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In the past, showering while camping was unheard of. If you want to get clean, you either swim in a river or lake nearby, or you simply have to be content with wiping yourself down each day. That can become very uncomfortable, making you feel hot and sticky, especially when you’re camping for longer periods of time.
Good thing these days, there are camping showers that you can rely on when you want to get clean while outdoors. There are four main types of camping showers you can choose from, but for this list we opted out of the more expensive gas and vehicle fitted types. We focused more on the easy to use and easy to carry choices, which are the solar and battery-operated ones.
TL; DR: The #1 Camping Shower for Most People 👇
Looking for an excellent camping shower that provides you with hot water, is easy to use, and can carry lots of water? Look no further since you’ve found it with this outdoor solar shower by Advanced Elements.
This list will help you find the right shower for your camping needs and includes choices that are battery operated as well as solar heated. You don’t have to take cold baths in streams and lakes near your camping grounds. Enjoy warm showers after a day of outdoor fun with the choices that we’ve compiled for you in this selection of camping showers.
The Best Camping Showers to Buy Today in Australia
- Best Overall Camping Shower: Ideal-smart Portable Outdoor Shower USB Rechargeable
- Best for Most People: Advanced Elements Summer Solar Shower
- Best Value Camping Shower: Coghlans Camp Shower
- Best Camping Shower with Temperature Indicator: RISEPRO Solar Heating Camping Shower
- Best Ultra Budget Camping Shower: EZONEDEAL Solar Camp Shower
1. Best Overall Camping Shower: Ideal-smart Portable Outdoor Shower USB Rechargeable
Why we like it:
- Self-priming shower pump
- With very long 1.8m water hose
- One full charge allows you to use it continuously for 80 minutes
- Easy to install and use
What customers say:
“It’s just amazing, water power is so good, easy to use, no noise… I have tried different brands but this one is the best.”– Zahraa Hameed Mahdi
The number one spot on this list is occupied by the Ideal-smart Portable Outdoor Shower USB Rechargeable and that’s for many good reasons. For starters, it’s a shower that can be used anywhere and at any time, provided that the battery is fully charged.
Speaking of batteries, this portable shower has a 4400mAh lithium-ion battery, which when fully charged, can give you up to 80 minutes of continuous shower time. It’s best to charge the device to full before you use it, so you won’t have a problem with water stopping mid-stream. This battery can also be charged using a USB charging cable and full charge can be achieved in approximately 4 to 5 hours.
Another reason why this portable shower is on the top of our list is because of its multipurpose design. Not only is it a shower you can use while camping or hiking, but it’s also a device you can use outside your home to wash your car, bathe your dog, and even water your plants with!
The multipurpose functionality of this outdoor shower comes from its design that lets you attach it to almost anything. This is due to the accompanying s-hook and suction cup, plus it’s very long 1.8 m hose that allows you to use water from a bucket or any other water source.
To top that all off, this camping shower is also easy to assemble. You can put it together in a matter of minutes – just connect all the tubes to the water pump, connect the shower head, and put the other end of the suction pipe into your water source when you’re ready to use it. It’s that simple!
The flow rate of this shower is at 4L per minute, which is enough to give you the stream you need. Oh, and you don’t have to worry about buying it a protective case since it’s IPX7 water-resistant.
2. Best for Most People: Advanced Elements Summer Solar Shower
Why we like it:
- Water heats up via solar power
- With large filling valve for effortless refills
- Comes with convenient mesh pocket for shampoo and soap
- Shower head can be turned on and off easily
What customers say:
“Used this over the easter weekend works well and if the sun don’t shine just fill it up with hot water and you can still have a hot shower. I had it out for 8hrs the sun was in and out all day but it was still hot enough to have a good shower. Highly recommended.”– Peter
If you’re fond of taking hot showers, even when you’re out camping, the Advanced Elements Summer Solar Shower is one of the best options for you. This shower heats up the water you put in it to a comfortably warm temperature, and it does this while you’re out enjoying your other camping activities.
How does this camping shower heat up the water in order to give you the hot shower you need at the end of the day? Simply fill the bag with water and place it clear side up in direct sunlight. You can check how warm the water is via the built-in water temperature gauge, so you’ll know when it’s at the right warmth for you to use.
This shower doesn’t have any complicated or complex features, which is why it’s so easy to use. What’s more, the fill valve at the top is large enough to make filling the bag super effortless and quick.
What do you do when the sun isn’t out? You can always heat up water over your campfire or camp stove and fill the bag with it. The shower bag is made out of premium quality, PVC-free material with a ripstop fabric cover, making it very durable.
One convenient feature that this shower has, which you’re sure to love, is its mesh pocket that can hold a small shampoo bottle and soap. It can also hold your washcloth and has a reflective mirror tied to it for easy access when you need it.
When you hang this shower in preparation to use it, you don’t have to worry about the hot water spilling out as you prep. The shower head can be turned on and off so you can soap up and shampoo without the water running while you do so.
3. Best Value Camping Shower: Coghlans Camp Shower
Why we like it:
- Gives you warm water with the heat of the sun
- Large enough to hold water for up to four showers
- Easy to use and easy to store after use
- With tough cord for hanging the shower
What customers say:
“The water heats up quickly and evenly. If the outlet hose is tightened well, it does not leak. The higher the bag is placed, the better pressure it will have.”– Amazon Customer
One of the simplest camping showers on this list is the Coghlans Camp Shower, which is pretty straightforward to use. Amazingly, as simple as this product may be, it can give you a hot shower when you need it and anywhere you need it.
This shower for camping is solar heated, so all you have to do is to put water in it and leave it on the ground in the sun. Before doing this however, make sure to check the ground underneath the filled bag when you do this so that there are no sharp stones or small rocks that may inadvertently puncture it.
Also worth mentioning is the speed in which the water in the bag can be heated. Just a few hours out in the sun and you have warm water ready for use at any time!
When hanging this shower bag, try to check for sharp branches or twigs that may also cause problems with punctures. This will help ensure that your shower bag stays intact and can be used for many more camping trip showers.
Included in the list of notable features that this shower has is its sizable bag which can hold 5 litres of water, good enough for up to four showers. This will allow you and others in your party to take a warm shower on a single filling of the bag. When you’re done with your shower and don’t want any of the water inside to spill out via the tube and nozzle, use the clamp closure to stop the flow.
Another feature worth mentioning is its compact form when not in use. After using, simply dispense the remaining water in the bag and roll up for storage.
Also, no assembly is needed when you choose this shower for your camping and hiking trips. Just fill up, expose to sunlight, and you have your hot water shower ready to be hung up and used.
4. Best Camping Shower with Temperature Indicator: RISEPRO Solar Heating Camping Shower
Why we like it:
- Can hold up to approximately 20 litres of water
- Water inside can be heated up in about 3 hours
- Has temperature indicator to tell you how hot the water is
- Convenient water tap to turn flow on and off easily
What customers say:
“We warmed it on a 26 degree celscius day and it was a lovely temp. If using in hotter sun or days I think cold water would need to be added. I am going to buy more for washing up and making camp baths for the kids.”– Toni Hill
Need a shower that can be used by your entire family while on a camping trip? The RISEPRO Solar Heating Camping Shower is the perfect shower for such a purpose. It has a bag that’s big enough to hold up to 20 litres of water, making it extra useful for bigger groups.
Aside from its size and water capacity, this shower also has a lot of features that help make it a must-bring on your next outdoor adventure. One such notable feature is the convenient mesh pocket in front that can easily hold your soap and shampoo. This makes it easier for you to soap and shampoo without having to worry about getting dirt or debris on your toiletries.
Another feature worth mentioning is the built-in water tap that lets you turn the water on and off at any time. You don’t have to worry about wasting any of that hot water while you’re soaping or shampooing since a simple turn of the tap stops the flow of the water. And that’s not all since this same tap actually lets you adjust the flow of water from low to medium to high.
Heating up water in the shower bag is also relatively easy. Just fill it up and expose it to direct sunlight for a few hours. The amount of time it takes to heat up the water inside will depend on how hot the sun is on that particular day and how much water is in the bag. You can also tell how warm the water is with the help of the built-in temperature indicator.
Once the water is warm enough to use, lift it up with the reinforced handle strap and hang it up on a pole or tree branch to use. And when you’re ready to pack up and go, just empty the bag, fold, and store away.
5. Best Ultra Budget Camping Shower: EZONEDEAL Solar Camp Shower
Why we like it:
- Holds approximately 5 gallons/20 litres of water
- Heats water to 40 degrees C in 3 hours under the sun
- Made with environmentally friendly material
- Shower head has on and off control
What customers say:
“…it’s very worth it for its price. Happy with my purchase.”– Román Giménez
Hot showers used to be something you can only enjoy at home or in a hotel. With the EZONEDEAL Solar Camp Shower however, you can enjoy hot showers during your hiking, fishing, and other outdoor trips.
This shower is big enough to carry lots of water and to heat all of it up too, ready for use by an entire group of people or to provide you with multiple showers with one filling. You can credit this to the fact that the shower bag can accommodate around 20 litres/5 gallons of water when full.
To turn on the water for use, there’s a switch near the bag at the other end of the shower hose. Rotate to the other side to turn water on and rotate back to turn it off.
To heat the water up, just fill the bag and lay it on the ground with the solar side up so that it absorbs the sunlight that heats up the water within. When doing this, make sure there are no sharp objects underneath the bag that may damage or puncture it.
In three hours, you will have water that’s warm enough for you to shower in. If the sun is rather hot on any particular day, it’s advisable that you test the temperature of the water before showering to avoid scalding yourself. When the water is hotter than you would like, simply add some cold water to the bag via the fill valve found on top.
You can safely hang this bag even when it’s full without fear of it bursting or breaking, since it has a supporting plastic bar up top that helps distribute the weight across the bag. Just make sure that when you hang your camping shower, you’re putting it in a spot that’s devoid of any sharp twigs or branches that may puncture it.
Once you’re done using it, empty it out completely and fold flat before rolling it up for storage. You can pack this in a duffel bag or place it in your backpack for safekeeping.
How We Researched the Best Camping Showers
Finding the best camping showers is no easy feat, especially with all the options available to you out there. What we did to narrow down our list to the five that you see listed above is to go through the World Wide Web, checking out camping gear sites like Go Camping Australia, Tasmania Explorer, and camping blog sites like Bushwalking Blog. After reading their recommendations and lists of different kinds of camping showers, we’ve come up with our own using various factors, ratings, and reviews.
The factors that affected our selection for this list included the size and weight of the camping shower (which also affects water capacity), the water flow, the design and construction of the device, how much it costs, and whether it requires a charging source or a heating source.
All of these we used to come up with a whittled down list of choices, which we also checked on Amazon Australia, to finally come up with the 5 listed above. These choices were influenced by ratings and independent customer reviews that can be found on the site.
Camping Showers: Buying Guide
Before you buy a camping shower, you should first ask yourself a few questions. Do you want it to give you a warm shower? Are you using it alone or with others? Is there a readily available source of water where you’re planning on using it, or will you be reliant on the water that you bring? Does it require power to operate, or is gravity all it needs?
You may also want to ask yourself if you can readily lift the filled camping shower above your head to hang it on a branch for you to use. This is a pertinent question to ask when you often go camping alone, since a lot of these showers can become rather heavy when filled with water. Durability, ease of use, and other factors may also need to be considered when choosing a camping shower to buy.
With all that you need to think about before buying a camping shower, it’s understandable why such a decision isn’t an easy one to make. Let’s go through the many factors that can affect your final choice, so you can make an informed decision.
What to Consider When Buying a Camping Shower
Choosing a camping shower isn’t as easy as some people may think it is. There are lots of considerations that need to be made before you can buy one that you won’t regret getting. Here are the main factors that we believe you should think about when sifting through your choices.
Size and Weight
The size of your camping shower has a huge bearing on how much it will weigh when filled. Subsequently, it will also influence how you can easily raise it to a level where you can use it as a shower while standing up. The bigger the bag for holding the water, the more it’s bound to weight when it’s filled. It will also affect how soon the water within will heat up to optimal warm shower levels, when you’re considering buying a solar type camping shower.
Water Capacity
This is directly affected by the size of the bag that holds the water, which means a camping shower with a bigger water bag will essentially allow you to put more water in it. This will help provide you and others in your party with enough water for all your showers. Unfortunately, this will also mean that once the bag is filled to capacity, it will also become rather heavy. So, a 20-litre bag can easily weigh 20 kilos when full.
Flow
Also worth taking note of is the flow rate of the shower. Some of these camping showers have great flow rate, giving you up to 8 litres per minute, while a few more give you a reasonable flow rate of up to 3.5 litres per minute. The former usually comes from gas powered camping showers, and the latter you can get from battery operated ones.
For showers that rely on the power of gravity for the flow, know that the higher up you place your camping shower, the better flow you can get from them. It also helps if your shower has a bigger pipe or hose, which can facilitate improved flow.
Design and Construction
The design of a camping shower is dependent on the type of shower it is. Is it solar, does it run on batteries, is it gas operated? What it’s made of will also depend on the type of camping shower that you’re planning on buying. More-often-than-not, solar showers are made with a plastic-type material that’s layered with a tear resistant fabric that helps add some durability to it. These also have panels that help speed up the heating process of the water within, so you can have hot water that you can use in a few hours.
Also, part of the considerations to take when it comes to construction and design are the added features that make these showers more durable. One such example of this is the thick plastic bar that supports the rest of the shower bag when it’s aloft. This plastic bar usually helps distribute the weight of the water in the bag, making it more durable, which in turn helps make it last longer without rupturing or suffering from any damage.
Heating Source/Charging Source
If you don’t want to bother with lifting a heavy bag of water over your head so you can take a shower or waiting for your bag of water to heat up in the sun, you might want to splurge on a camping shower that can both suck up water from a bucket and heat it up at the same time, like gas showers. These, however, are more expensive.
For a hot shower that won’t burn a hole in your pocket, solar showers are your best option. You can also opt for one that sucks water you heat up on your camping stove and place in a bucket, like battery operated ones. These require a charging source, however there are some that can be charged using your car battery or a power bank.
Cost
The cost of your camping shower will depend on a number of things. For starters, it will depend on whether it’s automated or not. There are four different kinds of camping showers to choose from – gas, vehicle fitted, solar, and battery operated. The price for gas and vehicle fitted showers are significantly higher than battery operated and solar options. The price will also depend on the size and water capacity of your camping shower.
What Are the Benefits of Taking Regular Showers?
Some people think that taking showers while on the road isn’t necessary since you are “roughing it out”, so to speak, when you’re camping. What they don’t realise is that, wherever you are, taking regular showers is actually beneficial to you.
How regularly should you be taking showers? Daily showers may leave you feeling clean and fresh at the end of the day and may also be conducive to a good night’s sleep, but the healthier option is actually two to three times in a week. This is because daily showers can actually strip your skin of its natural oils and may also get rid of good bacteria that help protect your body.
According toHarvard Health, taking daily showers isn’t necessary for good health, but showering a few times per week, and for as short as four minutes per session, will suffice. If you’re sweaty and grimy, however, bathing more often may be required, not just for hygienic purposes but also for mental wellbeing.
Another study has noted that showering or bathing actually brings about lots of physical health benefits. This is particularly true with hot showers, which have been seen to result in clear sinuses, relaxed muscles, and of course, cleaner skin due to opened pores. Cold showers, on the other hand, speeds up muscle repair, improves blood circulation, and promotes healthier skin and hair.
Also stated in the same study is that showers can also help with your mental well-being. People were seen to have improved moods and had reduced anxiety, dejection, and tension after a hot shower. A cold shower, on the other hand, seems to help reduce feelings of depression.
This shows you that showering, even when you’re out camping or hiking, can help you a lot. Not only will these remove any of the dirt and grime you find on your person after your adventures, but it also helps with your overall health. It also leaves you smelling fresh and clean, removes any bugs and creepy crawlies from your body, and helps you sleep better after a long day of activities.
You may also be interested in:
- The Best Hiking Tents for Your Next Outdoor Adventure
- The Best Inflatable Sleeping Mats for a Good Night’s Rest
Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
