Celebrate America’s 250th with Revolutionary Summer Savings
Celebrate America’s 250th with Revolutionary Summer Savings
Toilet paper is not something most campers spend much time thinking about until they have a clogged RV holding tank, an unhappy composting toilet, or a backcountry encounter they would rather forget. The truth is that choosing the right toilet paper for camping matters far more than most outdoor enthusiasts realize. The wrong toilet paper can cost you hundreds of dollars in RV tank repairs, disrupt the microbial balance in your composting toilet, leave a lasting environmental footprint in pristine wilderness areas, and create logistical headaches in situations where convenience is already limited. This guide covers everything you need to know about choosing toilet paper for camping for every type of camping situation, from weekend RV trips to extended backcountry expeditions.
RV holding tanks are one of the most unforgiving environments for toilet paper performance. Unlike a home septic system which has large capacity, consistent bacterial populations, and years of established function an RV black water tank is small, subject to temperature extremes, pumped infrequently, and monitored by sensors that can be fooled by floating solids. When toilet paper dissolves slowly in an RV tank, it creates several problems. Undissolved paper accumulates as solid mass, filling the tank faster and making it harder to gauge actual fill level from the sensors. Paper that partially dissolves can form a paste that coats the sides of the tank and the sensor probes, creating false full readings that persist even after pumping. Paper that sits in the tank for extended periods can create clogs near the outlet valve, making pump-out difficult or incomplete. In extreme cases, these issues require professional tank cleaning services at significant cost.
Composting toilets rely on aerobic microbial activity to break down waste material over time into a safe, soil-like compost. Unlike a flush toilet or RV black water system, a composting toilet needs the right balance of carbon material, nitrogen, moisture, and microbial activity to function correctly. The wrong toilet paper can disrupt this balance. Slow-decomposing toilet paper can overwhelm the composting capacity, creating a backlog of unprocessed material. Toilet paper containing fragrances, synthetic dyes, or antimicrobial additives can suppress the microbial populations responsible for composting effectively poisoning the system that processes your waste. For composting toilet users, the toilet paper requirements are arguably more demanding than for any other application: fully biodegradable, fast-decomposing, and completely free from synthetic additives.
In backcountry and primitive camping settings where restroom facilities do not exist, toilet paper use creates a genuine environmental impact that responsible outdoor enthusiasts take seriously. Leave No Trace principles the standard framework for minimizing human impact in wild areas — specify that human waste should be deposited in cat holes at least six inches deep and 200 feet from water sources, trails, and campsites. Toilet paper, when buried with the waste, should decompose as quickly as possible to minimize the impact on soil ecology and the risk of exposure if the site is disturbed. In high-use areas or fragile ecosystems, packing out used toilet paper is recommended. In either case, using toilet paper that biodegrades quickly and completely is both the responsible and the practical choice.
In any camping application that involves water-based waste management RV tanks, composting toilets with liquid separation, portable camping toilets dissolution speed is the most critical technical attribute. The faster toilet paper dissolves in water, the less it accumulates as solid material, the easier it is to process or pump, and the lower the risk of clogs and system problems. For RV camping in particular, toilet paper that begins dissolving within 10 to 15 minutes of water contact is ideal. Throne Bamboo is third-party tested by SGS to begin dissolving in as little as 10 minutes — which is six times faster than the 60-minute industry standard benchmark for flushability testing.
Dissolution speed tells you how quickly toilet paper breaks apart. Biodegradability tells you how completely and quickly those fragments are then broken down into harmless compounds by microbial activity. For backcountry camping, where toilet paper buried in a cat hole needs to decompose before the next visitor might disturb the site, complete biodegradation is essential. For composting toilets, complete biodegradation is what allows the system to actually produce usable compost rather than accumulating unprocessed paper. Throne Bamboo achieves 100 percent biodegradation within 28 days in independent laboratory testing exceeding the typical industry standard of 95 to 98 percent.
Fragrances, dyes, optical brighteners, PFAS treatments, lotions, and other synthetic additives have no place in camping toilet paper. For RV holding tanks, these additives can interfere with the chemical treatments used to control odor and break down waste in the tank. For composting toilets, they can suppress the microbial populations the system depends on. For backcountry use, they represent environmental contaminants that should not be introduced into sensitive ecosystems. The ideal camping toilet paper is completely free from synthetic additives making non toxic, additive-free bamboo toilet paper the logical choice for every camping application.
Logistics matter when camping. Toilet paper that comes in compact rolls or packages, stores efficiently in limited storage spaces, and can be purchased in bulk before a trip reduces the friction of keeping your supply topped up. Throne Bamboo’s 12-pack and 24-pack options are practical choices for RV storage, where space is at a premium and frequent restocking is inconvenient. For backpacking and backcountry use, individual rolls can be removed from their packaging and stored in waterproof bags to minimize weight and bulk. The strength of 3-ply bamboo also means you use fewer sheets per use an important consideration when you are carrying your entire supply on your back.
RV black water tank systems have specific requirements that go beyond basic flushability. The holding tank is typically 20 to 45 gallons and is emptied every few days to two weeks depending on usage and tank size. The tank uses chemical treatments typically formaldehyde-based or enzyme-based products to control odor and accelerate waste breakdown between pump-outs. The tank is monitored by electronic sensors that measure fill level. Each of these elements interacts with your toilet paper choice. Fast-dissolving toilet paper reduces the solid load entering the tank and helps the chemical treatments work more effectively. Additive-free toilet paper does not conflict with the chemical treatments or create unexpected reactions. Paper that breaks down completely eliminates the sensor-fouling paste problem that causes false readings.
Avoid regular household toilet paper particularly premium quilted varieties — in your RV. These products are engineered for home plumbing with high-volume water flow and are not designed for the low-volume, closed environment of an RV holding tank. Avoid toilet paper with fragrances, aloe, or lotions, which can interfere with tank treatments. Avoid thick, multi-ply products that have not been specifically tested for RV use. And critically, do not rely solely on the ‘RV safe’ label — there is no regulatory definition for this term, and any product can claim it without supporting test data. Look for products with documented dissolution times from independent laboratory testing.
Throne Bamboo is third-party tested by SGS a global testing organization to begin dissolving in as little as 10 minutes. It is free from fragrances, dyes, and synthetic additives that could interfere with tank treatments. It achieves 100 percent biodegradation within 28 days. And because each roll has 250 sheets of 50 percent longer-than-standard sheets, you use fewer sheets per use meaning less total paper entering your tank per day. These characteristics collectively make Throne Bamboo one of the best options available for RV camping households.
Composting toilet systems from self-contained units in off-grid cabins to marine head systems on sailboats use aerobic decomposition to convert human waste into a compost-like end product. The composting process requires the right balance of carbon material (which toilet paper provides), nitrogen, moisture, and oxygen, along with active populations of aerobic microorganisms. The toilet paper you use is part of this system. It contributes carbon material to the composting process and ideally breaks down at a rate compatible with the system’s capacity. Fast-decomposing, fully biodegradable toilet paper from bamboo fiber is generally well-suited to composting toilet use because it integrates into the composting process more readily than slow-decomposing wood pulp alternatives.
Synthetic fragrances, antimicrobial compounds, and other additives in conventional toilet paper can actively harm the composting process by suppressing the microbial populations responsible for breaking down waste. Some fragrance compounds have mild antimicrobial properties — a feature marketed as a benefit in home bathroom use but genuinely harmful to the microbial balance in a composting system. Optical brighteners and dyes, while inert in home plumbing, do not biodegrade efficiently and can accumulate in the compost material, reducing its quality and potential use as a soil amendment. The cleaner and simpler the toilet paper, the better it performs in a composting system.
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics provides widely used guidelines for minimizing human environmental impact in wild and natural areas. For human waste management in the backcountry, LNT guidelines specify burying solid waste in cat holes six to eight inches deep, at least 200 feet from water sources, trails, and campsites. Toilet paper, when buried with the waste, should be biodegradable and minimal in quantity. In areas with high use, fragile soils, or where decomposition is slow (such as high altitude or desert environments), LNT guidelines recommend packing out used toilet paper in a dedicated waste bag. Toilet paper that biodegrades quickly reduces the environmental impact in either scenario decomposing faster when buried and weighing less when packed out.
In backcountry environments, the speed of biodegradation determines how long buried toilet paper remains as an environmental contaminant. In warm, moist soils with active microbial communities, fast-biodegrading bamboo toilet paper can break down in days to weeks. In cold, dry, or high-altitude environments where microbial activity is slower, even fast-biodegrading paper will take longer — which is why packing out is recommended in these settings regardless of paper type. Using the most rapidly biodegradable toilet paper available reduces the environmental impact in every setting and gives responsible outdoor enthusiasts the most favorable possible outcome for the ecosystem they are visiting.
Bamboo toilet paper uniquely satisfies all the requirements for camping toilet paper across every type of camping situation. Fast dissolution tested at 10 minutes satisfies RV tank requirements better than any conventional alternative. Complete biodegradation within 28 days satisfies composting toilet and backcountry requirements. The absence of fragrances, dyes, and synthetic additives means no interference with tank treatments, no disruption to composting microorganisms, and no environmental contamination in wild areas. The 3-ply strength of Throne Bamboo means you use fewer sheets per use, which matters for tank capacity, composting system load, and pack weight in the backcountry. And the non toxic formulation means it is safe for your skin regardless of the setting.
How much toilet paper do you need for a camping trip? A general planning rule is one roll per person per week for typical camping use. Because Throne Bamboo rolls have 250 sheets each with 50 percent longer sheets, they last significantly longer than standard rolls — meaning you can carry fewer rolls for the same trip. For a family of four on a two-week RV trip, a 12-pack provides comfortable coverage with some buffer. For couples, our 12-pack easily covers a month of full-time RV living. For backpacking, carry individual rolls in waterproof bags — the 3-ply strength means one roll goes a long way. Stocking up before your trip with a bulk pack from Throne Bamboo ensures you are never caught short, whether you are at a campground, boondocking in the desert, or two days into a backcountry trail.
