When I first started seriously considering a traveling lifestyle, I wanted my amenities to feel as close to a traditional home as possible. That meant a real bathroom, with a full dry bath, and a normal black tank toilet—the same setup you’d find in a standard RV.
At the time, that felt like the only reasonable option.
Then I started paying attention to van life.
And honestly? I was floored.
When Composting Toilets Entered the Chat
As I followed more people living in vans and smaller rigs on social media, I kept seeing composting toilets—and I was immediately turned off.
The idea of manually dealing with waste?
Removing things from the toilet yourself?
Absolutely not.
I was firmly Team Black Tank. No debate.
My First RV Experience (and Why I Still Defended the Black Tank)
Last summer, I rented an RV as a test run. I researched everything: tank management, dumping procedures, supplies, the whole deal. And honestly? I think I did pretty well.
That said… the experience wasn’t exactly glamorous.
- The hose connections weren’t great
- I had to physically hold the hose in place
- It was messy, awkward, and unpleasant
Still, I came away thinking: This is fine. Why would anyone choose anything else?
At that point, I truly could not understand why someone would voluntarily choose a composting toilet.
The Two Things That Made Me Say “Nope”
There were two big reasons I was dead set against composting toilets:
- The solids
I did not want a bucket of human waste inside my vehicle. Full stop. - The pee jug
Most composting toilets hold 1–2 gallons of liquid, which means emptying it every day or two. That felt like way too much ongoing management.
Also… driving around with a literal bucket of poop? Hard pass.
Then I learned something else that didn’t help: Many composting toilets cost around $1,100.
I was shocked. For a toilet?!
Falling Down the Toilet Research Rabbit Hole
Fast forward a bit.
I’ve now:
- Listened to countless podcasts
- Read article after article
- Followed well over 1,000 van lifers and RVers
- Watched an embarrassing amount of YouTube content breaking down toilet systems in extreme detail
I can confidently say I’ve spent more time thinking about bodily functions and waste management this year than I ever thought possible.
And slowly… my thinking started to change.
Separating Liquids and Solids Changed Everything
Here’s the big mental shift for me:
When liquids and solids are separated, things:
- Smell less
- Are easier to manage
- Don’t require constant water usage
- Create fewer long-term tank issues
Once I understood how composting toilets actually work—venting, drying solids, preventing odor—the solids stopped being my main concern.
Instead, my focus shifted to liquids.
Emptying a small pee jug every day or two still felt annoying.
The “Aha” Moment: Hybrid Solutions
Then I learned something interesting:
Some people plumb the liquid portion of a composting toilet directly into their RV’s black tank.
Suddenly, things started clicking.
That setup:
- Keeps liquids and solids separate
- Eliminates frequent pee jug dumping
- Extends black tank life (since you’re not flushing with water)
- Reduces smell dramatically
At that point, I thought: Okay. This might be my answer.
But the toilet journey wasn’t over yet.
The Game-Changer: The Simple Cassette Toilet
Then I heard a van lifer on a podcast describe a setup that completely flipped my thinking.
She uses a basic cassette camping toilet—the kind that costs under $100—with a 5-gallon holding tank.
Her approach:
- Use the toilet for liquids only
- For solids, place a bag in the bowl
- Tie it up and dispose of it immediately
That’s it.
No composting mechanism.
No expensive toilet.
No carrying solids around.
What you end up with is essentially:
- A 5-gallon pee tank (that doesn’t need emptying every day)
- Immediate disposal of solids
- A very affordable, flexible setup
And honestly? That’s when it all clicked for me.
Where I’ve Landed (For Now)
I started this journey as Team Black Tank Only.
Now, my current plan for van life is:
- A cassette toilet with a 5-gallon holding tank
- Liquids only in the tank
- Bag method for solids, disposed of immediately
- Possibly adding a composting medium to the bag (still experimenting with that idea)
It’s simple. It’s affordable. And it gives me flexibility while I learn what actually works for me on the road.
If I Were Getting an RV…
If I were going the RV route, my choice would be different.
I would absolutely install the Air Head Tio composting toilet.
Why?
- It’s designed to plumb directly into a black tank
- It fits cleanly over the existing toilet flange
- No awkward platforms or custom builds required
- Keeps liquids and solids separated while still using the RV’s infrastructure
I’ve seen people try to retrofit standard Air Head toilets into RVs, and it often requires building a raised platform. The Tio solves that problem beautifully.
That would be my 100% choice for an RV.
Final Thoughts: I’m Officially a Convert
I never thought I’d say this, but…
I’m now a believer in separating liquids and solids and managing them independently.
This toilet journey perfectly sums up what this entire lifestyle shift has been for me:
- Start with assumptions
- Learn from people actually living it
- Adjust based on real-world experience
- Stay flexible
And accept that yes—at some point—you will know far more about toilets than you ever wanted to.