Using just one gallon of water, the portable shower and heater solution from Geyser Systems heats water using a 12v power source, taking between 15 and 45 minutes, depending on how you want it. Because it requires such a secure mount, a giant propane tank, and a constant supply of fresh water via the hose, this isn't an off-grid camping shower. It's better suited to permanent or semi-permanent mounting outside by your pool or perhaps rigged up next to your RV in a campground with hookups. Some of its attachments aren't the most leakproof, and it's best used with certain extras that don't come standard — like on/off valves for the cold water input and hot water output lines. But if you've wanted an outdoor shower that won't cost thousands to install, the Camplux Pro is a great option for a truly luxurious outdoor bathing experience. We began this study by considering the most important aspects of an outdoor shower. Each year, we carefully select the best we can find and use them for subsequent summers, paying close attention to how well they perform in key areas. To assess functionality, we measured the widths of the showerhead streams and the lengths of the hoses. If possible, we took them apart and cleaned them to examine ease of use, and we dropped them, full of water, from a height of over 6 feet to get a sense of their durability. We bathed ourselves, muddy dogs, and numerous filthy trail-building crews. In the end, the best models revealed themselves and are highlighted below. Hot water can be heated over a fire, using a heavy-duty steel drum, or in your tankless water system. If you want to keep it basic, you can simply pour the heated water into the drum as and when you need it. If you prefer not to clamber up a tree with a gallon of water on your head, however, a solar pump is a worthwhile investment. The convenience of such a device is undeniable – simply fill the shower bag with water, leave it in the sun to heat up, and voila, you have an instant shower!

Cheap solutions aren’t worth the investment and, although the top-end products have some nice features, if you’re looking for something long-term, your best bet is building your own. It’s also worth looking at your budget and available storage space for camping gear. Portable showers come in various types, ranging from basic gravity showers to more advanced battery-powered units. Determine what features are right for you and find an option that fits your budget and storage limitations. A better option for survivalists and those living off-grid, the tankless water heater isn’t exactly portable but, it makes up for that with its durability. Even a good quality solar shower is less versatile than the Ivation as the water is gravity fed so, the bag needs to be hung up in a tree or on a pole. To make your shower experience more pleasurable and more beneficial for your garden, make sure you’ve included some kind of drainage system. This can be as straightforward as a furrow that directs your greywater where you need it or, if you have numerous dirty bodies to clean, you may want to consider digging a pit that would operate as a soakaway.It transforms almost any bottle, bladder, or collapsible bottle into an instant shower. Admittedly, it’s just one step up from pouring water over yourself, but it’s better than a dip in an ebola-infested lagoon! A shorter hose also means you have less choice of where to shower and may force taller people to perform a few imaginative contortions if they want to get wet all over. If you’re living off-grid, even a top-quality solar bag shower is unlikely to have the staying power you need for long-term, daily use.

Simple to install, this shower comes with a 4.8-gallon tank and an extra cold-water tap for washing your hands. #3 The Tankless Water Heater If you often camp in developed campgrounds with shower facilities nearby, it’s probably not worth investing in a portable shower – it would likely just be additional stuff to carry. However, if you frequently go camping, especially for longer periods in out-of-the-way locations, a portable shower can be a worthwhile addition to your camping gear. It offers a practical and convenient way of keeping fresh while enjoying the outdoors. A more sophisticated and better quality version involves a battery-powered pump with a showerhead attached, like the Ivation Portable Outdoor Shower.

If you’re in the market for a solar shower, I recommend skipping the budget options and heading straight for something like the 5-gallon solar shower from Advanced Elements. By utilizing a shower scrub instead of a traditional showerhead, this system uses minimal water, ensuring that every drop goes exactly where you need it. Unfortunately, getting that warm water to wet anything is a challenge, especially with the cheaper models on which the valves are often poorly fitted, resulting in low water pressure and leaks. As easy to install as it is to use and using “advanced combustion technology to decrease gas consumption and burning noise,” the tankless gas water heater is ideal for maintaining acceptable levels of cleanliness in the dirtiest of situations. Whether you’re planning for the winter months when solar-heated water isn’t an option or preparing for the end of the world as we know it, an off-grid shower can help keep bacteria and infections at bay.

Unfortunately, for your tankless water heater to operate effectively as an off-grid shower, you will need the following additional components: Water pump If you want an off-grid shower for your RV, an electric model like the Electric Mini-Tank from Bosch is ideal, although the Hike Crew Portable Propane Water Heater & Shower Pump is also worth considering.A gas tankless water heater is probably a better option if you’re living off-grid permanently, however. The Camplux Pro Series 6L is a reasonably-priced solution for anyone who's always wanted an outdoor shower. This semi-portable unit requires a semi-permanent outdoor setup that includes a secure mount, a large propane tank, a garden hose water inlet line, and two D batteries. Though the initial installation takes time, once ready, this handy little unit instantly converts cold hose water into a range of warm to hot shower temperatures, available at easily adjustable pressures — all finely tuned with two simple knobs. It has a wide shower head that rivals the ones in our bathrooms, three modes that make it just as easy to clean the kids as the dog, and a simple on/off switch right by your hand. Something like the product Oxygenics 26781 Hand-Held Sprayer Kit works well and has a power setting that amplifies the existing water pressure. That means, even if you’re running it off a meager 12v water pump, you can still enjoy an invigorating shower. There’s no point investing in a top-to-the-range high-pressure showerhead as it’s unlikely you’ll get the pressure needed for it to operate. A cheaper model that will work effectively with low pressure is a better option. To ignite the burner and push the water through when showering, you need a certain amount of water pressure. You can do this using a solar water pump kit like the one from Solariver.