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A portable shower can completely transform your camping experience. Keep yourselves, your pets, and even your camping gear clean with a portable shower that is easy to use and compact enough to carry with you on your next outdoor adventure.
Depending on where you are headed and how long you are staying, you may want to consider the different types of camping showers available.
Different showers have different modes of operation, but the 4 most common types preferred by outdoor enthusiasts seem to be the following:
Solar-Heated Showers
Basic but also quite brilliant, these showers hold water that can be heated up by the sun. Easy to use and highly portable, they are an excellent choice on sunny days but won’t get anywhere close to warm if the sun isn’t shining.
Battery-Powered Showers
These simple but effective camping showers work by drawing water from a container and pushing it through a hose using pressure. Powered by batteries, they offer a set amount of shower time and are a step up from a basic solar shower.
Pump-Powered Showers
Similar to battery-powered showers by design, these showers are usually operated by a foot pump. Short, sharp pumps on the shower return blasts of water to get you clean, and some come with rechargeable pumps that can be powered up using your 12V car charger.
Propane Showers
These top-of-the-range camping showers use coils to heat the water and are powered by the use of a propane cylinder. Perfect for providing hot water on demand, whatever the weather, these showers are too bulky and cumbersome for long hikes, but they are a great choice for family camping trips.
There are lots of different types of portable travel showers to choose from that offer varying levels of comfort. Some showers are simply a sun-heated bag that you can hang from a tree with a shower head attached, while others come with pumps, temperature gauges, and a wealth of other features to make you feel as comfortable as you do in your shower back at home.
The type of shower you choose will ultimately depend on where you are planning on using it. For example, lightweight solar bag showers can be rolled up and tucked away in your backpack for remote hikes in the wilderness, while heavy pumps and propane bottles are best saved for use at a campground.
The size of your camping shower will dictate how much water it can hold and whether or not it comes with a reservoir. Showers that have a bigger capacity for holding water can be used for multiple family members to keep you all clean, while some of the compact options may only be able to hold enough water for 1 quick clean-up.
Bottom Line: Obviously, the larger your shower, the heavier it will be, meaning some high-capacity showers will not be suitable for more remote excursions where you will need to carry it with you at all times.
Camping showers provide a great alternative to the shared showers you find on campgrounds and allow you to keep clean when you are out in the backcountry. Solar-powered bag-style showers are usually the most cost-effective, with some propane showers running into hundreds of dollars to buy.
If you are only looking for a shower for a one-off occasion, you may want to keep costs down, but if you and your crew are regular campers, it might be worth investing in a more powerful model that can last you for many camping adventures to come.
Lightweight, compact, and easy to use, this handheld shower can quickly transform a regular bucket or sink into an instant stream of refreshing water.
Offering enough pressure for a comfortable flow, it will get you clean while still feeling gentle enough to be used on babies, children, and even your 4-legged friends while you are away from home.
The rechargeable pump can be plugged into your laptop or car adaptor via a USB to ensure continual use, and the simple design features an on and off switch to help save energy. With a bonus S-style hanging hook included, this inexpensive and effective travel shower will help you to clean up.
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Keep clean while you are camping with this awesome pressurized shower and sprayer set. The shower is easy to use via a foot pump and can provide between 5 to 7 minutes of strong and continual spray.
With a tank that is big enough to hold 2.9 gallons of water, this shower is perfect for a quick daily shower, and with a lightning-fast setup and super-compact size when packed, it is easy to carry to the campground with you.
Finally, the 7-foot neoprene hose is more than long enough for a full-body wash, and the longer length lets you enjoy more flexibility when cleaning down muddy gear or even giving the dog a good wash.
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Hot Tip: Consider our recommendations for the best travel towels to buy for your next trip, or even the best travel beach towels and blankets if your adventures take you to the beach or lake.
Charged up by USB, this portable shower comes with 2 rechargeable 22oomAh batteries that can easily be separated from the pump. Durable and powerful, it offers an effective power flow with an excellent amount of pressure, and the easy-to-use on and off switch means you can be up and running in an instant.
Designed to be fully submerged in a bucket or sink, this highly portable shower attachment and pump weighs just 25 ounces, and the compact design makes it perfect for stashing in your rucksack or carry bag. Perfect for use with water temperatures between 50 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, this shower promises to keep you clean even when you are away from home.
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Enjoy a hot wash wherever you are headed with this awesome travel shower that has a 2-layer construction for optimal heat retention in any weather. Large enough to hold up to 5 gallons of water, it comes with an extra-large valve for spill-free filling, and the easy-to-use on and off switch lets you save water when not in use.
Perfect for use when camping, hiking, or sailing on a boat, this clever little solar shower uses the power of the sun to heat the water, and with a selection of Velcro straps, you can even keep your washcloth, soap, and shampoo close at hand.
With an extra-wide handle, this shower can easily be moved from place to place, and when you are done, simply empty any excess water and roll the bag up for ease of transportation. Featuring a water temperature gauge to help you shower in comfort, this is a brilliant little device for keeping clean.
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The epitome of ease and efficiency, this supercute, detachable shower head can turn a bottle of water into a shower in an instant. Designed to be used with 1- or 2-liter bottles of water, you simply need to let them heat in the sun before attaching the showerhead for a fuss-free stream of water.
Hold the bottle above your head and tip it upside down to enjoy a quick and refreshing shower, or use the water to clean your pet, wash your eating utensils, clean the kids’ toys or wipe down your bike.
Made from recycled materials, this incredibly simple travel shower is also eco-friendly, and the compact size is small enough to fit in your purse, rucksack, or travel bag for easy reach when you need it.
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This water heater and shower system use propane gas and AC/DC or 12V power to give you one of the most refreshing portable showers you will ever experience.
With a heat control knob, you can find the right temperature to make it feel as refreshing as your shower back home, and the digital panel allows you to pump the water and monitor the pressure at all times. Easy to use, the showerhead attachment plugs directly into the faucet outlet, and the propane gas tank can be plugged into the gas inlet at the rear.
With a flow switch for easy stop/start and 3 spray patterns to choose from, this excellent portable shower system takes water from a bucket and turns it into a luxurious cleaning system — perfect for use when camping.
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Hot Tip: If you are heading out into the wilderness, be prepared for the ultimate outdoor experience by stocking up on the best camping essentials to bring on your next trip.
This battery-operated shower system provides a comfortable flow of refreshing hot water, even in the most remote of locations. With a matchless electronic ignition, you can enjoy hot water at the flip of a switch, and the water can be heated up to 35 degrees above the source temperature, making it suitable for use all year round.
With an external battery-powered quick-connect shower head that comfortably delivers 0.6 gallons of water per minute and a run time of up to 40 minutes on a single cylinder of propane, you can shower like a king out in the open.
With anti-scald protection and a temperature gauge, it is easy to find the perfect heat to suit your preference, and with a safety tip-over shut-off switch, this is a safe and reliable way to clean up, even in the middle of nowhere.
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With the capacity to hold up to 5 gallons of water, this simple but effective shower bag uses solar energy to heat the water up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit in just a few hours. With a temperature indicator, you will never need to worry about getting burnt, and this upgraded model lets you switch from a high to low water current in an instant.
Made from tear-proof PVC material, it is lightweight and easy to carry, and the multi-layer design helps to hold in heat and prevent leaks. Perfect for wild camping, it comes with a hose, a showerhead, and a water tap, and the functional design lets you enjoy a refreshing shower to keep you clean no matter how remote your base camp is.
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With an environmentally-friendly design, this tough and durable shower bag is made from super-tough TPU materials and has been built to last.
With a built-in hook, you can quickly and easily hang this bag from a tree or door and enjoy superfast heating during the day. With the capacity to hold up to 5 gallons of water, it can provide enough water for multiple showers, and the temperature indicator lets you know exactly how hot your water is going to be when it’s time to get clean.
Designed to remain leak-free and easy to transport, the showerhead and water pipe are high quality and extremely durable, and this travel shower has most definitely been built to last.
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Made from multiple layers of tough and durable materials, this shower bag is easy to use and incredibly portable.
Designed to be leak-free and quick to heat up in the warmth of the sun, it can hold up to 5 gallons of water, and with a temperature indicator attached to the bag, you can see how hot the water is at a glance. With the ability to heat your shower water up to as much as 105 degrees Fahrenheit in as little as 3 hours without the need for gas and electricity, this is an environmentally-friendly way to keep clean.
Perfect for use when camping, fishing, hiking, and many other outdoor activities, this is an affordable and practical accessory to keep you and your family clean, even when you go off-grid.
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From simple bags of water that heat up during the day to propane-powered showers that offer utter luxury out in the field, a camping shower is an excellent addition to your outdoor inventory. Easy to use, eco-friendly and affordable, a camping shower provides you with your own personal bathroom experience, no matter how remote your destination may be.
There are many different options for portable showers on the market. Some portable showers are solar-powered, whereas others are battery-operated and will heat and pump water simultaneously. The latter option is usually bigger and heavier than solar bag showers.
The easiest way to shower while camping is with a portable shower. The easiest to pack and lightest to carry is a camping shower bag that can just be left in direct sunlight to warm up. For added privacy, consider a shower tent so that you don’t have to go far from camp.
Basic portable showers are just heated up by the sun. Other models run on batteries, can be powered by your car, or run propane tanks.
Most basic camp showers hold about 5 gallons of water, which is enough for 1 person to take a decent shower. If it’s just a quick rinse-off, 5 gallons will be enough for 2 or even 3 people.
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Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.
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