TravelJohn Foldable Commode/Chair (Olive Drab)

I ordered this product based on the number of 5 star ratings given by so many here on Amazon. However, after having used it myself, I'm wondering why.First the good:It folds up nicely and goes in the back of the SUV with the other folding chairs.It deploys nicely for instant set up.It has a flap that covers the top when not in use, or simply to use it as a normal chair.It has a pocket.Now the bad:It is low to the ground. Not a deal breaker by itself, but something you will want to keep in mind if you have knee problems.Even after only a few uses, the canvas has stretched and it is beginning to sag quite a bit. Still, I could live with that.The deal breaker? The bags attach by simply wrapping the lip around the edges of the velcro attached seat cushion and are basically held in place by friction. As the bag starts filling and gets heavier, it is prone to pulling through and onto the floor. To prevent this, get the larger bags which reach all the way to the floor (more money).Secondly, you have to sit on the plastic waste bag. The minute you stand up, the bag will stick to you, pulling out of the seat and again, falling through the hole. Now picture the mess this will cause. Optionally, you can order paper toilet seat covers (more money).I've fiddled with a couple fixes to these problems - bull nose clips to hold the bag in place, and even cutting a few holes in the lip of the bag so the velcro can attach and hold. Neither are satisfactory.Bottom line, if I was using this just for myself, I could put up with these issues, but when used by more than one person it just isn't reasonable. I don't really want to do tech support on a camp toilet bag failure after someone else just used it. I do however want a toilet seat that be easily cleaned.I am not returning this product due to sanitary reasons, but will instead keep it as an emergency backup.I am ordering the more expensive "Travel Toilet" sold here on Amazon by Matter of Time for $69.95. I'll report how that works once it arrives.

I have owned two other camp toilets and both were unstable and a pain to set-up and tear-down. There are three main qualities of this seat to consider:1. Height. This seat is taller than a standard toilet seat and easy to get on and off.2. Stability. Four legs are obviously more stable than three, and the thickness of the legs is more than I imagined. This thing will hold a huge person or two.3. Ease of use. Set-up and tear-down couldn't be simpler.As far as weaknesses go, toilets such as this should have a mesh that keeps the potty bags from falling out. This seat does not have that. One could be fashioned fairly easily though. There is also no visible way to securely attach the potty bags. The picture shows the bag wrapping around the seat cushion but I assure you that will not work well. The seat cushion attaches to the potty by Velcro and wrapping a bag around it will not allow it to stay where its put. I'm sure that a little inventiveness on my part will solve this issue. In fact our bags will fit over the top of the seat, but that's not ideal.The slight quality control issue is that the flap that serves as a lid has three Velcro tabs but only two attachment points exist on the bottom of the seat. This does not affect performance.The seat hasn't been used in the field yet but it passed the trials with the wife and looks to be a solid buy. I may adjust the rating after our next trip.

I used this in a popup camper over a two week campout with friends last fall. I used bags with a stretchy top that fit more tightly around the "seat". It seemed like it would be messy but worked OK. I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing the same bag with another person but that is just me. The sanitary issues kept me from giving it a 5.I got some cheap kitty litter to use in the bags. It completely took care of odors. I kept the flap over the seat when not in use. I used this mainly overnight and used camp facilities during the day. I will use this again because it doubles as another seat without looking like a terlit when there is no bag on it.When sitting on it I found it sagged too much, would have liked the seat to be more taut. But it works OK for me until I upgrade to a self contained camper. It is very portable and easy to set up in or outside the camper and something that folds down easy to store with your other camp gear when not in use. It is sturdy and well made, comes with a nylon storage case.

The TravelJohn Foldable Commode/Chair is probably the next best thing to going at home. It comes with a storage bag and a detachable piece that fits around the seat opening to provide padding and hold a toilet bag in place. The pouch on the side can be used to store toilet paper, wipes, and hand sanitizer. It can store different items when not being used as a commode.There is lots of info about the folded dimensions (24"x6"x6") but nothing about the expanded size. It measures 18.5" wide, 18.5" deep, and 18" tall. I bought this in hopes of using it in a 5" x 7" tent. With a cot and gear bag inside this seat is too wide and too tall. I believe it is an excellent product for a larger tent or in its own shelter. For that reason I am keeping it. The dual functionality is a definite plus. I intend to use the product as a commode and a chair and add a piece of ply wood on top to make a table or nightstand. A Clip 'n Seal  Clip-n-Seal Bag Clips - Large 3 Pack  will seal whatever toilet bag you choose between uses.I don't see any cons to this product. The unfolded dimensions should have been mentioned in the description. I might not have purchased it but for $5.00 (after using Amazon Rewards points)its a steal as the price has increased since I bought it. I guess it has to be the size it is to accomodate people at the maximum weight limit.You can't go wrong with this product as long as you have room for it.