[BastrdSonOfElvis]

Buzzards, what is the current bees’ knees groover available for sale at any price? Is there an accepted gold standard?
(Cue salty old codgers recommending squatting on bare rocketbox)

Feel free to comically link to the ridiculous and absurd, but real info also appreciated.

 

[codycleve]

I have used most and don't think you can beat a Johnny partner by partner steel. The hang up, price. And up here in idaho there is a scat machine readily available on most all rivers. Guides here run Johnny's or riverbank by Segway fab I believe. Those would be my one and two. I might bump the riverbank up to o e if I lived where there where no scat machines as I think they my be easier to clean with the septic hook up. Though I have never used anything except a scat machine.

 

[Gchapman]

Everybody knows a Ford is better than a Chevy and WAY better than a Dodge - until you ask the guy that drives a Dodge. Johnny partner, eco-safe and Riverbank will all be discussed in this thread and every post will have a different opinion - even though we all know the Riverbank is the best option. 😜

 

[zbaird]

The Johnny Partner is the answer if you are after maximum versatility. It easily dumps in a scat machine if you find yourself by one, and dumps fine with the cone at septic/rv dumps. The hole is just big enough that you dont have to perform "manuevers" with your junk. The lip is fairly short so only those affected worst by taco night can manage to spackle and leave a mess for you. The main downside to it is that it is big. If its just you, the wife and little ones for a weekend on a one boat trip the JP eats up a lot of space in the back of that 14 XT for just a few turds. If you're going to mostly weekend on small trips you might think about some sort of WAG bag system. No dumping required! Im not sure which one is best in that department. When I do wag bags its over a bucket with a seat with gamma lid. Filled bags live in the bucket. If Im thinking more than 12-15 user days, I'll just bring the real shitter.

For a week, or bigger group trips JP for sure. Only problem with the JP on Muti days is that most people dont have them. On trips where multiple tanks are needed, you'll end up with two seats/ unit boxes and or end up using the dreaded eco safe because its still the most prominent. Not a huge deal and Id rather bring 3 extra seats than have to use an eco safe. Of course, with an endless budget, you could buy a few tanks and always be Capt. Feces! Honestly if it keeps you from bringing the kitchen its not a bad thing.

I prefer to shit in and deal with my system (wide open unlined rocket box with seat) over all of them because its the easiest to deal with on the river and gets spackled the least because of the big hole and no lip. Its not the best to clean out though and only DIY options are currently available for RV style dump lids, which is what most people in CO rely on. If your local sewage plant in Gunny will dump and rinse those boxes for you its a good way to go and certainly more budget friendly if you decide you dont want to drop 1k+ on a box to shit in.

The plastic standalone ones, Selway/riverbank/ coyote are fine though a little "tight" and more prone to get spackled than the JP or straight box. I rate them somewhere between the eco safe and the JP.

Whatever you do, dont let anyone convince you that the eco safe is the way to go "because everyone has them". They are terrible to use and if you're doing on the river service, its the worst. I have no idea how people walk away from the mess they make but they do. The right shitter can minimize this problem.

I know you're getting all dialed in but I would imagine you have time to check them all out for yourself. Go on a few trips with different ones or just look at them in a store and think, what's gonna happen to this thing after taco night and tequila. If it seems bad, it'll be worse. The worst offenders run from their mess faster than they can make it.

 

[Electric-Mayhem]

Johnny Partner 100%.... Selwaya a close second if only because they are kind of odd shapped and the JP's are a bit easier to pack. I'd put a Coyote next and then maybe Eco-Safe. I MIGHT put just a rocket box with a seat (no plastic jug) above the Eco-safe depending on what kind of cleanout you have available.

 

[Whitewater Worthy Equip]

Whatever you end up with make sure you don't let people put baby wipes in it. That's what most often breaks the Scat Machine's and you can always assume the one at the end of the Rogue is broken. Make sure you have a way to clean with the sewer fittings as I have found it does a much better job anyway and there is no line. I use a straight 30mm rocket box system with riser and have them powder coated and put truck bed liner on the outside bottom. I made a cleanout lid from a donor box. I avoid the echo safe at all costs due to the turd slide effect.

 

[IDriverRunner]

+1 for the Jon-ny Partner

Price is high, but they are the best (in my opinion).

 

[SheepEater]

Why are people against the Eco-Safe? Seems like it’s coming last on everybody’s lists. I’ve used one a couple of times, I didn’t have any problems, but there was somebody on the trip who couldn’t figure out how to use it in a sanitary way. I always thought that was more of a them problem. Clean out seems easy too, but I’ve never actually had to do it.

 

[Utah78]

I like the riverbank and will never look back. I will never shell out the extra money for the partner Steel. The thing I like about the riverbank is you can carry an extra internal tank which is super light if you are doing a long trip with lots of people . The only downside I see to the riverbank is it is a little bulkier to pack, but the upside to that bulkiness is it is super stable when you are sitting (you never know when an earthquake will happen while doing your business). But hey, I have a 14foot raft (143R) and can still fit the whole unit down low in the back of the raft and still fit dry bags and other stuff around it.

 

[Pine]

IMO Selway toilet is best by a wide margin. I generally avoid the scat machine and use an RV dumpsite instead, so I can't speak to advantages of either system there, but the RV adapter for the JP is a cumbersome PITA. I also like that the Selway shape is a nice compact cube with no sharp edges exposed. The best feature of the Selway is that it stows as one compact unit with no need to keep extra parts like the seat some where else like with the JP. Its also stable and comfortable to sit on.

I was on a trip where some one brought a JP and had put some kind of RV toilet chemical in it. Each day when we got to camp, they would pop open the relief valve and it would hiss like a pressure cooker for 10 to 15 minutes until it bled off all the built up gas. It let out a wall of putrid stench that would knock a buzzard off a gut wagon from a 100 yards away. Even after letting air out for an hour, the thing smelled so awful it was almost impossible to use. It was like some kind of chemical weapon.

 

[jbLaramie]

Whatever you end up with make sure you don't let people put baby wipes in it. That's what most often breaks the Scat Machine's and you can always assume the one at the end of the Rogue is broken. Make sure you have a way to clean with the sewer fittings as I have found it does a much better job anyway and there is no line. I use a straight 30mm rocket box system with riser and have them powder coated and put truck bed liner on the outside bottom. I made a cleanout lid from a donor box. I avoid the echo safe at all costs due to the turd slide effect.

Really like this concept, maybe post a few pics showing the details? Selway and JP are great, but the size and scalability of the rocket boxes is really nice.

 

[PDX Duck]

Not super experienced - don’t hate the Ecosafe but agree there is not sufficient d*ck room and design can lead to undesirable cleanings. Price point is reason for popularity.

SDG appears to be working on a rocket box form factor product - looks very enticing.

 

[gnarsify]

Any of you groover experts use a Coyote from 4 Corners Riversports? Price looks good, smaller size is nice for a smaller boat, looks easy enough to clean-out...what do the buzzards say?

 

[BastrdSonOfElvis]

I've never been engaged in such a riveting conversation about feces. I love it. Thanks for all the info, I have some research to do. I'm hoping that the first few trips I'm on someone else brings the groover so I can see what's what first hand...er butt.

 

[codycleve]

Any of you groover experts use a Coyote from 4 Corners Riversports? Price looks good, smaller size is nice for a smaller boat, looks easy enough to clean-out...what do the buzzards say?

One of my friends has a coyote. And as you pointed out it's great for smaller groups or smaller boats... When we do the upper owyhees the biggest boat is usually a rmr storm or a minimax. Great system for small boats small groups. we where good for 5 people for 7 days. I would use it ahead of the eco safe any day.

 

[Pinchecharlie]

I bought a selway fab groover last year and it’s my first groover. I just thought you should know after a few days it’s really heavy. So if you wanna one man hike a ways from camp it’s a chore after it’s been used a bit. Other thing that’s just how it is , is it’s harder to clean than just hooking up a hose. I haven’t used others and it wasn’t bad but I did have to do some doo doo and it’s doo doo so … otherwise the family liked it and my girls who don’t go number two in the woods that great had no problem being regular on a 8 day deso. Before we had plastic toilet that held wag bags cause Montana has no rules.

 

[Senor D]

+1 for the Selway Fabrication River Bank Toilet. I haven't used a Johnny Partner since I swamped my buddy's commercial trips in the 90's. I remember it being heavy to my 20 year old self...

 

[LJPurvis]

I have always been partial to the Johnny Partner. The Riverbank is a nice setup too. Here are my takes on each (these are the only two I have used).
JP: Aluminum cleans out nicely and doesn't hold any residual color/smell. I like the handles that provide easy carrying and strapping. The RV dumping is OK and the spray nozzle feature is good.
RB: Smaller and lighter with the ability to smaller inner tanks for longer trips. The plastic does retain color (staining) and absorbs a bit of the smell for later enjoyment.

JP has always been very proud of their products and they do need to drop a bit in price. But building a JP aluminum product is more man intensive vs pouring the plastic chips into a revolving mold and letting it create the product. I am assuming (and you know what that means) that the Riverbank systems are built similarly to the big chemical/water storage tanks.

 

[jsheglund]

Any of you groover experts use a Coyote from 4 Corners Riversports? Price looks good, smaller size is nice for a smaller boat, looks easy enough to clean-out...what do the buzzards say?

I have the coyote. 3M, 3F, 2 girls for 8 days and room to spare. Seat hole is a bit small but everyone adapted to it (i guess?). Very happy with this piece of kit and see no reason to use anything else, especially given the price. As far as hanging onto smell/color, I haven't noticed. I don't see any reason to worry about that, as long as the smell doesn't leach all the way to the outside.

 

[Ripper]

+1 for the Selway riverbank... I haven't graced a JP with my presence yet.

The Selway cleanup is super easy especially if you live on a septic system. It is also superior in stability IMO to a ECOsafe setup, and doesn't streak / stripe out. I've had one close call on a drunken night that could have ended in disaster had it been later in the trip with a "tippy" ecosafe. The Selway does have to be rigged first though in the rear of my 14'ft which leaves me typically last one off the beach at camp which I don't care for. They do come in fun colors though!