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With a glorious, shining summer just around the corner, the time for planning a camping trip is as perfect as could be. Camping can be tons of fun, especially when done right. From barbecues to smores and looking up at the stars, it’s a foolproof way for people to go back to their roots and appreciate the earth in its full glory.
However, one effort that should be put in more when camping and other outdoor activities is to be sustainable and not harm the environment around us more.
We should aim to eat food without leaving behind non-biodegradable waste, and make sure to return the site to its former glory once we’re done. One way to carry on this aim of sustainability, as well as combine it with our ease, is investing in a solar shower for camping. A solar shower is a great way to stay clean while camping and is an awesome way to stay cool while camping in the heat.
Outdoor solar showers are essentially a heavy-duty bag that carries (mostly) 20L of water that warms as the day goes on with the help of the temperature and direct sunlight.
Once you decide to take a shower, simply mount the bag at some height and use the shower provided to wash yourself clean. Seems pretty simple, right?
Camp showers are a tad different from regular showers, with less privacy and some limit on how much water you can consume. For more of a ‘real’ shower vibe, try investing in a privacy tent.
These are essentially pop-up tents that function as a place of retreat or a makeshift bathroom when outdoors. When having an outdoor solar shower, you can simply mount this inside on the hooks given and take your shower in peace and similar secluded privacy as your home offers.
With that being said, let’s jump into some of the best outdoor solar showers for camping!
1. S.O.L Survive Outdoors Longer Solar Shower – 20L
The first outdoor solar shower on our list is S.O.L’s solar shower bag. With a good, compact bag measuring 20 x 18.5in, this bag can carry up to the standard 20L of water for multiple showers in one fill.
However, certain features set it apart from other products on the list. First is the shower head, this portable shower has a unique shower head that has flow-control properties that allow you to set the water pressure as per your preference.
This allows you to have more control over your experience with outdoor camp solar showers and adjust the pressure as you need.
Moreover, the solar shower bag allows a maximum water temperature of 60 degrees F with an in-built thermometer with which you can confirm the temperature before you shower to avoid any nasty cold-water surprises for showers taken earlier in the day.
The rugged handle allows ease of carrying and setting up due to a better grip. It also comes equipped with a mesh back to store your toiletries so that you don’t have to carry a separate bag to store those. All in all, this outdoor shower bag allows you maximum ease of use as well as heightened functionality to cover all your needs while occupying as little space as possible.
2. NEMO Helio Pressure Shower – 11 Liters | REI Co-op
This camping solar shower, with dimensions of 17 x 19 in, has a sleek and compact design to enable the maximum carriage.
With its ventilated compact case, you can neatly stow away the bag, hose, nozzle, and pump so that it takes up less space and reduces the risk of any spillage. This solar shower for camping takes the issue of water pressure very seriously, for which it provides a foot pump to increase the water pressure.
With each foot pump, there is heightened water pressure for the next 5-7 minutes to ensure that you can take your shower with ease and comfort. This is only maximized with the portable shower’s 7ft neoprene hose that allows you to easily access all angles of a vehicle or mount the shower and wash yourself properly.
Overall, while it’s quite brilliant and takes accessibility to another level, one might say the price is a tad bit too steep at a whopping $130, that too with only 11 Litres. While we are compelled to agree to a certain extent, one can also argue that it does offer value for money, and the quality is unmatched.
However, with the maximum capacity at the lower end of the scale and the price a bit too high, while the quality is unmatchable, this is more suited for solo campers who like to invest in a good quality camp solar shower.
3. Sea to Summit Pocket Shower | REI Co-op
The Sea to Summit Pocket solar shower for camping is perfect for the solo camper on a budget. With all the essential features expected from a camping solar shower maximized for efficiency and functionality.
With a 10 Litre capacity with a twistable shower head to adjust pressure. The camp solar shower gives approximately 7 minutes of showering with excellent pressure before it’ll be needing a refill.
Overall, if you want something basic but strong in its foundations, this camping solar shower is the ideal purchase for you. The only thing that might be a deterrent from buying is the price. It’s not too high but still might be a bit high for the features offered. Regardless, it’s a solid investment for a novice camper.
4. Advanced Elements Summer Shower – Campmor
This camping solar shower is a solid investment, especially for those looking for products that aren’t too much right off the bat. With a 2.5 gallon (9.5 liters) capacity, it is the perfect outdoor shower bag to invest in.
The multiple warming layers can warm up a bag at full capacity in under 3 hours which is a lot faster than many camping solar showers offer. Plus, the convenient on and off shower heads make it easier to save water, too.
This allows you to extend showers for longer periods and ensures minimum wastage, which is imperative for solar camping showers. The hook and loop straps also allow you to hold soap, shampoo, and other toiletries with ease ensuring everything is in one place and nothing gets lost.
This camping solar shower is easy to store with its smaller build, especially when empty with a weight of 1 lb, allowing you to conveniently roll it up and store it. It’s also for a more reasonable price of $21, making this the perfect camping solar shower buy for first-time campers offering quality and durability at a lower price.
Overall, for someone looking for a basic outdoor solar shower, this is the ideal product, giving you value for money without compromising on the quality or features of the product. The only downside would be the design, with a silvery exterior in a kite-like shape. If you’re someone that looks for aesthetics in a product, this might not be the camp shower for you.
However, the aesthetic matters a lot less than the quality, in which case, this solar shower for camping doesn’t only meet but exceeds expectations.
5. Amazon.com: Coleman 5-Gallon Solar Shower: Portable Camping Shower Gear: Sports & Outdoors
Coleman has a history of producing brilliant solar showers. This one, with its huge capacity of 5 gallons (19 liters), and a good heating system, would live up to expectations. With the showerhead being easy to use and conveniently packed, it allows ease of storage and carriage.
However, other features are pretty basic making this a solar shower bag with the base build and nothing more. This build especially, may not justify the $69 price. Moreover, there are a few faults in the bag itself.
The plastic handle can’t support the weight of the bag at maximum capacity making mounting it a task that is not only difficult but impossible. The showerhead is also not of the best quality, with leakages reported at full capacity and a kink in the pipe coming with the packaging that restricts the water flow.
You can’t bend the hose that much without the hose crimping further and restricting the water flow, especially since it’s more of a gravity flow bag than something that might operate with water pressure. Overall, this solar shower bag is perfect for a stationary position to hang in a backyard, but for carriage, especially when filled beforehand, this might not be the ideal bag.
However, it would function well if you fill it up at the campsite rather than before leaving. Overall, while most features are pretty good, the price is more based on the Coleman name rather than the actual quality, making it a buy that may not be the best idea, for camping at least.
Notable Mention
6. Geyser Systems Portable Shower with Heater
While not necessarily in league with all our other options, this solar shower is still an absolute catch!
If for nothing else, its features alone make it worth its buck. With built-in heating that heats the water in as little as 15 minutes and advanced pump technology to provide reliable and consistent water flow from beginning to end, this product will make sure your camping trip is spent with comfort and utmost relaxation.
Along with this, its LED dashboard will let you know when the water is heated and ready for showering, and the water level sensor will let you know when it’s time to wrap up; this solar shower practically does the job for you!
This solar shower also isn’t restricted to your shower. It comes with multiple different scrubs of different colors – pink, yellow, and green – and different roughness, so you may use it to clean your ropes, your dishes, and yourself, with different sponges depending on what works best.
The colors will also let you differentiate as to which scrub is for which use. More than all of this, users have consistently talked about how its small and portable size makes it a perfect companion for a camping trip; no more hunching over and arching your back for a simple hot shower!
However, other users have complained about a leaking valve but are assured that this is very rare, and with Geyser’s great customer service, you can easily get your product replaced.
Conclusion
Overall, solar showers are an absolute must-have for camping addicts. They help maintain hygiene where it’s often difficult to maintain such a thing, as they ensure that your dishes, equipment, and you are cleaned!
With such a companion by your side, you’re sure to have a more comfortable time on your next camping trip. Their heating technologies also ensure you get a hot shower, you won’t feel cold or contract any illnesses on these trips, which is something one must always care for when camping.
Their portable size makes them a helpful companion along your trip that won’t weigh too heavy on your bag, and leave your back sore for days. For many of the products we’ve listed above, their high water capacity means that in all times of need, these tried and tested products won’t fail you on the field.
The speed with which some of these showers can warm the water up, and for several of them, the LED technology and sensors that indicate all necessary components a user must understand, have, according to tons of user reviews, helped out newcomers in camping the same as those who are used to it.
As we said above, campers have to make sure the sites they camp in and leave behind aren’t left trashed.
Hopefully, then, having gone through the products we’ve listed above, with different features, such as water level, sensors, heating time, price levels, etc., you’ve found something that works for you, both in quality and in how much it might dent your wallet.
With this, we hope you found our list informative, and that you invest in one of these for your next trip. So pack up a portable solar shower on your next trip, and along with your comfort, ensure that the site you camp in will stay clean for any others who come afterward. Happy camping!
