EUROHIKE TOILET TENT
PRODUCT REVIEW
Simple. Effective. A peaceful place to poo.
NB: At time of writing, these are currently unavailable - however alternatives are available from highgear and outdoor revolution for a similar price.
As with most smaller campervans, we don’t have a toilet in our van. This isn’t so much of an issue if you are planning on using campsites that have facilities, or if you fancy some wild camping and don’t mind digging a hole and… well… you know. However, if you are fussy about this and want your own privacy, we recommend investing in a portable toilet and good toilet tent.
Previously we had a pop-up shower tent. They are great as there is no assembly required, you take it out the bag, let it go and boom, it’s up. Pop a few pegs in and you're off. However, there are some serious downsides, such as the structure being quite flimsy so it leans a lot in the wind, the material is generally thin and tears easily and they can be a sod to get back in the bag. After our third pop up in as many years, we decided to upgrade to a Poled tent and took a punt on the Eurohike toilet tent, and it’s great.
The tent comes with two tent poles, 8 pegs, two shelves and the tent canvas that has inbuilt guy ropes. It’s pretty self-explanatory on how to put up, but there are some instructions that come with the bag. Instead of having to thread the poles through a sleeve like with an ordinary tent, you simply pop the poles into the locking pins, bend them into position and clip the outer tent to the poles. There is a full size door, so no struggling to get in and out and this can be rolled up and toggled in place to keep it open if required.
Inside there are two vents with inbuilt fly nets, this helps to keep the shelter cool in the summer, prevent condensation build-up and keep the inside smelling fresh… which is essential if used as a toilet tent. There are two shelves provided that clip on the inside. They are not big by all means, but enough to store loo roll, anti-bac gel and other small items. You’ll also find a clip on the roof to attach a light, though we would not recommend having the light on at night whilst changing or using the loo - unless you want to give the rest of the campsite a little silhouette show!
The size is great, boasting a 1.3msq floor space and 2.1m in height, there is ample room to store a toilet, have a shower and change your clothes. We often use this as a store if we are jumping from camp to camp rather than setting up the larger awning. We can easily store all our chairs, luggage, water containers and other random tat that we take with us - all while still having room to sit down and use the loo!
It also packs down to a reasonable size bag, measuring in at 12x55cm, perfect to slip in the boot, under the bed or wardrobe without taking up too much space while traveling. It’s incredibly sturdy being a poled unit, especially while using the guy ropes. It’s also waterproof and fire retardant, though, as with any tent, we would not recommend using any sort of naked flame inside.
Personally, the only downside with this is the pegs that come with it. They are fine for soft ground, but if you are on a gravelled site - I would recommend investing in some heavy duty pegs that are much less likely to bend. We have a set from Aldi that cost us around £12 that came with a carry case and peg puller and they are brilliant.
If you're new to camping and portable toilets make you feel a little nervous - we have a post here with tips and tricks on emptying and keeping it smelling fresh!
