As we all know, “doing your business” when living in a van is one of the larger personal concerns that people wonder about when just starting out. We have written about budget camping toilets in the past, but just came across these InstaPrivy commodes and thought we should spread the word. We’ve squatted in the woods on more makeshift structures than we’d care to admit, so this item was immediately interesting.
One of us had the privilege of meeting Paul (the creator of InstaPrivy) the other night, and testing out this sturdy little bathroom setup– well, pretended anyway. Paul was there promoting it’s light weight, rapid setup, and currently-running Kickstarter campaign.
You can see how the whole system works in the product video below:
The InstaPrivy System
Unlike some other collapsable camping toilets, the base (seat) of the InstaPrivy system was not flimsy in the slightest, which is a noted complaint of some other models on the market. If you choose to use a waste bag, the edges secure firmly under the seat in designed channels to hold it tight. It’s also very compact when fully folded, unlike some DIY bucket solutions.
On-the-go Privacy
The distinguishing feature of the InstaPrivy system is the privacy tent. A sturdy seat is great, but when you need to go, you don’t want to be seated and exposed on the side of the road as other cars whiz by. The tent is simple to unfold and is supported by your head, like a big hat or mosquito net (basically). It has compartments for toilet paper, etc. and has a narrow mesh slit around the circumference of the tent to see your surroundings as you take care of business.
Paul informed me that the whole system weighs just 6lbs, which is far lighter than some of the other cassete toilets for RVs or campers. The Instaprivy is definitely more on the “camping” end of the spectrum, but if you and your van are more often in outdoorsy areas, this is a super compact little package that is constructed to last years.
The InstaPrivy Kickstarter campaign is currently running (Aug ’18), during which you can grab yours for a discounted rate. You can also just pick up either the folding seat or the privacy tent, depending on your needs.