Campervan Showers Archives

15 Public Shower Options Near You

March 4, 2021June 17, 2020 by Colin Taylor

Whether you are taking a road trip, living out of your car, or exploring the country in your camper van, you will eventually need a shower. There are a ton (well 15 to be exact) public shower options near you… some might just take a little creativity. Others, a little money. However, there are a few free shower options on the list.

1) Shower at large, nation-wide gym chains

Gym’s may be the most reliable and common ways to find a public shower on the road.

I have a membership to Planet Fitness. For 20$ / month I have access to unlimited showers, massage beds, tanning booths (although I’ll pass on that)… and even those weight things. Not only that! You can bring one guest every day… for FREE. Now I just need to find a friend.

Many of these gyms can be found all over the country, which makes them perfect for van life or showering while on road trips. Some of them even offer free passes. The most popular big nationwide gyms are:

Planet Fitness
24-Hour Fitness (3-day guest pass offered)
Anytime Fitness (7-day guest pass offered)
LA Fitness (5-day guest pass offered)
Life Time Fitness

Although they are far from free, the money spent on a gym might be worth it to get a reliable way to shower on the road.

Also, if you have a YMCA near you, they offer financial aid on memberships. So that is yet another gym option.

2) Campground showers

Many established campgrounds have showers available. Although, they might not be free to the public. This means that you might have to spend money on a campsite overnight or talk to the campground host to see if they will let you take a free shower…

You never know unless you ask.

Then again, I’m sure there are people that don’t ask and just do. Although I don’t avocate that.

3) Smaller local gyms

Local and regional gyms are another way to find a free shower. Many of these smaller chain gyms offer trial passes just like the larger ones.

Obviously, you wouldn’t want to head straight to the showers. Take the opportunity to get a work-out in. And if you are going to be in the area for a while, consider actually signing up and supporting the smaller guys.

4) Truck stops

Truck stops are a great way to find a public shower. Although they won’t be free, these showers are often some of the cleanest you will find.

Seriously, I was blown away at how well taken care of these showers are. And they arn’t just for truckers.

If you haven’t checked out a truck stop yet, go do it… bring a date! Make a night out of it!

Seriously though, truck stops really try to take care of their customers. Not only will you find spotless showers, many of these places have restaurants, stores, laundry services, WIFI, massage chairs, and TV theatre rooms. They will even let you stay the night for free! Just call to make sure it’s okay.

Hint: Many truckers have free shower passes for these places. I’ve been told they are often more than happy to give you one if you ask.

Some of the most popular names in the truck stop world are:

Loves
Pilot Travel Center
Little America

5) Get a portable shower

There are a TON of different portable showers available. Many of these are solar shower bags. They are cheap, effective, and easy to use, making them great options for showering on the road.

Check out our list of 8 of the Best Portable Solar Showers

When I’m not showering at Planet Fitness, I’m usually using my solar shower bag. I hang it on the side of my campervan if it’s sunny, letting the sun heat up the water.

If it’s not sunny, I simply boil a bit of water with my jet boil or on my stove-top and add it to my shower bag.

If a gravity-fed solar shower doesn’t appeal to you, they also have pump showers. These tanks can be filled like mentioned above and you can pressurize the tank with a hand/foot pump.

The beauty of your own portable shower is that you can bathe any time, any place… well, maybe not ANY place.

Here are some of our top choices for a portable solar shower bag:

6) Free showers at the beach!

If you are near a public beach, chances are you will be near a free shower. These are usually used for washing off sand and salt water, and they don’t cost a cent!

Next time your #vanlife adventures take you to the beach, keep these showers in mind!

Just make sure you are respectful to those around you, it is public after-all.

7) Public swimming pool showers

Do a quick google search and see if there is a community pool near you. Where there is a public pool, there’s also a public shower.

Community swimming pools are an easy and inexpensive way to get a shower if you aren’t trying to shower every day (because day passes do begin to add up).

8) Boat marinas' public showers

Boat marinas are a great option to find a cheap public shower if you are traveling along the coast. I’ve showered in my fair share of boat marinas on my campervan travels. The cleanliness can be hit or miss, depending on the area. Overall, however, they tend to be pretty clean.

They are coin operated and cost anywhere from 50 cents to a couple of bucks, so keep some coins handy.

9) Hostels

I’ve stayed at many hostels around the world and some of them actually offer their shower services for a small fee. You can even get towels and soap!

If you are sick of sleeping in your van or car, you can always get a bed there as well.

Hostels can be ridiculously cheap depending on where you are. In Japan, I was staying at $15/night hostels and they were remarkably clean.

However, in the States you might be spending a bit more.

10) Get a room in an AirBnB

If you are on the road or living out of your van, perhaps springing for a one night Airbnb stay won’t be a terrible idea. If not for the comfort, then for the private shower.

The beauty of living the van life is that it affords you the freedom to splurge every now and then.

Airbnb doesn’t even have to be that expensive! Depending on where you are, you could potentially find a cheap room to rent for the night.

Not only would you get a nice hot shower, you would get a nice warm bed.

11) Spring for a motel room

Just like above, but maybe you want a bit more privacy. Motel’s can range in price greatly but if you want a private room and a private shower after a long road trip then perhaps spending a bit of money won’t be such a bad thing.

12) Bathe in a river or lake

What did we do before we had nice warm showers? We jumped in the river of course!

I mean, if you’re already going to be living in a van down by the river, might as well bathe in one too!

Disclaimer: Be super careful about introducing chemical products to the water source. Even a small amount of environmentally friendly soap can cause damage to the natural organisms.

13) Bike wash shower

Yes! I said it. If it’s good enough for my mountain bike, Stumpy, then it’s good enough for me!

Some mountain bike parks and trails have a little bike wash station to rinse off your muddy bike. Why not turn it into a make-shift public shower.

Be warned, it will be cold!

And don’t hog it for those who need it!

14) Baby wipe baths

Music festival goers around the globe know that baby wipes arn’t just for babies. In fact, most of them arn’t even marketed as body wipes or shower wipes.

I spent a large portion of my 20’s going to music festivals. I’ve gotten very accustomed to baby wipe showers.

Yes, I still call them showers.

I always keep a pack of baby wipes around on road trips… and I have many packs in my van. I use them almost daily.

15) Sink baths (like a bird bath!)

I saved the best for last. If you can’t find a shower, just take a sink bath somewhere. Better than being stinky, right?

Conclusion

The moral of the story is this:

Don’t let the worry of finding a public shower and staying hygenic on your road trip hold you back. If you are hesitant about committing to the “van life” because you don’t know where you will shower, rest assured there are many-many options.

If you thought of any public shower options that we didn’t list, please let us know in the comment section below!

Now that you have some places to take a shower, check out your different camper van toilet options below:

portable toilet with @ditchingconventional

Toilet Talk: The Best Portable Toilet Options for Vanlife, RV, or Camping

Elizabeth Bradshaw November 15, 2020

The 8 Best Solar Showers – Camping Or Mobile Living

December 8, 2020May 31, 2020 by Christina Appleby

A solar camping shower is an easy, affordable, and effective way to stay clean–whether you’re on the road living out of your van or just looking to clean up while at camp.

It’s simple, when you’re hiking or mountain biking the sun heats up the water. When you’re done with the day’s activities you have a hot solar shower waiting for you. And if it’s a cloudy day, heating up water on the stove and adding it to the shower reservoir is an effective alternative.

Before I get into each solar shower and their specs, I want to cover a couple things to keep in mind when selecting and using one.

Water Weight

When selecting a solar shower, many people think bigger is better. More water means a longer shower. Or more water means more people can shower.

Right?

While this is true, keep in mind how much water weighs. One gallon of water weighs about 8.34 pounds. Although this doesn’t sound like much, the weight adds up.

The first five solar camping showers on the list give you 5 gallons/20 liters of warm water. That’s almost 42 pounds of water you need to hoist above you to use the 5-gallon gravity-fed showers. However, if need capacity but can’t or don’t want to lift 42 pounds above your head, the last two solar showers are for you.

Solar Shower Heat

The typical 5-gallon solar shower takes about three hours to reach approximately 100°F in direct sunlight. But be careful. Sometimes solar showers get too hot. Always test the water before showering and add cold water if needed.

On the other hand, once the solar shower is in the shade, it loses heat rather fast.

Like 5 °F or more per hour fast.

It’s best to use them straight out of the sun. Although this isn’t related to heating the water, all the showers listed are for just that – showering. They are not for storing drinking water unless specified otherwise.

If you don’t think a solar shower bag is for you, check out our post “15 Public Shower Options Near You.“

1. Coghlan's Solar Heated Camp Shower, 5-Gallon

https://amzn.to/3kSK4hg

Coghlan’s hallmark green packaging with yellow lettering is synonymous with camping gear. One of their products happens to be a 5-gallon solar camp shower.

For those of you looking for a PVC-free shower, Coghlan’s delivers. With the black shower bag comes with a hose, hose clamp to control flow, and a 1” diameter showerhead. One side of the bag is clear, and that’s the side you place up in the sun. It weighs a mere 10 ounces and packs down small.

This simple solar camp shower has its downsides. The hose clamp slows the flow to a trickle instead of stopping it completely. Additionally, the long hose makes it hard to keep unkinked.

Lastly, the fill port is small, and it’s a push-in cap, not a screw cap. As a result, the cap is susceptible to warping in the sun and leaking. There are even complaints of it popping off during transport and use. However, this no-frills solar shower is a cheap option for van life, and it get’s the job done.

2. DOTSOG Portable Outdoor Solar Shower Bag Camp Shower Bag 5 Gallons/20L

https://amzn.to/34XHhxM

At first glance, the DOTSOG solar shower bag is quite similar to Coghlan’s. But there are notable differences. The DOTSOG is PVC and claims it can reach 113°F in three hours. It also includes a PVC tube to put above the carrying handle for added support.

The showerhead doesn’t appear to be much bigger than Coghlan’s. However, it does come with an on/off valve that is an improvement over a hose clamp. Unfortunately, the valve location is at the outlet of the bag instead of at the showerhead.

3. VIGLT Camping Shower Bag 5 Gallons/20L

https://amzn.to/2TSHewR

The VIGLT camping shower is a step up from the DOTSOG, giving you more features. The front of the solar shower bag sports a mesh pocket to stash travel-sized toiletries while you shower. Additionally, the carrying handle is sturdy, made of webbing strap with a plastic grip. The handle also has a side release buckle, making this solar shower easy to hang without additional rope.

There are also subtle yet major differences between the VIGLT and the previous two camping showers. The fill port has a screw-on cap, making it less prone to leaking. And the fill port appears to bigger as well.

Additionally, the showerhead is wider. The flow control valve is also conveniently located at the showerhead. Another neat feature is the built-in temperature gauge on the back of the solar shower bag.

4. Summer Shower Advanced Elements 5.0 Gallon 19L

https://amzn.to/34T4u4e

The Advanced Elements solar shower looks like a silver VIGLT with some key improvements. The front side of the bag is 4-ply with a reflective and insulating layer. Also, the handle grip is rubber not plastic. However, one of the biggest differences is the flow control. Instead of a simple valve, you push or pull the showerhead to control flow.

Advanced Elements also has a PVC-free version of their 5-gallon camp shower that comes in black. Additionally, they have two smaller silver PVC solar showers. You can choose from a 2.5-gallon or 3-gallon capacity.

5. Outdoor Hygiene 5 Gallon Solar Shower

https://amzn.to/2I32VaS

As far as the 5-gallon solar camping showers go, I saved the best for last. The Outdoor Hygiene solar shower is made of food grade TPU. Therefore, you can use it as both a shower and water bladder. I bet that’s why it’s the only bag shower with click-on hose connector.

Additionally, it sports a wide fill port with screw-on cap like that of a Camelback. As a result, this is the only 5-gallon solar shower listed that’s easy to clean.

The shower nozzle of the Outdoor Hygiene looks like a cross between a kitchen sink side sprayer and garden hose nozzle. However, this design makes for easy one-handed operation. This shower bag does not come with a built-in thermometer, but I find the other features make for it.

6. Sea to Summit Pocket Shower

https://amzn.to/3oWDjxl

This is the smallest and lightest solar shower available coming in at a little over 5 ounces. The Pocket Shower is a great addition to your campervan that you can also take backpacking. But it only has a 2.5-gallon capacity.

The solar shower bag looks like a waterproof stuff sack with a little showerhead on the bottom. Therefore, the bag opening is like that of any roll-top bag, making it the easiest to fill and clean.

Controlling the flow of the camp shower is as simple as twisting the showerhead. The biggest drawback is the small showerhead clogs easily when using natural water sources. Another complaint is that it’s easy to overtighten the showerhead. Overtightening pinches and warps the o-ring, resulting in leaks.

7. Nemo Helio and Helio LX Pressure Shower

https://amzn.to/3erv0oo

The Helio is one of two pressurized solar showers on the list. Instead, it comes with a foot pump to deliver pressurized water. Pump to pressurize the “tank” before showering and occasionally give it a few more pumps to maintain pressure. The tank is PU coated polyester, meaning you can pack it down for easy storage. The shower nozzle is like that of the Outdoor Hygiene and attached to a 7-foot hose.

The regular Helio gives you 2.9 gallons. The tank sits on the ground lengthwise on four plastic feet. One end cap is clear, allowing you see the water level in the tank. The fill port has a push-in cap. The Helio LX has twice the capacity of its little brother with a whopping 5.8-gallon capacity.

Unlike the regular Helio, the LX sits upright on one end when in use. The fill port is on the other end with a screw-on cap that looks like that of a water bottle.

8. YAKIMA - RoadShower Vehicle-Mounted Water Tank for Pressurized Water

Yakima road solar shower vehicle mounted

https://amzn.to/34WSvCP

The RoadShower is a tube-like pressurized solar shower designed for mounting on a vehicle roof rack. They offer three different capacities: 4, 7 and 10 gallons. The tanks are made of aluminum, making them the most durable solar shower on the list. They have a large top cap for easy filling. Each end has a water outlet, and the tank has a stick-on thermometer. The RoadShower also comes with a hose and spray nozzle.

There are two ways to pressure the tank. One, with a Schrader valve, which is the same air valve found on many bicycle tires. Two, with a garden hose. This allows you to fill the tank while pressurizing it. But don’t worry, the tank comes with a built-in relief valve that automatically opens at 65 psi to prevent overpressure.

The RoadShower’s vehicle mounting is both good and bad depending on how you look at it. Because it’s mounted on your vehicle, there’s no set up and no hoisting of a heavy solar shower bag above your head.

On the other hand, you must park your vehicle in the sun to get hot water. For those with roof-top solar panels, this is a moot point. But if you want to keep your vehicle cool in the shade and still take a hot shower, the RoadShower forces you to choose one or the other.

Which is the Best Solar Camping Shower?

That answer depends what your needs are and how much you’re willing to spend. The gravity-fed bag showers are an inexpensive and portable way to meet your showering needs. They provide a large enough capacity for multiple people if using the on/off shower method. Additionally, they pack down small for easy storage.

If you’re looking for more pressure or don’t want to hoist a heavy bag over your head, the Helio is a great choice. It’s packs down well and gives you added pressure with less fuss. But the RoadShower is another convenient pressurized shower that’s sure to last with its robust construction.

So, the real question is which one works best for you?

And if you arn’t into solar showers, maybe you would rather bathe in a public shower?