EDITOR'S PICKS
MORE PICKS TO CHOOSE FROM
- Best Battery-Powered Camp Shower | Coleman | Find On Backcountry
- Best Hot Shower | EZ Tankless | Find On Lowes
- Best With Built In Heater | Geyser Systems | Find On Amazon
- Easiest to Pack | Colapz | Find On Amazon
- Premium Choice | Waterport | Find On Backcountry
- Best Water Pressure | POMO | Find On Amazon
If you're serious about spending time in nature, it's time to invest in a portable shower. Together, its small water chamber and shower head will provide your personal hygiene with the next best thing to an actual shower. Compact and packable, you'll stay fresh and clean no matter where your adventures take you.
Before you pull the trigger on your next camping shower, we've highlighted our picks for the best camping showers— ranging from simple, budget-friendly gravity showers to pumpless, battery-powered portable showers— and offered some helpful information to aid you in your search. We've done the hard work for you and scoured all the product descriptions, tech specs, and customer reviews to ensure the nine camp showers below are truly up for the task— whether you're a car camping enthusiast, festival-goer, or simply a hiker looking to wash the dog after a muddy hike.
What is a portable camping shower?
A camp shower is a portable shower designed to be used in outdoor settings where you may not have access to a real shower. But don't let the name deceive you. The practical piece of camping equipment can be used for much more than traditional camping trips. Here are a few times when a portable shower can come in handy:
- The Beach — A portable shower can be used for rinsing off your feet, your surfboard, and other sand-covered belongings before getting back in the car.
- Music Festivals — A camping shower can be a real social life-saver when you're staying on-site at a music festival. Just be sure to bring a privacy screen.
- Pets — Use the steady stream to rinse off your pet's muddy paws after a hike or a dip in the water.
- Backpacking & Mountaineering — Tuck a compact, lightweight camp shower in your backpack to keep yourself smelling fresh during long treks.
How does a portable shower work?
The way a portable shower works depends on how its water flow is powered: gravity, a classic hand or foot pump, or a tech-savvy battery-powered electric pump. Every model combines a water reservoir, a hose, and a shower head.
Gravity Showers
As the name implies, the water pressure of a gravity shower is entirely dependent on gravity. For the water to properly feed through the hose and nozzle, the water tank must be hung higher than the person using it. Without all the bells and whistles, gravity showers are typically a budget-friendly option, though they don't offer the best water pressure.
Manual Shower Pump
Your average portable shower relies on a manual pump to create water pressure. Before showering, you'll need to use the hand or foot pump to pressurize the air inside the tank. While you will have to put in a little physical effort, you'll enjoy excellent water pressure.
Electric Pump
For superior water pressure without the effort, try a model with a battery-powered pump. All it needs to create sufficient water pressure is a quick charge and the press of a button. While they're certainly easy to use, they're typically more expensive than a manual pump.
What to Look for in a Camping Shower
When it comes time to shop, you'll notice that products vary widely in price and pump style. Here are a few key features to keep an eye out for as you shop for your new portable shower:
Water Tank Capacity
The size of your water supply determines how long you can go between refills. While larger tanks make for longer showers, they aren't as lightweight and packable as smaller models.
Pump Style
While most camping showers create water pressure with a traditional hand pump or foot pump, high-end models use a battery power bank to pressurize the water without any manual pumping.
Hose Length
A longer hose length allows for more versatile use, whether it's rinsing dishes at base camp or hosing the sand off your feet during a beach camping trip.
Water Temperature
Can't stand the idea of a cold shower? A solar-heated model harnesses the sun's power to ensure a tolerable temperature from beginning to end. Try something like a propane-heated water tank for a truly reliable hot shower.
Privacy
You'll also need to purchase a privacy screen, tent, or curtain to create a private outdoor showering area.
The 9 Best Portable Camping Showers
Now that you know what a camping shower is and what features to look for, it's time to start shopping. To help you find the right one, we've reviewed seven of the top camp showers below.
NEMO Equipment Inc. Helio Pressure Shower
Best Overall
overall
Quality
Durability
Ease of Use
Cost
Features:
Nemo's Helio Pressure Shower helps keep you fresh and clean in the great outdoors. Lightweight and packable, it's our pick for the best portable shower for camping. Use its seven-foot-long hose for a quick shower after a sweaty hike, to rinse off the dog after a day at the lake, or to clean dirty dishes after a meal around the campfire. A full pump provides five to seven minutes of continuous water pressure.
The 2.9-gallon water tank is crafted with a black exterior that naturally warms the water inside when placed in direct sunlight. It packs neatly inside the carry bag included, ensuring it won't take up too much space in the trunk of your car. Purchase the coordinating Heliopolis privacy shelter for a complete shower experience.
Material
main: PU coated polyester
tubing: 100% neoprene
Flow Rate
.4-.5 gallons per minute
Capacity
11 Liters
Dimensions
17" l x 8.5" h
Pros:
Cons:
Sea to Summit Pocket Shower
Most Budget Friendly
overall
Quality
Durability
Ease of Use
Cost
Features:
If you are on a budget, check out Sea To Summit Pocket Shower. This budget-friendly pocket shower can carry 10-liter, providing a 7 to 8-minute shower. It is very lightweight and compact, perfect for backpacking, camping, bike tours, and other outdoor activities.
The simple shower is crafted from lightweight 100% 70D nylon with fully taped seams and black fabric, so it will soak up the sun to heat the water for a warm shower. Or you can place it in the full sun at camp, which will warm up the water in no time. You can hang the shower almost anywhere with two 'D' rings and a 20-foot cord. With the easy-to-use on/off twist shower head, you can adjust the flow of water to your needs.
Material
100% nylon
Flow Rate
N/A
Capacity
10 liters
Dimensions
7.8" l x 6.1" w x 1.7" h
Pros:
Cons:
Advanced Elements Summer Shower
Best Value
overall
Quality
Durability
Ease of Use
Cost
Features:
A simple gravity shower— like this top-rated Summer Shower from Advanced Elements— makes an excellent option for shoppers on a budget. With this type of camp shower, water pressure is gravity dependent. To provide a steady stream as the tank empties, it must be suspended from something taller than the person showering.
Advanced Elements' Summer Shower boasts a 5-gallon water tank with efficient four-ply construction for improved heat retention. Lay the shower system in the sunlight for three hours, and its solar panels and insulative layers will heat the water up to 110 degrees. An integrated toiletry pouch ensures you've got somewhere to stash your razor, washcloth, and travel-sized bottles while you rinse off.
Material
Plastic
Flow Rate
N/A
Capacity
5 gallons
Dimensions
20" l x 6" w x 2" h
Pros:
Cons:
Coleman OneSource Camp Shower
Best Battery-Powered Camp Shower
overall
Quality
Durability
Ease of Use
Cost
Features:
Hate having to use a hand or foot pump to create a consistent flow? Try this battery-powered OneSource Camp Shower from Coleman. Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery offers an hour of continuous operation, allowing for more leisurely outdoor showers. Plus, the OneSource battery can charge other devices while plugged into the sprayer.
The camp shower offers IPX4-rated water resistance, so you won't have to worry about the battery and components getting wet. A six-foot hose and three pressure settings allow users to adjust the water to their liking, reaching every angle with ease. When it's time to head home from your camping trip, the collapsible basin holds the hose and nozzle for compact, easy storage.
Material
Plastic
Flow Rate
adjustable
Capacity
11.4 liters
Dimensions
9.1" x 4.7" x 6.6"
Pros:
Cons:
EZ Tankless Camp Champ Portable Hot Water System
Best Hot Shower
overall
Quality
Durability
Ease of Use
Cost
Features:
The EZ Tankless Camp Champ Portable Hot Water System is for car campers who can't stand the thought of taking cold showers. Connect it to a propane tank and a garden hose supply, and you can enjoy a comfortably warm shower in no time. And unlike solar showers, you won't have to worry about running out of hot water after a few minutes.
The CampChamp system features practical controls on the front of the heater, allowing users to adjust the gas and water flow with ease. It's got a flow rate of two gallons per minute for a comfortable rinse when resources are limited. Say goodbye to shortened shower times and hello to a long, hot shower whenever and wherever you please.
Material
N/A
Flow Rate
1.8 Gallons Per Minute
Capacity
1.8 Gallons
Dimensions
12" w x 15" h
Pros:
Cons:
Geyser Systems Portable Shower and Cleaning Kit with Optional Electric Heater
Best With Built In Heater
overall
Quality
Durability
Ease of Use
Cost
Features:
If you're going to splurge on one piece of camping gear this season, make it Geyser Systems' Portable Shower and Cleaning Kit. The hyper-efficient model uses ten times less water than standard portable showers, helping you make the most of every drop when you're off the grid. Select the option with a built-in water heater to enjoy a warm shower in 15- 45 minutes.
Instead of a standard shower nozzle, the Geyser Systems portable shower features a reusable scrub sponge. Use the coarse side for cleaning dirty dishes and hiking boots and the soft side for washing your body after a sweaty hike. An adjustable flow valve provides precise water pressure regulation, giving you total control during every task.
Material
N/A
Flow Rate
N/A
Capacity
3 Liters
Dimensions
9.5" x 6.25" x 17"
Pros:
Cons:
Colapz Rechargeable Electric Portable Shower and Collapsible Camping Water Container
Easiest to Pack
overall
Quality
Durability
Ease of Use
Cost
Features:
The British brand Colapz is known for its innovative, space-saving camping gear. Its best-selling Collapsible Camping Waiter Container makes a practical addition to any camper's repertoire. The portable, 2-gallon jug can be used as a sports water jug, drink cooler, or water tank for an outdoor shower.
Purchase Colapz's Portable Shower Kit, and you'll be able to rinse off anywhere, anytime. The kit includes an interchangeable shower head and trigger jet head, a rechargeable electric pump, a hanging hook, a storage bag, and more. Its 12V battery offers 45- 60 minutes of run time after a full four-hour charge. Use the trigger jet head to rinse off your mountain bike, boat, car, and other large camping equipment.
Material
N/A
Flow Rate
0.7 gallon per minute
Capacity
9 gallons
Dimensions
9.45" x 9.06" x 2.87"
Pros:
Cons:
Waterport Weekender 8 Gallon Tank
Premium Choice
overall
Quality
Durability
Ease of Use
Cost
Features:
For long excursions or family camping trips, Waterport Weekender 8 Gallon Tank may be the ideal choice. Perfect for camping, fishing, beach, off-roading, or any outdoor adventures. With this 8-gallon tank, you can take a full shower and clean and rinse equipment whenever you need pressurized water.
The Weekender includes an 8-gallon water tank, a 16′ coiled hose made from food-grade plastic, a high-pressure spray nozzle, and a fill valve. It also comes with mounts for your roof rack and will work with platform-style racks.
Material
PVC, brass, Plastic
Flow Rate
N/A
Capacity
8 gallons
Dimensions
50" l x 9" w x 9" h
Pros:
Cons:
POMO 5L Outdoor Portable Shower
Best Water Pressure
overall
Quality
Durability
Ease of Use
Cost
Features:
If you are looking for a camping shower with great water pressure, then you must check out POMO 5L Outdoor Portable Shower. The ~5.5 L or 1.5-gallon capacity is perfect for portability and usability, and it is easy to carry and yet large enough to clean thoroughly.
POMO Outdoor Portable Shower is crafted from long-lasting, BPA-free industrial grade high-density polyethylene and BPA-free petroleum jelly. With five different nozzle settings: jet, mist, shower, flat jet, and super pressure jet, you can select one that meets your needs.
Material
N/A
Flow Rate
N/A
Capacity
1.5 gallons
Dimensions
17" x 8.5" x 8.2"
Pros:
Cons:
