Best Way to Shower While Boondocking
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How to shower while boondocking
Taking a shower while boondocking was something I wasn’t quite sure about when we first started on our campervan journey. I am used to taking long hot showers every day whenever I want and knew this was something I wasn’t going to be able to do when boondocking. I knew I was going to have to embrace my inner wild side and sacrifice this modern luxury.
I knew that taking a shower daily wasn’t going to be an option and I discovered that we could go 4-5 days without a shower, and I didn’t feel as gross as I thought I would. I did, however, need to wash my hair more often and although we have a kitchen sink in our campervan so we can wash our hands I knew that wouldn’t work to wash our hair.
The adventure and untamed landscapes were magical and worth the lack of cleanliness I might feel but adding a portable solar shower bag would be a convenience for campers seeking a refreshing rinse off while enjoying nature.
Portable solar shower bag
I knew I didn’t want a full shower in our campervan as space is already limited so I researched what would work best for us and decided on a portable shower bag. This bag (as shown below) is supposed to warm up when exposed to heat or sun helping to keep the water warmer. Since most of the time it stays hidden inside our van it is never really warm when we use it but if parked for an extended period of time, we can hang it outside our van to warm up.
A 5 Gallon Portable Shower bag varies in price and can range from $11 to $70 per shower bag. I recommend buying two of them in case one runs out of water before it can be refilled.
Although, we have used it a couple times as a full shower we typically just use it to rinse off our feet or wash our hair. When we take a full shower, we use our pop-up tent to stand in for privacy.
Do not fill the shower bag full
I do not fill our portable shower bag to full as it gets pretty heavy, and I do not want to risk the handle at the top breaking. Some reviewers of this product mentioned that the handle does break therefore I avoid that by not filling it too full. This is another reason I purchased two of them. As you can see from the picture below, we only fill it about half to two thirds full. We have never had a problem with the handles breaking due to taking this precaution.
Where to hang the bag when using it
We hang our bag in several different locations on our campervan when we boondock. I use these D ring carabiner clips to hook it between the bag and van.
We hang it from the side door in our van to quickly wash off our feet
We hang it on the back door hinges of our van to wash our hair
We also hang it from a sturdy tree branch
My honest review of this shower bag
In the picture below I wanted to explain the flaws about this item.
The clear tube that comes up from the bottom, fits onto the black bottom piece. Those two pieces will sometimes come undone while using it if you’re not careful. Water will then come pouring out if the water is turned on.
The black lever turns to the left to turn on the water flow and then flips back to the right to shut off. This is hard to turn, especially if your hands are wet, so water continues to flow out until you shut it off. This wastes more water than I want. I typically have someone there helping with the water flow when we use it.
Finally, the tube can get pinched where it folds during storage. If the bag isn’t high enough the tube will pinch while using therefore water will barely come out. I just put my head down lower until it isn’t pinched anymore or raise the bag higher.
What we love about this bag.
Despite these flaws we have gotten a lot of use out of these bags and have had no issues with them breaking or not working.
The price is reasonable, making it convenient to purchase multiple bags for travel if needed.
I do recommend them if you are not a full-time travel family and just need something simple to use on shorter trips. We use them to wash sand or dirt off our feet before entering our van or when we need to wash our hair.
If you are a full-time travel family these would be perfect to have just to rinse off your feet before going into the camper
I love the top handle which allows me to keep water in them and hang them on a hook during our travels.
Other ways to take showers while boondocking
Even though the portable shower bag works well temporarily, I still like taking a good hot shower once in a while. We have taken showers at the following places, and it has worked out great for us. But first, here is a list of things we use when taking a shower in a public place:
1) Showers at National Parks
We have used the shower at Bryce Canyon National Park. It was $3 for an 8 minute shower. You need tokens to use their showers and the showers are on a timer. We purchased our tokens at the store located by the showers. It was actually plenty of time to get our shower done. The showers were clean while we were there and there were shower curtains for privacy. Check out showers at other National Parks. You do not have to stay at the campground to use this shower.
2) Gas Stations
We have used Pilot gas stations for showers during our travels. The shower came with a towel, wash rag, and bathmat for your convenience. The showers were $10 per person. I believe they had a time limit, but no one complained when my teenagers took way too long in the shower. We did have to wait for 30-45 minutes for our shower to be empty and cleaned and ready prior to our use. What I liked about these showers were that each stall had a door that locked, a toilet and a sink. It felt more private than at the National Park we used. Since there is a wait, it would be helpful to sign up for the shower first and then get gas and/or snacks while you wait.
3) Campgrounds
White City RV Park near Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico allowed us to use their showers without staying at their campground. The showers were $3 per person and there was an 8-minute limit. There were no timers on these showers and since no one was waiting we took longer than allowed. The showers here were older but clean. There were no shower curtains on these two showers, but the shower was divided by a small wall for a little privacy.
4) Family and friend’s house
We have stayed with family and friends during our travels and have taken advantage of using their showers. It is so nice and refreshing to take a shower in a clean place.
Other shower options we have not tried but others have recommended
Fitness Centers such as Planet Fitness which allows you to use their showers at multiple centers if you have a membership
YMCA if you have a membership
Swimming Pool shower rooms
Boat Marina’s
Some beaches have showers, the water is probably not going to be warm but at least you can get clean
How do we find water while camping?
Check out this blog post for details on how we find water while traveling to refill our shower bags.
This is a simple set up but has worked well for us. I keep two shower bags on hand in case one runs out of water then we have a backup until we can refill them. We have used them part time for three years now and haven’t had any problems except the three flaws that I mentioned above. Other than that, they have worked great, and I would purchase them again if needed.
Do you have a favorite shower bag you use? Comment below.
Enjoy your journey,
Hello, I’m Jennifer
I am a girl who loves to travel and enjoys sharing expert family travel advice. I am a content creator and influencer on Instagram with years of travel experience and provide readers with advice, tips, and details on adventurous family travel and tips on saving money while boondocking or traveling across the US.
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