Popup campers with a bathroom are both easy to tow and convenient for RV travelers who want to bring the comforts of home with them.
They’re especially popular with female travelers and families who want to occasionally camp off the grid away from the resources of an RV park, or who simply don’t want to deal with public facilities on vacation/
Of course, RV manufacturers have caught onto this demand to the point where the marketplace is rife with possible options.
This might have you wondering: What is the best popup camper with a bathroom for me and my family?
The answer can depend on several factors. This includes things like the size of your family, the features you want in the bathroom, and how you will most often be using the popup camper.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best popup campers with a bathroom on the market today, as well as the important characteristics that make them so popular.
7 Of The Best Popup Campers With A Bathrooms
Several options might appeal to you depending on the size of your family and just how well-appointed you want the bathroom facilities to be.
A family that likes to boondoggle off the grid or away from the services of an RV park might prioritize a larger water storage tank.
A family that needs to support two or more children on an RV adventure might prioritize a full bathroom over one that just has a sink and a toilet.
Here is a list of 7 of the best popup campers with a bathrooms:
1. Coachmen Clipper Classic 1285 SST Pop Up Camper
The Coachmen Clipper Classic 1285 SST was designed to be lightweight and mobile, while still providing you with the basic bathroom facilities that a small family needs.
In fact, it only has a hitch weight of 296 pounds, which puts it in play to be towed by a mid-size SUV with a robust tow package. This makes it very convenient for a wide range of RV travelers!
When fully set up it can technically sleep up to seven people at a time. This comes in the form of a king-size bed, a queen-size bed, and two convertible sofa beds.
Which surprisingly doesn’t feel as cramped as you might expect from putting that many people in the popup camper.
The bathroom is a little sparse, which is often par for the course with a popup camper bathroom. It has a small shower facility that is separated off by a curtain.
There’s also a cassette toilet which lets you remove the small black water storage tank as needed for a quick run to the dump station. It spares you having to purchase and haul a spare portable waste storage tank.
The shower is supported by a 23-gallon freshwater tank. This is a little more robust than you find with a lot of the competitor popup campers with a bathroom.
2. Jayco Jay Sport 12SC Camping Trailer
The Jayco Jay Sport 12SC is a thoughtfully engineered popup camper with a bathroom.
It even includes little special like the the retractable awning with screened sides, which provide you a little bit of a front porch feeling.
As a true titan in the RV industry Jayco access to quality materials, components, and cutting edge engineering at a very reasonable price.
About The Camper
This model comes with a king-size bed, a queen-size bed, and two convertible sofa beds.
On paper, it can technically sleep up to eight people, but this might be a little bit of a stretch if you’re traveling with single adults or teenagers.
If you want a reasonable amount of sleeping room, you might want to limit the number of people to six or less.
About The Bathroom
The Jayco – Jay Sport 12SC comes with a cassette toilet and a 5-gallon removable black water storage tank.
This means you can use the toilet without having to worry about hauling an inconvenient portable waste tank with you.
There is also a modest shower with a curtain for privacy. It is supported by a 28.2-gallon freshwater storage tank, which is relatively large for a popup camper with a bathroom.
3. Forest River Flagstaff 2020 23SCSE
Forest River is another one of the stronger names in the RV industry with the Flagstaff being one of their more popular lightweight campers in their entire line.
Of course, this also means that it’s available in a few different configurations. The Flagstaff 2020 23SCSE was designed to appeal to RV travelers who want a modest bathroom facility without compromising a lot of sleeping space.
It only has a hitch weight of 294-pounds. This means you can feasibly tow it with a mid-size SUV or a lightweight pickup truck. It has a slide-out section which maximizes the interior space.
The 2020 Flagstaff 23SCSE has a king-size bed, a queen-size bed, and a convertible sofa bed. This translates into the ability to comfortably sleep up to six people.
The bathroom facility in the Forest River Flagstaff 2020 23SCSE includes a shower with a curtain as well as a cassette toilet.
There’s a removable 5-gallon portable blackwater tank connected to the cassette toilet. If you are staying at an RV park you can simply remove the tank when it’s full for a quick trip to the dump station.
4. 2020 Somerset Utah Pop Up Camper
Each year Somerset introduces a slightly different configuration or floorplan for their popular Utah popup camper.
This is a testament to the long-term popularlity of this rugged, well-designed popup camper with a bathroom. It also offers a touch of innovaton in the form of a recirculating toilet.
About The Camper
The 2020 iteration of the Somerset Utah popup camper includes a basic bathroom facility and can sleep up to 8 people.
It has a hitch weight capacity of 290-pounds, which comfortably puts it in range to be towed by a mid-size SUV or a light-duty pickup truck.
There is a single slide out section which further helps to maximize the interior living space. It even has an awning that you can attach a screen or mosquito netting.
This gives you a little bit of extra living space for times when you might be traveling with a larger family or some close friends.
About The Bathroom
The bathroom inside the 2020 Somerset Utah camper has a modest-size shower with a separating curtain for added privacy.
It’s supported by a 20-gallon freshwater tank, which might sound a little bit smaller than some of the competitors who boast 24 or 26-gallon freshwater tanks.
Though you have to also factor in that this popup camper has a recirculating toilet. This is somewhat rare in the RV industry, as it breaks down, deodorizes, and makes for more efficient storage.
It also doesn’t need to be supported by the fresh water tank, which lets you use those precious reserves strictly for the shower.
5. Forest River Rockwood HW296
With one look at it, you get the feeling that the Rockwood HW296 by Forest River was designed to offer all the luxury of home to families who need a popup camper with the convenience of a basic bathroom.
Which is what you would sort of expect from one of the RV industry leaders. Now, you also have to take into context that a lot of these features and storage tanks will add to the overall weight.
Still, Forest River did its best to keep it reasonable, trimming the fat wherever possible. Its 371-pound hitch weight means that a full-size SUV or a half-ton pickup truck can tow it with confidence.
It has a single slide out section which helps maximize the interior living space. There are even a mid-size refrigerator and a three-burner propane cooktop range.
There’s even a retractable awning that can be deployed for a little extra living space when you’re on the road.
The Forest River Rockwood HW296 can comfortably sleep up to six people with a king-size bed, a queen-size bed, and a convertible sofa.
This is just enough elbow room and sleeping space for a family with one of two teenagers who like to spread out.
The bathroom is rather large for a popup camper. It includes a flushing plastic toilet as well as a shower with a privacy curtain.
All this is supported by a large 26-gallon freshwater tank. Both the blackwater and gray water tanks ring in at a 12-gallons.
This is particularly impressive for a black water tank. All this translates into the ability to boondoggle, without the support of an RV park dump station for days at a time.
6. Forest River Flagstaff Hard Side Pop-Up Camper T21DMHW
The Forest River Flagstaff Hard Side T21DMHW hard side popup camper is a very attractive option for couples or a family with a single child who want to travel with a touch of luxury in a more traditional RV bathroom.
This is technically classified as an “Expandable Camper” which is a cunning take on the popup concept.
With a lot of popup campers you still feel like you’re in some sort of tent that’s attached to a trailer frame.
About The Trailer
With a hitch weight of 353 pounds you are talking about a light duty to half-ton pickup truck for the tow vehicle.
Inside you will find a queen size bed as well as a convertible sofa bed, which ultimately limits the sleeping accommodations to only three people.
Of course the trade off here is that you get a nicely equipped kitchen, some added floor space and a spacious bathroom.
About The Bathroom
This popup camper has a cassette style toilet with a portable 5-gallons black water tank. When it nears capacity you simply remove it via an exterior hatch and take it to the nearest RV dumpstation.
There is also a nice size shower stall with a formal plexiglass door and a robust plastic basin.
It’s supported by a large 26-gallon freshwater tank, which should let two to three people bathe comfortably for several days.
There’s even a six gallong hot water heater to make sure you can get a decently long, warm shower.
7. 2020 Aliner Lxe A-Frame Camper With Shower
This is a great little camper for a couple who wants to be able to hitch onto their mid-size SUV and get on with the adventure.
With it’s ultra-lightweight 180-pound hitch weight, you’ll hardly even know it’s behind you. It is a rugged “Expandable” popup camper with a thoughtfully designed bathroom.
It was engineered to appeal to couples who want a lightweight popup camper with a nice size bathroom area.
About The Camper
There is a convertible sofa bed in the sleeping accommodation, which is just enough to comfortably sleep two people.
It could also be a great option for a tradesman who needs a place to stay at a remote jobsite, and only needs enough room for one person to stay comfortably.
The kitchen has a two burner stove that’s connected directly to the large capacity propane system. There’s even a small sink with a pop-up faucet.
There’s even a microwave and a small refrigerator & freezer combo included in the base model purchase.
About The Bathroom
The A-Liner LXE Base Model has a flushable plastic toilet. It is included in the bathroom area, which has a flip-up half wall.
Special ceiling hangers hold a plastic shower curtain in place to give you a little privacy, while also keeping the water contained.
It’s supplied by a nice-sized 6-gallon water heater and an 11-gallon freshwater storage tank.
Things To Consider Popups With Bathrooms And Toilets
A popup camper with a functioning bathroom is that added touch of luxury that is attractive to families who want to travel light, without sacrificing too many of the comforts of home.
There are different types of toilets and showers available for some of the more popular models.
Finding the best popup camper with a bathroom for you starts by filtering out some key criteria. Along the way you can filter your options by how you are most likely going to use it.
A Traditional Flushing Toilet
This is the kind of plastic toilet that you find in larger travel trailer campers, fifth-wheel trailers, and motorhomes with a bathroom.
When you flush the toilet water is drawn out of the freshwater storage tanks and deposited into a blackwater tank.
The advantage of a toilet like this is that you have veritably no odor, and it pretty much operates just like your traditional toilet at home.
The trade-off here is that you will undoubtedly need a larger freshwater storage tank as well as a larger blackwater tank.
When you also consider the gray water storage tank needed for a shower, you are adding a lot of weight.
This pretty much ensures that you will need a half-ton pickup truck or at least a full-size SUV to safely tow the popup camper.
A Cassette Toilet?
Also known as a “Cartridge Toilet” a Cassette Toilet is a permanently installed toilet seat and station with a removable, portable black water tank.
This is a type of toilet that has long been popular in European caravan campers. It’s also convenient in that you don’t need a separate portable waste tank for a trip to the RV dump station.
A Recirculating RV Toilet?
Recirculating toilets are more common on small aircraft and boats. Though it has recently started to gain popularity in the RV and camping industry.
This type of toilet is designed to be compact, which fits nicely in the relatively tight confines of a popup camper bathroom. It’s engineered to be a waste containment system as well as a fully functional flushing system.
It uses a special chemical solution to deodorize as well as kill bacteria like fecal coliform. This further reduces the risk of accidental contamination while also preventing the lingering odors that you sometimes get from cassette toilets.
Some state-of-the-art recirculating toilets have a special macerator to further help breakdown and dissolve solid waste into small particles.
This makes the storage tank component more efficient, while also helping to prevent a very inconvenient clog.
Most recirculating toilets also have some sort of built-in filter system. It helps to divide the collected waste into different compartments.
Any solid waste is caught by the filter and diverted into a large holding tank that’s engineered to neutralize it.
At the same time, any viable liquids meant to be reused for flushing then are sent to a small tank, which has a high concentration of bacteria-killing chemicals.
When it comes time to dispose of the collected waste, you can divert it to a portable waste storage tank or a nearby RV dump station.
If you have a septic tank at home, you could also use that as well. Most recirculating toilets can hold between three to five gallons of waste at a time before needing to be purged.
This makes them an attractive option for RV travelers who want to use a popup camper with a bathroom for off-the-grid boondoggling adventures.
A Popup Camper Shower
By their very nature popup campers tend to be a little tight on space. This usually means the shower itself will be relatively sparse.
You shouldn’t expect to find a shower stall with a door. Instead, reinforced shower curtains tend to be the norm in a popup camper with a bathroom.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can Be Done About Odors In A Popup Camper Toilet
The type of toilet you have in your popup camper’s bathroom can lead to lingering odors. Especially if you are going to be off the grid or away from an RV dump station.
With a traditional flushing toilet, the opening and closing of the valve can let vapors from the blackwater tank into the bathroom area.
To reduce the chances of this happening, you should do your best to always purge and sanitize your blackwater tank before leaving on a trip.
With a cassette toilet, it helps to add a sanitizer and deodorizer in the black water tank itself. This helps kill the bacteria that cause unpleasant odors.
Though, as you get close to the capacity of the black water tank you might still notice some minor off-putting smells in the popup camper’s bathroom. This is a sign that it’s time to find an RV dump station.
In the case of a recirculating toilet, odors tend to be a sign that you are running low or need to add more chemical solutions. When in doubt it’s best to not cut corners on a cheaper solution.
Do I Need A Portable Waste Storage Tank?
If your popup camper with a bathroom has a traditional black or gray water storage tank, then you most likely will need to invest in a portable waste storage tank.
This is a very convenient way to transfer wastewater from your RV to a certified RV dump station.
If you have a cassette toilet in your popup camper bathroom, then the black water storage tank is easily removable. You can then strap it to a hand truck to wheel it to the nearest RV dump station.
A recirculating toilet works in much the same way. Though you might need to perform some additional cleaning measures depending on the make and model year.
Do I Need Special Toilet Paper For My RV Toilet?
Yes, RV toilet paper is specially designed to break down quickly. It’s especially handy in traditional RV toilets with a black water storage tank.
You might be able to get away with standard toilet paper a few times, but chances are it will eventually lead to a clog in the system or other problems.
Conclusion
There are a few popup campers with bathrooms to consider on this list. Finding the best one for you depends on a few factors.
This includes the robustness of your tow vehicle, the number of people you will be traveling with, and the type of toilet you prefer.
If you have a half-ton or larger pickup truck then you might want to take a good hard look at the Forest River Rockwood HW296.
It has a traditional plastic flushing toilet, which of course, includes a large freshwater storage tank, black water, and gray water storage tanks.
If you want a lightweight popup camper with a bathroom that you can tow with a mid-size SUV, and you don’t want to mess around with a portable wastewater storage tank then the Jayco Jay Sport 12SC might be on your radar. Especially if you have a large family or sometimes travel with your close friends.
For people who like to boondoggle off the grid, but still don’t want to deal with a large storage tank, the popular 2020 Somerset Utah with its recirculating toilet is worthy of consideration.
It’s light and rugged enough to go off the beaten path, yet it doesn’t compromise the facilities or comfort.
Whatever your needs and preferences are chances are good that the best popup camper with a bathroom for you is on this list.
1 Comment
Hannah
3 years agoHi: We are finally using our Forest River Rockwood pop up on the road to public camp grounds. We have a cassette toilet. One of the campsites will allow us to take the black water to their dump site area. Another campground had no idea what I was talking about. Now my next question is, is there a container to catch the sink and shower water? As these do not have connected holding tanks. Please advise. Camping in NY. Thank you.