The art of pooping in the woods

[WasatchWill]

A clean butt is a happy butt.

Amen, brotha. I've learned that one the hard way.

I've been waiting for the right spot and time to post this video and I think this just might be it. Gentlemen (and any ladies following this thread), I give you Mike Clelland and the art of pooping in the woods...

I was actually going to start a new thread dedicated to this & perhaps that still might be worth it. Here's to clean & happy butts!

 

[Nick]

I agree, this does need it's own thread! I just split it off of the other thread, so now we can discuss this here. I've actually been thinking we need a thread about this lately.

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

Interested in this thread for both the informational and comedic value.

 

[WasatchWill]

I agree, this does need it's own thread! I just split it off of the other thread, so now we can discuss this here. I've actually been thinking we need a thread about this lately.

Fantastic!

 

[steve]

I made it all the way to the tucker part till I gagged.

 

[steve]

Fwiw, the very first pose that mike shows, the classic squat, works extremely well for women who need to pee in the woods. Rather than pull their pants all the way to their ankles, I've "heard" that women can just pull their waistband down to their knees, and that will keep them from getting any on their pants. Anyway, I'm sure the ladies here could explain it much better than I, but once my significant other learned to pee in the woods that way, it changed our lives. No joke.

I wonder if we could poop that way (pants around the knees) without having to bust out a leg (my usual tactic).

 

[WasatchWill]

I made it all the way to the tucker part till I gagged.

Yeah, I totally forgot about that last part being in there at the end. It was something I tried to forget.

I wonder if we could poop that way without having to bust out a leg (my usual tactic).

It has always worked out well for me.

 

[Mullet]

I made it all the way to the tucker part till I gagged.

Oh man, you were right! THAT IS NASTY!!! Still very funny post!

 

[DrNed]

In case you don't get the magazine Backpacker Mag had something on this subject. Find it on line here.

If it's not TMI I'm a Tree Hugger.

 

[Nick]

If it's not TMI I'm a Tree Hugger.

I'm going to need an explanation.....

Edit: I clicked the link. I'm going to have to try that!

 

[Parma]

On Shark Tank someone proposed a business called Squatty Potty, http://squattypotty.com/.
It's idea is to simulate the poop in the woods squat because it's better for you, especially for those with constipation.

 

[Laura]

I wonder if we could poop that way (pants around the knees) without having to bust out a leg (my usual tactic).

That's the way I do it!

 

[Nick]

I wonder if we could poop that way (pants around the knees) without having to bust out a leg (my usual tactic).

The problem I see with that is pants around knees = legs not spread very much. Between that and not being a good squatter (knee problems), I just take my pants all the way off. It's exhilarating!

 

[Scott Chandler]

I like the assist method. Lean on something or tripod with a hand behind. I find my ankles and knees don't like maintaining a squat long...faulty young joints...

Finding natural features is awesome too, so long as they are easy to hide afterward. I don't know how many times I've said, "That's a nice poopin rock" and with a WagBag you don't need to worry about cleanup at all! Once I ran into a spot canyoneering where someone said that and then left the stinky pile and paper exposed for the world to see in their little potty. So pleasant...

 

[Bob]

Haha ...... never considered it an art ........

Skurka raises his head again ......... bleh !

 

[Nick]

So far this has mostly centered on good poop-iquette when backpacking. I've been thinking about how it goes when car camping. Particularly all the burial sites that end up around busy campsites, some of which not buried well... or at all.

Since I started boat camping in Glen Canyon earlier this year, I've had to carry a portable toilet. In the past when I needed one for car camping in a place like The Maze, it was usually just a 5-gallon bucket with a seat and some wag bags. Disgusting to deal with and the smell... oh my. But for the boat we kind of splurged and bought a pretty nice toilet, The Thetford Curve. It's features include the fact that it is the same height as a regular toilet and it has a power flush via some batteries (lasted all year) and a freshwater flush tank built-in to the top. A little pricey at around $120-ish but it was well worth it.

After using it for a a bunch of long boat trips last year, I've decided I totally love it. You put in some chemical and clean water, then just use it like a toilet for the most part. When we're on the lake, we go to the floating dump stations every few days and empty it. It'll take care of 4-5 people for about that long. Longer if people are careful about what went into it. It's easy to clean at home too, you don't have to smell a thing if you're careful.

And unlike the wag bags I've used, this thing doesn't stink to high hell after a couple of days. Granted, when you flush it, it doesn't smell great, but just sitting around you can't smell a thing. It's so damn air tight that you have to be careful when you bring it to high altitude if it is loaded. Let's just say it gets very pressurized. Maybe @langutah can tell us a bit about that.

Anyway, I thought pooping in a portable toilet was ridiculous at first, but now I am totally sold. I really wish more poeple would use them car camping rather than digging holes all over the place. Sometimes you just don't have space and steps can be taken to keep it lower impact, but nothing is as low impact as just packing it out.

I like mine so much that I gave it a name.

 

[Artemus]

It's so damn air tight that you have to be careful when you bring it to high altitude if it is loaded. Let's just say it gets very pressurized. Maybe @langutah can tell us a bit about that.

Well I'd rather not go into details.... But the Crape Diem worked as advertised. Just stand back when you open it at elevation...

 

[Laura]

The problem I see with that is pants around knees = legs not spread very much. Between that and not being a good squatter (knee problems), I just take my pants all the way off. It's exhilarating!

You do have to be able to squat way down and aim out, so if you have bad knees this position is not the way to go. Or if you just enjoy the wind on your butt

 

[John Goering]

Or if you just enjoy the wind on your butt

Butttt, that can have other negative outcomes.

 

[Chuck the Mauler]

I like the "tripod" method best. The "Tucker" method was....disturbing.