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’e 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.
view this as a life of hardship and discomfort, I disagree. One advantage I have
is that I’e 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
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