Best hot shower set up for camping?

Have you had a look at the vehicle shower article on the site. We use an under bonnet shower system and it is great. We can hook up to any supply and even pump up from a creek. These units do cost a bit but it is a small price to pay for long term travelling.
David

Your options are:

1). An under-bonnet shower whereby the water is heated by the engine's cooling system. Advantages: nothing to be stored elsewhere and ready at the end of the day's long drive. Disadvantages: You have to shower near your rig; you need to hack into your vehicles cooling system; you have to hardwire the electric pump. This is the system we have fitted and we have no regrets. I have fitted a Helton heating unit and a Shurflow pump. Others are Twine, Glind and Pirahna. Hose with rose on it needs to be stored, but this is often simply kept under the bonnet.

2). A Coleman water heater. Advantages: portability. Disadvantages: rather bulky and has to be stored somewhere; water pressure is not as good as we would require; need to use their "clumbsy" deflatable plastic bag for the water......

3). Over-head, gravity fed solar shower etc. Advantages: free to heat up. Disadvantages: no pressure, just gravity; water won't get very hot during a winter's rainy day etc.

4). Cheap (around $12-) battery-operated shower pump/rose combined with a bucket of water heated over a fire or stove. Advantages:Cheap. A good compromise between (1) and (3), above. Disadvantages: water has to be heated separately; you need to store the water pump/shower rose somewhere, but they aren't very bulky.

There is also a gas-fired contraption that stands up on a tri-pod and looks like a sky-rocket on steroids..... Sorry but I don't know anything about their good/bad points.

Dear Blueriderwa

I have a twine shower system under the bonnet of my triton. Can have a shower out of a bucket of water. I can keep running it back into the bucket to get it very hot to do the dishes. I installed it myself so its not to hard. Also twine useto make one that came in a case.
Regards Greyemu

We use a $30 battery operated shower/pump and it works well.
You need to heat the water up first and transfer it to a bucket or other larger receptacle.

Regardless of what system you use, the drawback with all of them is you must have a water source to draw on. Carting water for "shower use" is not an insignificant issue for remote trips where there is no local water to draw on.

We limit water use by two methods.
Firstly, we only shower every third day or so and there is only two of us. We find this hygenic enough for us.
Secondly, we place the heated water in a large rectangular container and stand in it while showering. Yes, the water is recycled.
Herself usually takes the first shower and I "double dip". It works for us though and I still feel clean and refreshed afterwards.
An advantage with this method is that there is very little mess as the water is returned to the container rather than soaking into the dirt.

We place everything into the pop-up shower/toilet tent. Can't stand the thought of showering in bathers.

Bill.

Showers.............. what a topic. I think we have tried every shower there is on the market till I found this one. We have tried the under the bonet twine shower.....uses too much water and you have to run your 4wd too long to get the water hot when you are in minus degree tempretures or take it for a drive. Tried the coleman, used it once and put it back in the wine cellar, been there ever since, to fidly to set up. Tried the hillbilly blue shower, to hard to light and needs 2 people to operate it. Tried the KMart shower but you have to heat the water first,,,,,,and the list goes on. Then at the Canberra 4wd show we foung these and it is soooooooooooooo good. Instant hot water, low pressure water thingy to light the pilot light, and you can can have it on winter or summer setup for the warmth of the water. Hubby has it set up with a garden nozzle so you can turn it on and off to soap up and rinse off and he has all the fittings so they are just clip on. Even I can set it up and operate it on my own. They are magic. I would include some pics for you but we are not members anymore. I can email some to you if you want to give me your email address. I will put the link on here, but to see it set up like ours will give you a better idea. They are $364, but like anything, you want something reliable and easy to use, you pay for it. I would recommend these to anyone.Karen.
Small instant gas hot water system

can someone please also forward me pics!

keesing75@hotmail.com

cheers

I have something similar to the instant tankless hot water unit shown but mine also has a water temp display.

Hopefully the link will work. I put it up on the campertrailer website.

http://www.campertrailers.org/water_heater.htm

Cheers

camp shower

Hey Dave are you a Kiwi - otherwise why did you take a sheep with you? Next time a better looking one if this one was a bit average! Ha ha ha. Couldn't help myself.
Seriously. For years we travelled with the 12v pump in the bucket. Easy but you need to heat the water first so it takes a little longer.
Now have an underbonnet unit - too easy. They do cost a bit though.
Cheers from the Moose

The rocket on steroids.http://www.aussiecampshower.com/Image Could Not Be Found

We've got a Primus Shower System, We have actually been using it whilst living in a shed for over a year now (we're building a house).
The 9kg gas bottle hooked up to it lasts at least 6 months, the deep cycle orbital car battery only needs charging periodically, and the small version of a council garbage bin (can't remember how many L) needs to be topped up every few days (kids are taking longer and longer showers these days).
It has been a very reliable system, particularly for the amount of use it gets!

For camping purposes I think it would be a bit bulky, particularly if you're not planning to stay in one spot for more than a day. And the only annoyance is the safety feature - means if you turn the water off the gas automatically cuts out (otherwise when you turn the water back on you'd probably scold yourself). So it's a straight flow through instant water heater with some temperature control (by means of turning the gas down or up a bit).

For camping pursuits a more portable version of that would probably be my choice (or some people I read on here use weed sprayers with heated water in them!!).