PACT Lite vs. Ultra Lite vs. Outdoors Bathroom Kit: Which One Do You Need?
Quick Answer
All three PACT burial kits include the same core system: a trowel, PACT Wipes, and PACT Mycelium Tabs. The difference is how much you can carry and how compact it needs to be.
- The Ultra Lite ($40) is built for speed and minimal weight at 2.3 oz.
- The Lite ($40) balances size and capacity with storage for about a week of supplies.
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The Original Kit ($50) is the biggest setup with a tri-fold case, lots of storage, hand sanitizer, trash bag, and info card.
Choose the kit based on your outdoor activity, trip length, and how much space you've got.
Why Three Bathroom Kits?
We get asked this a lot. If the goal is to make pooping outdoors easier, why not just make one kit? The short answer: the outdoors isn't one-size-fits-all.
A trail runner logging 30 miles in a day has completely different weight and space constraints than a family car camping for a long weekend. A bikepacker squeezing gear into frame bags needs something different than a fly fisher with a roomy vest. And a thru-hiker covering hundreds of miles needs to carry more supplies than someone heading out for a single overnight.
We designed three kits because responsible outdoor bathroom practice shouldn't require compromise. Each one is built around the same PACT System (Wipes + Mycelium Tabs), but sized and organized for different realities.
Here's how they compare.
The PACT Ultra Lite Bathroom Kit
- Price: $40
- Weight: 2.3 oz (fully stocked)
- Supply Capacity: ~3 days (7 Wipes, 9 Tabs)
The PACT Ultra Lite is the kit for people who think about weight in fractions of ounces. The entire system fits in the palm of your hand. The shovel blade screws onto the body for digging and nests back around the handle for storage. Wipes and Tabs store inside the handle itself.
This kit was designed specifically for bikepackers and trail runners, two groups that put their gear through serious scrutiny. It won Bikepacking.com's 2025 Gear of the Year award in the camping category, with reviewers calling it a favorite for overnighters and weekend outings.
What's included:
- Compact aluminum shovel (blade screws onto body)
- Wipe & Tab storage inside the handle of the shovel
- 20 PACT Wipes + 60 PACT Tabs in resealable pouches
- Storage for 7 PACT Wipes (~3 bathroom trips)
- Storage for 9 PACT Tabs
What's NOT included:
- Hand sanitizer (bring your own small bottle)
- Trash bag (bring a zip-lock for packing out used paper)
Best for:
Trail Running, Bikepacking, Mountain Biking, Day Hiking, and short overnights where every gram matters.
The tradeoff:
Capacity. Three days of supplies means you'll need to restock for longer trips. You can carry extra Wipes and Tabs in their resealable pouches, but if you're going out for a full week, the Lite Kit is probably the better call.
The PACT Lite Bathroom Kit
- Price: $40
- Weight: 4.0 oz (fully stocked)
- Supply Capacity: 5-7 days (15 Wipes, 30 Tabs)
The PACT Lite Kit is PACT's most popular product with 143 reviews and counting. It hits the sweet spot between capacity and packability for the widest range of outdoor activities.
Awards: GearJunkie 2023 Gear of the Year + Bikepacking 2023 Gear of the Year
Check out GearJunkie’s review here:
👉 PACT Outdoors PACT Lite Review: Has The Ultimate Poop Kit Finally Arrived?
The ergonomic aluminum trowel stores a full week's worth of Wipes and Tabs inside the handle, so everything stays organized in one place. No loose bags floating around your pack. The trowel itself is durable enough to handle roots and rocky soil, with a serrated edge and a comfortable grip that doesn't leave you with sore hands after digging.
What's included:
- Ergonomic aluminum shovel with 6” depth marker
- Wipe & Tab storage inside the handle of the shovel
- 20 PACT Wipes + 60 PACT Tabs in resealable pouches
- Storage for ~15 PACT Wipes (~1 week of bathroom trips)
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Storage for ~ 30 PACT Tabs
What's NOT included:
- Hand sanitizer (bring your own)
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Trash bag (bring a zip-lock)
Best for:
Backpacking, Hiking, Camping, Fishing, and Hunting. This is the go-to kit for multi-day trips where you want enough supplies without overthinking it.
The tradeoff:
It's slightly larger than the Ultra Lite, so it won't disappear into a running vest pocket. But for anything involving a backpack, it fits easily and you get more than double the supply capacity.
The PACT Outdoors Bathroom Kit
- Price: $50
- Weight: 11 oz (fully stocked)
- Capacity: 1+ weeks (20 Wipes, 60 Tabs, plus hand sanitizer and trash bag)
This is the original PACT Kit. Named Best Backpacking Accessory by Outside Magazine in 2022, it's the most complete bathroom setup we make.
Everything is organized in a durable tri-fold case with dedicated storage pockets. It comes with a 2oz bottle of hand sanitizer, a washable trash bag for packing out used paper, and a detailed info card that walks users through Leave No Trace best practices. You can hand this kit to a total beginner and they'll know exactly what to do.
What's included:
- Durable, washable tri-fold case with storage pockets
- Ergonomic aluminum shovel
- 20 PACT Wipes
- 60 PACT Tabs
- 2oz hand sanitizer
- Washable trash bag
- Info card with LNT instructions
Best for:
Car Camping, Van Life, Families, Base Camps, and anyone who wants the most complete setup without sourcing anything separately.
The tradeoff:
Size and weight. This isn't the kit for backpacking or any activity with weight and space constraints. It's designed for situations where you have the space to carry it, like a car, a raft, a large pack, or a family camping setup. If pack space is at a premium, go with the Lite or Ultra Lite.
Side-by-Side Comparison (if we have one)
How to Choose: Match the Kit to Your Activity
If you're still not sure which one to grab, start with your primary activity and trip length. That usually narrows it down fast.
Trail Running and Day Hikes? Go with the Ultra Lite.
At 2.3 oz it fits in a running vest, hip belt, or small daypack. You probably won't need more than 3 days of supplies for a single outing, and the compact shovel handles quick catholes without slowing you down.
Backpacking and Multi-Day Hiking? The Lite Kit is the clear pick.
A week's worth of supplies covers most backpacking trips without restocking. It fits into a backpack side pocket or main compartment without eating into your space for food and gear.
Bikepacking? Either the Ultra Lite or the Lite (depending on your trip length and bag setup).
The Ultra Lite fits in a top tube bag or small frame bag. The Lite works well in a handlebar roll or saddlebag if you've got the room.
Camping, Van Life, and Road Trips? The Outdoors Bathroom Kit is built for this.
You've got the space, and the added hand sanitizer, trash bag, and info card make it a grab-and-go solution. It's also the best option for families because you can hand it to a kid or a friend who's never pooped outdoors and the info card walks them through the whole process.
Hunting and Fishing? The Lite Kit works well for both.
Hunters spend extended time off-trail in remote areas where burying is standard practice, and a week of supplies covers most trips. Anglers benefit from the compact size that fits in a fishing vest or small pack.
Climbing and Mountaineering? The Lite Kit is best for you.
But if you're heading above treeline, into alpine terrain or in areas where climbing is concentrated around small areas, we'd recommend packing out your poop with PACT Pack Out Kits since burying isn't appropriate in those environments. Many climbers carry both.
What About Refills?
All three kits use the same PACT Wipes and PACT Tabs. When you run out, you can restock with our Wipes & Tabs combo pack ($22, includes 60 Tabs and 20 Wipes in resealable pouches) or buy Wipes and Tabs separately.
The resealable pouches are designed to fit inside the Lite Kit and Ultra Lite Kit handles, so restocking is straightforward.
Can I Use These With a Pack Out Kit Too?
Yes. In fact, we recommend it. Even if you primarily bury your waste, keeping a PACT Pack Out Kit in your pack as a backup is smart practice. You never know when you'll encounter alpine terrain, frozen ground, or regulations you didn't expect.
The burial kits and Pack Out Kits serve different situations. Think of them as complementary tools, not competing ones.
For more on when to bury versus pack out, check out:
👉 How to Poop in the Backcountry: Complete Guide
Final Thoughts
Choosing a bathroom kit doesn't need to be complicated. Start with your primary activity and typical trip length, and the right kit usually picks itself.
If you want the lightest possible setup: Ultra Lite. If you want the best balance of capacity and size: Lite. If you want the most complete, ready-to-go system: Outdoors Bathroom Kit.
All three are built around the same PACT System, so you're getting the same wipes, the same mycelium tabs, and the same approach to responsible outdoor bathroom practice regardless of which one you choose.
The difference is just how much you're carrying and how it's organized.
👉 A Simple Guide to the Entire PACT Outdoors Lineup
👉 What to Put in a DIY Poop Kit (and When to Just Buy One)