Pop up campers continue to be a popular choice for campers who don’t want the hassle of pulling a huge RV. But their small size means you’ll have to make some sacrifices. Fortunately, there are tons of great pop up campers with bathrooms so you won’t have to sacrifice a toilet and shower!
- So what are your best options?
- Do they all have those tiny little wet baths with curtains?
- Can you actually take a relaxing bubble bath in your pop up camper? 😨
You might be surprised!
Let’s start with a few pop up camper bathroom basics so you’ll know what to look for.
Table of Contents
What Kinds of Pop Up Camping Trailers Have Showers and Toilets?
Tent Trailers
Tent trailers (or tent campers) are what most people think of when they hear “pop-up camper”. When all folded up, they look like a flat rectangular box. This makes them easy to tow and store.
But then pop the top and you’ve got generous headroom with soft, tent-like sides and one or two bed pullouts on either end. Some even have side pullouts to maximize the living space.
High Wall Pop Ups
High wall pop ups are essentially the same as regular tent trailers, except the hard part of the walls come up a little higher. This adds some extra weight and can slightly affect your mpg thanks to the increased wind resistance.
However, the extra wall space gives you some nicer features, larger bathrooms, and extra storage space. The Forest River Rockwood HW296 is a nice example of a high wall pop up camper with a bathroom.
Hi-Lo
The Hi-Lo style was made popular by the Hi-Lo brand (makes sense, right?! 😋). They’re kind of like a normal hard-sided travel trailer that’s been cut in half. The top part (or parts) have a hard top and sides with a lift system to raise and lower them. These have the advantage that when they’re set up, you can barely tell you’re not in a normal RV.
Some even have hard-sided dry baths like a normal RV, while still weighing about the same as a normal tent camper!
Sadly, the Hi-Lo brand seems to have fallen into oblivion. However, another brand (Trail Manor) is making a similar type of popup camper with some definite improvements over the classic Hi-Lo.
A-Frames
A-frame pop up campers have a hard roof with multiple sections that, when raised, give the appearance of an a-frame house. Some models add to the interior room with extra pullouts on either end.
Overall, a-frames are a little smaller than other pop up campers, but don’t worry…a few still have bathrooms!
Hybrid
Hybrid pop up campers come in a variety of configurations. All have some part of it that folds out or pops up. I’ve included at least two hybrid pop up campers with bathrooms on my list…can ya find ‘em?
*If you’re looking for other travel trailers smaller vehicles can tow, don’t miss these articles.
11 Best Travel Trailers Under 5000 lbs (2021) Video Tours, Pics + Floor Plans!
11 Best Small RVs With a Shower and Toilet (Pics + Floor Plans)
What Kinds of Bathrooms Do Pop Up Campers Have?
I’m sorry to burst your bubble but you’re not gonna be comfortably soaking in a bubble bath, surrounded by candles, sipping a glass of wine in your pop up camper. 😥
But here is what you can expect to find in popup camper bathrooms, toilets, and showers.
Dry Bath
A.k.a…the holy grail of pop up camper bathrooms. Dry baths are the most like a normal bathroom. They have a separate tub or shower area that keeps the rest of the bathroom dry (hence the name “dry bath”). Some bathrooms just have a shower and toilet, while others actually have space for a shower, toilet, and sink.
Dry baths in pop up campers are few and far between. In fact, only two of the campers on this list have dry baths. Can you find ‘em? Hint…they’re made by the same brand.
Wet Bath
In a wet bath, everything in it will…take a guess…get wet! 😋 It’s basically a shower and toilet all in one. Usually, they have a built-in cassette toilet with a removable waste tank.
Wet baths are the most common types of bathrooms in pop up campers and other small RVs. They do a decent job of maximizing the use of space while still letting you take care of business.
Curtained or Hard Sided Bathrooms
Most pop up campers with bathrooms don’t have bathrooms with hard sides. Instead, they’ll have a simple curtain that wraps around the wet bath and cassette toilet for privacy and keeping shower water where it should be.
However, there are a few pop up campers with solid wall bathrooms. They’ll have several wall panels that, when unfolded, give you hard walls and a door like a normal camper bathroom.
Flush, Cassette, and Recirculating Toilets
Flush, cassette, and recirculating toilets usually refer to the following…
- Flush toilets are like normal RV toilets. They are hooked into the campers fresh water system and use it to flush waste into a normal blackwater tank. When it’s full, you dump it at a waste station like a normal RV.
- Cassette toilets will usually have a removable waste tank. Pull it out, head to a toilet or dump station, and empty it. These often have their own fresh water tank you need to fill, similar to portable toilets.
- Recirculating toilets are similar to ones on airplanes. They can be a little more difficult to use than other types of toilets, but they don’t waste fresh water. Basically, the waste tank has special sanitizing and deodorizing chemicals to neutralize bacteria and odors. Then the toilet flushes with sanitized liquids from the waste tank.
Portable Toilets
One of the simplest options for pop up camper bathrooms are portable toilets. These can be stowed away in a cabinet and then pulled out when needed. You can even find a few pop ups that have spaces and curtains for a portable toilet, but they’re not common.
*Learn more about cassette toilets for RVs and Campers.
One disadvantage is that you won’t have an indoor shower. Fortunately, some come with an…
Outdoor Shower
Instead of losing a bunch of space with an indoor wet bath and the plumbing that goes with it, some pop up campers just have an outdoor shower. This is a nice feature to have especially if you’re boondocking or camping in remote areas.
Ok…so we’ve covered the basics. Now let’s have a look at my list of some of the best pop up campers with showers and toilets!
9 of the Best Pop Up Campers With Toilets and Showers
I tried to include a nice variety of options on this list so I’m sure you’ll find one that’s perfect for you and your family. Let’s start with the big daddy… the pop up camper with the largest bathroom!
The Pop Up Camper With the Largest Bathroom – Trail Manor 3124
Trail Manor doesn’t make your normal pop up campers. Their trailers are more of a hybrid hi-lo style camper that gives you the benefits of both a tent trailer and a regular hard-sided RV.
One of those awesome benefits you get in Trail Manor’s largest model — the Trail Manor 3124 — is a fully enclosed hard-sided dry bath with a tub shower, toilet, and sink! 😲😲😲
Source: TrailManor.com
Check out this video setup tour for a similar Trail Manor model that has the same type of bathroom.
One of the advantages of the Trail Manor trailers is their lightweight construction. With hard sides, you might think this is the heaviest popup camper on our list. But actually, at a dry weight of just 3200 lbs, it’s 500 lbs lighter than the Forest River Rockwood HW296 high wall tent trailer. Plus, when it’s folded up, it’s about as small as a regular popup camper so you’ll get all the advantages of less wind resistance when towing.
It’s good to keep in mind that these trailers come with a recirculating toilet. If you’re used to a cassette toilet and haven’t used a recirculating toilet before, check out this post on a Trail Manor owners forum that explains how they work.
Wanna see more? Check out this Trail Manor 3124 video tour.
The Smallest Pop Up Camper With a Toilet and Shower – 3 Options
Now there may be some smaller pop up campers with just a portable toilet, but these 2 options are some of the smallest you’ll find with a wet bath (shower + toilet) inside the camper.
Coachmen Clipper 128LS (With optional bathroom package)
The Coachmen Clipper 128LS is a great starter camper for families looking to upgrade from a tent. Its simple design gives you extra security and comfort you won’t get with a tent. It’s got a short 12-foot length box and dry weight of just over 2,200 pounds (about an average pop-up camper weight). That makes it easy to tow with most mid-size SUVs and crossovers.
Plus, it’s available with a bathroom package so you can have a small wet bath inside the trailer.
Source: CoachmenRV.com
Check out a short video tour here. (There aren’t a lot of video tours for this model. I’ll be sure to post a better one once it’s available.)
Aliner LXE
Source: Aliner.com
Don’t be fooled by pictures of the exterior or the tiny floor plan. It actually feels surprisingly spacious inside. Don’t believe me? Watch the video tour here. The tall ceiling height and all the windows help the interior feel larger than it really is.
The Aliner LXE has a small 12 foot box and a dry weight of just 1795 pounds! That makes it one of the lightest options on this list. But they still manage to fit in a wet bath with a cassette toilet, a 6 gallon water heater, and an 11 gallon fresh water tank.
Because of its small size, this is a nice choice for couples looking for a functional popup camper with a bathroom that’s easy to pull with smaller vehicles.
See the inside in the video tour.
Trail Manor 2518 Series
The Trail Manor 2518 shares a lot of the same features as its bigger brother, the 3124, just in a smaller package. When folded up it’s only a few inches longer than the Clipper 128LS and has a dry weight of just 2,600 pounds.
Source: TrailManor.com
But despite its smaller size, the 2518 still manages to fit in a fully enclosed, solid wall dry bath with a shower and cassette toilet (no sink)! So although it’s one of the smallest pop ups on this list, it has one of the largest bathrooms.
Source: TrailManor.com
Source: TrailManor.com
More Options for Pop Up Campers with Bathrooms
Here are a few more popular pop up campers with toilets and showers.
Forest River Rockwood HW296
One of the most luxurious tent trailers.
Source: ForestRiverInc.com
The Forest River Rockwood HW 296 has more amenities than even some traditional RVs. But you still get the lightweight and easy storage of pop up tent trailers.
The HW in its model name means it’s a high wall popup camper. At first glance, you might not even notice, but it really makes a big difference. In addition to a solid-wall wet bath, it’s also got the space for a microwave, double sink, A/C, and other features you don’t normally find on pop up campers.
Plus, it has large 12 gallon black and gray water tanks as well as a 26 gallon fresh water tank.
Watch the detailed video tour.
Coachmen V-Trec V3
For families with a lot of toys.
Source: CoachmenRV.com
The V-Trec V3 is a mid-size tent trailer with a wet bath. Plus it’s also got a dinette slideout for some extra floor space. And if you’re the type of family that always brings along a mountain of random bikes, skateboards, beach toys, and soccer balls, the large cargo deck will really come in handy.
*If you like the idea of a pop-up with room for outdoor toys, check out my list of the 6 top pop-up toy haulers.
Check out the video tour.
Taxa Mantis
The most hybrid of the hybrids.
Source: taxaoutdoors.com
You can’t get much more “hybrid” than the Taxa Mantis. It’s designed more as a habitat basecamp to help you enjoy the outdoors, rather than a camper you could spend the whole day in.
Since its purpose is rugged practicality for going off the beaten path, you won’t find most of the “luxuries” of traditional RVs. It’s not huge inside, but the top does pop for some extra headroom.
And it made it on my list because you can get it with a wet bath cassette toilet and shower. Plus, the Mantis has an exterior shower as well with hot and cold water.
See more in the Mantis video tour.
Opus 15 Off-Road Hybrid
Tough off-grid luxury
Source: OpusCampers.us
The Opus 15 hybrid pop up camper has everything you need to stay comfortable while overlanding or boondocking off the grid. Its rugged construction can handle rough roads and its intelligent design maximizes interior and exterior space.
One example of that is its bathroom. As you can see in the video tour, the wet bath is quite spacious and has a solid door and walls that go almost the whole way to the top.
And instead of trying to fit the kitchen inside the trailer, it’s got a slide-out galley and refrigerator for cooking outside under the awning.
Check out all the cool features in the video tour.
Check out 13 more off-road travel trailers and campers with bathrooms.
Forest River Flagstaff T21 DMHW
A spacious a-frame with a hard wall shower.
Source: ForestRiverInc.com
If you’re leaning towards an a-frame pop up camper with a bathroom but want one larger than the Aliner LXE, check out the Forest River Flagstaff T21DMHW. Its box is two feet longer than the Aliner LXE and it has a UVW of 2700 pounds.
But that extra space gives you a dinette that you don’t need to dismantle to get to your bed. Plus, it has a hard wall wet bath with a shower and toilet, something you don’t usually find in a pop up this size.
Its cassette-style toilet has a portable 5-gallon black water tank. Plus it’s got a large 26 gallon freshwater tank that’s enough for two campers to take several showers.
Check out the video tour here.
You did it! You made it through the list of pop up campers with bathrooms!
You still might have a few more questions like…
Pop Up Camper Bathrooms FAQs
Stinky? What Can I Do About Odors from my PopUp Camper Toilet?
The answer will depend on the type of toilet you have in your popup camper. If it’s a recirculating toilet, make sure to follow the instructions on how to use it, especially regarding how much chemical solution you need to put in. Don’t skimp when it comes to sanitizing chemicals. If you skimp, it will stink.
It’s also important to keep your toilet in good working order. A valve that doesn’t seal correctly or a leaky connection will quickly up the stink factor in a small camper.
And of course…when it’s full, dump it. (It seems like a no brainer but some just like to push their toilet’s capacity to the max 😲😬💩)
Can I Rent a Pop Up Camper With a Bathroom Before Buying?
Yes! I highly recommend renting a camper before buying. RVshare is a great place to do that. You might not be able to rent the exact model you’re planning on buying, but by renting a similar one you’ll be able to see if you can deal with the small bathrooms in pop up campers.
The last thing you want is to make all the effort to choose a pop up camper with a bathroom, only to end up preferring the campground bathhouse. All the space the bathroom takes up could’ve been better used for storing maple syrup, bacon, and pancake mix. 😜
Check out what pop up campers with bathrooms are available in your area on RVshare.
*If you decide that having a bathroom isn’t a necessity, check out my article with 9 Other Pop Up Camper Options…some without bathrooms.
How Do I Dump the Waste? Do I Need a Portable Waste Storage Tank?
The answer depends on your camper’s bathroom. Some have traditional black water and gray water holding tanks like on a regular RV. In that case, you’ll just drive up to the dump station, pull out your RV sewer hose, and dump away!
If your tanks are full before your stay is over, then you’ll need a portable storage tank (aka…a honey wagon) to transport the waste to the dump station.
A lot of pop up campers have cassette toilets with a removable or portable waste storage tank. A lot of people actually prefer that to the traditional dumping method. When the tank’s full, just pull it out and dump it in a toilet or dump station.
What About TP? Should I Use Special Toilet Paper In My Pop Up Camper’s Toilet?
Yes. Just like normal RV bathrooms, you should use special rapid dissolving RV toilet paper. Leave your 4-ply ultra-thick 1200 thread count toilet paper at home unless you want to deal with a clogged waste system…not pretty!
Can I Add a Toilet and Shower to My Pop Up Camper?
In a way…yes. If you already own a pop up camper without a toilet and shower, the simplest way to add them is…
- Find a space to add a small portable camping toilet inside your pop up. You can probably modify one of the storage areas so you can easily stow away the toilet and then pull it out when it’s time to use it. If you’re handy, you can even add a curtain for privacy. Here are some good camping porta potty options.
- Get a portable exterior shower. There are some cool options like gravity fed showers, battery powered showers, and even hot/cold portable propane showers.
- Add a privacy tent.
Which Pop Up With a Bathroom is for You?
If you’re a family looking for a pop up camper with luxurious amenities, plenty of space, and a solid wall bathroom, take a look at the Trail Manor 3124 or Forest River Rockwood HW296.
If you’re just a couple looking for a lightweight trailer that still has the convenience of a bathroom, go with the Aliner LXE.
And of course, if you’re planning on heading off the grid, the Opus 15 or the Taxa Mantis are great choices.
And like I mentioned before, if you’ve never camped in a pop up camper or any small RV with a bathroom, I HIGHLY suggest renting one with RVshare before buying. Some people love the convenience of the small bathrooms, others hate ‘em. You’ll never really know until you’ve spent a few days trying it out.
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