By VanagonRon
I’ve lived on and off in my Vanagon for a few years now and although others may view
this as a life of hardship and discomfort, I disagree. One advantage I have is that I’
ve done a lot of climbing, backpacking and camping here in my home state of Colorado
– even on skis in the middle of winter! Van-living is a lot like backpacking – you have
limited space and have to minimize the amount of “stuff” you carry with you. But, like
backpacking, it can open up a world of possibilities and experiences beyond the
ordinary.
One of the challenges in winter camping is using the restroom – no one wants to get
out of a warm sleeping bag, let alone the tent, when it’s -10degF and there’s gale
force winds outside. To solve this dilemma, high altitude mountaineers climbing Mt.
Everest and winter campers alike use a pee bottle.
The Pee Bottle
First and foremost, the pee bottle must be leakproof and unbreakable for obvious
reasons! For all my adventures, I’ve used a 1 liter, wide-mouth Lexan bottle made by
Nalgene. They come in a variety of colors - I’ve settled on the dark yellow one for my
pee bottle so I don’t mistake it for my drinking water bottle. Similar, less expensive
brands can be found in the sporting goods department at WalMart or Target, or
experiment with plastic food product containers with tight fitting lids and enough
volume.
Spill Proof - One fear I have in van or tent is fumbling and spilling the pee bottle
before I have the lid screwed on all the way. To safeguard this, I made a wrist loop
out of a piece of 1inch wide nylon webbing which I duct taped to the bottle (see
photo). The wrist loop is loose enough to slip easily on and off and to hold the bottle
with that hand, but tight enough that the bottle won’t fall if I loose my grip. Slip the
loop over one hand, unscrew the lid, and away you go; just be sure to screw the lid on
tightly before slipping out of the wrist loop. A piece of cord would work just as well
as the nylon webbing – just get the loop the right size.
I keep two pee bottles in the van just in case I forget to empty one during the day –
and on long, cold nights sometimes one liter just isn’t enough!
Stealth Emptying - Here in Colorado, and I think lots of other parts of the country,
it’s quite common to see folks walking around carrying a water bottle for hydration,
so when I carry mine no one ever suspects its is full of pee! I usually just pour it out
near a tree or shrub near my parking spot when no one’s around, or carry it into work
and pour it out in the toilet of an empty bathroom. The latter gives me a chance to
rinse it out in the sink too. In freezing temperatures, bringing the bottle indoors and
letting it thaw first may be the only way to empty it.
Ladies - Some of my female climbing friends use a special funnel called the Lady J,
designed for women climbers and mountaineers (and long haul truckers, I’ve heard),
just for this purpose (see link below). I don’t have any experience using this product,
but I know climbing partners who have used them on many high peaks and crack jokes
about finally being able to pee standing up like a guy! Try a search on the subject.
Beyond Pee Bottles: Pooping
Ever see magazine articles about climbers on massive granite faces in Yosemite
Valley, California, who take 5 days to do a climb and sleep on a little portable
hammock looking thing? Guess what, they have to do “number two” up there, and they
don’t just go over the edge because there are often other groups of climbers
hundreds of feet below on the same route – rain is bad enough!!
I’ve adapted a system for my van similar to what these climbers do. But I have to say,
it’s not my first choice to “go” in the van – I prefer real restroom's at work, the
library, YMCA – so this is really my “emergency” plan, but it works quite well.
In my van I keep a small bucket which I line with two, four gallon-size garbage bags.
Two bags, in case one leaks. I’ve made an elastic loop out of stretchy 1/8” diameter
shock cord which circles the rim of the bucket to hold the folded over bag tops in
place. This keeps them from slipping back down inside the bucket. When I’m done, I
simply knot each bag and dispose of them in a public trash container when convenient.
I always keep a roll of toilet paper and extra bags stored in the bucket so the
system is ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Hand Washing
I don’t have running water in my van. Instead, I have both Wet-Wipes and sanitizing
gel to “wash” my hands with. This is quite hygienic.
Conclusion
Van-living has its challenges, sure, but it seems there’s always a reasonable solution.
Is this really less comfortable and convenient than traditional apartment or house
life? Well, one big advantage we have is that we never have to clean a bathroom like
they do!
Links and Photos
Lady J
http://www.campmor.com/
Nalgene Bottles
http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/
Editors note: 5 Gallon Bucket
Many van dwellers keep a 5 gallon bucket in their vans because it has so many uses:
Of course you can't do all these things at once. But you can get more than one bucket
and nest them inside each other, that way they don't take up any more room.
this as a life of hardship and discomfort, I disagree. One advantage I have is that I’
ve done a lot of climbing, backpacking and camping here in my home state of Colorado
– even on skis in the middle of winter! Van-living is a lot like backpacking – you have
limited space and have to minimize the amount of “stuff” you carry with you. But, like
backpacking, it can open up a world of possibilities and experiences beyond the
ordinary.
One of the challenges in winter camping is using the restroom – no one wants to get
out of a warm sleeping bag, let alone the tent, when it’s -10degF and there’s gale
force winds outside. To solve this dilemma, high altitude mountaineers climbing Mt.
Everest and winter campers alike use a pee bottle.
The Pee Bottle
First and foremost, the pee bottle must be leakproof and unbreakable for obvious
reasons! For all my adventures, I’ve used a 1 liter, wide-mouth Lexan bottle made by
Nalgene. They come in a variety of colors - I’ve settled on the dark yellow one for my
pee bottle so I don’t mistake it for my drinking water bottle. Similar, less expensive
brands can be found in the sporting goods department at WalMart or Target, or
experiment with plastic food product containers with tight fitting lids and enough
volume.
Spill Proof - One fear I have in van or tent is fumbling and spilling the pee bottle
before I have the lid screwed on all the way. To safeguard this, I made a wrist loop
out of a piece of 1inch wide nylon webbing which I duct taped to the bottle (see
photo). The wrist loop is loose enough to slip easily on and off and to hold the bottle
with that hand, but tight enough that the bottle won’t fall if I loose my grip. Slip the
loop over one hand, unscrew the lid, and away you go; just be sure to screw the lid on
tightly before slipping out of the wrist loop. A piece of cord would work just as well
as the nylon webbing – just get the loop the right size.
I keep two pee bottles in the van just in case I forget to empty one during the day –
and on long, cold nights sometimes one liter just isn’t enough!
Stealth Emptying - Here in Colorado, and I think lots of other parts of the country,
it’s quite common to see folks walking around carrying a water bottle for hydration,
so when I carry mine no one ever suspects its is full of pee! I usually just pour it out
near a tree or shrub near my parking spot when no one’s around, or carry it into work
and pour it out in the toilet of an empty bathroom. The latter gives me a chance to
rinse it out in the sink too. In freezing temperatures, bringing the bottle indoors and
letting it thaw first may be the only way to empty it.
Ladies - Some of my female climbing friends use a special funnel called the Lady J,
designed for women climbers and mountaineers (and long haul truckers, I’ve heard),
just for this purpose (see link below). I don’t have any experience using this product,
but I know climbing partners who have used them on many high peaks and crack jokes
about finally being able to pee standing up like a guy! Try a search on the subject.
Beyond Pee Bottles: Pooping
Ever see magazine articles about climbers on massive granite faces in Yosemite
Valley, California, who take 5 days to do a climb and sleep on a little portable
hammock looking thing? Guess what, they have to do “number two” up there, and they
don’t just go over the edge because there are often other groups of climbers
hundreds of feet below on the same route – rain is bad enough!!
I’ve adapted a system for my van similar to what these climbers do. But I have to say,
it’s not my first choice to “go” in the van – I prefer real restroom's at work, the
library, YMCA – so this is really my “emergency” plan, but it works quite well.
In my van I keep a small bucket which I line with two, four gallon-size garbage bags.
Two bags, in case one leaks. I’ve made an elastic loop out of stretchy 1/8” diameter
shock cord which circles the rim of the bucket to hold the folded over bag tops in
place. This keeps them from slipping back down inside the bucket. When I’m done, I
simply knot each bag and dispose of them in a public trash container when convenient.
I always keep a roll of toilet paper and extra bags stored in the bucket so the
system is ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Hand Washing
I don’t have running water in my van. Instead, I have both Wet-Wipes and sanitizing
gel to “wash” my hands with. This is quite hygienic.
Conclusion
Van-living has its challenges, sure, but it seems there’s always a reasonable solution.
Is this really less comfortable and convenient than traditional apartment or house
life? Well, one big advantage we have is that we never have to clean a bathroom like
they do!
Links and Photos
Lady J
http://www.campmor.com/
Nalgene Bottles
http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/
Editors note: 5 Gallon Bucket
Many van dwellers keep a 5 gallon bucket in their vans because it has so many uses:
- Trash can:
- Vomit Bucket:
- Seat: Just turn it over.
- Pooping in (as described above): You can buy a toilet seat designed to snap on 5
gallon buckets to make it more comfortable. One brand is Luggable Loo. Cabelas
carries them or do a Google search. - Doing your Laundry: Buy something called a Gamma lid which makes closing and
opening the bucket very easy (again, do a Google search). Put your clothes in,
cover them with water, add a small amount of laundry soap, close the Gamma Lid
and let them soak. While they are soaking just reach over and tip the bucket
back and forth vigorously. Let them soak longer. If you want, you can get a
clean toilet plunger and use it to agitate them so more. Dump the water, fill with
clean water to rinse and repeat until there is no soap. Wring out and let them
dry. This will get your clothes clean, but may not be worth the time involved for
the little savings. - Tool Box: You can buy a special canvas insert which turns a bucket into a great
tool carry-all. - Wash Your Dishes In:
- Wash Your Hair In.
Of course you can't do all these things at once. But you can get more than one bucket
and nest them inside each other, that way they don't take up any more room.
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Going To The Bathroom In Your Stealth Vehicle Home
