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.“
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
15 Public Shower Options Near You
We explore 15 different ways to get a cheap or free public shower. Many of these can be found near you.