(Part 2) Best camping showers according to redditors

We had a shower tent, and a 5 volt shower pump. They worked pretty well.

$44.99 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073VM75TR

Reliance Products Flow Pro Pressurized Portable Showever, 2 Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY6CZ6J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_adc8CbN6FXWR7

This thing is awesome for car camping.

• Shower
  
  
• Put out your fire
  
  
• Rinse your sweaty/dirty clothes
  
  
• Wash the mud off your dog
  
  You can effectively make your own out of a weed sprayer but the materials will cost you about the same and you won’t have the tote bag/pocket.

Okay, cool. A few things to start off with:

• first and foremost, read the FAQs. Good primer in there, and search/read the subreddit itself for more specific stuff. We've covered a lot around here, and multiple times. Soak it in, digest it a bit, then apply the best option to suit your situation.
  
  
• good job coming back around to reply directly to my and Independent's comments; that gives us a notification on our next login, so we know you were talking back, and links us back here to read and reply. You have no idea how many people new to this site don't figure that out for months, and it displays that you have the initiative and problem solving skills to get by. Breathe a bit easier, you're not doin' too bad.
  
  
• Your back/neck issues probably aren't as restrictive as you (we?) may have thought; I'm missing some small portions of my back (with no idea where they went), I have nerve damage in my neck, back, and arms, and several other vertebrae/disks are generally pretty pissed off about what I've done to them. I get around pretty well, though I'm a bit vocal when I do it, grunting and groaning my way about most days. There's plenty more like us, too, and it's good fortune that your physical issues aren't as oppressive as they could be. That'll come in handy later as well.
  
  
• You may well be able to skip out on a roof fan. I've never had a roof fan in any of my own vans (though a couple had unpowered vents), and have gotten along fine. I historically buy the $13 clip-on 12v fan from WalMart once or twice a year (they wear out, but are cheap enough to consider disposable), and run them off an extra battery I install. Times are changing, though, and I've recently found USB-rechargeable battery-operated fans by Holmes at Target - $15, but claims a 6-hour battery life on low. One fan blowing in and on you will help you feel cool enough to sleep, while cycling out air to remove the moisture you put off, so you don't have condensation forming and leading to hidden mold issues. You can recharge these, little USB power-packs, and some other key items while running the van through regular course, then unplug them for use during van-off time, so you don't drain your starter battery. I'm not a fan of those O2Breeze guys, because I hate swapping batteries constantly, which would be a considerable expenditure for a full-timer.
  
  
• For showering, I'll suggest first that you look into Planet Fitness Black Card. It's $20/month, and gives you unlimited showers, filtered water, massage chairs, WiFi, restrooms, and some other minor perks at any of their locations. If you'll be near any major metro area, this covers daily hygeine. When I stuck more around-town, I'd often visit twice per day - once for hygeine needs, and again just to relax, use the wifi, and work on me. If you can find some secluded enough spots to do it, you can clip your tarp to your opened van door(s) to make a temporary shower stall, then use something like a pump-pressure garden sprayer to hose yourself down and wash up. For a bit less workout to accomplish that, you can also score a rechargeable shower pump that simply drops into a jug with a wide-enough mouth. My similar model does ~20 showers per charge.
  
  
• Cooking is its own can of worms, but I'm a cheap bastard thrifty individual, and have built a poor-man's portable kitchen setup a few times over. I usually start with some basics from Dollar Tree to get me started - tongs, a grill grate, paperware, food containers, etc can get you by until you can "spend" on something better, and most of their food doesn't need refrigeration. Here's what my current everyday-use kitchen setup consists of:
  
  

1. Gerber ComplEAT - this really has everything you need-need except a knife, and I just use my everyday-carry pocket knife most often to complement it. Long-handled fork and spoon, spatula, veggie peeler, package/can/bottle opener, and tongs all in one very-portable set. I mostly use it just for cooking. Again, I'm cheap, so I eyed it for a long time before splurging on it (the $20-something version), and I can't complain.
   
   
2. Backpacker pot/stove kit - half the cost of my previous 3-pot kit, and comes with the stove! Perfect size for soloers, and under $25. The stove, can of gas, a couple paper towel layers between to avoid scratches and rattling, and another small item or two all fit inside the can. It comes with a mesh bag, and the Gerber set slides down in alongside it, just barely poking out the top. The $5 can of gas lasts me a whole month, at one or two uses per day, often just to boil water or warm something up.
   
   
3. Magellan Camp Cooking Knife - $8, and this is what I use as my tableware. TWO of these will fit inside the above pot/stove kit, with the stove, gas, and paper towel layers between.
   
   
4. A bag of charcoal - This and those dollar-store tongs enables you to utilize any park or campsite grill you come across, which you can totally use the linked pot kit on while grilling food, adding flavor, and enjoying the outdoors. I try to do dinner most days like this, weather-permitting.
   
   
5. Cheap camp shovel and/or machete - either can be used to dig a Dakota Fire Pit (if your back can handle it; it's pretty minor labor), which observes Leave No Trace rules, is low-key, and super-efficient. The main hole can be a single shovel-head wide, and the air hole needn't be wider than the shovel handle. Ignore the "direction of wind" arrow in the linked diagram; it makes its own draft by design. Another excellent application of the above pot kit, and the fuel is free.
   
   
6. Stainless steel camp mugs - I have an older Marlboro branded set that was given to me, but these can be had for as little as $2 each. They serve as my own cups/bowls, and my dog's water dish.
   
   
7. THE DOG! - I've yet to find a better dishwasher. Especially with stainless or anodized aluminum, this cuts cleanup down to sanitization, and they're happy to do it. My dog is quite small, and so I just chuck a handful of kibble into a recently-dirtied pot, and set 'er down.
   
   
8. Wilderness Wash - This is actually my everything-soap. I use it to wash dishes, my belongings, and myself. Rinses clean, is as environmentally-safe as it gets (though still don't put it on the ground within a few hundred feet of a water source or rain gutter) and super-portable, and is the only product I've found yet that can cut diesel grime (from my day job), yet doesn't make my skin break out. A dime-sized drop does all the dishes, quarter-size does me, and a 3oz bottle lasts me all month.
   
   
9. Viva brand paper towels - another one-product wonder. They're really similar to the blue "shop towels" you find at the auto parts store, but are white, soft, super-sturdy, and hella-absorbent. They're a little expensive as paper towels go, but I use them as paper plates, automotive rags, for cleaning, sweat towels, and even toilet paper (when the toilet isn't of the flush variety).
   
   All this (except the dog) fits in a 5-gallon bucket if you put it all together, but I keep the machete, shovel, grill grate, charcoal, and a small BBQ in the back, and the kitchen-y stuff altogether amidships where I usually am.

I tried to get the funds together to buy a bunch of portable showers and hand them out, then they just need to find a spot to tap some water from. I then got hit by some rough finances and had to put it on hold, but if anyone's interested, here's an amazon link to a cheap portable shower:

https://www.amazon.com/LUOOV-Portable-Detachable-Rechargeable-Traveling/dp/B07P5CW3LM?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B07P5CW3LM

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As my finances have finally normalized, I'm planning to do this exact thing soon. I may not be able to buy tons, but I can buy a couple with instructions to share.

Intex Portable Solar Camping Shower, 5 Gallon Capacity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073HSVC2B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_t9v5Cb8PWY4K1



GigaTent Pop Up Pod Changing Room https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CP8SJVW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_59v5Cb1TBM4T3


Both for under $26

All you need is this to finish it off.

not sure why Camp Showers aren't more popular at festivals like this, you just fill them up and leave them in the sun for a few minutes and you've got yourself a nice warm shower. https://www.amazon.com/iDeep-Camping-Gallons-Portable-Climbing/dp/B077QP6Q7F

My personal recommendation would be to skip the showers and have your group invest in a portable shower. We’ve had ours for a few fests now. You can shower any time of day. Super convenient and private.

Privacy tent: GigaTent Pop Up Pod Changing Room Privacy Tent - Instant Portable Outdoor Shower Tent, Camp Toilet, Rain Shelter for Camping & Beach - Lightweight & Sturdy, Easy Set Up, Foldable - with Carry Bag https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CP8SJVW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qZYwDbHR4Z3M5

Portable shower: Solar Shower Bag Portable Heating Camping Shower Bag with Upgraded Removable Hose and On-Off Switchable Shower Head for Summer Camping Beach Swimming Outdoor Traveling Hiking-20L/5 Gallon (Army Green) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RD5W43W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4ZYwDb80BFW6N

THIS:

Baban Portable Outdoor... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BC7569M?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

It works so surprisingly well!!!

What you need is one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078N2HHK9/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_gaewDb4ZCEFTC & https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013OVSOEU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share. Just throw a bathing suit on and shower in the aisle in front of your car.

I've thought about this for sometime because i want to build out a van so i can do ski touring, and theirs not always a shower available. Anyways, I've thought maybe a 5 gallon pot with a thermometer, being heated on a burner might work. I don't think it would take long to heat up considering that it only needs to be heated to 39C / 102F or so. You could at this point poor that into a pump sprayer, or use a portable shower head and put the pump right into the pot. As to how to do it in the van, i've thought maybe if you sat on a small bench in a portable plastic tub, or built your own wooden tub to your own dimensions. Then just either pour out the water, or pour into a greywater jug. If you built your own tub, you could even install a little drain into it with a rubber stopper.

No like this: NEMO Helio Portable Pressure Shower with Foot Pump, Sunset https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075Y4WRL1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xLmEAbRS8H96N

yea this one holds five gallons. 40 bucks and you have more water than this build, with zero maintenance. maybe OP has an issue hanging the bags though, and in that case I bet this would be awesome.

You've definitely got some good insight. Yes, if you don't like it you can resell the van. Yes, you can find many, many jobs when you are able to move to any location. I have showered with a simple foot-pump shower like this: https://amzn.to/2JJ0mbd so you don't need a gym

Option: you can also get a solar camp shower, they cost from $15 to $30 for a good one (5 gal or more), heat up all day in the sun, and allow you to shower in your campground (in a bathing suit, and if you bring a way to elevate it. If you are shy you can also get/make a shower tent or screening.) It's reusable for any festival or camping situation.

This one seems serviceable for $13.

From my experience, having bathroom/shower facilities are only at sites with designated camping sites (pad/fire ring/etc), and unfortunately those are the ones with the sites right on top of each other.

If you want space, look into "dispersed" or "open space" camping locations (sorry I don't know the Houston area specifically). Then just take a camping shower with you for bathing requirements :)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PRD3T9P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_A0fyDbHX6QE56

https://www.amazon.com/None-branded-Shower-Camping-Black-20L-5Gallon/dp/B06XVVWC8K/ref=sxin_2_ac_m_pm?ac_md=1-0-VW5kZXIgJDEw-ac_d_pm&keywords=solar+shower+bag&pd_rd_i=B06XVVWC8K&pd_rd_r=75a72d3d-a7bb-4cd7-a816-6ed6182b3de9&pd_rd_w=OmxJP&pd_rd_wg=z1Nna&pf_rd_p=7ffdbddd-e073-4cb0-834c-3e54bd44941a&pf_rd_r=ZKNK8WNA9R5C2D20SB7W&psc=1&qid=1568141953&s=gateway&sprefix=solar+sh

Buy 2 or 3 of these