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Best Portable Camping Showers in Australia Reviewed (2022)
Whether it's a hot shower to have a bit of luxury on your camping trip or just a quick rinse before bed, a portable outdoor shower will make your next camping trip a little bit more comfortable especially if you pair it with a shower tent for privacy.
While some models will heat up the water for you, others will merely drive it up a hose and out to a shower head. However, these portable shower systems are full of compromise, mainly between the weight of the system and the features you'll benefit from.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the some of the best camping showers on the Australian market to make sure you can find what truly suits you.
Compare Portable Shower Models
Best Portable Camping Showers
Companion Rechargeable Camp Shower
The Companion Camp Shower comes with a small, built in submersible water pump that you can place into a bucket of water or even a running river. Since it weighs less than 1 kilogram, it should be perfect for people who like to hike into the backcountry.
The thing I like most about this shower is the generous battery. When fully charged, the battery will pull water at maximum pressure which is about 2 litres per minute, for up to 1 hour. That way, a family of 5 can take a nice outdoor shower in the morning without having to wait for turns.
To charge the battery, you can attach the provided USB cable to a power bank. You’ll also find a car cigarette-lighter adaptor if you want to use your car power. The battery will need anywhere between 2 - 5 hours to fully charge.
After putting the pump into the water source, all you have to do is push the power button. You can then control the water flow directly from the showerhead with the on/off switch present on the side. The shower comes with a 2-metre hose, which should be more than enough for most people.
It's a great, affordable, small and self contained unit that in my opinion balances functionality, price and features.
Pros
Handy accessories — The shower comes with a hook and suction cup for hassle-free mounting.
Safe — The charging port can be covered with a plastic plug to make sure the internal circuit stays intact when submerged.
Easy recharging — You can hook it directly to a USB port, or you can use the car cigarette-lighter adaptor.
Cons
Water tank not included — Not a deal breaker, but make sure you think holistically about your shower set up and what container you'll be using to pump the water from.
Companion 12V Hand Held Camp Shower
If you liked the other Companion Rechargeable Shower, but don't want to worry about the hassle of charging yet another device, you should love this one. It also comes with a submersible pump, but it doesn’t feature a battery. It draws power directly from your car or fridge with a cigarette lighter connection. This way, you can use it indefinitely as long as you have enough water.
While the rechargeable model had a maximum flow rate of 2L/minute, this one can go all the way up to 4L/minute, making for a more satisfying experience.
But won’t that high flow rate mean that you’ll run out of water faster? Well, yes, but that doesn’t have to be the case. If you’re running low on water, you use the adjustable dial to alter the flow of water and pressure.
One of the things I like about this shower is that it comes with a 4-metre long power cord and a 2 meter long shower hose. This way, you can move far enough from your power source to to avoid splashes and get some extra privacy.
Pros
Powerful — With an average flow rate of 4L/minute, you’ll enjoy a shower that’s almost as nice as the one you have at home.
Reasonably-priced — This shower is almost 3 times cheaper than the previous one, courtesy of having no battery.
Extra accessories — Comes with a hook, suction cup, and a carrying bag.
Cons
Limited use — You can’t run this pump without a car.
Companion Pioneer Solar Shower
This cheap, no-frills solar shower is about as functional as you can get. At it's core, it's a black water bag with a shower hose and nozzle attached to it. The idea is you
As the name suggests, this shower harnesses solar energy in the simplest way possible. After filling it with 20L of water, leave it under direct sunlight. The black plastic construction will slowly warm up the water by absorbing the sun rays.
On the top part of the shower lies a large mouth that allows for easy filling. On the bottom part, you’ll find a hose that’s about 70 cm long, which should be long enough for most people. You’ll also find a pull/push nozzle at the end of this hose to quickly adjust the water flow.
On the lower left side, OZtrail places a small hook on which you can hang the hose when not in use. This is a simple yet extremely helpful feature because the dangling hose can be quite annoying.
To enjoy the best water pressure, you should hang this shower on a tree branch or place it on top of your RV. Bear in mind that it’ll be quite heavy to lift when full (about 20 kg), so you might need a friend to help you.
Pros
Large capacity — It can store up to 20 litres, guaranteeing about 8 minutes of shower time.
Maintenance-free — It’s made of easy-to-clean materials that won’t harbour dirt, mould, or any other pollutants.
Easy to use — The large mouth and the built-in nozzles are user-friendly.
Cons
Not that convenient — You must hang it atop a high place to get strong water pressure.
Yaegoo 15L Camp Shower
Traditional solar camping showers are great, but finding a spot to hang them up, soak in the sun and be the right height to enjoy your shower can be a bit tricky. The Yaegoo portable camp shower is similar in how it works, but has a few extra well-thought out features which opens up option with regards to where you set it up.
What’s different here is that you have a foot pump integrated into the system. You’ll fill up the sac as you normally would. Then, you’ll start stepping on the pump to pressurise the water sac. Once fully pressurised, the sac will be fully inflated like a balloon, and it should sustain a shower for about 5 to 7 minutes.
As much as I like this concept, it’s not all roses! See, as you use the water, the sac will deflate, causing the pressure to plummet. To avoid this, you’ll have to keep stepping on the pump AS you shower.
On the positive side, you can ask one of your friends to do the pumping while you enjoy your shower. The 2-metre hose will make sure you can maintain your privacy too by placing it around a corner or outside your ensuite tent.
The only thing I wish was different about this shower is the capacity. The sac can only hold 15 litres at most, which would amount to about 6 minutes of shower time. Additionally, some customers say that it feels a bit smaller than advertised, so I don’t think it would be great for large families.
Pros
Easy to use — The foot pump will allow you to enjoy a refreshing shower without tying up your hands.
Satisfying pressure — If you keep pumping continuously, the water will gush forcefully from the spray nozzle.
Convenient — The shower comes with a zippered carrying case. When packed, it only measures 20 cm by 15 cm, allowing for hassle-free transport.
Cons
Expensive — It’s a bit pricey for its limited capacity.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Camping Shower
Design and Water Pumping Mechanism
Not all camping showers are created equal. The market is full of various designs that suit different needs. I can’t really suggest a design in favour of the other; you should choose the product that fits your camping style, requirements and budget the most.
Solar Showers
If you’re into minimalist camping, you can’t go wrong with a solar shower. This type of shower is usually simplistic and functional with basically a large plastic bag and a built-in hose, tap, and nozzle. All you have to do is fill it with water and leave it to bask in direct sunlight to heat the water. If the sky is clear, you can enjoy a warm shower in a couple of hours.
The best thing about these showers is that they’re completely hassle-free — there are no pesky batteries or pumps to worry about. But by the nature of the beast, such a simple design may not be that convenient.
With the absence of a pump, these showers solely depend on gravity to create water flow. In other words, you’ll have to hang them at a suitable height to yield enough water pressure, which may not be possible in all campsites.
Electrical Showers
The electrical showers draw water from a bucket with a submersible pump. They usually operate with a rechargeable lithium ion battery, but some models can be hooked directly a cigarette-lighter adaptor such as a car or those which are now commonly found on many camping fridge models.
The best thing about these showers is how lightweight they are. You can hold the showerhead directly in your hand, and you can also hook it to things like a nearby tree or even on your awning.
On the downside, these pumps won’t warm up the water for you. You’ll have to pre-heat the water on a stove or a campfire. Otherwise, you’ll just have to settle for a cold shower.
Manual Showers
Manual showers are supplied with manual pumps that you can use to pressurise the water tank and drive it through the shower nozzle. Such a simple mechanism will suit campers who like to travel alone.
Gas Showers
Gas showers offer the fanciest experience you can possibly get outside your home, but they’re also quite pricey.
Bear in mind that these devices might impose a fire hazard if improperly handled. I recommend educating yourself about the required precautions before purchasing.
Consider Getting a Shower Tent
If you want to enjoy the ultimate showering experience, you shouldn’t just do it in the open. Consider investing in a shower tent where you can take off your clothes and pamper yourself. We have reviewed plenty of model so feel free to check out what we think are the best shower tents in Australia.