Best Camping Shower: Keep It Clean at Camp!

The Geyser Systems electric camp shower is the perfect pick for car campers who want the ability to have a hot shower no matter where their adventures take them.

The GS has an internal heating system that delivers toasty-hot water in 15-45 minutes. While the capacity of the reservoir is just 0.8 gallons, the sponge shower head allows you to scrub and rinse at the same time, so you don’t need as much water to enjoy a full, five-minute shower.

You need a 12v power source, electric hookup, or generator to power this device. However, if you find yourself without any of these, you can simply fill the reservoir with two liters of cold water and one liter of hot water, which will give you a lukewarm to warm ablution.

We’re big fans of this unit’s other features too. On top of an LED dashboard that lets you know when the water is ready, there’s a valve to control flow rate, a water level indicator, and a safety feature that switches the device off automatically if the water overheats.

If simplicity and value for money are high on your priority list, you could do a lot worse than plump for the Ivation Portable.

This is one of the most packable rechargeable units out there and weighs a reasonable 1 lb. 12 oz. It consists of a shower head, a 6.5-foot hose, and an electric pump that saves you the hassle of using a foot or hand pump and also delivers more pressure than a gravity system.

To use it, you simply charge it up via USB, dunk the pump in a water container, then enjoy 0.66 gallons per minute of pressurized water. If you want to free up both hands for scrubbing, you can attach it to a flat surface with the included suction cup or hang it with the included S-hook.

The only real downsides to this unit are that you’ll need to carry a water container and there’s no heating element. If you’re car camping, the former shouldn’t be an issue. As for the latter, you can always heat up your water on a stove or in a solar shower bag beforehand.

If you’re looking for a low-cost, high-capacity gravity system that provides decent water flow and pressure, the Advanced Elements 5.0 is the shower for you!

This lightweight system is one of the most user-friendly we’ve ever used. It has a burly handle for transportation and hanging and comes with a simple on/off shower head.

At 1 lb. 5 oz., it isn’t the lightest option out there, but it has a far higher capacity than other backpacking models like the Sea to Summit Pocket and NEMO Helio, which cost more than twice as much. The Advanced Elements offers better pressure than the S2S Pocket and keeps pumping water through at a consistent rate even when the water reservoir is nearly empty.

Although the AE has no water heater, you’ll be able to treat yourself to a warm shower if you can leave it in direct sunlight for a few hours on hot days.

If you plan on taking your outdoor shower on backpacking trips, there are few options out there that can hold a candle to the ounce counter’s dream that is the S2S Pocket.

True to its name, the S2S Pocket is small enough to fit in a pants pocket and is the most compact option on our list. The entire system also weighs a piddly 5.25 ounces, which is roughly the same weight as a baseball.

While the S2S pocket has no heating system, its black fabric absorbs the sun’s rays and will help provide you with 5 or 6 minutes’ worth of warm water when skies are blue and the sun’s shining.

Understandably, the S2S Pocket doesn’t offer the same pressure or flow rate as pricier and heavier systems. If weight (and cash!) savings are your main concern, however, it’s a winner!

Heading on a backpacking trip but want a little more power and pressure than your average gravity-powered system can deliver? If so, the NEMO Helio is well worth a place on your shortlist.

Most of the lightweight showers geared towards backpacking out there rely on gravity to provide water pressure. Not so the Helio. This tidy, 3-gallon system comes with a foot pump that lets you manually pressurize the water tank, thus providing you with a consistent flow of water for up to 7 minutes.

The Helio doesn’t have any heating system but its thermoplastic urethane reservoir can either be filled with water heated on your stove or you can leave it to warm up in the sun.

At 1.5 oz, this is one of the heavier “backpacking” showers on our list, and it’s also the priciest by far. Is it worth the added expense? This depends on how much you value good water pressure. If it’s high on your list, the answer is a resounding “yes”. If not, we’d recommend saving yourself some cash by plumping for the Advanced Elements 5.0.

If portability isn’t a huge issue, then the Ivation Portable is also a better choice. It’s around 5 ounces heavier and far bulkier but provides pressure and heated water at a far friendlier price point.

If you plan on doing a lot of RV camping or hit the road in the van frequently, the Yakima is the ideal option to upgrade your hygiene game… if that is, you’re happy to splurge.

This is the priciest option on our list, but for those who want a system they can rely on to provide a long, pressurized shower every day, it will be worth every penny.

The Yakima is available in three sizes – 4, 7, and 10 gallons. If you’re only using it for showering, the 4-gallon version should do the trick. If you will be using it to clean bikes or other outdoor gear, then the 7 or 10-gallon version is a safer bet.

The Yakima is made with tough aluminum with a powder-coated finish and attaches to your vehicle via brass fittings. The benefit of this is you’ll never forget it. The downside? You’ll only be able to use it when camping right next to your vehicle.

Performance-wise, the Yakima is kinda sweet and sour. The sweetness comes courtesy of its ability to provide consistently solid water pressure for long periods. The sourness is that, despite its lofty price tag, there’s no heating mechanism, so you have to rely on solar power only to avoid cold showers.

Coleman is the go-to brand of countless campers who want quality, low-cost kit, and this solar-powered shower is a prime example of just that.

This device retails for around the same price as a 6-pack of craft beer but does everything far pricier competitors do. At 8.8 ounces, it’s one of the lightest models we tested. It also has a 5-gallon capacity, comes with an easy on/off shower head, has a burly handle, and is made with durable, heat-locking material that warms the water when left out in the sun.

This option isn’t going to bathe you in 100-degree water, but if you can settle for around 75-85 degrees (depending on the weather), it’s a great choice.