Avid festival goers, long-term campers, hunters, and even glampers– we all know what it’s like to live with a little extra grit on our skin. And we all therefore know just how satisfying that first warm shower is back at home. But what if you didn’t have to wait until you’re back from your trip to scrub off the dirt and grime? That you don’t always have to just resort to the occasional body wipe bath? Especially for long-term camping and glamping groups, going without a full shower after a while can get a little uncomfortable.
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The addition of a shower tent to your outdoor living setup can make all the difference. Not only does the ability to maintain self-hygiene improve your overall health and wellness while living close to nature, but it enhances the livability of a campsite and creates a more inviting space for those who may be new to the camping lifestyle.
Shower tents are worth it if you’re going to be posted up in the same location for several days. At the end of the day, it is another thing to pack, so if you’re only planning on being away for a weekend or so, you may be able to get away without it. Having the option, however, to rinse off the sweat from a strenuous desert hike, or from dancing at a festival, or to defrost your hands and feet on your chilly winter glamping trip enhances your outdoor experience.
Shower tents for camping come in all different shapes and sizes, from spacious free-standing models, to convenient pop-up ones. The shower tent you decide on will have a lot to do with how it is powered. There are a few different types, from battery to solar to even foot-powered. Truly, there is a tent shower on the market for everybody. We’ll list and explain how each of them operates here so you can start narrowing down the best camping shower tent for your next trip.
Battery, Electric and Propane Powered:
Nothing beats coming in from the cold standing in a warm shower and letting the steam bring color back to your skin. So if you’re planning to be in a cooler climate, then warm water on demand is a must. In that case, battery, electric, or propane-powered showers will be the way to go.Battery-powered tent showers have a water pump attached to an outside water source (such as a tank or a bucket) and pump through to the shower head. Electric tent showers– as the name suggests–use electricity to heat water and sustain water pressure. And finally, propane-poweredshowers use propane gas to heat and provide water pressure as well. Essentially, picking one of these options means your group will be relying on gasses and electricity sources. But if you do plan on committing to the winter cold tent living, it is very much worth the extra resources to ensure warm water!
Solar and Foot Powered:
Perhaps you’re planning on bouldering through rocky canyons under the desert sun, then dancing the night away by starlight. Rinsing off the dirt and sweat of the day is essential.
If you think you may be in a warmer climate, where water temperature is less of a concern, or you may not have an electricity source, manual and solar-powered shower tents are an option for you. Foot-powered shower tents operate just how you would expect. Using a foot or hand pump connected to pressurized water in a tank, water is pushed through a hose attached to a showerhead which provides water flow. Solar power is perfect if you know there are consistent UV rays in the forecast since the amount of sunlight will have a lots to do with the amount of time it takes for the water to warm. Water in a tank or bag (usually black to better absorb the heat) is heated by the sun’s UV rays and then able to flow by gravity through the nozzle. A little bonus note to car campers out there– a solar shower can be mounted and used from the roof of your car! These usually take the form of a long cylindrical black tank with a hose and shower nozzle attached.
Building your Personal Camp Shower Kit
Here’s a bonus! We’ve listed some essential shower items and ways to pack them that you won’t want to forget on your upcoming camping or glamping trip:
Bring a camp towel – Most outdoor retailers will have full-size microfiber towels that are multipurpose, quick-drying, lightweight, and packable. These make for the perfect camp towel.
Opt for natural, biodegradable soaps and shampoos – Remember, Leave No Trace principles should apply even to your outdoor shower routine! All soapy, sudsy runoff will seep into the earth around you, so any unnatural or harsh products could potentially harm wildlife and vegetation.
Don’t forget your clothesline – Remember, it’s good practice to hang dry your damp towel when finished with your shower to minimize mildew inside your glamping tent and with your other belongings.
Tins or reusable containers for soap bars and liquid products – Chances are you won’t need to use full-size products while living outdoors, even if you’re glamping. It’s easy to find affordable travel-size containers for your products that you can wash and use time and time again. This also makes packing much more lightweight and manageable.
Shower Steamers – For the glamper, it’s all about enhancing comfort in the great outdoors. You can bring the addition of aromatherapy with a natural shower steamer and create your own outdoor spa experience.
Waterproof bag to keep everything contained and easy to carry – Keeping everything contained in a tote or cinch bag simplifies transportation to and from camp. Just remember to dry everything off before storing it again!
We may enjoy roughing it, but even campers like to clean up once in a while! And if you’re planning on glamping, then a shower tent is simply a nonnegotiable. Whether it’s a fully equipped electric-powered system or the simplicity of a solar-powered shower, the best camping shower tent for you is on the market. Allow the addition of a tent shower to enhance your camping experience and add rest to the great outdoors.
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