Reddit reviews Reliance Products Hassock Portable Lightweight Self-Contained Toilet

potty

We have this one. Use kitty litter in the bottom and trash bags.

I'd say forget what you see on youtube, thats some made up fantasy shit. If you try living on the beach prepare to be rousted every time you try to sleep.

Mosquitos will destroy you, be ready to deal with that. Mosquito netting over your bed area is a good idea(I use a king sized bed sheet and a clothes hanger rope over my cot). Also I have one of these I run if unwanted biting insects get into the van, I just full charge my battery before I go to bed and leave it on all night.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079N6BSNR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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You will need a minimum of two 100w solar panels and a 100amp hour deep cycle battery if you plan to have any kind of electronics. I run a laptop(acer e5-575-338m) two cell phones and a 27" monitor on this all day every day. Once the sun goes down I unplug the laptop from the charger and can get ~6 hours off the laptop battery and the deep cycle will run my cell phone(internet) and my 27" monitor all night with power left over. The 27" monitor uses 28w of power(acer K272HL).

Currently I use this so I can have the panels out in the sun while I'm in the shade:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L6OU74M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Y connectors to combine the panels:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0753X68PS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This charge controller(I wish I had spent the $200 to get a really good one but it works)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06W5NP5JR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I went with poly panels, did a ton of research they seemed to be the best option for me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DCCOSV0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A couple of these so you can plug in 12v chargers:

https://www.amazon.com/BreaDeep-Cigarette-Lighter-Waterproof-Motorcycle/dp/B014RD1OPU/ref=pd_rhf_ee_s_rp_c_0_2/146-1188812-1452443?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B014RD1OPU&pd_rd_r=6b983fee-fccd-44b0-9fce-701243a4c0df&pd_rd_w=Sa4dV&pd_rd_wg=e0mjZ&pf_rd_p=e7de3e41-8621-46b5-8090-e75951bb9b3e&pf_rd_r=JEW1CZD3WQW1QCM9GMDC&psc=1&refRID=JEW1CZD3WQW1QCM9GMDC

1000w true sine inverter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I04A74/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

much cheaper 150w inverter(not true sine):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H2XD2DY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Honda generator for when there is no sun or emergency electricity, get the honda its more expensive but I originally had a cheaper generator and it only lasted like 6 months before it broke.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A104214812TOLRTJE6CW7&url=%2FHonda-2200-Watt-Portable-Inverter-Generator%2Fdp%2FB07R1HK2RL%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1_sspa%3Fkeywords%3Dhonda%2Bgenerator%26qid%3D1567965512%26s%3Dgateway%26sr%3D8-1-spons%26psc%3D1%26smid%3DA1QT7IAE1TPQ4M&qualifier=1567965512&id=8997328653646739&widgetName=sp_atf

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You will need a commode, I have tried them all and this works best in my opinion. Use either dirt or mix black water deodorizer in a gallon of water and poor it over the waste. Pee into a separate bottle, combining pee and waste is what cause most of the smell. Then tie off the garbage bag and put it in a gallon freezer bag and store that in a 5 gallon bucket from home depot with an airtight lid. This way you can throw out the waste with your regular garbage.

https://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Products-Portable-Lightweight-Self-Contained/dp/B000FIDZLI/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=bucket+toilet&qid=1567964099&s=gateway&sr=8-6

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You will need the best cooler you can afford, ice is a serious pain in the ass to keep having to get every day. A Yeti knockoff will work and you can get one for under $200 but a dometic compressor cooler/freezer is best, but it will cost you like $800.

This is the one I have:

https://www.amazon.com/Dometic-Electric-Powered-Portable-Freezer/dp/B072MLT6QW/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=dometic+compressor+cooler&qid=1567964655&s=gateway&sr=8-3

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Another thing I found very useful is a salt shotgun for flys and other annoying insects(its a never ending battle). They make one you can buy but I made my own instead, you just cock the bolt pump it up and then use a funnel to poor a pinch of salt down the barrel. It will kill any bug you shoot as if it was hit by a mini shotgun.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crosman-P1377BR-American-Classic-Air-Pistol-Bolt-177-Brown-Black/43989760

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I would recommend a cheap propane burner instead of the fancy coleman butane burners, personal preference but when I had the butane burner I would go through butane like crazy and its kind of expensive. Not to mention you can't always find butane in store but you can always find the little propane canisters.

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Wet wipes are your friend.

Apple cider vinegar with water works for a diy sponge bath.

Keep a well stocked medical kit

Get a big can of bear spray or two for self defense, just know it won't work on mountain lions. I keep bear spray and a marlin guide gun for large animals(moose/bear) and a 9mm for two legged predators. I have had death threats and all kinds of crazy shit happen so just be prepared.

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Locking gas cap is a MUST, lost one of my vans due to some asshole pouring water in my gas tank.

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A Verizon phone with the cheapest unlimited tethering plan($70/mo), Verizon has by far the best coverage in the USA.

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I'm probably forgetting something but that is my advice, been on the road over three years now.

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It is going to be hard, extremely hard, you will suffer. Don't expect it to be a vacation, its a survival skill not some pretend shit you see on youtube unless you have unlimited money to spend.

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Gas will be your biggest expense, I spend more on gas that it would cost to rent an apartment. The only way to cut down on that is to find a spot you can stay long term(which is VERY hard, people do NOT want homeless guys in vans living outside there house).

Amazon has these on special today... self contained toilets (with splash guard, natch)
http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Products-Portable-Lightweight-Self-Contained/dp/B000FIDZLI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398646056&sr=8-1&keywords=self+contained+toilet

I ended up getting this -> https://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Products-Portable-Lightweight-Self-Contained/dp/B000FIDZLI/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1519854320&sr=8-7&keywords=camp+toilet

Internet No idea. When I'm out I tether from my phone but I don't have near the data requirements you have.

Bathroom You definitely don't need it in town. Get a membership at a national chain gym and you can use the shower/bathroom in any major city pretty damn easily. Plus, you can always stop by a Starbucks or the like to use the restroom during the day.

In the wild, you might want to add a few things to your cargo area to make things easier. Pour some warm water in this bad boy and you'll have a surprisingly good shower alternative. You could also get a small composting toilet. Both that and the shower are pretty small and easy to tuck away, so even in a van you should be alright toting them along.

Driving: My advice here depends on where you think you'll be spending most of your time. Since you're new to driving, I would definitely advise against getting a larger vehicle if you're going to be hanging around urban areas a lot. If you're planning on spending most of your time in national parks and the like, then it shouldn't really matter.

Gas: I couldn't believe how much money I was spending on gas when I bought my van. 15 MPG doesn't sound that bad, but my god, it is. I don't know what RVs get, but if you're going to be on the road a lot, I'd sit down and calculate out the cost difference. It might be more than you'd expect.

Price: If you're willing to spend $10,000, you can get what you want, for the most part. Even with a small RV you should be able to get a quality vehicle in that price range. You just gotta be patient and keep your eyes open for deals.

Sound proofing: Neither are very sound proof. If you peruse through the posts in this sub, you'll see a disproportionate number of them are on adding insulation. That's because stock, these all have almost zero. Think about someone sitting in a normal car and talking on their phone. Sound transfers about the same amount in a van/RV.

this is why there is a stereotype of people who live in a van.

I saw in your other thread you need a toilet idea. This thing works great. Keep an eye on the price, I bought mine in the low $20s
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FIDZLI