so I can 1) either have a dedicated sleeping space or 2) at least a larger sleeping space for two people who are big bodied. As I consider the new fgrv I am still not wanting a bath/shower space and would use that space for storage. If staying at a campground, state or national campground there seems always have at least pit toilets. My context of not using my scamp is many nights in a tent in wilderness camping situations. However, I want to hear the advantages of having a bathroom - this seems to be a major item to most people.

Using $3 or less of anti-freeze for the comfort of a toilet is a cheap comfort for us. My husband wouldn't be without a toilet as well as myself. We've ran to bathrooms to find them closed, dirty or out of paper. We use the campground bathrooms when we can but use ours at night or for those times that you just can't make it that far to the campground one. In 11 years we've only showered twice in our Casita. So having a shower is not necessary for us. A sink is nice by the toilet so that we don't wash dirty hands or spit toothpaste in our kitchen sink. Just don't like preparing food where feces could be. Consider the other person you will travel with also. What do they think of getting up in a rainstorm, snowstorm or windstorm in the middle of the night to get dressed and run someplace to pee or do more. By the time you do all that you may not make it in time and you won't go back to sleep after a 3AM marathon.

[stude]

Originally Posted by stevebell

I like to keep things really simple and have never used any water in my Scamp other than jugs. I live in Minnesota and don't want "winterize" the scamp so i've just kept anything that freezes out. My 13' foot doesn't have a bathroom and that has been very ok with me. I am now consider a larger fgrv so I can 1) either have a dedicated sleeping space or 2) at least a larger sleeping space for two people who are big bodied. As I consider the new fgrv I am still not wanting a bath/shower space and would use that space for storage. If staying at a campground, state or national campground there seems always have at least pit toilets. My context of not using my scamp is many nights in a tent in wilderness camping situations. However, I want to hear the advantages of having a bathroom - this seems to be a major item to most people.

:I use a porta Potty and it works great for me and I'm way older than Glenn B. Plus if I'm boondocking and no one else around as I know places in BC like that where I can lay back and look at the stars and see all as no lights in area affect me. I also can go out in the open, to water a tree or flower bush.
stude

[RogerDat]

Space usage or a less open trailer matters but at the least I would want a toilet. Ever been at around 10k foot elevation with few sparse trees and no "facilities" beyond scenic pull outs? While I can use a coffee can for #1 there is no way to deal with #2 for the simple reason my knees can't hold me up over a box lined with a garbage bag for that long. That experience made it worth the $100 to put a porta-pottie under the front couch in center cupboard. Not used often but when it is needed it is there ready to go. If you empty before returning, then throw some ice and water with dish washer detergent in it the inside will scrub clean by the time you get home.

I can do a sponge bath, and have in the past but a prime reason for getting a 16 or 17 foot camper would be to have a toilet and hot shower. I had a wet bath in my school bus camper and most boondock trips were much nicer for flush toilet and being able to clean up before heading out to civilization.

In a 13 ft. with space at a premium it is a tougher call to add a bathroom. A porta-pottie that slides under the couch is a minimum. If you boondock or rustic camp for more than a weekend then I would consider a Zodi portable propane shower unit. Plus a pop up cabana for a shower/toilet stall outside. This would be an effective alternative in a smaller camper.

Car top carriers, tow vehicle, under floor storage boxes, and for fishing poles or the awning poles consider an extra PVC pipe stinky slinky holder made for longer hose. Added at the back bumper, on the tongue, even under the floor.

Bathroom or not bathroom shouldn't be about storage for other things as much as about how much time you will be inside and want the space it occupies. Closet is same amount of space so camper won't seem any more roomy and open either way.

[Raz]

Personal preference, we've aways had a porta potti. Fits nicely under the bed when not in use. Easy to dump. Not messy at all. I also dump it daily. Forty pounds? Not even close. We have a fresh water tank, pump and sink. Use it for dishes and washing hands. We don't drink campground water. We use an external gray water tank (7 gallon jug). One gallon of "pink stuff" winterizes the fresh water tank. Easy. Three bucks at Wally World. No interest in a bathroom especially with a 13 foot camper.

[Ed Harris]

Why does it matter what anyone else prefers?
I like what I like and could really not care less about anyone elses reasoning about this one.

Also most times I see a larger trailer with no facilities it is so more family can sleep inside,bunks vs bathroom,pretty simple really for those who need the room.

If I am alone my wants are simple usually and if not I deal with things as they come up.
Not to challenging at all to carry,use and take care of the Porta Potty in my experience so why not take one and not use it instead of needing one and not having it.

But to each his own.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Ed Harris

Why does it matter what anyone else prefers?

....
But to each his own.

It matters because the OP asked.

And at the end of the day he will make his own choice. Just like we all have.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

It matters because the OP asked.

Exactly. If we didn't share our thoughts and ideas on things, we would have no need for a forum.

If course it is up to each individual to make their own choices, but for many it is good to see what others do and draw from these ideas to formulate their own.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Franswa

to Canadians, getting a tax deduction on the interest to finance an RV or boat....sounds like a different planet...


So if I get this right if you pay cash (no loan) you don't get a deduction...for having purchased the very same thing as the guy next door???

Yep, tax laws in the US favor debt over savings, paying cash, or owning stuff outright. Companies are encouraged to have debt as well.

[tractors1]

Want a happy wife? No more midnight rain runs to the outhouse





Get a toilet and a warm seat cover for her night time runs......



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075644BC8/ref=dp_prsubs_1