Camping calls for a perfect outdoor camping shower. However, there are several types of camping showers and multiple ways to set them up. These categories are according to the needs and preferences of consumers. A portable camping shower can be divided into three categories: basic, affordable, and luxurious.
The basic category caters to the people who attach immense importance to weight and just wish to maintain their hygiene above all else. The second category is the affordable category which is a reasonably-priced camping shower, which is recommended for people who prefer a warm shower. The last category is luxurious. This is usually bought by people who are not concerned about the pricing or weight but want a hot shower at all costs!
Camping can be done with family and friends. Not only is it a very fun activity, but camping can also teach you a lot of skills. Before you even leave for camping, it becomes a need of the hour to learn about how to set-up a camping shower. This article provides insightful tips and numerous ways to set up a perfect outdoor camping shower. So gear up, this might just be your guide for the next hiking or trekking adventure!
Before moving on to the tips and tricks, we will first learn as to why a camping shower is necessary while you are camping. There could be many reasons for it, but the most basic and solid reasoning for this question is that a camping shower simply helps you keep clean while you are camping. Moreover, with a camping shower, it is possible to get rid of that dirt and grime on your body that comes with staying outdoors. To make things simple, a camping shower is your go-to friend when it comes to taking a hot shower in the morning or after spending a long, tiring day hiking.
Now let’s move on to setting up the perfect camping shower!
Useful tips to set up a camping shower
Basic camping shower
1. Showering with a cup
This method is particularly useful when you have a short supply of water. It is also a very convenient and practical way of showering. It can also work on long treks when the supply of water tends to deplete with time. Simply put, you can carry water with yourself in a small cup of around 250-500 ml. Whenever you see a tap on the way or stop near a river, you can refill your cup. All you need apart from the cup is a light-weight towel to dry your skin and a small, handy bar of soap to clean yourself up.
This is a very basic way of showering. It can be easily conducted by anyone who is planning to go on a long trip, irrespective of how much money the person wants to spend on a camping shower.
2. DIY washbasin
Yes! It is even possible to make your own washbasin. It is a good option if you want to go for the low-cost camping shower option with minimal water usage and have to keep the weight in mind. Again, this method can also be used while camping or if you are planning to go on long hikes. Like the previous option, the washbasin can be re-filled time and again wherever there is water availability. The basin is created by rolling down a dry bag that can carry more water than a cup. This way you can consume more water and effectively wash your body and hair.
If need be, clothes can also be washed in the basin with a little detergent to scrub the cloth and then re-filling the basin with clean water to rinse.
Affordable Camping Shower
3. Solar shower
Speaking of an expensive way of setting up a camping shower, we have come across another mode known as the “solar shower”. This set-up is simple, but it has a cost attached to it. Solar showers are black-colored bags (as shown in the picture) that have a hose attached to them. The black (or the dark) color absorbs heat from the sun when the solar shower is hung loose to a tree. It can be hung loose for around 3 hours or above. Within this time, water will be filled in it and you are all set to shower with warm water.
It must be kept in mind that shower tents cannot encapsulate solar showers because of their weight. They must always be suspended loosely in such a way that the nozzle is set in the right direction and the water reaches your body.
4. 12V electric showers
12V electric showers come under the category of ‘affordable’ showers because they are cheap and user-friendly. Not only that, but these showers also have an additional feature of a flexible hose which is easily adjustable as per your need. If you are looking for concentrated water, this is something you must go for.
A flexible hose means that you can easily adjust it close to your head and feel the water pressure. You can even customize the water temperature by filling the bucket with warm or cold water and then attaching the 12V pump to it.
Unlike heavy solar showers, 12V electric showers are lightweight and can be easily used in a shower tent or an elevated structure such as a pole or roof-rack. If you wish to be free in its usage, it can also be used as hand-held. The downside of electric showers is since they don’t cost much, their quality isn’t very good and hence they require maintenance from time to time. This maintenance is necessary to prolong the lives of these showers and to ensure that they work better.
5. Canvas bucket shower
As the name suggests, the canvas bucket shower is a canvas bucket with a shower sprinkler at the bottom. It is ideally suitable for hot showers and can be hoisted on a tree. There is little use of technology involved in the canvas bucket shower hence few problems are expected to arise while using it. However, these showers cannot be placed inside a shower tent as they are too heavy.
As such, one can either bathe with a canvas bucket shower in an open area/field or take the help of any type of screen. This ensures that you can take your bath out in the open and don’t have to worry about fitting your equipment in a constricted place.
Luxurious Camping Shower
6. Aquacube
One of the distinguishing features of aquacube is that it can provide water up to 50 degrees Celsius. However, it doesn’t have a very good flow rate. The requirement for aquacube is that the water supply should be in close proximity to the shower. Aquacube is very portable and hence can be moved around the campsite area. A 12V power source is also needed for its operation.
7. Black Smart Hot Water System by Smartek
SmarttekSystems have shown their value time and again. They are particularly useful when you are staying at a place for a while and need to do a base-camp style setup. This system is considerably easy to set up especially with the setting options available. Therefore, if you do not mind paying a premium price, the Black Smart Hot Water System is something you can opt for. It is something which provides you with a very comfortable experience while you are at a camp.
Just like Aquacube, its hot water unit can heat up to 50-degrees Celsius. It also has the capacity of drawing water from more than 10 meters away from the unit. Nevertheless, this capacity also depends on the setup you have done. Many optional facilities are also available with this system inclusive of a shower tent, only to enhance your experience and make it an enriching one.
For your winter trip, if you are reconsidering going to the Atlantis because of hot water unavailability, you don’t need to rethink. Black Smart Hot Water System has solved your problem by providing a continuous supply of hot water that you can access in cold areas.
8. Shower tent
This is one of the most significant luxurious camping showers. Shower tents are suitable if you are planning to set up a base-camp in an isolated area with your loved ones and want your privacy. However, it might not be fitting to have a shower tent with other tourists around you as most of the shower tents are usually transparent. In the case of people camping around you, what you can simply do is purchase a shower tent which is not transparent when it is bright.
There are still shower tents available that can provide privacy for your shower as well as a toilet facility. A good shower setup would be the one where the shower tent has a stiff frame and guy ropes to prop the tent up. These frames can provide added stability to the shower tents and make them stand for a long time. Most of the shower tents also have a pop-up design to easily pop-up and fold later on. Moreover, what sets them apart from other types of camping shower facilities is that shower tents also tend to be spacious, hence allowing multiple users to use it at the same time.
With their zipped doors, it is easy to access the shower tent and it also makes the ventilation process fairly easy, thereby leaving no room for suffocation. Shower tents are best suited for outdoor use and are also durable meaning they can last longer. Some shower tents also come up with a complementary carrying bag, so you do not have to worry about carrying the large shower tent with you in your bag. You can easily fit it in your carrying bag and take it out wherever you are camping.
9. Ivation Portable Camping Shower
This is one of the latest camping showers available in 2020 hence it has all the advanced features for you to benefit from in your summer trip. This camping shower is extremely portable so you can carry it around with you without feeling the pressure of the weight. It has a pump powered by a battery; this ensures that you can have a high flow of water. Your wish to have free-flowing water without any bottlenecks in water supply is now fulfilled.
Additionally, you do not need to hang this device to a tree, like other portable showers, and can be used as hand-held, thus allowing freedom of movement. The battery can charge the shower in around 3-4 hours which may be time-consuming so you need to plan ahead, but it can allow for a fair 45 minutes of usage. Those having time on their hands and aiming to have their regular long shower on a trip can most probably benefit from it. Another thing to be kept in mind for this camping shower is its long and flexible hose.
Therefore, whether you are planning to keep the shower in your hands or attach it to the roof rack, both options can be easily conducted. Carrying it in your hands means you can move it around and take a quick shower while attaching it to height can provide for a good flow and a smooth shower.
10. Rinsekit Pod
This might be an expensive option but the benefits it provides are humongous. Rinsekit Pod can be connected to a hose tap which fills the tank with water and also keeps it pressurized. It can give you 4 minutes of spray time. There is also a port sideways which can be attached to an air pump if you do not have water access nearby. It is also available in a larger 3-gallon lux shower hence you can bathe with more water.
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