Essentials For Making A Backpacking Poop Kit

When you out in the wilderness, especially on longer adventures, wild swimming, hikes, treks, climbing, bushcraft adventures, canoe and kayaking expeditions etc going for a poo in the wilderness, is going to happen. A poop in the woods is a special experience, and having the essentials for making a backpacking poop kit will mean your not leaving human waste and other nasties out there, which you know is not good. We at BestOutdoors.co.uk are very much of the idea that you should Leave No Trace. Enjoy your adventures, enjoy your pooping in the woods and make sure that the adventure trails you leave are free from human waste.

Pooing In The Wild.

When Pooing outdoors we want to

1: Minimise contamination – at least 200 feet (60 Metres) or more away water sources , feeding grounds, pathways.

2: Minimise social aesthetic impact – No one wants to see human shit and lose toilet paper on the path or just off it.

3: Minimise spread of disease – Your poo may not be so healthy!

4: Maximise decomposition. – Give nature the best chance to break your poo up.

The Poop kit

This is essentially two poop kits.

1: For when you can dig a whole

2: For when you can not dig a whole or you break one or more of the 4 rules above.

Poop Kit One

For when you can dig a whole and deposit one directly in nature.

Carry Bag

Just a bag, preferably sealable that can carry your whole kit. So this could be lightweight dry bag that can be sealed tight. You don’t want to be fumbling around your main backpack looking for watch individual component to your poop kit when nature calls.

Trowel

A lightweight one piece or foldable trowel to dig your whole. You don’t have to dig a whole to the other side of the planet but make sure it is deep enough that animals wont be curious and dig it up. After your business is done fill the whole, this will help it decompose and keep your poop out of the minds of curious animals.

Toilet Roll/ Toilet paper

Toilet Roll to wipe up. If you going for a day you do not need to take the whole roll. If going for a fe days, you can segment you toilet paper in portions. Alternatives are wet wipes, and check out our article on No Toilet Paper Emergency alternatives. But just remember, the best option is to take you used toilet paper away, however, if you can leave it buried in your whole. however, most wet wipes are not biodegradable, and are therefor are not natures friend. Remember the 4 rules.

Small Plastic Bag

This is to place any used sanitary products or a heavy duty ziplock bag. That can later be disposed of.

Hand Sanitiser

After you’ve done your business, make sure to clean your hands, give those hands a good dousing of hand sanitiser.

Poop Kit Two

A bag with absorbent gel.

This is the bag you will poo into. Make sure it is wide enough. You can buy a WAG bag or buy a black bin liner and some sanitary or nappy products and cut them open and make your own.

Bag To Seal

After you have pooed in the bag, then this gets packed within a bag that you can seal. Make sure it seals!

And then you pack this up and carry it out.

Areas where pooing outdoors can’t happen and Poop Kit Two is advised (use a WAG bag.)

Conclusions Essentials For Making A Backpacking Poop Kit