These Off-Grid Shower Gadgets Will Help Keep You Clean While Camping
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There are many ways that you can upgrade your campsite with fancy tech gadgets, but at the end of the day, camping can turn into quite a grimy adventure. If you have plans to hike or fish or the weather isn't cooperating, you could find yourself desperate to rinse off. Instead of trying to clean yourself with wet wipes, you could just take a shower right outside your campsite.
There are a few different ways you can achieve a thorough shower off-grid, depending on your budget and if you want hot water. Additionally, we do recommend adding some other products, such as a pop-up shower tent for privacy and an outdoor mat to stand on. That being said, based on our own hands-on experience, as well as a variety of highly rated reviews from users, here are a few different off-grid shower options that will help keep you clean during your camping trips. The methodology we used to select these products will be explained in more detail at the end of the article.
Joolca HOTTAP V2 Outing
Being able to take a hot shower in the woods is a luxury, but if you have access to water, a propane tank, and the Joolca HotTap V2 Outing, it will be no problem at all. This gadget can take in water, heat it with propane, and push it out of the provided shower head. On the device, there is a knob that allows you to adjust the water temperature. It does require two D-cell batteries for power, and depending on usage, it will last anywhere from three to six months. The Outing version comes with a 12V water pump with an attached river filter, so you can pull from any body of water up to 100 feet away, and wash yourself with clean water.
On the Joolca website, this heated shower device has a five-star rating from over 2,000 buyers and many high reviews on YouTube from camping enthusiasts. Many positive reviews mention how easy the machine is to use and the compactness of it, so it doesn't take up much storage space. However, a downside of the HotTap is the price. The Outing version runs at $449, and while the Essentials Kit comes in significantly cheaper at $299, it's only suitable if you have a large enough pressurized water source on site. The HotTap cannot draw water by itself — a pump is required.
Yakima RoadShower 4 Gallon Portable Pressurized Water Storage
Overlanding is a popular way to camp while going off-road with your vehicle, and one of its chief advantages over traditional camping is the additional storage space. The Yakima RoadShower 4 Gallon Portable Pressurized Water Storage attaches right to the roof of your overlanding vehicle. A large cap makes it easy to fill the tank before your camping trip, and you can pressurize the system with any kind of pump, or even a garden hose (a hose adapter is included).
Additionally, the system comes with a pressure relief value, that will reduce the pressure if it reaches 55 PSI. This is especially useful if you plan on camping at different elevations, as pressure changes with altitude.
This water storage unit makes it easy for a ready-to-use shower and comes with a 4.1 out of five star rating on Amazon. Many reviews have stated that the tank is worth buying for off-grid camping due to its convenience and easy usability. However, some have complained about leaky valves.
Advanced Elements 5 Gallon Solar Shower
If you want a hot shower but don't want to pay for the luxury or boil the water, you could opt to use the sun as your heat source. Outdoor gear review site, GearLab recommends the Advanced Elements 5 Gallon Solar Shower. With this simple piece of kit, you fill the bag with water and place it in the sun to heat up before you're ready to use it.
The solar shower uses a four-layer design that includes a reflector panel, an insulator panel, and a solar panel to ensure heat retention. Additionally, there is a temperature gauge built into the bag, so you won't have to guess if the water is ready and risk a cold shower. According to the company, in direct sunlight, it should take approximately three hours to heat the water up to 110 degrees.
This handy device comes with a 4.5 out of five star rating from over 2,900 customers on Amazon. Many have positive reviews regarding the water's flow, and state that on a sunny day, the water does heat up quickly. However, some claim that the hose is a bit on the shorter side, though still usable.
Kedsum Portable Shower Pump with Rechargeable Battery
If you're just looking for a simple shower head attached to a water pump, then a personal recommendation is the Kedsum Portable Shower Pump with Rechargeable Battery, which has a 4.5 out of five star rating from over 3,900 buyers on Amazon.
The two rechargeable batteries are kept separate from the pump body, so that they're never submerged in water — minimizing the risk of a leak. Using both batteries, you can shower for up to two hours on a single charge. You have a couple of options for how to use the shower head as well. It comes with a S-hook component to hang the shower head from a tree and a suction cup element for easy window-sticking capabilities. One drawback of this design is that there is no way to turn off the shower head while the water pump is running. One way we've found to fix this problem is to place the shower head in the water with the pump, so the water is simply cycling through and not being wasted. Although it saves water, it will still deplete the battery.
How we chose these off-grid camping shower gadgets
These off-grid shower products give you a wide range of options to choose from for your outdoor showering needs. Some of these gadgets, such as the Kedsum pump, were selected based on personal experience, while others, such as the HotTap, were chosen based on popularity within the outdoor camping community. However, each product does come with a rating of at least 4.1 out of five stars, so they are all considered reliable camping showers. In the end, it's based on your own needs, which is why we encourage you to do any extra research you feel is necessary before purchasing a product.