There’s nothing like a shower after a day of activity or during muggy weather. For many campers, an outdoor solar shower is a great way to take a nice summer shower in nature. In this post, we look at solar camping showers that are popular with car campers, van campers, RVers, and even backpackers. A solar outdoor shower lets you take your shower with you wherever you go.
What Is a Solar Shower?
A solar shower (not to be confused with a sun shower) is a surprisingly simple device consisting of a solar shower bag, a tube, and a shower head. Some operate using just the force of gravity, while others include a pump to provide the water pressure showers normally require.
The solar shower bag that holds the water is usually black or another dark color so that it better absorbs the heat of the sun. This direct exposure to sunlight is what raises the water temperature inside the bag as it sits in the sun.
With solar showers that work on gravity, you hang the bag in a reasonably high location above your head. Releasing a clasp on the nozzle of the shower head allows gravity to provide a shower of water through the openings on the shower head with no power or moving parts needed.
Other solar showers use a small, battery-operated pump to draw water that’s been warmed by the sun up through a tube and up through the shower head.
Although these solar showers are primarily intended for use in warm, sunny weather, you can also warm water on a camp stove, then pour it (carefully) into the shower bag for use during overcast and/or colder weather.
NOTES: when using an outdoor shower of any kind, be sure to follow these guidelines:
- Avoid using an outdoor shower near any natural water source (i.e. lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, etc.)
- Make sure there aren’t any prohibitions against “dumping” this kind of “gray water” on the ground (more details here)
- Minimize your use of water to avoid oversaturating the ground
- Use only biodegradable cleaning products
In this post, we take a look at both types of solar camping showers. But there’s also a DIY option, which has become popular with van campers: it involves using a black PVC pipe to create a roof-mounted solar camping shower. Here’s a video showing how to build and use a rooftop outdoor solar shower for your RV:
Popular Solar Showers
Outdoor showers that use solar shower bags are widely available these days. Though some are more durable and useful than others, we’re featuring five solar showers at various price points to match all budgets. The first three use gravity to feed the water through the shower head, while the last two use a pump mechanism to draw the water up through the tube and shower head.
Coghlan’s Solar Heated Camp Shower
This is a very inexpensive option for outdoor solar showering while you’re camping. Coughlin’s Super Solar Shower is a simple bag with a tube and a small shower head for a light gravity-drawn shower. Made of non-toxic PVC, the black shower bag holds up to 5 gallons of water. When placed in the sun, the water heats up and stays warm in the black bag.
Bear in mind that 5 gallons of water weighs just under 42 pounds, and that’s a lot of weight to hang, so some users may want to consider only filling it partway. And, of course, 5 gallons is probably a lot more water than most experienced boondockers need. But it’s nice to know it’s available!
The bag needs to be hung from a tree, the roof of a van, the interior “roof” of a shower tent, or any spot that puts it up over your head, so that gravity can do its thing. (We’ll provide a link to a pop-up shower tent below so you can see how many campers choose to use their solar showers.)
As always, we recommend reading reviews. But for such a low price point, this one seems to have lots of satisfied users.
- Made of non-toxic PVC
- Useful in emergencies
Here’s one example of a pop-up shower tent:
- More Room, More Comfort: Generous 74.8" tall frame creates a spacious interior for adults, ideal for standing showers, changing, or restroom breaks...
- All-Weather Privacy Shelter: Made with thick 190T polyester and taped seams, this waterproof shower tent blocks harmful sun rays (UPF30+). Large...
Advanced Elements Summer Shower
The Advanced Elements Summer Shower is a popular solar shower option. Available in 2.5-gallon, 3-gallon, 5-gallon, and 10-gallon capacities, this is also a gravity shower. The bag is made of 4-ply construction and has a reflector panel and an insulator panel for heat retention.
The manufacturer suggests that the shower can heat up to 110 degrees in under 3 hours in direct sunlight. The bag has an integrated temperature gauge, so you’ll know how hot the water is before using the shower. There’s also a small pouch and a velcro strap on the bag for holding items such as a razor, soap, shampoo, washcloth, etc. We’re linking here to the 5-gallon bag, but the other sizes can be ordered through the same link:
- Construction - 4-ply construction with reflector panel and insulator panel for optimized heat retention and performance
- Capacity - This summer shower has a large 5-gallon capacity and is designed to heat water fast in the warm sun
Sea to Summit Pocket Shower
This outdoor shower is particularly popular with the backpacking crowd due to its small size and lightweight design that weighs only 4.3 oz. Made of 100% 70D waterproof nylon with fully taped seams, this 10-liter (2.64 gallon) pocket shower provides about a 7-minute shower after the black fabric has soaked up the heat of the sun to warm the water.
The shower head twists to turn the water flow on and off, and it can be hung using the two provided D rings attached to 20 feet of nylon cord. The Sea to Summit Pocket Shower can also be used as a dry sack for transporting clothes, sleeping bags, etc., and includes a carrying pouch.
- 10-liter pocket shower provides a 7-minute shower; ideal for backpacking, camping, bike touring, and travel
- Made from lightweight 70D nylon with fully taped seams; black fabric soaks up the sun to heat water for a warm shower
Ridgewinder Portable Shower
The Ridgewinder Portable Shower is a complete camping shower in a 2.5-gallon dry bag that stores all of the included components.
To prepare the solar shower for use, simply remove the components and fill the internal bag with water. You can set it in the sun to heat the water, or you can add warm water to the bag after heating it on a camp stove (careful not to get scalded if you choose to do this!). Next, lower the battery-powered camping shower pump into the dry bag and turn it on. Open the rain shower head and enjoy your shower.
The Ridgewinder shower features a sprayer head, ideal for washing dishes or muddy gear with a stronger stream of water. The rechargeable 2200mAh battery offers up to 60 minutes of shower time before it requires recharging.
- KEEP FRESH IN THE WILDERNESS: After a day of Hiking and Camping, nothing beats the sensation of a fresh shower amongst nature. Complete with a...
- COMPLETE CAMPING SHOWER IN A BAG: Our Portable Camping Shower is the perfect, stress-free, all-in-one solution. Store and carry all the components in...
Nemo Helio Portable Pressure Camp Shower
The Nemo Hello solar shower comes in 2.9-gallon and 5.8-gallon options. The tank of water is pressurized using a foot pump. Pumping it occasionally gives you about 7-10 minutes of spray with the 5.8-gallon model and 5-7 minutes with the 2.9-gallon model.
As with other models, you can fill the tank and set it in the sun for a warm shower at the end of the day, or fill it directly with warm water for immediate use.
A 7-foot neoprene hose carries the water to the shower head, and a nozzle sleeve holds the trigger in the spray position giving you hands-free water pressure. The ventilated carrying case stores the tank, hose, nozzle, and pump compactly.
- Voluminous 5.8-gallon / 22-liter capacity.
- 7-foot neoprene sprayer hose with spray nozzle is long enough to hold overhead for a shower.
Have You Used a Solar Shower?
If you’ve used a solar camping shower, what brand and model is/was it, and how did it work out for you? Did you love or hate it… or something in between? Leave a comment below and consider including details on everyone’s favorite shower-related topic… water pressure!
If a solar shower isn’t something you’re interested in, maybe the The Geyser Portable Shower is more your speed?
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Mark
Sunday 25th of August 2024
Great article. You didn’t mention the importance of capturing the gray water that results from using an outdoor shower, particularly in areas that are sensitive to human impacts, nor did you mention the importance of using the shower at least 200 feet from any natural water source (e.g., lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, etc.). How do you square your advocacy for outdoor showers with your published article on the importance of not dumping gray water on the ground (https://www.thervgeeks.com/can-you-dump-rv-gray-water-on-the-ground/)?
TheRVgeeks
Sunday 25th of August 2024
Hi Mark! Thanks very much for pointing out a couple of areas we neglected to mention. Staying clear of lakes, streams, rivers and other natural water sources is indeed important, as is using biodegradable soaps. Personally, we never dump water from our gray tank on the ground, but it can be done responsibly: 1) Using the aforementioned biodegradable soaps, 2) Staying clear of water sources, as you mentioned 3) Digging a small "cat" hole to DRIZZLE gray water SLOWLY so that it's absorbed completely within the hole, 4) Covering the hole back in afterward (usually overnight due to the drizzling), and 4) ONLY doing this when absolutely needed, AND in areas where it's not prohibited, such as on BLM land vs in a national park. All that said, we prefer to limit our off-grid stays to a time period that allows us to avoid ever dumping gray at all. But... when we go backpacking/tent camping water does end up on the ground, but again, away from water sources and only using biodegradable soaps.