In all my early cruises, back in the 1980s and before I had boats big enough to carry a portable head, I did my business on shore in cat holes dug and buried in out-of-the way places. While that was still accepted practice then, river runners, to preserve the places that saw lots of use and abuse, had already begun packing-out all waste. I got with the program for the last sea kayaking cruise I took, along the Gulf coast of Florida where the islands were small, sandy, and easily spoiled. I carried newspaper to catch and wrap waste and stowed it in a cylinder I’d made of plastic drainpipe with a watertight screw-on lid. It was the right thing to do but by no means pleasant.With my latest larger cruising boats, I’ve become accustomed to the comfort and convenience of portable heads, but they’re too big to carry aboard my canoes and small rowing boats. I’d still like to cruise in those smaller boats, but I won’t revert to cat holes, and I’d much rather sit than squat. The collapsed toilet fits in a zippered bag that ensures it stays closed when it not in use. The roll of 10 liner bags fits in the toilet when it's collapsed.
photographs by the author
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What brand of waste bag is truly odor proof?
This looks like a really excellent product. I would carry a separate sealable container for the bags. People cruising the Maine Island Trail should be aware that it is strictly Leave No Trace, including human waste.