Thetford Porta Potti 365 Camping Toilet Review
In this post we review one of our camping toilets the Thetford Porta Potti 365. We show you how it works, what we like about it, what we don’t like, and whether we would recommend buying one.
For those who have been following us and subscribe to our blog updates would have seen our post from a few weeks back reviewing our other camping toilet the Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet by Ezygonow. We thought it would be a good idea to write another review on our Thetford Porta Potti 365 to give you a good comparison of the two. As everyone camping and exploring outdoors should carry some form of camping toilet, hopefully these two camping toilet review posts will give you a good idea on what type of toilet will be the best option for you.
Choose a Good Brand
Thetford are probably the leading brand name when it comes to portable toilets and waste holding tanks. Thetford introduced their first product in the US market back in the early 1960’s, so they have been around for a very long time.
When it came to choosing a chemical camping toilet, we decided to go with Thetford as they have been making camping toilets for ever and this is one bit of camping gear that we did not want to go cheap. We could not think of anything worse than having a poorly made camping toilet that runs the risk of leaks. The last thing we want to be doing when travelling is having to try and clean up a leaking toilet. There are plenty of chemical camping toilet options available on the market from cheap (under $100 for the Kings branded toilet) to our Thetford Porta Potti 365 at well over $200. However, you can pick these up for well under $200 online if you find a deal.
The Thetford Porta Potti 365 Chemical Camping Toilet
Thetford headquarters are based in the USA, but the Porta Potti 365 is made in China. The recommended retail price for one of these toilets is $260, however you can pick these up online for around $150 if you find a good deal. The toilet is made from lightweight durable plastic and the overall quality of the toilet is great. Compared to some of the other cheaper options, the Thetford Porta Potti 365 is far superior in design, durability, and looks.
The Porta Potti 365 is a large toilet due to its big waste holding tank of 21 litres. There are other options that aren’t as big, but they have a smaller waste holding tank. We decided to go with the bigger waste holding tank to give us more uses before it needs to be emptied. As the Porta Potti 365 has a large waste holding tank, it does mean it stands at a good height (408mm), similar to a normal toilet. The smaller waste holding tank toilets are around 100mm shorter which would make using them uncomfortable without another base. Even though the Porta Potti 365 is a bulky toilet, it is lightweight when empty at only 4kgs. However, all chemical camping toilets require a significant amount of water, so once setup for use, they weigh significantly more than this. A summary of the key features and specifications of the Thetford Porta Potti 365 are listed below.
Porta Potti 365 Features & Specifications
- Dimensions (W x H x D) – 383 x 414 x 427 mm
- Seat Height – 408 mm
- Weight – 4 kgs
- Holding Tank Capacity – 21 litres
- Flush Tank Capacity – 15 litres
- Made from plastic.
- Manual hand piston pump.
- Tank level indicator on the front of the toilet to show when it is full.
- 3-year warranty.
- Emptying spout with swivel on waste holding tank.
- Vent button for splash free emptying.
- Optional Thetford carry bag with plenty of better aftermarket canvas carry bags.
- Requires chemicals in the waste holding tank.
- Weight capacity of 120 kgs.
Setting Up the Porta Potti 365 For Use
There are a few steps involved to get any chemical camping toilet ready for use. Chemical toilets require a lot of water so be aware of this especially if you are going to be camping for long periods of time where there might be limited water. In most instances we usually prepare our Thetford Porta Potti 365 before we leave home, so we do not need to use any of the water in our camper trailer when we arrive at camp.
The Porta Potti 365 is made up of two separate pieces that lock together. The top section of the toilet has the lid, toilet seat, flush tank, and hand pump. The bottom section of the toilet is the waste holding tank. Water needs to be added to both the waste holding and flush tanks. When preparing the toilet, you do not need to separate the top and bottom sections, you only need to separate these sections when emptying the waste holding tank. To start, you need to slide the handle out to open the seal to the waste holding tank. You will then need to add either the blue or green toilet chemical into the waste holding tank. The chemical containers will provide you with instructions on how much chemical needs to be added depending on temperatures. These containers have a measuring indicator on the side in increments of 50mls which makes it easy to add the correct amount of chemical. Once the chemical has been added to the waste holding tank, you then need to add 2 litres of water and then shut the seal to this tank. The green chemical is septic tank friendly.
The next step is to fill the flush tank. It is recommended to add the pink Aqua Rinse Plus additive to the flush tank as this helps to keep the toilet clean. We choose to use this, but it is not necessary. Once the pink solution has been added, you then need to pour between 10 to 15 litres of water into the flush tank. The total amount of water required for the Porta Potti 365 is between 12 to 17 litres, which is a significant amount of water. Once all the chemical and water has been added to the toilet, you are ready to use it.
The Good
We have been using our Porta Potti 365 for a good 18 months and overall, it is a great camping toilet.
The overall quality of the Thetford Porta Potti 365 camping toilet is good. It sits at the perfect height making it comfortable to sit on, as well as being stable with its flat base. The camping toilet is easy to use, and the hand pump to flush the toilet works well. Odours are non-existent which is exactly what you want from a camping toilet. The large 21 litre waste holding tank is by far the best option as it does provide a good 4 to 5 days of use for two people if mainly using it for number twos. The level indicator on the front of the toilet does work well and gives you a good indication of how full the tank is.
One of the best features of this toilet so far is that it seals perfectly. We are yet to have a leak which is the most important factor in any camping toilet. When packed away, the toilet sits in the front toolbox of our camper trailer DOT373, so it does experience plenty of bumps and vibrations. However, it might no fare as well if doing any serious off-roading (we have not tested it in such conditions, we carry our GO Anywhere toilet on these types of adventures).
Overall, the Thetford Porta Potti 365 is a great camping toilet option. There are some disadvantages with a chemical toilet in general which we will discuss in more detail below.
The Bad
There are a few potential issues with any chemical toilet that you should be aware of before purchasing one, to ensure this type of toilet will be the best for you.
The biggest issue with chemical toilets is they are bulky and the amount of water they need. Our Porta Potti 365 needs between 12 to 17 litres of water before you even start using it. If you are planning on doing plenty of remote travel where managing your water supply is going to be extremely important, we would not recommend a chemical camping toilet. A far better option would be a toilet like our Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet that does not require water. As they are bulky, it does make storage a bit more challenging, but this will depend on your setup.
The next big issue is weight. As we highlighted at the start of this post, the Porta Potti 365 is lightweight when empty at 4kgs, but once you add water and before you have even used it, it will weight around 16 to 21kg. It is heavy. Once the waste holding tank is full, you can expect the toilet to weigh well over 25kgs. This is a lot of weight that does make it more difficult to carry and pack away before finding a dump point to empty.
Another disadvantage of using a chemical camping toilet is having to find a dump point to dispose of the waste. This is becoming less of an issue these days as most towns, even when travelling remotely, have a toilet dump point. So, dump points can be easy to find, but you will need to make sure you are travelling through a town at least every 3 to 5 days before the waste tank becomes full. Depending on the type of travelling you do, this might not be an issue.
The final negative of any camping toilet is the mess and clean up required. Emptying waste tanks at dump points is not that much fun. It is time consuming and dirty business. Plus, there is always the risk of splash back when emptying your waste tanks, this has happened a few times. Carry disposable gloves as you will be handling plenty of dirty stuff at any dump point. You will also need to keep the waste tank clean, so be prepared for this job before packing your toilet away.
One last point is in relation to the Thetford carry bag that is available for purchase. We have one of these and it is ok. They are cheap so will be an option if you are on a budget. The issue we see with this bag, is if there is a leak then it is not going to do a great job in containing the leak. Our advice is to purchase a decent Australian made canvas bag. There are several options out there all with the different features. If you are interested in a decent carry bag then have a look at Drifta, Grab Me Gear and Blacksmith Camping Supplies.
Our Final Thoughts
The Porta Potti 365 is a great chemical camping toilet. If you believe a chemical toilet is the best option for your setup then you will not be disappointed with the Porta Potti 365.
Our recommendation when it comes to the type of camping toilet is based on the type of trips you plan to do. If you are mainly doing weekend and the odd longer camping trip at the one spot, a chemical toilet will be a good option for you. If you are planning on doing more touring type trips where you are staying at a different spot almost every day, then we would not recommend a chemical camping toilet. A far better option for touring is a toilet like our Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet that is quick and easy to setup, is compact, lightweight, does not need water, and waste can be disposed of in general waste bins.
We purchased our Porta Potti 365 before our Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet. As we do a few touring trips each year, now that we have tested both, the Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet is a far better camping toilet for the types of trips we do. If we knew what we now know, we would have never purchased our Thetford Porta Potti 365 camping toilet. That is not saying the Porta Potti 365 is not a good toilet, it is a great toilet, it just does not suit our type of adventures. Fortunately for everyone else we went down this path so we can give you a good overview of both types of toilets hopefully helping you make the right choice for your camping requirements.
We purchased our Thetford Porta Potti 365 camping toilet from BCF. However, you can also find these at Tentworld, Snowys, and other retailers.
If we have not covered something or you have any questions or comments, please send them to us at the bottom of this post. To read our review of our Cleanwaste GO Anywhere toilet you can find it here. To keep up to date on future posts, join the 4WD Adventurer Community here.
Thanks for reading.
The thoughts of Peter.
25/09/2022 @ 8:58 PM
Can you put toilet roll in the potti?
26/09/2022 @ 10:43 AM
G’day Mandy,
Yes you can use toilet paper in the Porta Potti.
Cheers,
Peter