Best Backcountry Bidets of 2025
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March 29th, 2025
A backcountry bidet is a great way to keep your backside clean after doing your business in the woods. Many backcountry bidets are little more than a small cap with a nozzle that fits on a water bottle. They’re lighter and more packable than wet wipes and get you cleaner than wiping with dry paper. And after several days in the backcountry, we think the cleaner, the better.
Just imagine: You wake up in your tent. It’s chilly but not too cold to keep you in your sleeping bag once the thought of hot coffee crosses your mind. You crawl outside, fire up your stove, and soon you’re sipping on the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had. Okay, maybe it’s only the best cup you’ve had in this location on this day, but it’s good.
Like clockwork, the coffee works, and nature calls. You grab your ultralight trowel, hand sanitizer, water, soap, and a backcountry bidet. Then, you go for a short walk until you find the perfect spot. You dig a hole, squat, and go. When you’ve finished, you spray your backside with your backcountry bidet, add a little soap for good measure, rinse, wash your hands, bury your contribution to the forest, and you’re ready for the day.
We love using a portable bidet on backpacking trips. For this review, Treeline writer Sam Schild carried six of the best backcountry bidets on an Appalachian Trail thru-hike. He used each one to clean up after doing his business. And as he made his way along the trail, he narrowed down which models were his favorite.
Then, we had Treeline writer Shawnté Salabert try the three bidets Sam had identified as his favorite from his AT testing. Shawnté, a long-time user of backcountry bidets, tried all of Sam’s favorites and even recommended her personal favorite to Sam. Sam tested Shawnté’s favorite portable bidet, and then the two of them compared testing notes to create this guide to the best backcountry bidets.
Some of our favorite bidets are a simple cap that fits onto some 28mm threaded water bottles. Others use a dedicated bottle, which prevents potential mix-ups—this is important when number two is involved.
Here’s a list of our favorite backcountry bidets for everything from ultralight backpacking to adventure travel, camping, and everything in between.
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Summary table
| BIDET | TREELINE AWARD | WEIGHT (oz) | SPRAY DISTANCE* | SIZE (in) | BOTTLE COMPATABILITY (mm) | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CuloClean Ultralight Portable Bidet | Best overall (Sam's pick) Read why |
0.42 | 16.5 feet | 2.7 x 1.3 | 28 | $10 |
| Happy Bottom Portable Bidet | Best overall (Shawnté's pick) Read why |
2.8 | 13 feet | 8.5 x 2.5 | Comes with bottle | $18 |
| Holey Hiker Bidet | Best for water conservation Read why |
0.14 | 15 feet | 0.75 x 1 | 28 | $14 |
| Igneous Bottle Cap Bidet | Best bottle cap bidet Read why |
0.14 | 14 feet | 1.3 x 0.5 | 28 | $10 |
| Pika Outdoors Backwoods Bidet | 0.35 | 4.5 feet | 2 x 1.18 x 0.56 | 28 | $10 |
The winners
Sam’s pick for best overall backcountry bidet (cork style): CuloClean Ultralight Portable Bidet
Weight: 0.42oz
Size: 2.7 x 1.3
Spray distance: 16.5 feet
Average amount of water to clean in dishwashing test: 2 oz (test 1), 1 oz (test 2). Average= 1.5 oz
Bottle Compatibility: 28 mm or 30 mm
What we liked: Fits on any water bottle, lightweight, high-spray pressure
What we didn’t like: Doesn’t cover the bottle threads
The CuloClean backcountry bidet is our top pick for a backcountry bidet that works with any 28mm opening water bottle. Whether it’s a Smartwater bottle, one of those crushable cheap plastic bottles, or any other bottle with a thread-on cap (except for extra wide-mouth, such as a Gatorade bottle), the CuloClean fits securely inside the opening while weighing very little. It has a tapered cork design, with four O-rings, two for 28mm and two for 30 mm openings.
The CuloClean’s two O-ring design creates the highest pressure spray of any bidet we tested. While Shawnté prefers a sprayer with multiple holes, which distributes the water over a wider area (more on her favorite bidet below), Sam prefers a higher-pressure stream of water, which the CuloClean provides. Shawnté also agrees, ”This spray feels more concentrated than other bidets.”
CuloClean Ultralight Portable Bidet
It has a single spray hole, but that hole is much longer than it is wide. So while it doesn’t have that showerhead effect like some bidets, the long, narrow spray nozzle creates a wider stream of water than many bidets.
It’s the size of a cork and weighs under half an ounce, so it’s an easy choice to pack.
We carried the CuloClean while thru-hiking the Continental Divide Trail before we tested all these bidets on the Appalachian Trail. On the CDT, after we lost our first one (we recommend getting any color other than black!), we thought, “Maybe we can do without it.” One week later, we were on the wifi at the ice cream shop in Lander, Wyoming, ordering another CuloClean to be delivered via General Delivery in the next town.
We tested every bidet’s pressure by measuring how far each sprayed water. The CuloClean sprayed 16.5 feet. That’s the farthest of any backcountry bidet. A longer spray means more pressure, which leads to a cleaner backside with less water needed.
The biggest drawback of this bidet, which Shawnté points out, is that it doesn’t cover the water bottle threads. This isn’t because the bidet will leak, but because it leaves the threads exposed to splashback. Shawnté says, “I don't like mixing my water bottle and bidet bottle, but for people who do, a thread-on bidet prevents backsplash on the threads.” If you want a bidet that threads onto a bottle to cover the threads, we recommend the Igneous Bottle Cap Bidet, our pick for the best affordable bidet.
For the record, when using a water bottle with any of these cap or cork-style bidets, we never put our mouth anywhere near those threads. That’s gross. We recommend always using your dirty water bottle for your bidet, which you fill with unfiltered water and attach to a water filter, and never drink directly out of your dirty bottle.
So, while having a bidet that covers the bottle’s threads is a valid concern, we don’t think it necessarily means that you’re doomed to drinking poop water if you use a bidet like the CuloClean. Just be sure to only use a bottle you attach a filter to (and if you don’t filter or use bleach…never mind; you probably aren’t considering carrying a bidet if you don’t even carry a filter). In thousands of miles and countless backcountry bidet sessions, Sam has never gotten Giardia, Noro Virus, or any other number two-related illness. You can avoid these illnesses, too, even if you do use a backcountry bidet that leaves a bottle’s threads exposed to splashback. Just don’t drink directly out of your dirty bottle.
If you’re looking for a lightweight bidet that fits on the most variety of water bottles and provides a high-pressure water spray experience, we think the CuloClean is best.
Shawnté’s pick for best overall backcountry bidet (bottle and sprayer style): Happy Bottom Portable Bidet
Weight: 2.8 oz
Size: 8.5 x 2.5
Spray distance: 13 feet
Amount of water to clean in dishwashing test: 3.5 oz (test 1), 2 oz (test 2). Average= 2.75 oz
Bottle Compatibility: dedicated water bottle
What we liked: Separate water bottle, telescoping shower head nozzle, easier to squeeze this rubberized water bottle than a disposable bottle
What we didn’t like: Heavier than a bottle cap or cork-style bidet
The Happy Bottom portable bidet is our favorite backcountry bidet that uses a dedicated separate water bottle. While this style of bidet is heavier, it guarantees there are no mixups between bidet bottle and drinking water bottle. After testing all of our favorite ultralight bidets that either thread onto or fit into the opening of a standard disposable water bottle, Shawnté still prefers the functionality and ease of use that the Happy Bottom provides. She has used this bidet for years and will continue using it for years to come.
Happy Bottom Portable Bidet
What makes the Happy Bottom different is that it has a telescoping showerhead nozzle. This “keeps my hand further from my business,” as Shawnté puts it. The separate bottle is a soft plastic, and feels easier to squeeze than a crinkly disposable water bottle as well. While the Happy Bottom didn’t spray as far as the Culo Clean, Holey Hiker, or Common Gear bidets, it does feel easier to squeeze the dedicated rubber bottle.
The nozzle has six pin-sized holes that distribute the spray across a small radius. The nozzle, which collapses into the lid when you aren’t using it, extends out 6 inches and has a sharp bend near the spigot. This makes spraying your butt easy, without the need to oddly contort your wrist or shoulder, while keeping your hand farther away from the spray zone.
The Happy Bottom bidet weighs 2.8 ounces. That’s six times as much as the Culo Clean alone and still about twice as much as the Culo Clean plus a lightweight bottle. Also, the Happy Bottom’s dedicated water bottle is bulky. You’ll have to carry this in your side water bottle pocket, where it will take up precious drinking water space. You can also carry it empty anywhere else that a 2.5 by 80-inch cylinder will fit, but it leaks if the nozzle isn’t fully extended.
This bidet offers a slightly easier cleaning experience, and if this sounds like something you’re willing to carry, then you should definitely go for it. In the grand scheme of things, three ounces isn’t that heavy, but it is much heavier, bulkier, and less versatile than a small cap that fits on any old bottle.
If you’re looking for a backcountry bidet that uses a dedicated separate water bottle to avoid any tragic mixups, the Happy Bottom Portable Bidet is our go-to pick.
Best backcountry bidet for water conservation: Holey Hiker Bidet
Weight: 0.14 oz
Size: 0.75 x 1
Spray distance: 15 feet
Average amount of water to clean in dishwashing test: 1 oz (test 1), 1 oz (test 2). Average= 1 oz
Bottle Compatibility: Smartwater bottle only
What we liked: Multiple spray holes, very light, affordable, made in USA
What we didn’t like: Doesn’t fit as deep into bottle opening
The Holey Hiker backcountry bidet is another model that fits like a cork inside a water bottle’s opening. This model works with SmartWater bottles. Unlike the Culo Clean, it only has one size of O-ring, so it only fits into 28mm bottles. However, this bidet weighs a mere 4 grams, or 0.14 ounces. That’s less than the Smartwater bottle itself (which is 1.2 ounces, for the record). It’s also the most efficient in terms of water conservation, so if you’re planning to use a backcountry bidet in dry climates, this is one for you.
Holey Hiker Bidet
The bidet spray comes out of four holes. It’s also almost as high of pressure as the Culo Clean. The Holey Hiker sprays water 15 feet. This is pretty impressive, considering the water is coming out of four separate holes. Some people prefer the shower head style bidet spray more than those that have a single opening. If this is you, and you want a bidet that fits onto common water bottles, then we recommend the Holey Hiker.
We almost chose the Holey Hiker as the overall winner for a cap-style backcountry bidet, but since it’s slightly less versatile than the Culo Clean, we decided to go with that one for Best Overall. However, if you go with the Holey Hiker, which weighs less than the Culo Clean and fits the most common size of water bottles—SmartWater, soda bottles, and the like—you won’t be disappointed.
Since it only has one O-ring, the Holey Hiker doesn’t seem to fit as firmly into the water bottle opening as the Culo Clean, either. We never had it fall out while using it, but since it doesn’t fit as deep into the bottle it seems more possible that it could fall out. It also doesn’t cover the threads on the bottle since it fits inside the opening.
If you’re looking for an ultralight backcountry bidet with a multi-hole spray nozzle that’s the most efficient with water use, the Holey Hiker is worth a look.
Best bottle cap backcountry bidet: Bottle Cap Bidet by Igneous
Weight: 0.14 oz
Size: 1.3 x 0.5
Spray distance: 14 feet
Average amount of water to clean in dishwashing test: 5.5 oz (test 1), 3.5 oz (test 2). Average= 4.5 oz
Bottle Compatibility: 28 mm
What we liked: Ultralight, inexpensive, small, covers some of the threads on a bottle, made in USA
What we didn’t like: Small single-hole stream spray action
The Igneous Bottle Cap Bidet is a thread-on style backcountry bidet. It looks like a small bottle cap with a single hole where the water sprays out. It’s also extremely lightweight, and at 4 grams, or 0.14 oz, it’s tied with the Holey Hiker bidet for the most lightweight backcountry bidet.
Bottle Cap Bidet by Igneous
We like the design of the Igneous bidet because it threads onto any 28 mm cap standard bottle, such as the ubiquitous SmartWater bottle. This means that it also covers the bottle’s threads, preventing any splashback from getting onto where you’d potentially put your lips. But again, we don’t recommend drinking directly from the same bottle you’re using as a bidet—there’s just too much risk in doing that for our liking.
It has a single-hole opening for water to spray out, which shoots a very concentrated stream. It’s relatively high-pressure, and sprayed water 14 feet in our distance test. This isn’t quite as high of pressure as the Culo Clean, Happy Hiker, or Holey Hiker, but it’s still high pressure enough.
We found the small single stream spray was less comfortable than a wider spray, however. The single stream of water felt a little too aggressive and doesn’t clean as wide of an area. This causes you to need more water to get as clean. Also, though we liked that the cap covers the threads on a water bottle, it’s slightly difficult to thread this bidet onto the bottle. It gets easier with everyday use, but it’s never quite as easy as simply shoving a cork-shaped bidet into a bottle’s opening.
For an affordable bidet for ultralight backpackers, the Igneous Backcountry Bidet is a great option.
Other backcountry bidets we considered
Backwoods Bidet by Pika Outdoors
Weight: 0.35oz
Size: 2 x 1.18 x 0.56
Spray distance: 4.5 feet
Bottle Compatibility: 28 mm
What we liked: Threads onto water bottle, wider water spray opening
What we didn’t like: Not very high pressure
The Pika Outdoors Backwoods Bidet is another thread-on style backcountry bidet that fits on a SmartWater bottle. We liked that this model covered the most threads of any thread-on cap bidet, but this model didn’t spray water at a very high pressure. In our spray distance test, it only sprayed water 4.5 feet. That’s less than one-third the distance of most of the other backcountry bidets, and a shorter spray distance means it won’t have as strong of a pressure-washing effect. If you’re using soap and water, such as the Pika Outdoors Powdered Soap, our preferred backcountry soap, then this isn’t a huge issue. But we like a higher-pressure bidet to get everything cleaner whether or not we’re using soap.
Backwoods Bidet by Pika Outdoors
Weight: 3.8
Size: 5.25 x 2.5 x 1.75
Spray distance: 13 feet
Bottle Compatibility: Comes with bottle
What we liked: Dedicated water bottle bidet, high-pressure angled nozzle
What we didn’t like: 6-ounce water bottle isn’t big enough to get clean
The Humangear BidetToob is another backcountry bidet that’s similar to the Happy Hiker backcountry bidet. The BidetToob has a small dedicated rubberized bottle that’s easy to squeeze, and the detachable spout is angled so you can easily aim it at your backside. Treeline Review editor Amanda Jameson wrote it up as a favorite piece of gear in Our Favorite PCT Gear Items article.
The spray nozzle spout stores inside the bottle when not in use, so it’s easy to pack. However, we found that the 6 ounces of water this bottle holds isn’t enough to get fully clean, so we had to refill it 1-2 times per use, which isn’t ideal.
Humangear BidetToob Portable Bidet
Weight: 3.3 oz
Size: 4.72" by 2.36"
Spray distance: 16 feet
Bottle Compatibility: Bottle included
What we liked: Inexpensive, dedicated water bottle, angled nozzle
What we didn’t like: Sharp spray from nozzle can be uncomfortable
This isn’t a dedicated bidet, per se, but the medical wash bottle is commonly also used as a bidet. We like how inexpensive this option is. And before there were other backcountry bidets available, this was one of the best options. However, the spray nozzle shoots a sharp spray of water that isn’t as effective as the wider shower effect of our favorite bidets. There are people who prefer the medical wash bottle to our favorite bidets, though, so it’s worth considering.
Medical Wash Bottle
Why use a backcountry bidet
Using a backcountry bidet is the easiest way to keep your backside clean in the backcountry. You save weight, get cleaner, and lessen your environmental impact when doing your business in the woods.
Better Cleaning
Simply put, water cleans better than dry toilet paper. Using a backcountry bidet makes cleaning yourself after you use the bathroom easier and more effective. We’ve used backcountry bidets with and without soap, though we always clean our hands after.
Using soap and water from a bidet is the most effective way to get as clean as possible. But even if you only carry hand sanitizer, water from a bidet with a square of toilet paper or bandana to dry yourself will get you much cleaner than toilet paper alone.
Environmental Impact
If you clean yourself with water, you don’t have to pack out used toilet paper or wipes. And no, you definitely shouldn’t bury that toilet paper!
Be sure to use your bidet far away from water sources, at least 200 yards. And if you’re using soap, ensure that you’re even farther from water sources and that it’s biodegradable soap, such as Dr. Bronners Castile Soap or Pika Outdoors Powdered Soap.
Weight Saving
Other than the extra water you need to carry, using a bidet is lighter than carrying several days’ worth of toilet paper or wet wipes. And as an added bonus, you don’t have to pack out your dirty TP.
Leave No Trace
You know that thing we said about not burying toilet paper? Leave No Trace Principles require you to pack out used toilet paper. Well, if you don’t use toilet paper, you won’t have to pack it out, either.
Also, be sure to bury your poo in a 6-8 inch deep hole. This ensures that you leave as little impact as possible when pooping in the woods.
Hygiene
Butt chafe is the worst. It hurts every step. And the only way to avoid this is to make sure your cheeks are squeaky clean. Cleaning yourself with a bidet after using the bathroom gets your butt cleaner, reducing the risk of chafing and other bacterial issues on long trips.
Water Efficiency
A backcountry bidet uses more water than wet wipes because wet wipes already have water in them. However, a backcountry bidet is more efficient with water than other “backcountry bidet” methods, where you clean yourself with water without a bidet, such as the Andrew Skurka method.
What to look for in a backcountry bidet
Here are some things to consider when looking for a backcountry bidet.
Weight and Portability
When selecting a backcountry bidet, weight and portability should be your first consideration. Nozzle-only options typically weigh a half ounce or less, while full bottle systems can weigh about 3 ounces. Consider carefully whether the added features of heavier systems justify their weight penalty in your pack.
Also, a backcountry bidet saves you more weight because they don’t require you to use much toilet paper, if any at all. Toilet paper doesn’t weigh much, but it does weigh something and can be bulky. Dirty toilet paper is especially heavy and bulky.
Water Capacity
We find a good bidet wash requires just under a liter of water. Since most backcountry bidets attach to a standard 1-liter water bottle, all you have to be sure of is that your bottle is close to full before you go.
If you’re using a backcountry bidet in drier climates, you should plan for an extra liter of water before you set out for a dry camp. Or else, have an alternate cleaning method ready if you don’t have excess water. For this reason, we prefer using a backcountry bidet in non-desert backpacking scenarios. We’ve made it work with desert backpacking, but it does require a higher water-carrying capacity than using toilet paper or wet wipes.
Water Bottle Compatibility
Bottle compatibility is another crucial factor. Most bidets attach to standard 28 millimeter bottle threads, but some work better with specific bottle types. Squeezable bottles often provide better pressure control, so consider what type of water bottles you typically carry. It's worth testing your bidet with your preferred bottle before heading into the backcountry.
Water Pressure
Water pressure can make or break your backcountry bidet experience. Bidets with small nozzle openings generally provide better pressure, and the type of bottle you use can significantly impact performance. Squeezable bottles offer more control over pressure, while rigid bottles might require more effort to achieve the same results. We found that the cheapest crushable water bottles are the easiest to squeeze, but SmartWater-type bottles are almost as easy to squeeze and provide adequate water pressure.
Compatibility with water bottles or hydration systems
Some bidets are compatible with a standard water bottle. Others come with a dedicated bottle to use. If a bidet works with a standard bottle, then it will be lighter. But some people prefer to have a dedicated bottle for their backcountry bidet.
Treeline writer Shawnté Salabert prefers a separate bottle to ensure there are “no mixups.” Treeline writer Sam, on the other hand, simply prefers to use the same water bottle he filters out of when using his backcountry bidet.
Material and Durability
Durability should not be overlooked, especially for longer trips. Look for solid construction without moving parts that could fail. We’ve never had an O-ring fail on a backcountry bidet, even after months of use in dry climates. But those O-rings seem like the most likely point of failure. If an O-ring does crack or break, you can likely find another at a hardware store. You could likely still use your bidet if an O-ring breaks, but it will leak and not provide as high of pressure.
We like that the Culo Clean backcountry bidet has double the amount of O-rings needed. This way, if one O-ring breaks, your bidet will still work.
Ease of Use
Ease of use is important, because no one wants to have a hard time cleaning their butt. Angled nozzles can significantly improve aim and make the whole process more comfortable. Some models include longer spouts, which can help with positioning the bidet to get that perfect angle. Some bidets also have clear directional markers to eliminate guesswork when you’re squatting in the woods, twisting your arm to spray your butt.
Intended Use
Most backcountry bidets are intended to be used as a bidet while backpacking, so they’re small and light enough to carry in your pack. There are other portable bidets advertised as travel bidets, which may be better suited to throwing in a carry-on. But these travel bidets don’t weigh much more than a backcountry bidet, so you could use them for backpacking.
Price and Value
Most backcountry bidets are relatively inexpensive, costing between 10 and 20 dollars. The best ones don’t necessarily cost more, either. Our top choice for a cork-style bidet, the CuloClean, costs the same price as our pick for the best water conservation, the Holey Hiker Bidet.
Eco-Friendliness
Most bidets are eco-friendly because they prevent you from using as much (if any) toilet paper. They’re the lowest-impact way to poop in the woods aside from the wag bag. This also assumes you’re using your bidet far from water sources with biodegradable soap if you use soap.
How to use a backcountry bidet
When using a water bottle with a cap or cork-style bidets, do not put your mouth anywhere near the bottle threads. We recommend using your "dirty" water bottle with this type of bidet. Since you’re using this bottle to filter water, any splashback from using your bidet won’t end up in your drinking water this way. Don’t ever drink directly from this dedicated bidet bottle. It’s gross and you could get sick.
Here are tips from Shawnté for how to use a backcountry bidet.
For squatting, in general, think about getting into a deep enough squat to make sure you’re avoiding your shorts, pants, or bottoms. This can be tough for people without a lot of hip mobility, so we recommend people incorporate a bit of "hip opening" mobility work before their backpacking trip. You can also look for a place where there is an object to use for extra stability, such as a log or even your trekking pole.
Before you take your backcountry bidet into the backcountry, it’s helpful if you try it at home in your shower. That way, you can refine the method that works best for you on a lower-stakes test drive.
Shawnte’s method for using a backcountry bidet is this:
Lay everything in front of you that you'll need: bidet (with water already inside), tiny dropper bottle of Dr. Bronner's or other backcountry soap, a quarter of a bandanna used to dab after shaking, trowel, and hand sanitizer
Squat to pee/poo
Make a "first pass" of your bum with bidet—approximately 4-10 ounces of water—this takes care of a lot!
Put a single drop of soap on a finger on your left (non-dominant) hand, then soap up the butt area
Use another 1/3 of water in the bottle (with your clean hand) to rinse that
Add another drop of soap (with your clean hand) and briskly rub fingers together on the "action" hand
Use the final 1/3 of the bottle to rinse your hands
Shake & dab
Pull up your pants or shorts
Bury your poo
Do a happy dance!
Sam’s soap-free method for using a backcountry bidet is this:
Fill your bidet bottle with water, then find a discreet place at least 200 feet away from water, trails, or campsites.
Dig a hole that is 6 inches deep.
Squat over the hole, and go.
Take your portable bidet in one hand and lean over slightly, positioning your butt over the cathole.
Make sure the nozzle is aimed in the right direction and firmly squeeze the bidet bottle to spray water at your butthole. I prefer to use about 500 mL of water for this phase.
After you’ve done that first pass, use a small amount of toilet paper to dry yourself and check to make sure you’re clean. If it isn’t clean enough yet, hit it with more water. You can also use a bandana to dry and check your work, but don’t use this to dry anything else afterward.
Pull up your pants, then bury your poop. The water from your bidet rinse will help it decompose faster.
Clean your hands with biodegradable soap, hand sanitizer, or both.
Care and maintenance of backcountry bidets
Maintaining your backcountry bidet is straightforward but important: allow it to air dry completely after each use, and store it in a clean, dedicated bag to prevent contamination. We store ours in our toilet kit bag, which is, honestly, just a ragged Ziploc bag.
Between trips, thoroughly clean your bidet with soap and warm water, paying special attention to the nozzle and any threading. If you’re using your bidet on a thru-hike, do this whenever you are in town and have access to a real sink. We often simply rinse off our bidet in the field after we use it.
Every few months, inspect the O-rings, and if they look like they’re about to crack, replace them. Periodically check your bidet for cracks or damage, particularly after cold-weather use. These backcountry bidets are durable and stand up well to cold weather, but be aware that plastic can get brittle in extreme cold (if it’s really cold, the last thing we want to do is spray water on ourselves, though). Testing the spray pattern before each trip. If you're on a thru-hike, do it while you’re in town in a real bathroom. This helps identify any potential issues before you're deep in the backcountry.
How we researched and tested
We’ve been using backcountry bidets on backpacking trips and thru-hikes for years. We first used a backcountry bidet like the ones we tested here while thru-hiking the Continental Divide Trail.
During our Appalachian Trail thru-hike, we carried and used each of these bidets. That’s right, at one point, we were carrying six bidets. We used each bidet to clean ourselves after doing our business. Every time, we started with a liter of water to test how efficient each bidet was with water and how clean we could get with a full liter. It’s hard to use a backcountry bidet in a privy, so we often used the privy and then scurried off farther into the woods to use them.
After we narrowed down which bidets we liked the best, we had Treeline writer Shawnté Salabert try each of these bidets to get a woman’s opinion. Shawnté provided feedback and offered insights on using a backcountry bidet from someone who squats to pee. We then tested her favorite bidet, the Happy Bottom Bidet, after thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail while camping and backpacking in Arizona.
We also performed a very scientific water pressure test with these backcountry bidets. To perform this test, we marked a line in the dirt, filled a bottle with 1-liter of water, and sprayed. We measured the distance the water traveled in feet, then repeated this test with every bidet. We should also note that since we were backpacking, “feet” in this case is literally the length of Sam’s shoes, which, now that we have a tape measurer, turns out to be about 12.5 inches long. So 16.5 “feet” (Sam’s shoes) is really about 17 “standard” feet. Since spray distance correlates with water pressure, we found that the bidets that sprayed the farthest were most effective for cleaning ourselves.
We also performed a dishwashing test, where we put a spoonful of hot sauce on a plate and then sprayed it off with each top contending bidet. We then measured the amount of water it took to rinse the plate clean and repeated the same test until we’d cleaned the plate with each mode.
About the author / Why you should trust us
Sam Schild is a thru-hiker, bikepacking cyclist, and mountain athlete based in Colorado. His first bicycle tour was in 2005, and that’s also when he first pooped in the woods.
Since then, he has thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Appalachian Trail, Grand Enchantment Trail, Arizona Trail, and the Colorado Trail twice. He has biked and bikepacked over 50,000 miles in the last decade on the Colorado Trail, Kokopelli Trail, all over the American Southwest, and across the United States. On every adventure, he has dug countless catholes, at least one per day if we’re being specific. And he definitely values getting as clean as possible afterward to prevent chafing. He has experimented with every possible method of backcountry bidet—from a dedicated squirt bottle top to medical wash bottles and simply soap and water.
You can read more about Sam on his author page or his website.
