Camping showers: how to choose them?

While we are waiting for better times, when we can go back to freely enjoying life in the open air, we might as well think of something useful that will make our stay in nature easier and more enjoyable.
We have spoken many times about the small sacrifices we make when we go camping. However, this does not necessarily mean that we should avoid every deviation from the rules.
This time we would like to guide you through the choice of a very useful object, which brings enormous relief at the end of a day's walk or after many hours in the sun: the portable shower.

What is it and how does it work?

Quite simply: it is a refillable water tank to which a siphon is attached. It is obviously a transportable item, but you should choose it according to the type of vehicle you have and your needs. If you have a motorhome/caravan, you can obviously opt for a larger tank; if you're planning a car holiday in a tent, you'll need to choose something smaller but equally effective.
There are three categories of portable showers: the first is the sprayer, in which water is delivered from the tank to the siphon by hydraulic pressure. They are certainly convenient for those who have no space problems as almost all of them have fairly large rigid tanks.
Another category is that of electrically powered showers with a cable (USB or 12V to be connected to the car's cigarette lighter); for this type we talk about smaller tank dimensions since in many cases the water containers are even foldable. The water is delivered to the siphon by a small, rechargeable electric motor, allowing the flow to be regulated.

What about a hot shower?

In this case it is necessary to equip oneself with a "solar" shower: the PVC tank must be exposed directly to sunlight for 2-3 hours and will allow the water inside to heat up while maintaining the right temperature. Even in the latter case, the size of the tank bag is small and allows it to be carried inside a normal hiking backpack.
There is, however, a downside: as you can easily guess, the heating is linked to the weather: a cloudy day will negate the benefit of this shower.

Other uses

The usefulness of these portable showers does not end when we return from our excursion or camping holiday: they can also be used at home, by those who have a garden, to clean the car or other vehicles, to wash the pets or perhaps just to cool off outside on a very hot day.

Have you ever tried one of these items? What do you think? Write to us!

Photo: Chase-Jiggliemon-wilson