The weather is beautiful—it’s time to get outside. You’ve got your hiking boots, windbreaker, and even a neat new fire pit, but do you have a camping trash can? Recreating responsibly means leaving no trace when you head back to civilization, so it’s important to plan how you’ll pack out any waste you generate during your outing.
“Everything you bring into the outdoors—even your bootprints—leaves an impact,” Maggie Peikon, manager of communications at the American Hiking Society, tells SELF. “Waste, in particular, can cause serious harm. Tossing food scraps, pouring out drinks, or leaving behind non-biodegradable trash introduces foreign and potentially dangerous substances into the soil, water, and wildlife habitats.”
Luckily, there’s a plethora of packable trash containers to add to your gear collection, including ones designed to prevent bear break-ins and mask odors. Check out our top picks, below, then read on for more expert tips on managing your waste in the great outdoors.
Our top picks
In this article
Best camping trash cans
A more structured trash can, one that you don’t have to worry about carrying around with you, is a good pick if you’ll be staying at one campsite or camping out of your car. Look for one with some type of closure, Heather Kubiszewski, REI product specialist with REI Co-Op’s digital team, tells SELF: “That way, if it does get breezy, you’re not chasing down loose debris.” Plus, there’s less of a chance of birds and small critters getting into it.
Camp Chef’s collapsible trash can is a large capacity option that works as well for picnics as for casual camping trips. One SELF tester loved how lightweight it felt, noting it was impressively straightforward to use: “Sometimes these things require you to really wrestle with them to collapse and latch, but it does so pretty easily. It’s made of a tarp-like material that feels pretty durable and the lid zippers, which is nice to contain smells.”
For additional security on car camping trips, you can use a receptacle that attaches directly to your car. This type of trash bin is less likely to blow over in the wind or get overlooked when you’re packing up to leave (just remember to close and unmount it before you drive off). Kubiszewski likes Kelty’s Trash Pak, which is water- and UV-resistant, and spacious enough for a weekend’s worth of trash. She also recommends Onwrd’s 13-liter Trasher Trash Can, a leakproof container with a magnetic lid that’s designed to mount easily to most vehicles. If you do have access to a car while camping, Peikon says to store your trash inside your car when it’s not in use.
Pro tip, no matter what garbage can you use: Make sure there’s room in your car for it when it’s full, Kubiszewski says.
Best camping trash bags
If you’re short on space or need a way to keep your trash on you, Peikon likes dry bags for their lightweight and packable design. Kubiszewski recommends the following models from Sea to Summit and Kelty. Unlike a regular old garbage bag, these are leakproof and durable (and thus much harder for a squirrel to rip into, if given the chance).
Sea to Summit’s Trash Dry Sack is especially useful for hiking: Its exterior daisy chain makes it easy to clip onto the outside of your pack, and it weighs less than four ounces. The brand recommends lining the sack with a traditional trash bag for easier mess management—there’s one included with the sack, but it’s never a bad idea to pack extras.
A liner bag isn’t required for Kelty’s Litter G’tter, which just needs a water rinse and air-dry to clean. Its roll-top opening clips into a handle that makes it easy to carry or hang up around camp.
Best bear-proof containers
Some campsites in bear country provide bear-proof storage lockers and dumpsters, but if you’re headed somewhere without that amenity, you need to bring your own bear-proof canister or bag. (Kubiszewski says to check your area for any regulations around which bear-proof containers are acceptable to use, as they can vary by location.)
For canisters, Kubiszewski likes REI Co-Op’s modular canister, which is made up of two containers that can lock together, separate, or nest together to save space. It has a two-step locking mechanism to keep its contents secure and out of bears’ paws. She also recommends Bearvault’s BV500 Journey Bear Canister, which SELF previously recommended for bear country campers. It’s one of a handful of canisters accepted by Yosemite National Park (a place American black bears call home) and its secure screw-top lid gives way to a wide opening that’s easy to access (for humans, of course).
Bear bags function similar to dry sacks, in that they can cinch closed and pack away easily, but they’re much more durable. Kubiszewski’s pick, Ursack’s 10-liter Major Bear Sack, is actually made of bulletproof fabric in order to withstand rough treatment from a bear’s claws and teeth. It comes with a heavy-duty cord for hanging and weighs less than half a pound. Per the brand, you can line it with an odor barrier bag to further conceal the scent of your trash.
Best containers for human and pet waste
When Peikon said it’s important to pack out everything you bring in, she meant everything, including your poop, your pet’s poop, and any menstrual waste. The best way to manage bodily waste will depend where you’re staying (some areas let you bury poop in what are commonly referred to as cat holes, while others don’t—more on that below).
For packing out, er, solid waste, Peikon says to make sure your containers of choice are air-tight and leakproof. My personal favorite container for dog poop is the Dog Doo Tube, which snaps shut, clips onto a leash or backpack, and, in my own experience, can hold over a day’s worth of poop (I use regular dog poop bags to pick it up, then toss the whole thing in the Tube). When it comes to human waste, I cannot recommend WAG Bags enough (here’s why). Not only do they seal closed securely, they also contain a proprietary powder that firms up waste and reduces odors. While they’re technically puncture proof, I suggest keeping used ones in an additional bag or sack for good measure.
SELF previously recommended Smelly Proof’s zip-up bags for used menstrual products like pads and tampons, and they also come in handy for storing used toilet paper. If you use a menstrual cup and camp somewhere that doesn’t permit burying human waste, it’s best to pack the fluid out in a water bottle. (And, in case you were wondering, no, you don’t have to be extra worried about bears if you go camping on your period.)
For a surprisingly sleek way to bury pee, poop, and menstrual blood where allowed, Kubiszewski recommends Pact Outdoors’s Lite Bathroom Kit. Its storage tube doubles as a little shovel and it comes with compressed wipes for cleanup and tablets you can drop in the hole to speed up the decomposition process.
FAQs about camping and trash
Why is it important to have a waste management strategy while camping?
As we mentioned earlier, leaving trash behind hurts the environment. “Managing your waste is essential to minimizing your impact and preserving these places for the wildlife that live there, the plants that grow there, and for future generations to enjoy,” Peikon says. Kubiszewski echoes that sentiment and adds that, if nothing else, trash strewn around a campsite is a plain old eye sore: “Nothing disrupts the beauty of nature more than seeing human waste or garbage.”
If you mainly visit campsites that provide trash cans, it still doesn’t hurt to bring some kind of container with the rest of your gear. “It’s smart to come prepared in case [the trash receptacles are] full, removed, or inaccessible,” Peikon says. And little bits of trash can sneak up on you in the form of apple cores, eating utensils, and bandage packaging—it’ll be nice to have a dedicated spot for that stuff that isn’t your jacket pocket.
How do you deal with trash when camping in bear country?
Using bear-proof containers is just the start of good bear territory practices. You also need to store your trash (as well as your food, toiletries, and other potential attractants) a safe distance from your campsite—at least 300 feet away, Peikon says. Otherwise, you can end up drawing bears to your tent, which is dangerous for both you and our furry friends.
According to the National Park Service, some parks allow you to store trash and food in your car during the daytime, provided all windows are closed and the car is parked out of sight from the campground. However, certain areas require you to keep all bear attractants out of your vehicle. Again, check which approach is best for your location.
How do you deal with human and pet waste without making a mess?
Let’s talk about cat holes. When you camp somewhere that lets you bury your bodily waste, you should do so at least 200 feet from the trail, and away from water sources, Kubiszewski says. Your hole needs to be at least six inches deep and you should cover it up with dirt, leaves, and other natural debris when you’re finished.
You should also follow the 200-feet rule for peeing—get off the trail and away from bodies of water. Try not to pee onto plants if you can help it. Instead, aim for rocks, pine needles, or gravel, and consider diluting it with water. (And if you squat to pee like I do, I highly recommend a pair of Gnara’s Go There Pants, which unzip from the crotch to the butt so you don’t have to fully drop trou in order to relieve yourself.)
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