Camping Hygiene: Shower Solutions for the Great Outdoors

Let’s face it: camping can be a dirty ordeal. You’re hiking, biking, exploring, and getting sweaty and dirty. Sometimes you just want a shower. These days, you don’t have to be nasty and gross when camping, you can bring a shower with you! You can have your own warm shower and even have privacy while cleaning up.

Types of Camp Showers

There are a host of camp shower methods. The simplest camp shower types are plastic pouches that fill with water, hang on a hook, and use gravity to feed a hose. These are usually inexpensive, but might not function as nicely as other methods. Those that are black in color use the sun’s solar energy to warm the water and don’t require electricity.

Next, there are vehicle-mounted showers with tubular plastic tanks. They can be pressurized with an air compressor/pump and some have a valve to turn the water on and off at the tank. These can be rather large and heavy, however, and may require having a compressor to pressurize the system. Again, most are black so the sun will warm the water inside the tank.

Some units will heat the water using fuel, essentially making a portable water heater. These can offer the hottest showers but are also the most complex and expensive.

Another method is portable pressure showers. These outdoor camping shower systems are easily movable, and you pressurize them with a manual pump. Some, such as the IRONMAN 4X4 3 Gallon (12L) Portable Camping Pressure Solar Shower, include a foot pump for pressurization. Plus, they don’t require electricity, rather they rely on solar power to warm up the water. These units come with a trigger sprayer for water control, too. All fittings, hoses, and even a carry bag are included.

Showering In Privacy While Camping

So now that you’re aware of the different camping shower types, how do you shower at camp while still having privacy?

There are a variety of privacy tents that are made specifically for showering. Some are simple basic stand-alone shelters, others can be vehicle-mounted.

The IRONMAN 4X4 DeltaWing Ensuite Privacy Shower Tent is vehicle-mounted and made for a camping shower. It offers plenty of privacy, quickly folds out, and even has an interior LED light if showering in low light. It has an overhead cover for when it rains (or to stay out of the sun). There isn’t a need to put your shampoo and soap on the ground either, as it has pockets and a towel hanger.!

How does it work? This Ensuite mounts to your vehicle’s roof rack and packs away like a small awning. The DeltaWing Ensuite has an inside door that allows you to get in and out of the vehicle, so you don’t have to pack up the shower every time you need vehicle access. Plus, it sets up in just five minutes.

Keep Clean on The Go

With portable camping shower systems and privacy tents, there’s no reason to get home dirty from your trip. You also don’t have to spend money on a hotel, Airbnb, or campground to grab a shower. You can get clean on the road with warm water in privacy.