Best Backpacking Toilet for Trail Weight and Pack Size

The best backpacking toilet for most trips is the LuckyNov Portable Toilet with Urine Gel & Leak-Proof Bags, a 4.8 lb folding seat that comes with 12 waste bags and 12 urine gel packs in one kit. If you count ounces on a real thru-hike, switch to the 1.5 lb Carry Anywhere Commode, which folds to 12 x 10 x 10 in and skips the tank in favour of biodegradable pack-out bags. Get the wrong pick and you either carry a brick you barely use, or you're squatting behind a rock with a leaking bag on day two.

Best backpacking toilet at a glance

How I cut the shortlist from forty listings to six

Before I picked winners, I threw a lot of listings out. Three filters did most of the work.

First, I cut anything that couldn't function on a trail. A bucket toilet weighing over 10 lb is a car-camping product, not a backpacking toilet, no matter what the listing says. That removed a lot of chemical-tank models.

Second, I cut listings with contradictory or missing weight data. If a product page doesn't publish a shipping weight and doesn't list a specification weight, there's no way to know if it belongs in a pack. That took out several folding models.

Third, I cut single-use items with no clear disposal story. A wipe that isn't biodegradable is a leave-no-trace violation waiting to happen.

What survived falls into three families:

1. Sit-on systems, meaning the LuckyNov kit and the Carry Anywhere Commode.
2. Cathole kits, meaning the AR Adventure Ready kit and the PLACHIDAY trowel.
3. Hygiene consumables, meaning the UNKENBO compressed towels and the Coghlan's tissue.

You need at least one product from family 1 or family 2. Family 3 is what you pair with either.

What actually decides a backpacking toilet

Most guides for the best backpacking toilet compare seat height, tank volume, or brand reputation. Those matter for RV toilets. On a trail, three things actually decide it.

Carried weight. Nothing else comes close. The spread in this set is huge: 1.6 oz for the PLACHIDAY trowel, 4.8 lb for the LuckyNov kit. That's a 48-fold difference. If your pack base weight is already 25 lb, adding a 4.8 lb toilet is a 19% jump. Adding a 1.6 oz trowel is 0.4%.

Pack-out policy on your route. Some wilderness areas, alpine zones, canyon systems, and popular high-use sites require you to pack out solid waste. A trowel is illegal there. You need a bag system. Everywhere else, a cathole at 6 to 8 in deep is the standard, and a trowel is enough.

How long you're out. For one night, a trowel plus paper wins. For a family weekend at a walk-in site, a real seat pays for itself the first morning. The LuckyNov kit's 12 waste bags aren't overkill if six people use it for two days.

A backpacking toilet is a fit-for-trip decision, not a best-in-class decision. That's why this list has both a 4.8 lb kit and a 1.6 oz trowel, and both are correct for someone.

1. LuckyNov Portable Toilet with Urine Gel & Leak-Proof Bags — Best overall

The most complete kit in the set, with a real seat and everything you need for a family weekend in one box.

Best for: car-accessed base camps and family trips where comfort beats grams Skip it if: you count ounces on a solo thru-hike

The LuckyNov kit is the only sit-on system here that arrives ready to use. In one package: the folding toilet, 12 waste bags, 12 urine gel packs, a phone tray, a TP holder, and a carry bag. At 4.8 lb it is by a wide margin the heaviest thing on this list, and at 15 x 14 x 12 in it takes real pack real estate. That is the trade you make for a seat you can sit on properly.

The brand says the ABS frame supports up to 450 lb, roughly double the 250 lb rating on the Carry Anywhere Commode, which matters if you have larger adults in the group. The listing also claims it folds down to 13 x 15.35 x 2.67 in for transport, which is flat enough to slide behind a car seat or against the back panel of a large pack.

Against the rest of the set, this is the pick that treats a backpacking toilet as a group asset for a static site, not a personal item for a moving trip.

Pros:

• Complete kit with 12 waste bags and 12 gel packs included
• Manufacturer-stated 450 lb capacity, highest in this set
• Stay-up lid and ergonomic seat listed
• Phone tray and TP holder built in
• Folds flat at a claimed 2.67 in

Cons:

• The heaviest pick here at 4.8 lb
• 15 x 14 x 12 in set-up footprint is too large for a small tent vestibule
• Overkill for solo trips

2. Carry Anywhere Commode — Best premium

The lightest sit-on toilet in the set, and the only real seat you'd carry on foot for miles.

Best for: backpackers who want a real seat under 2 lb Skip it if: you already carry a trowel and can dig

The Carry Anywhere Commode is the answer to a specific question: can you have a seat in the backcountry without carrying a brick? At 1.5 lb, this is 3.3 lb lighter than the LuckyNov, which is the difference between a toilet you begrudge and one you forget is there. The published dimensions are 12 x 10 x 10 in, so it's still bulky, but the aluminum-and-nylon build brings the weight down where the ABS models can't.

The brand rates the frame to 250 lb or 113 kg, which is lower than the LuckyNov's claim and worth checking against your heaviest group member. The waste bags are made from a biodegradable corn-starch material per the listing, and the kit includes cotton wipes and a liquid absorbent, so it's a pack-out-ready system rather than a bare seat.

It's the most expensive pick here. That's the trade. You pay a premium price for the only sub-2 lb sit-on toilet in this list, and for a one-year manufacturer warranty that most competitors don't publish.

Pros:

• 1.5 lb, lightest sit-on system in the set
• Only pick here with a published 1-year warranty
• Corn-starch waste bags per the listing
• Aluminum frame with 250 lb stated capacity
• Sets up in seconds per the brand

Cons:

• The most expensive pick here for what is still a folding seat
• 250 lb capacity below the LuckyNov's 450 lb claim
• Only one seller lists it, so availability is thin

3. AR Adventure Ready All-in-One Trowel Toilet Kit — Runner-up

A cathole kit with everything a first-time backpacker would forget, packaged in one 0.88 lb bag.

Best for: leave-no-trace hikers who want the whole kit in one bag Skip it if: you prefer to assemble your own system

At 0.88 lb the AR kit sits between the trowel-only and the sit-on picks. It bundles a forged aluminum trowel with a serrated edge, 2-ply toilet paper on a hangable spool, pack-out baggies, and what the brand calls a Clean Capsule, which turns into soap flakes and towelettes with water. It's the closest thing in this set to a fully-thought-through personal hygiene system.

The trowel is the piece that earns its keep. A serrated aluminum edge cuts through root mats that a plastic trowel can't handle, which matters in Eastern hardwood forests and any campsite that's seen use. The included 2-ply paper on a spool addresses the one thing every ultralight kit skimps on.

Against the PLACHIDAY trowel it's nine times heavier, and against the Carry Anywhere Commode it doesn't give you a seat. The trade-off it makes is committing to one specific workflow, cathole plus wipe plus pack-out, when some hikers prefer to build their own kit from separate parts.

Pros:

• Full four-piece kit at 0.88 lb
• Forged aluminum trowel with serrated edge per the listing
• 2-ply paper on a hangable spool
• Clean Capsule for a rinse-clean per the brand
• Compact for the range of items included

Cons:

• No warranty stated beyond contacting the manufacturer
• Premium price for what's ultimately a trowel and consumables
• Only one seller lists it

4. UNKENBO 100 PCS Compressed Towel Tablets — Best for beginners

One hundred compressed cotton towels for under 2 oz, the easiest hygiene upgrade a new backpacker can make.

Best for: first-time backpackers unsure what wipes to bring Skip it if: you need actual toilet paper on a roll

The UNKENBO tablets are the odd item here, because they're not a toilet. They are a paired-item, meaning you carry them with a trowel or a sit-on system, not instead of one. What they do is give a new backpacker a familiar handwipe experience without the mass of wet wipes.

At 1.98 oz for 100 units, the ratio is unusual: you get 100 disposable towels for less pack weight than a single dry pair of socks. The brand describes them as 100% cotton, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free, and says the cotton fibres begin decomposing in four weeks under proper composting conditions. That's a claim, not a field guarantee, and it doesn't authorise leaving them behind: you still pack out.

Waterproof cases come included, which is the detail that makes them work in practice. Compressed cotton is useless if it's already damp from rain in your pack. Against the Coghlan's tissue, these are two-and-a-half times heavier per gram of pack space but ten times more versatile, since one tablet cleans hands, face, or cookware.

Pros:

• 100 units at only 1.98 oz total
• Waterproof case included per the listing
• Fragrance-free 100% cotton per the brand
• Doubles as a handwipe and face towel
• Biodegradable claim from the manufacturer

Cons:

• Needs water to activate, so useless in a dry camp with no melt water
• Not toilet paper, so must be paired with something else
• Single-use, so 100 goes fast with a group

5. PLACHIDAY 3-in-1 Ultralight Backpacking Trowel — Best for small spaces

A 1.6 oz aluminum trowel that disappears in a hip-belt pocket.

Best for: ultralight hikers where every ounce and inch counts Skip it if: the ground is rocky or frozen

At 1.6 oz this is the lightest item in the entire set, and it does the one thing a cathole workflow actually requires: dig a hole 6 to 8 in deep. The brand calls it a 3-in-1 tool with an ergonomic non-slip handle, and positions it explicitly for UL ultralight hikers.

The trade-off against the AR Adventure Ready kit is that this is just the trowel. No paper, no wipes, no bags, no case. You're building your own system, which is exactly what most ultralight hikers want. Pair it with the Coghlan's tissue and the UNKENBO tablets and you have a complete personal setup that weighs less than 4 oz.

Where it loses is on hard ground. A short aluminum trowel can't get through frozen soil, dense root mats, or gravel. The AR kit's forged trowel with a serrated edge cuts better in tough substrate, at nine times the weight. In alpine or desert conditions where digging isn't realistic anyway, you should already be carrying pack-out bags and this trowel is the wrong tool.

Pros:

• 1.6 oz total weight, lightest pick here
• Aluminum construction, per the listing
• Ergonomic non-slip handle
• Fits in a hip-belt pocket
• Second-cheapest pick in this set

Cons:

• Just a trowel, no paper, wipes or bags
• Short aluminum trowels struggle in root-mat or rocky ground
• No warranty listed

6. Coghlan's Portable Toilet Tissue — Best budget pick

Two coreless biodegradable rolls at 1.44 oz, the simplest paper solution on this list.

Best for: anyone who just needs biodegradable paper in the pack Skip it if: you want a full waste system

Coghlan's has been making this exact product since 1991 per the listing, and it's the cheapest pick in this set for a reason: it does one small thing well. Two coreless rolls, 150 single-ply sheets each, individually wrapped, biodegradable. That's the entire pitch.

At 1.44 oz for the pair, it packs flatter than a boxed granola bar. The coreless design is the small detail that matters, because a cardboard tube is dead weight and dead volume in a pack. Wrapped rolls stay dry until you open them, which is more than can be said for a household roll shoved in a stuff sack.

It's not a backpacking toilet on its own. It's the paper that goes with the trowel, or with the sit-on kit if you use fewer than 12 sheets per day. Against the UNKENBO tablets, it's cheaper and more familiar in the moment, but less versatile. The trade-off this pick makes is being the most basic thing in the list. That's also why it's here.

Pros:

• Cheapest pick in the set
• 150 single-ply sheets per roll, two rolls per pack
• Coreless design saves pack volume
• Individually wrapped for damp packs
• Biodegradable per the listing

Cons:

• Paper only, not a toilet in any sense
• Single-ply feels thin to some users
• Two rolls goes fast with a group

How much does a real backpacking toilet weigh?

How much a real backpacking toilet weighs depends entirely on whether it has a seat. This set gives you the honest range.

• 1.6 oz – PLACHIDAY trowel, dig-only
• 1.44 oz – Coghlan's tissue, paper-only
• 1.98 oz – UNKENBO 100-pack towel tablets, wipe-only
• 0.88 lb – AR Adventure Ready kit, trowel plus consumables
• 1.5 lb – Carry Anywhere Commode, sit-on frame
• 4.8 lb – LuckyNov kit, sit-on plus everything

A workable personal cathole system, meaning trowel plus paper plus wipes, comes in around 5 oz total. Adding a sit-on frame is where the numbers jump, from 5 oz to 1.5 lb minimum, and up to 4.8 lb if you want the full kit with a phone tray. That's the real decision: whether the comfort of a seat is worth roughly triple to nine times the base weight.

If you've never done a cathole and the idea intimidates you, the honest answer is that 5 oz on your hip belt beats 4.8 lb on your shoulders unless you have a car nearby or a strong reason.

Which pick suits which trip?

The best backpacking toilet for you depends on the trip on the calendar right now. Use this as a decision tree.

1. Solo overnight, established campsite, ground is dig-able. PLACHIDAY trowel plus Coghlan's tissue. Roughly 3 oz total.
2. Solo overnight, alpine or high-use zone requiring pack-out. Carry Anywhere Commode with the corn-starch bags. 1.5 lb, and legal where digging isn't.
3. Family weekend at a car-accessed base camp. LuckyNov kit. Weight doesn't matter, comfort does, and 12 bags plus 12 gel packs cover six people for two days.
4. First backpacking trip, unsure what you'll need. AR Adventure Ready kit plus UNKENBO tablets. Everything's in one bag, nothing to forget.
5. Ultralight thru-hike, weight-obsessed setup. PLACHIDAY trowel plus Coghlan's tissue, and pack out used paper in a zip-lock.

If you're between two of these, pick the lighter option. Overweight backpacking toilet kits get left in the car more often than they get used.

What the listings do not tell you about pack-out rules

The best backpacking toilet listings don't mention that you can't use half of them everywhere. Land agencies are the deciding voice, not the product page.

High-alpine zones, popular canyon corridors, some desert wilderness areas, and most glacier routes require you to pack out solid waste, meaning trowels are the wrong tool regardless of how well they dig. In those places, a bag system, which the LuckyNov and Carry Anywhere Commode both provide, is what keeps you legal.

Most standard forest, prairie, and lower-elevation wilderness allows a cathole 6 to 8 in deep, 200 ft from water, trail, and camp. The PLACHIDAY trowel and the AR trowel kit are designed for exactly that.

Wipes, even the biodegradable ones, are almost never allowed in a cathole. The UNKENBO tablets and the AR kit's towelettes both need to come out in a bag with you. That's not on the product page, but it's on every leave-no-trace guide from every land agency. Assume pack-out for anything wiped.

The verdict

The best backpacking toilet for most trips is the LuckyNov Portable Toilet with Urine Gel & Leak-Proof Bags. At 4.8 lb it is heavy for a solo hike, but at a car-accessed base camp or a walk-in family site, the trade-off tips: you get a real seat, a 450 lb capacity claim, 12 bags, 12 gel packs, a phone tray and a TP holder in one box, and the whole thing folds flat.

Two conditions flip that choice. If you're carrying it on your back for more than a mile, the Carry Anywhere Commode is the better buy: 3.3 lb lighter than the LuckyNov, still a real seat, and the only pick here with a published one-year warranty. If you're solo and comfortable digging, the PLACHIDAY 3-in-1 trowel paired with Coghlan's tissue does the entire job for under 4 oz combined. That's the ultralight answer, and it's the right answer more often than most first-time buyers expect.

The AR Adventure Ready kit is the pick for anyone who wants leave-no-trace done for them, and the UNKENBO tablets are the paired hygiene item any of these systems benefit from.

FAQ

Is a backpacking toilet worth it for weekend trips?

A backpacking toilet is worth it on weekend trips only if you're at a fixed base camp or hiking with kids. For a solo weekend, a 1.6 oz trowel and 1.44 oz of biodegradable tissue weigh less than a granola bar and do the job. For a group weekend at a walk-in site, a 4.8 lb sit-on kit like the LuckyNov earns its weight by breakfast on day one.

How does the LuckyNov compare to the Carry Anywhere Commode?

The LuckyNov compares to the Carry Anywhere Commode as a car-friendly kit versus a trail-friendly seat. LuckyNov is 4.8 lb with a 450 lb stated capacity and includes 12 waste bags and 12 gel packs. The Carry Anywhere Commode is 1.5 lb with a 250 lb stated capacity and uses corn-starch bags. Choose LuckyNov if a car is close. Choose the Commode if it's going on your back.

What weight capacity do backpacking toilets support?

The weight capacity backpacking toilets support varies more than you'd expect. In this set, the LuckyNov lists a 450 lb rating on its ABS frame, roughly double the Carry Anywhere Commode's 250 lb aluminum-and-nylon rating. The trowel and consumable picks have no seat and no capacity limit. If your heaviest user is over 200 lb, verify the manufacturer's rating before buying a folding seat.

Can I use a trowel toilet system above tree line?

Using a trowel toilet system above tree line is usually not allowed. Thin alpine soil doesn't decompose waste at a useful rate, and many high-use zones require pack-out regardless of how well you dig. Above tree line, use a bag system like the Carry Anywhere Commode or the LuckyNov kit, and carry the sealed bag out with you. The PLACHIDAY trowel isn't the right tool for that terrain.

What's the biggest mistake first-time buyers make?

The biggest mistake first-time buyers make is buying too much toilet for the trip. A 4.8 lb sit-on kit on a solo overnight is a brick you'll leave in the car next time. Start with a 1.6 oz trowel, a 1.44 oz tissue pack, and a case of compressed towel tablets. Upgrade to a folding seat only when you have a specific trip, like a family base camp, that justifies the weight.

Once you know which of the six trip profiles above matches your next weekend, the pick almost chooses itself. The LuckyNov is the default when weight doesn't matter and comfort does, which is more trips than most ultralight guides admit. For everything else, the pattern holds: match the toilet to the terrain and the group size, not to the review that impressed you most on a screen. Pair a sit-on system with the UNKENBO tablets, or a trowel with the Coghlan's tissue, and you've built a workable personal setup for under any pack budget. That's the real answer to a category the internet overcomplicates.

Last updated: September 7, 2026. Product availability re-checked.

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.