The Best Portable Camping Showers

Hike Crew Portable Propane Water Heater and Shower Pump

There’s not much better than being out in the wild on a camping trip, experiencing everything nature has to offer. With that said, it’s also great to have a nice shower to freshen up after a long day outdoors. But while some campsites offer showers, many don’t, especially the more rugged sites. That’s okay, though, because with a portable camping shower, you can bring your own.

To help you choose a portable camp shower, we’ve put together this handy guide. We’ve included the best shower systems for campers and hikers.

Now let’s get started.

Best Portable Camping Showers

  1. Hike Crew Portable Propane Water Heater & Shower Pump
  2. Nemo Helio Portable Pressure Camp Shower
  3. Advanced Elements 5 Gallon PVC Free Summer Shower
  4. Ivation Portable Outdoor Shower

1. Hike Crew Portable Propane Water Heater & Shower Pump

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With three spray patterns, a water heater, and temperature control, our top pick from Hike Crew provides a camp shower experience almost like your home shower.

The Hike Crew Shower has an innovative propane system that effectively heats the water. An electrical system powers the water pump and the rest of the unit, which can plug into a cigarette light, RV outlet, outdoor generator, or standard outlet.

It comes with three adapters to allow the system to work with those various power sources, so all you need to provide is your container of water and a small propane tank.

And speaking of water, this water heater and shower doesn’t have a built-in water tank. At first, that might seem inconvenient, but it actually means that you’re not limited by the water capacity of the outdoor shower. You can heat as much water for your shower as your propane tank and the size of your chosen water container will allow it!

The unit features an LCD display with an on/off switch, pump control to initiate water flow, an ignition indicator to show that water is heating, and a water temperature display. The auto-shut-off safety feature means you don’t have to worry about burns or overheating with this device. This feature turns off the burner once water reaches a temperature of 130°F.

2. Nemo Helio Portable Pressure Shower

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The Nemo Helio Pressure Shower stands out from the other portable camping showers on this list in that it pressurizes water without requiring a power source for excellent versatility. Simply use the foot pump to get the water pressure you want.

This simple shower comes in two sizes, 11 liters (2.9 gallons) and 22 liters (5.8 gallons). At full pressure, the 11-liter size provides enough water for a 5 to 7-minute shower, while the 22-liter size allows for a 7 to 10-minute shower. If you choose to use less pressure, you can extend your shower time.

The see-through end cap allows you to keep track of the amount of water left in the reservoir while the 7-foot hose gives you plenty of lengths to easily wash off yourself, your pets, or your gear. You can also pair it with the Nemo Heliopolis shower tent, which has a mount for the showerhead for easy, hands-free showering.

The downside is that it has no way to heat the water in the unit itself. If you want a hot shower, you can heat the water yourself, such as with a camp stove, before putting it into the reservoir. If it’s a sunny day, you can also fill the reservoir in the morning, leave it in the sun during the day to heat up, and finish your day with a warm shower. Otherwise, you’re stuck with a cold shower.

3. Advanced Elements 5 Gallon PVC Free Summer Shower

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The Advanced Elements 5 Gallon Summer Shower is a simple gravity-fed option. It has an innovative multi-layer design that includes reflector, insulator, and solar panel layers to heat up cold water throughout the day so you can shower with hot water. Just lay it in the sun and let solar energy do the work.

You can monitor the temperature gauge on the side of the solar shower bag to see when the water has reached the temperature you want. When you’re ready to shower, you hang the bag up and gravity feeds the water through the hose for you.

The side of the reservoir has a mesh pocket to hold toiletries and the included mirror. Velcro straps can be used to hold other items like towels and washcloths.

The reservoir is translucent to allow you to monitor how much water is left, and the showerhead has an easy-to-use on/off valve to allow you to conserve water.

When empty, this 5 gallons solar shower weighs just 1 pound and 4 ounces, making it a lightweight addition to your camping gear. For backpacking, however, you may want to go with the smaller 2.5 Gallon Summer Shower, which weighs just 12 ounces.

4. Ivation Portable Outdoor Shower

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The Ivation Portable Outdoor Shower is another unique, high-quality option. The device itself is simply a water pump that feeds directly into a hose to a showerhead. The pump is battery-powered and uses a USB rechargeable battery.

To use the shower, just drop the pump into your water container and you can use as many gallons of water as you want, only limited by the battery life and size of your water source. It comes with a hook mount and a suction cup mount for the showerhead for versatile hanging options.

The small size and 6.5-foot hose length make the Ivation Portable Outdoor Shower great for not just camping, but also travel, keeping in the car, washing pets, watering plants, and more. It can be used with hot, cold, or warm water.

Final Thoughts on the Best Outdoor Camping Showers

These are a few of our top picks for the best portable camping showers. Each balances portability, durability, functionality, and ease of use for a pleasurable shower experience, even in the great outdoors.

Want to fully furnish your camp bathroom? Check out our picks for the Best Camping Toilets. Looking for some other ways to add luxury to your camping trips? Take a look at the Best Camping Fridge, the Best Tent Air Conditioners, and the Best Tent Heaters.

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Taylor

Taylor Wise is a nature landscape photographer who spends his days running a web design agency. His passion project is traveling and getting in touch with nature, he hopes to help others do the same by sharing camping tips and tricks through Camping Tent Expert. Taylor takes weekend camping trips whenever he can, and loves nothing more than getting lost in the wilderness.

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