One of the joys of camping is getting a little dirtier than you would at home. However, you can enjoy your outdoor activities more if you can get clean again. A shower is a welcome addition to any camp and will encourage family members and friends who don’t like roughing it to join your trip.
As well as getting a proper wash that wet wipes will never match, a portable shower is also good for washing off dirty bikes and clothing and keeping the dog from smelling too unpleasant. The days of putting your head under a tap are long gone and camping showers can now be battery powered and approach the levels of comfort you get from their plumbed-in counterparts. They should be easy to set up and durable to survive camp life. But it’s all about the water at the end of a hard, sweaty day. We want it warm, pressurized and to last long enough to get us back to being relatively pristine again.
KIPIDA Solar Shower Bag
Hang up solar shower with good flow
Leave this solar shower bag out for three hours in the sun to get five gallons of up to 113-degree water cascading down on you. Supplied with a hose, tap and shower head which features an easy on/off switch and water flow adjuster. The temperature indicator will reduce the surprise when you do turn it on and there’s a neat mesh pocket for toiletries.
Ivation Portable Outdoor Shower
Put into a bucket of water for an instant shower
This can make any bucket or tub of water into a shower, thanks to a rechargeable battery-powered pump that gives a good rate of flow. A fully charged unit will give an hour of constant water which should be enough for all but the muddiest families. A 5-gallon bucket will give you a 10-minute shower. The Ivation shower has 5.9’ of hose to hang up but is compact enough for most camping trips.
Simple Shower Portable Camping Shower
Add this attachment to a bottle
Showers don’t get any simpler than this. Attach it to a one or two-liter bottle of water, turn it upside down and you have an instant shower. It’s great for washing pets, bikes and dirty feet too. The flow of water is steady and you can leave your bottle of water in the sun to heat up.
Reliance Products Flow Pro Pressurized Portable Showever
Pump up the pressure for a powerful shower
Water pressure is important for any shower. This portable model holds up to two gallons of water and will spray it out through a trigger-action shower head at a good rate when you’ve pumped it up to pressure. It comes in a washable neoprene sleeve and with a carry strap.
Bottom line
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Nothing beats a nice refreshing shower after a day spent hiking or adventuring in the great outdoors. Although a shower might seem like a luxury for some hardened hikers, it’s a very practical addition to any campsite as you can also use it to wash off dirty equipment, pots and plates plus muddy boots, feet and paws. We think the best shower for most people is KIPIDA Solar Shower Bag. Hang it up in the morning and as long as the sun is shining, you can have a warm shower by lunchtime. It does everything you want from a camping shower and has some neat touches.
For a clever, battery-powered take on the portable shower, we also like the Ivation Portable Outdoor Shower. It means you don’t have to lift up big containers of water, just stick it in a bucket and enjoy a good flow of water that will get you clean and refreshed.
