I Found The Best Campervan Toilet | Trelino
If you’re interested to purchase a Trelino toilet, you can use the code “RUTHAISLING”. Please see below.
🚽 USA: Get $40 off your Trelino toilet on tidd.ly/46ywZkk by using the code “RUTHAISLING”.
🚽 UK and EU: Get your free surprise accessory set worth £30 on tidd.ly/49Xo3rF by using the code “RUTHAISLING”. (Only valid together with the purchase of a Trelino composting toilet)
🚽 NZ, AUS, JP (+ rest of world): Please email hello@trelino.com if you’d like to order a toilet to your country and mention “RUTHAISLING” in your message to get your free surprise accessory set.
🚽 My toilet is the Trelino Evo S: tidd.ly/49YN5Xm
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After four years of vanlife, I think I finally found the best campervan toilet for my needs! I've tried many different vanlife toilets over the years, from casette toilets to composting toilets and I've experienced unpleasant odours, overflows and complicated installation processes.
Trelino are a German company who make beautifully-designed composting toilets. Their new portable camping toilet is a great alternative to the Porta Potti and is perfect for people who love camping and motorhomes and are looking for a toilet solution.
In this video I share why I like to have an onboard toilet in my van, I share about this toilet and also demonstrate how it works. I've been using this toilet for six months now and I provide my honest opinions and feedback about the Trelino Evo Toilet.
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⛰️ Mountaineering Scotland: www.mountaineering.scot/safet...
Disclaimer: This toilet was sent to me by Trelino. I did not receive any payment for this video and was not under any obligation to make a video. I receive many requests to share about products in my videos and reject most of them. I was already looking for a new toilet solution and the Trelino toilet looked perfect for my needs. If I introduce any product in a video it's because I've personally used it and can share my honest thoughts, whether they're positive or negative. I've been using this toilet for over 6 months now and all feedback and opinions are my own.
00:00 - Why I have a toilet
01:35 - My previous toilet solution
02:03 - New toilet solution
04:08 - How the toilet works
07:07 - Toilet waste disposal
07:48 - Casette vs Compost Toilets
09:20 - My thoughts on this toilet
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WHO AM I?
I'm Ruth 👋 and I recently bought a campervan to travel my home country of Scotland after living overseas for 12 years. I’ve hardly seen anything or been anywhere in my home country Scotland and now is the time to change that!
I am a huge fan of campervan travel and alternative living and I've spent over 600 nights living in vans, it’s my favourite way to travel due to the incredible freedom, adventure and affordability.
My campervan is a 2001 Toyota Hiace high roof van. It was originally used by the Royal Mail and then purchased by the previous owner and self-converted into a DIY campervan.
On this channel, I’ll be sharing about my campervan, any DIY I do, and most importantly my road trip adventures as I finally get to travel my beautiful home country of…. SCOTLAND!
DISCLAIMER: Affiliate links may be included in the description.
If you’re interested to purchase a Trelino toilet, you can use the code “RUTHAISLING”. Please see below. 🚽 *USA:* Get $40 off your Trelino toilet on tidd.ly/46ywZkk by using the code “RUTHAISLING”. 🚽 *UK and EU:* Get your free surprise accessory set worth £30 on tidd.ly/49Xo3rF by using the code “RUTHAISLING”. (Only valid together with the purchase of a Trelino composting toilet) 🚽 *NZ, AUS, JP (+ rest of world):* Please email hello@trelino.com if you’d like to order a toilet to your country and mention “RUTHAISLING” in your message to get your free surprise accessory set.
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£3-600 for a plastic box and some moulded plastic is disgraceful - I loved the idea of it compared to our Thetfford Portaloo, but for that price I’ll buy a builders bucket and a pee bottle!!!! How can they even justify it - the engineering costs wouldn’t even come close to that, and an incremental £100 increase from S, M & L - are you kidding me?!? I know it’s German, but seriously.
@@byliamkelly exactly. Awful price. If anyone pays that then they've got more money than sense.
And they have the audacity to call it “a much cheaper than the rest of the market for composting toilets competitor” just shows how over inflated the composting toilet market is for what it is. Yes they are a newish company, with only 30k sales globally, so an element of their costing position will be based on the recouping of their RND cost, and their production costs per unit at such a low volume, but there is no way the manufacturing costs even come close to their to market cost for the consumer. Even if manufactured in Germany, rather cheaply in Asia, like most plastic items, you would be looking at a possible 500-1000% markup per unit. It’s a plastic box with a lid, a plastic moulded division section, a plastic box with a lid for the number twos, and plastic bottle with two lids and rubber/silicon valve, for the number ones, and roll of plastic poop bags. That’s it! No moving parts, no complex injection moulding design. A Thetford portaloo is far more complex to design and manufacture, and YES obviously has a lower price, due to volume production. But our portaloo cost us £60. And yes I’d much rather use an item like this item, where cleaning is simple, disposal is very easy, no chemicals needed for usage or disposal. It sounds perfect, but it’s JUST a simple plastic box with another plastic box and a plastic bottle. £299 all the way up to a wooden lidded version for £699, is a joke. I’ve just looked at their competitors and they are much higher. BUT you don’t price your product at a lower price to their overpriced position in the market and claim you’re a cheaper alternative. You price based on your production cost per unit, a percentage of recovery of your development costs, and then some reasonable markup for profit. Anyway nice idea and rant over. I’ll just buy a 3D printer and design and print my own version, probably for less money!!!
Hahahahahaha I am sure you did not pay anything for that horrible toilet thing as you are advertising for the toilet manufacturer!! 🍻🍻🍻I use a nice recliner with a trap door seat and a plain bucket with a garbage bag that can be tossed anywhere. Ya wankers!!
Omg, it is insanely expensive. I went to the website and said, "what is the world coming to where someone would pay $500 for a piece of plastic". If it was under $100 then I would think about it but $500 is pure madness. These companies know people are silly and will pay anything for this composting toilet that could easily be made very inexpensively. I am still in shock. I look at a variety of these toilets and they are rediciliously price. This is the last straw, I will make my own tailor made to fit my needs.
Thanks, I was wondering how much?
Boxio is a more affordable option, though still not cheap
Just look online there are a lot of do it yourself I've used the Thetford porta pot also other makes my sister and I stayed in my niece's garage the first couple of years we stayed year round and in the beginning we had one potapot and we emptied it every other week usually at a dump station or roadside rest area then my sister rented a house that she was going to buy tried 2 and stayed for 5 years we finally found something affordable but over 2 hundred kilometers kilometers away from work so back to the garage for the week day and home for the weekend and since we had room enough for 2 rooms we had 2 portapoty and every other weekend we took to them home and dumped them in our dump station in our backyard never had a problem with the smell and never used chemicals we've also had campers and didn't use chemicals only once did we ever have a problem with smell someone let the valve go in midflush and the toilet paper prevented the valve from sealing off the tank had to get a clothes hanger and clean the seal other than that we've never never had a problem it seams others do as so far I found 4 in the trash never had to buy one
Thank you! A five gallon bucket, with a seat you remove when not in use, a lid and some plastic bags...not a luxury item but cheap and does what you need. Good grief, those people at Trevino are really getting over! 😂
Yeah, its a stupid price and can't believe someone would pay that. Excuse the pun, but Trelino are taking the piss
*I made a separation toilet with a 3-5 gallon bucket, funnel, small container, kitty liter, and compost bags for about $25-$30. Worked exactly like this. Best solution for a camper toilet.* 👍🏾
I'm glad you've found a great solution!
Could you show a sample photo of it?
We were going to do something similar. In fact, that's what we did for other other boat. This time we wee in a hurry and went ahead and bought a Boxio. The Trelino might be a bit nicer but they are more expensive.
@CrystalVanner I'd love to see a photo of this as this sounds perfect.
Exactly what I've done, 5 gallon bucket with a toilet store bought seat/lid. I use saw dust/kitty litter, stack of cheap paper plates to cover each "load" then into a dumpster when full.
Thank you for your respectful explanation of all of this. I note that the very thought of me, a single woman, walking alone to a campground toliet at 2 am is not something I would ever do and no one but you mentioned that! Great video!
Thanks for watching. I hate doing that too, and I think most people don't consider that!
Very informative video , given me a lot of food for thought , love you talking about number 1s and 2s , brilliant Lol , well done , great design , worth every penny 😊
@@ruthaisling As a bloke, I'd still prefer to do the deed in my toilet in my van, especially if it's windy wet and muddy outside.
As an American who has traveled thousands of miles around the US, the biggest problem is the level of maintenance of many public and service station toilets - not inviting at all! Truck stops are better, but fewer, and rare off the Interstates. This is the perfect solution, thanks!
Yes maintenance and cleaning is definitely a challenge and it just takes one person to ruin it for everyone!
That is really odd to me. I have traveled extensively in the he US and rarely find bathrooms to be dirty. Some to imes, of course, but not often. I will say that I don't travel in the NE or New England. I have traveled out tof the country quite a lot also. We camped through Europe, England, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada etc. and stayed exclusively in hotels in other countries. I am surprised that your refilling choices have lead to such bad experiences with bathrooms. I think the bathroom conditions appear in most reviews, too
@@kayc2579 I'm very glad You've had a better experience than I have and I would agree that most are fine. in my experience I simply can't rely on them to be so. Still, I'll keep hoping for a cleaner future. Enjoy your travels.
I miss the days of 24/7 retailers (grocery stores, walmarts , hypermarts etc) and now gas stations often close at 11 PM even on interstate exits. If you travel in northern parts of the US , state run rest areas often close seasonally around November so winter time road trips are more challenging as well. Before anyone invests in a pre manufactured compost toilet , I suggest experimenting with a bucket version first , just so you get the hang of the principles involved and the disposal methods., but other wise this particular toilet looks like a nice solution . (and it does look like a cooler ).
I have the same toilet. I am full time in a van. I cannot say enough good things about the Trelino EVO. You gave a good, accurate review.
I’m not living on the road but always wondered how these portable toilets worked you are the first person that actually explained this and that toilet seems very workable and also able to live with in such a small space that company picked the right spokesperson
*Many of us show our toilet solutions.*
Thanks for watching, glad you found the video interesting!
Excellent explanation and presentation. This may be the answer to a particular situation of ours, depending on the size and of course cost. I already have two different units that are less than desirable for many of the reasons you touched on. Thank you again and safe traveling !😊
I’m so thankful that Japan is blessed with an abundance of clean, free toilets! We experienced the curse of a paid (and out of hours) toilet when we tried our first taste of vanlife in the UK and I’m sure your review will save many people from the same fate! I didn’t think I’d be so interested by a porta-potty video but here we are, so kudos for another great video! 😂
The public toilet situation in Japan is a dream haha. I miss it so much 🥲
Funny you say that….because back in 70’s, everywhere we went in Japan, you had to pay the lady to get toilet paper and access to a toilet stall………good to hear it’s changed now.
Japan is great!
korea too! wellcome to korea !
Great its free in Japan. However, If you can't Squat you can't shit. So better learn to squat and push hard with all your might, to get that constipated brown hot dog out. After one use you will decide Japan is not the place to take a dump.
For the #2 absorbing material; I use a mixture of sand and campfire ash when I go camping. The ash is extremely good at odor control, imo. I have a 5 gallon bucket I converted to this purpose, with a custom made wooden seat on top. The seat detaches so it can be kept in a warm area, and attached when needed, so a bit more comfy for you bum. This lets you store the containment section in a cooler area to keep down the odor as well. Also, if you have a campfire going, hang the cleaned container up over the fire to catch the smoke. Try to let it hang so as to catch the smoke, but allow it to get back out. Wood smoke has antimicrobial that will help in preventing bacteria buildup.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Interesting ! Never heard that about ashes. Coffee grinds also aid with anti smell. Just dump in a your Moro g coffee. It really helps
@@bangbangcfp Hm Also interesting! Thank you both!
Sand will not absorb, help compost, or reduce odor. Sand is basically ground quartz, functionally the same as ground glass. Try using kaolinite ( clay kitty litter), wood shavings sold as pet bedding, or clumping absorbent kitty litter.
@@lyfandeth Hm Yes. slapping forehead...
I have one of the Trelino toilets also. It is sooooo sturdy. If you're someone with really bad knees, but still loves camping, it's a game changer! Absolutely LOVE it!
That's awesome, so glad to hear you like your Trelino too!
I would be afraid my rear would not quite meet the #2 bucket ... ?
@@jewelbriard5444😂😂😂
I’m thinking of something like this for the pool house in the backyard for the grandkids!
I've been a full time nomad for 7 yrs now in a same size van as yours, I use a bucket and and a bag, with no problems whatsoever. Great video thanks 🙏👍🤟💯🚐🚐🚐🚐
That's great a similar solution is working for you too
Absolutely I did 4 years full. Time RV and never used the black tank. I lined the toilet with a camp toilet bag, a littlecat litter,. Did my thing and boom done? Should have seen the guy's face that I sold the R V to when I told him. I never have emptied the black tank! 😂
Great to hear toilets like these work! But the Trelino (€410,-) is priced over two times as much as the - very similar - Boxio (159,95)… the Boxio also fits on standard crates, so easier to store imho…
Thanks Ruth, you have such a wonderful way of presenting information in a clear and non-preachy way - I feel only you could have so beautifully explained the differing types of van toilet in such a compelling manner - thanks for highlighting this important accessory in such an unembarrassed way!
Thanks Tom 😂
Retired truck driver here who has been using a urine bottle for decades and always primed my bottle with a 1/4 cup or so of PineSol and even if I forgot to empty it for days it would not smell. I just used a gallon water bottle, pre primed, cap on and shake it around to coat the bottle interior and your ready to go
Great advice, thanks!
I keep finding your bottles at road junctions.
I'm currently saving up for this toilet, my solar, and my refrigerator. Super excited. I'm going to use pine pellets in my toilet. You get them at horse supply stores.
Thanks for sharing about the pine pellets, I'll look into those
I added pine pellets (for cat litter) to my camping portable toilet 's bag for #1. So far so good, no odor at all. Never used the toilet for #2 though so not sure if pine pellets could fight off the mixture smell. I'd add vinegar as well next time.
A sprinkle of Arm and hammer cat litter deodorizer over #2 helps a lot with smell. I use pine pellets too.
As an older traveler, the lack of public toilets is an issue that must be considered when away from home. I wish cities would take the universal need for toilets into consideration when city planning. Thanks, Ruth for the honest appraisal of the Trelino toilet.
As someone who also needs the toilet frequently when out and about, I totally agree!
In the UK, the hollowing out of local government is surely the problem, many councils going bust.
Fantastic toilet definitely the one for me! 😊👍 So off I went to gratefully use the link provided ❤ But then shock horror & massive disappointment I came face to face with - The Price 😳😱 - And the realisation that as a UK pensioner in my 70's plus, there is no way that I can afford to buy it 💔😭
I've used a composting toilet for the past year in a mobile home where there was no sewer etc nearby. It's true you don't have to worry about plumbing or a water supply and to be honest would be ideal for van life. There obviously are videos on how to make your own simple and cheaper versions. But a great explanation of how they work and the benefits of using them!
Thanks!
Thanks, you made this all very clear. I'm actually wanting this for my old one-bathroom house with old plumbing. Each time it has some problem, I always wish I had a good portable, affordable, composting toilet to use until the plumber comes. Life will be much better henceforth.
I used to live in a one-bathroom appartment, I know the struggle! 😂
Same here @emmahardesty. 😁
That's got to be one of THE BEST seperating toilets we've seen in the vanlife world - would be AWESOME to have one of these in our new vario campervan conversion....! It's EVEN better than the one i made myself!!!!! Great video, thanks for creating. Mel
Thanks Mel! Just watched some of your videos, awesome! 😍
Very well done! Trelino is our retrofitted choice too for our airstream. It’s simplicity itself, and works as advertised.
Awesome, glad you are happy with yours too!
I'm American who has done epic road trips most of my 45 years, but I was also a truck driver across the US for awhile, too. I typically have used a flushing portable camp toilet for boats, the truck, or camping, and I have the large capacity in case of long stays out, but I found that it wasn't so easy finding a place to properly dump the liquid waste (public toilets, in-ground composting toilets), so I think I'll start going with an old method that still works; collapsible toilet/lid with a biodegradable powder that gels-up liquid waste that you can tie up in a bag and throw away at the next stop. Lugging around a container with urine in it had been awkward and embarrassing in the past.
Lynne, Did you see that see she showed us a yellow bag devoted to carting the toilets containers? I felt I had to hide my containers last time I went camping and used an outer bag. It worked well.
I agree, I think they're over engineering this stuff.
Lol. Sounds about right. I did boats 30. Some had portable toilets or less. But my sea had to be kept clean as well and protected.
We've had the original Trevino S for about three years now and have been so pleased with it. We have used it in a tent, a trailer tent and now our campervan. I can honestly say it is the easiest and best camping toilet I have ever had. With the birch ply lid it doesn't look like toilet and it has become our coffee table in our campervan as well as being for its original use. Can't recommend them highly enough.
That’s awesome, I’m envious of your wooden lid, they look so nice 😂
coffee table.. urghh.. sipping on your brown liquid, trying to not think about the elephant in the room below your "table". Good on you though if you can put up with it. I guess van life has compromises that are more tolerable for some.
Great review. We've been using a Thetford Porta-Potti for a while and I'm a bit over the chemicals. Love the fact that this one doesn't look like a toilet and not surprised someone mistook it for a cooler. But I'm shocked by the price and not surprised one bit that you didn't show them.
I’ve used a Thetford cassette toilet for the twelve years I’ve lived on my boat. I don’t buy the nastier chemicals but use the most eco-friendly bio washing liquid I can find instead. It’s certainly cheaper and does the job better with no formaldehyde going into the septic tank or Elsan, when I empty the contents. The bio washing liquid bottles can be reused as #1 containers so the cassette only needs emptying every few weeks. I have four pee bottles and the fifth bottle I refill with bio washing liquid on the eco stall in a local market. Cleaned easily with white vinegar and water mix. Job done … so to speak.
Hi Ruth, Timely video review, we have been agonizing over our Dometic chemical toilet for a couple of years. Serendipitously, the Trelino Evo S is the exact width for our underseat storage so have ordered one and taken advantage of your code for the freebies, hope it helps the channel! We really enjoy your channel, thanks for the great content! 🙂
Oh brilliant, I hope you love it as much as I do and I am so glad to hear you’re enjoying the videos! 😃
I have the previous version of this loo. I submitted a questionnaire from the company where they asked for future updates . Nice to see they added a carry handle for the urine container. It also looks like they moulded the base with a recess so it could fit on top of a standard euro box which would add height while using. Great stuff. We love ours and would recommend them to anyone.
That's great to hear you are happy with yours too!
What is a euro box?
@@rowanmulvey8632a standard organisation box that stack on top of each other
Having fought with this problem years ago in a camper van we had, I must say the simplicity of this separation system is really a great way to deal with the problem. The disposal situation is sorted out so easily, and as long as you can plan where you will be & know where the disposal sites are, you are set to go ! You can still use public toilets if they are nearby where you are camped to save your own for more remote situations ! And really the main thing is the expediency of having your resolution right there if there is an urgent issue - that can happen any time you least expect it ! thanks !
You're absolutely right, I try and use toilets when I'm out and about as much as I can but having on the van is so useful.
Am I the only one who thinks that if dogs urinate outside, then human urine can be dumped outside. Ive noticed that men urinate outside when no toilet is around.
Very nice design, and a great presentation by you. We are in the U.S., and have a Casita travel trailer. Our on-board plumbing facilities are adequate, but do require the occasional hook-up to a dump station, or full hook-up camp site. That Trelino toilet would make a great back-up system. Thanks, and Happy Camping!
I just love your style when explaining the portable toilet…..Numero uno and numero due….brilliant 😁
I love the simplicity of it.
That looks like a very well designed camp toilet. I have an el-cheapo version. I have a 5L rectangular jug with a funnel for #1's which I empty onto grass and rinse out. For the rare times I can't empty it out in the morning I seal the container with a lid until I get to a grassy area. For #2's I use a proper toilet whenever possible but have an emergency solution of a 20L square bucket with a cliplock lid with sawdust, which goes into a dedicated compost bin at home.
What are you cleaning the urine tank out with , I find sometimes vinegar doesn't quite work as well as regular soap and water.
I just give it a thorough rinse with water and let it completely air dry. Never any smell problems...
Great review of a simple solution to what can be a big issue in space limited vehicles. It's also great that it comes in different sizes.
Thanks for watching! The S size is a perfect for my van 😀
love that it looks like a cooler sitting in your van.
This looks like a well thought out fabulous product. I can see why it won a design award
I have made a similar contraption to use in my home if the water service is out. It involves a holder for a container which was shipped to me for a colon health test. I took the frame which fits under the toilet seat and found another container which fits perfectly in the opening where the mail-in sample container fit. The new container also has a lid and can use a plastic bag as a liner. Just position it in the back of the seat then add litter from the cat box stash. Empty when full of number 2. Number one can just go down the toilet as usual. Simple, cheap but not portable. Nice review of your travel loo.
That sounds great. Thanks for watching the video!
You're welcome! I'm glad this made such an impression on me. I just figured out the connection to a LinkedIn job scam someone just tired on me. They were impersonating an RV service company, and the fictional HR person from LinkedIn was from Germany. I added this video to my tiny house playlist to try to help people out. A scammer must have come across my post on your channel. @@ruthaisling
You can get other toilets that do exactly the same starting at £29, the trelinos START at £299.00!! all the way up to £700!!
You are awesome, Ruth!! Everyone needs to "Go" now and again! 😉 Sometimes, again and again. Nothing as comforting as having a reliable and private and clean place to "Go" when you are traveling in one's camper. Thank You, Ruth! You are beautiful! Happy Holidays! ❤
I never thought I would watch a video on toilets but you explained it so well and I want to support your channel with likes and views so I watched it to the conclusion. Safe travels to you.
That’s so kind of you John, thank you!
Wow well presented and put together review Ruth. Looks a really good product, and easy to use. Great how it fits perfectly into the storage area.. Not got my camper yet, But this would be an ideal must have.
Glad it was helpful. It’s brilliant how small it is
Looks like a very nice toilet. If I ever get a van I will definitely look at getting one.
You did that so very well Ruth. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent video. Clear and thorough discussion of a delicate subject. I appreciate you sharing your personal experience.
Thanks for your comment, glad to hear the video was helpful
Hi Ruth -Agree with you 100% about the toilet situation. I would definitely want an onboard toilet/washroom. This is especially true since our experience with covid. Cheers! 💙🏴💙
It makes being in the van more comfortable and there is no stress about having to always be near a toilet!
@@ruthaisling 👍👍
Female solo camper(husband hates the woods and roughing it) here. Over here in the US we have a lot of what are usually called “fisherman’s cabins”. What they are is little wooden cabins with a bed and a table, chair, electric etc. These little cabins are usually quite cute and clean and within walking distance of the toilets, water and showers. I do have a little collapsable plastic “toilet” that uses biodegradable bags and dehydrating, deodorizing crystals. The one being shown in this video looks like an amazing one. I am definitely going to look into this.
The fisherman's cabins sound great, maybe similar to bothies we have here in Scotland but bothties are much more basic!
It certainly looks the business for your business! Also, I can see why people thought it was a cool box; it does have that look about it.
Especially the grey one!
I found the video informative as I’m starting my van adventures next year. Thanks Ruth love the channel.
Thank you!
Thanks for the honest and useful advice about a topic that's not exactly cocktail party material. I've lived out of a vehicle for an extended period but never in one so I've never had to deal with this issue. When I've gone camping the various facilities available have always been sufficient if often less than pleasant. But if I ever did live in a vehicle, based on this and many other videos, I'd go the composting route, but, being a DIYer (and cheap!), I'd probably go with one of the DIY solutions like a $5 5 gallon paint bucket with a liner, some sort of composting material and a seat that fits it properly. I've used such a bucket to sit on, upside down, while working on my car, and know that it can support a decent amount of weight. Plus the lid goes on pretty tight to keep any smells contained until you find a place to dispose of the waste. And it holds a lot more. Btw what's wrong with disposing of #1 on the side of the road or in a nearby forest, from an environmental point of view, apart from any laws that prohibit it? Is the human version worse than the animal one? Yeah, definitely not cocktail party material. 😅
I’m in the US also and building a Shantyboat. I’ve built my own composting toilet. Every time I see others that are traveling and successfully using these, reminds me that I made a good choice. Thanks n best, Jim
That's great Jim! I just googled Shantyboat and that looks awesome! 😍
Thanks, Ruth. Having a great time building . Can’t wait to get on water. 2.4 m X 7.3 m. Has head(bath room) with shower, galley n couch/bed. @@ruthaisling
@@jamesbeaman5944 So cool, do you plan to live in it full-time?
Yes, in summers. Lots of lakes and rivers to see!!
We have used many types of "litter" to use in our compost and have settled on the coco coir. One 18 lbs. brick lasts the two of us almost a year.
That's good to know, I'd like the try them next
Really good to know, thanks for sharing. I would lean towards those because of taking up less storage space until you need them… but on the other hand, then you need water to prepare it.
Great video. You stayed on topic, the sound was great and you gave a fantastic presentation!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for the amazing video! Very clear to understand, very simple, and I love the way you demonstrated how every part works. Keep up with the great video 👍💚
Thanks - glad it was helpful!
Very informative video. I agree that public toilets are few and far between. This also applies to Ireland where some local councils believe if they have public toilets they are not for use after 6pm
I did a road trip in Ireland a few years back and like you say, found so many of the toilets locked in the evenings! 😥
Which seems extremely unfair to people who might be visiting and helping the local economy.
@@g-r-a-e-m-e- Public toilets in Ireland closing at 6pm and often at the seafront closed all winter is also a problem for us local Irish who don't live under a curfew and do out out after 6pm 🥰
Save yourself a pile of money, just line a bucket with 2 bin liners, do your business and bin it. You can still add the fancy composting stuff if you feel it necessary.
@colingreer853 - With the bucket method, is it best to do both number 1 and 2 in the bucket or only the 2? Also, if mixed 1 & 2 does it create more smell?
@@IKARIANOFFICIAL My bucket is housed in a PVC box I built. The box lid is attached with velco and features an ordinary toilet seat positioned over a hole I cut into it. Liquid goes directly into the bucket and is emptied every 2-3 days. It usually doesn't smell, depending on your diet and state of health but if it does, a bit of vinegar will neutralize the odor. Urea is nitrogen rich and is beneficial for soil. I fit a plastic grocery bag over the toilet seat for the solids, then twist the bag up tight, knot it and send it off to the landfill as you would a diaper or doggie bag. I don't much like this solution and have recently invested in an ammo can to use as an incinerator. I plan to drill a hole in the top to vent the superheated gases and prevent explosions (while burning). I also took out the plastic gasket in the lid and will replace it with some fiberglass rope. The resulting biochar would be free of pathogens and useful in the garden ...if I forego the plastic bag. This is when I realized it might be best to drop the solids directly into the can onto a bed of saw dust. This solution doesn't groove with my utility bucket but it looks like the right size and shape to use with this camping toilet. I just can't see flushing three hundred dollars on what might otherwise be a perfect solution. Back to the drawing board!
As a boater with a separator toilet it is good to know suitable models are available for vans too.
Mornin Ruth thanks for the toilet review really appreciated and important if your living the van life 😘🌺🌸🌿☕️🚗
Another well thought out and information packed video. I like how you make the distinction between emergency use and a full time solution. The toilets mentioned are separating toilets, they are not composting. Composting is a process requiring many months, obviously this doesn't happen with daily use. It's interesting you prefer the simpler Trelino over the more complex and expensive Nature's head. I looked at them (nh) and wasn't at all impressed. I ended up with a Separret villa, yet to be used in anger, but it does require installing.
I'll have a look at the Separret, I haven't heard of it. The nature's head was quite a big job to install and required drilling a hole through the floor for the vent and needed 12v wiring. I prefer the more simple set up of the Trelino toilet!
A great video. Would never be without one. I've got a fairly old battery flushing Thetford which has beeb great so far but I'm very impressed with yours. I like the idea of no chemicals, water or smells (actually mine doesn't smell).
That's great to hear yours doesn't smell either, it's always a worry.
@@ruthaisling I thought it would but luckily it doesn't. Must be the chemicals I use. They're supposed to be the non harmful variety
I had an idea similar to this but there were some complicated parts I hadn't figured out the answer for (each element has to be compact, easy to use, good looking, cheap and reliable). I can't believe something this simple has sales. If this thing sells that's definitely proof that I was over thinking it.
Seriously considering a Trelino for my truck camper build, thanks to this video. Looks great!
Thanks for watching!
Adding a little hydrogen peroxide to the #1 tank also eliminates any odor.
When traveling by car or staying overnight, it is unavoidable to deal with emergency physiological phenomena. As Ruth explains, the "composting method" may be more reasonable for long-term transportation.
Thats a great toilet for van camping. Simple and convenient without extra fripperies. Nice that it has multi sizes. Hope they manage to make the US market soon. 👍👍
Your thoughtful and thorough review has shown me an option I was not familiar with. Thanks - well done!
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Ruth, well done you for tackling and making this simple video on a subject that can be embarrassing and awkward for some but it’s something we all need to do. Will you be doing a special video for Christmas or how “We” Scot like to celebrate Hogmanay ? Enjoy your week. 😊x
Thanks David. Not sure yet, but maybe!
That looks like a good camping toilet and I'm glad I saw this video. No moving or mechanical parts to fail and emptying could get any easier. And yes, no water required. Edit: Once I saw the $550 price tag on Amazon I have completely changed my opinion about this toilet 💩
Yes that's what I like about it too!
@@ruthaisling but once I saw $550 price on Amazon though, I don't see the value in it.
@@dwave81It is a complete ripoff as it cost only $30 to make.
what a joke@@dwave81
I'm an OTR truck driver. This is an excellent option to have when out on the road. Thx for sharing your knowledge. 💯
Thanks for watching!
Loved your review. Concise and to the point
Glad you liked it!
I convert vans for a living and have fitted a few (very expensive) composting / separating toilets. This one seems a lot simpler yet still a bit expensive for what is effectively a bucket and a bottle inside a box with a toilet seat😂😂...But I get it, low volume manufacture is not cheap. What bothers me most about separating toilets (lets be honest, no one composts their contents), is that basically you are pooping in a bag. Most people are going to do a few poops and then be merrily swinging a fairly large bag of poo on their way to a waste bin. These bins in many places are full to overflowing due to council issues and funding. But now you have a weeks worth of poo in a bag, you cant dump it in a toilet or elsan point which is designed for emptying of such waste. How many will just casually place it down next to the overflowing bin? What are the councils view of bags of human waste being left in bins?....I bet its somewhat different to the manufacturers of these toilets! So when lots more van owners switch to separating toilets, I can see this being a pretty big issue hung of the already growing list of things that make campers unpopular with the rest of the world. As with everything, it will be the irresponsible people that make it worse, but I personally dont see that it has a good long term outcome.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the potential downsides. I really like your vans by the way!
Hmmm, you are probably right about uses on the road, but this looks really useful for off grid living. I read “the Humanure Handbook” where he points out that we pollute and flush vast amounts of water instead of usefully composting our waste. When our power goes out, we no longer have running water…another reason for a good backup composting toilet. I thought the Trelino was expensive until I checked other prices - the Nature’s Head is more than 2x as much!
@@danbev8542 I agree. We have fitted 2 compost loos and they were both £1000+.....absolutely ridiculous. This one does sit at the sensible end of pricing.
You could carry a pointed shovel in the van & find a nice field corner to dig a -deep- hole & bury it !
@@veronicaroach3667 in theory you can....but every bit of land is owned by someone.....how would you feel if someone was digging a hole on your land for the purpose of burying their poo😉.
I'm surprised that odour's are not an issue. Both from #1's and #2's, urine can start to smell after a few hours. I'm guessing that the rubber duck billed thingy is helping with that. Currently working in Parks and Rec for a smallish city, all of our toilets are free and open 24 hours. Even with a dedicated cleaning crew who clean all the toilets every day, it only takes one inconsiderate person to ruin everybody's public toilet experience. I do like that fact that water is not needed, it means that the tank for #1's can be smaller. Overall, it sems to be a good solution for campers.
I use the toilet daily for number ones and with the use of vinegar there are no smells. That's great your toilets are open 24/7, wish it was the same everywhere!
I used to work at a large home improvement retailer and our restrooms would be used by the customers, employees and truck drivers delivering stock. Almost every day at least one stall was closed down due to "blowback" or "crime scenes" . I get folks are just barely making it to the bowl before dropping their trousers for a number 2 but to get it to almost head high on the rear and side walls takes quite a bit of practice. And at off hours it's management's job to clean that stuff up so maybe a disgruntled employee.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and expertise with portable camping toilets. This is what I’ve been looking for :) happy travels, 🇨🇦
Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Love the outside van colors/design. Great info vid
Thanks!
Thanks for the video. Simple design, but horribly expensive for what it is. At a price starting at £352 it is way over priced. Having said that, I am now inspired to design something similar, and who knows, make a very nice profit by marketing it at £100. Thanks for the idea.
Yeah that's what I thought! I was expecting maybe $150 or something. You could buy a computer for the price of these things.
HOW MUCH!!!! Wow! (I was all for spending a penny....but.....)
Looks like a cooler, don't get them mixed up.
😂
Very well done, on an uncomfortable-but-necessary subject. I agree with all of your points, but especially the self-contained outer container holding any possible spills. I never heard of these until your video but will be checking them out. 👍👏
Yes I like that about the toilet as I did experience an overflow with the Nature's Head
Oh! It's cool! 👍 I use a cassette toilet now, but will need try a composting toilet
Hi Ruth, as you say it doesn't look like a toilet, you could even use it as seat outside the van. And again, you said men are different from women, as a male lorry driver I got into the habit of stopping at junction 39 on the M6 southbound. It was a bit of a dark sky area, the services were only a mile further on. But, you couldn't pee in the services whilst looking at all the stars. Number two's were a different matter, they required a small shovel. 😂😂😂😂 , great video Ruth as always.
Yes it's quite sturdy so could be used as a seat. Thanks for sharing your experiences! 😂
I use wood pellets for my cats litterbox and they smell nice plus break down into a powder moist sawdust and it's super cheap. I bet it would work in this for both 1 and 2. I'm in Malaysia and the toilets are pretty good at petrol stations plus there are mosques with toilets all over. No need here but I will keep it in mind if I rent a camper van again.
Excellent video review! Very detailed, thorough and informative, I appreciated it. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
I understand that to safely compost human (solid) waste takes a Good 20+ days if you have a compost pile at 65 degrees Celsius, if you can only get the compost to around 40 deg it will take many months - the WHO says 6 months. Glad you said dispose of the solids as dog poo, I have seen many you tubers suggesting that a week in a composting toilet renders it safe - it doesn't.
All the ‘composting’ toilets don’t actually compost. They dry out the poop so it doesn’t smell.
It's a common sight in the highlands to see folk emptying their toilets in random places such as harbours, laybys etc. Council needs to provide disposal sites. Especially where they could be provided at low cost - such as Glencoe sewage works which is just off the A82.
That's so awful to hear people are disposing of their toilet waste like that. It would be great if there were more disposal sites like you say.
The Police caught one lot that were reported in Barra.
@@gordonmackenzie4512 Terrible - gives campervans such a bad reputation when the majority of us would never do a thing like that
Thank you very much Ruth. Fantastic video. Very well explained. Very pleasant nature and smile. Take care.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@ruthaisling It was a genuinely good, honest and simple presentation. Location also helped. I'm from India, so English countryside, especially Scotland & Ireland type locations aren't common here. Though India has its own charm.
Thank you for sharing! Very practical for any kind of camping.
Thanks for watching!
Trelinoトイレ良いですね👍車に簡単に収納できるし処理も簡単ですね、また地震や台風⚡🌀☔などの災害時に活躍しますよ、さっそく購入したいと思います、ルースさんありがとう😉👍️🎶気持ちでしがトイレ処理の堆肥やお酢の費用に使って下さいね😃
ご親切にありがとう。 おっしゃる通り、このトイレは災害用にも適しています!
Hello Ruth! I’m Dani and preparing to go full time in my rv! Your show has great vibes! Great explanation, of everything! I’ve been looking for toilet solution and you’ve got me loving the Trelino toilet! Haha 😅 So you don’t need to use the #2 lid between use? 😊
You can if you want as I guess it will help prevent any smells further. I empty mine quite often if I use it so haven’t really been using the lid.
Thank you for the excellent, honest review and instructions!
Glad it was helpful!
I have a bucket toilet in my car. I am done stressing out. It's come in handy for sure!
I have to say that at E300 euro ...I would be inclined instead to put together a homemade version of the same... it is just basically some plastic containers put together is it not. I'd probably use a large rigid cool box for the container . A large funnel into a similar shaped plastic petrol can for urine container. And a cheap waste bin from any store for the solids container..
Line of the day: "I like my Trelino toilet and I've been using it so much!" All kidding aside, it seems like a good design.
Thanks for watching! I'm really happy with the toilet 😂
Thank you! I saw some reviews on other camping toilets and didn't like them. I like what I see here and will probably get a small Trelino.
It's great that there is such a choice of toilets these days and we can find the one that suits our needs best
Excellent sounding product, thank you for a great review!
Thanks for watching!
Stay safe and get a good guard dog to look after you .there are some bad people everywhere my love,I wouldn't let my wife do what you do.great video.
No good living in fear and sitting on a couch until you die. Best to conquer your fear, be smart about what could happen, keep your wits about you and get out there and enjoy your life.
At £400 for the small one I would give it a miss, in reality it is a plastic box with a plastic box and a bottle inside 😮😮😮
The FO: the Thetford Cassette is around £70/£80 - I bought mine years ago at £65
Its not a composting toilet. It's a bucket and a pee bottle...
@@carlhescornish I completely agree, I do like the stealth look to it, the large one is around £850.00 for a larger bucket and larger bottles, it is nice but there is no justification in the price, it seems the price of plastic is beating the price of gold and silver 😂😂😂😂
Thank you for your excellent presentation! Happy trails!
Thanks!
This is awesome, thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences. Well done 👏 splendid amount of information easily understood 😊. Stay safe and well out there on your adventures 😀 👍 💜
Glad you enjoyed it!
Question: Is this really a "compost" toilet? I thought with a compost toilet that you mix it with composting materials (food scraps, etc.), let it sit for six months and then empty onto the earth in a garden (or somewhere like that)...???
Maybe separating is the better way to describe it 😀
I have a similar composting toilet (one with an agitator), and I was wondering why you prefer this one over the Nature’s Head. For me, the choice I made is because it seems annoying that the entire toilet needs to be removed to empty the Nature’s Head.
Great video, by the way! 😊
The Nature's Head is an amazing toilet solution too and more "composting" than this. I had it installed in a bus conversion I did in Japan and it was separate from the shower so I didn't need to remove it each time. The reasons I prefer this toilet to the Nature's Head for this van in Scotland: 1. It's small and compact, the Nature's Head is way too big for this small van 2. No wiring needed - with the Nature's head I had to attach a 12v fan 3. No DIY - for the Nature's Head I had to drill a hole in the floor 4. The price of this is more affordable than the Nature's Head which was over $1000 last time I checked 5. Heavy and cumbersome to empty. I found I needed two people to lift it to empty the number 2 section and then I had to be near a water source to wash it out.
@@ruthaisling thanks for such a comprehensive reply!
This is a great informative report and valuable review of a very necessary product for so many. I appreciate you taking the time, sharing your hands on experience, and your travels as well. THANK YOU!
Glad it was helpful!
I learned from another video and have had great success using pelletized bedding from Tractor Supply. It's cheap at about $6 for a 25 lb. bag and it works like a charm, and even though I am quite happy with my Reliance Hassock camp toilet, I wish I has seen this video in the spring when I bought it as I do like the separation of wastes. Thanks for the video, nice work. Considering returning to Scotland for a visit as my mother grew up there and I haven't been back in over 50 years so I will certainly keep an eye on your vids.
Thanks Drew!
The sooner humans wake up to not crapping in their clean water supply ,well enough said,
Wow That seems a really convoluted system. I’d much rather stick with my Thetford cassette toilet . Add the green fluid , that’s it job done . The thought of doing a no2 into a poly bag gives me the absolute boak ! Edit : I’ve just checked the price , the medium sized o e is £400 ! For a box with a liquid canister and an old ice cream container for defacating in !😂 They are having a laugh .
I've seen a video of a vanlifer in the US who made one just like that herself. The commercially made toilets for vans and RVs are very expensive maybe due to small manifacturing and sales volumes. With some DIY one can save a lot of money.
On the other hand, the principle is so simple that anyone could construct one from odds and ends found around the house and garage or salvaged, probably for no cost except the compostable bags and absorbent material. An old ice chest, old toilet seat, couple pvc pieces, discarded liquid laundry detergent bottle, and Bob's yer uncle.
Agreed! Also, thetfords don't smell at all if emptied regularly. Can't see how a turd in a bucket doesn't smell?
@@dragon4r4that’s the purpose of adding bark or kitty litter.
@@dragon4r4 Ruth explained that it doesn't.
Thanks for this great video! It answered all of my questions.
Glad it was helpful!
For safety to it is a good idea. Also it has no real moving parts to break thank you for sharing it.