Camp shower

[Toby]

Take an empty 1 gallon milk jug and drill 6-7 small holes in the cap. Heat water, fill the jug, and you have a neat hand held shower for your camp.

[Indian Summer]

LOL... I need 3 of them. When I finally break down and take a shower I take my time I can tell you.

I use a Sunshower. Not the cheap little Coleman imitation. The shower head and the holes are the perfect size where if you hang it high you get good pressure to rinse and the water lasts pretty long. Heat the water on the wood stove and add cold til perfect. You could listen to Freebird and Stairway to Heaven (live) before I'm done.

[Toby]

"Freebird", made me laugh. It is usually cold and dark when I shower, so quick is a good thing.

[pointysticks]

I do that all the time. Naked. I found a pallet once and it was luxury having a place to stand.

[ctdad]

Been using wet wipes for my baths but was considering one of the solar warmed showers this year. I spike camp so I want something to carry in light, fill it in the creek and let the sun warm it. Anyone use these? They work?

[Navesgane]

Been using wet wipes for my baths but was considering one of the solar warmed showers this year. I spike camp so I want something to carry in light, fill it in the creek and let the sun warm it. Anyone use these? They work?

They work great in the desert on a cool night after a hot day. They actually stay warm for a while after losing direct sunlight. never tried them in the highlands when the daily air temp could be below 60. Curious to find out

[Toby]

From what I have read, they don't work well when the day time temps are low, as in some Septembers in the Rockies.

[Fridaythe13th]

Zodi hot shower at base camp. 1 1/2 gallon per shower. Put a mate down. wonderful

[WapitiTalk1]

I like the simplicity of the gallon jug with holes option. We have also used the solar showers but as others have said, they don't get very warm but a bit better than standing under an Idaho culvert for a shower

Another elknut, "mandrroofing" posted his home made, lightweight, shower system a while back. I have yet to put one together like this, but a great idea! It's just a yard/garden sprayer with a hose and head attached.. Genius!

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[Indian Summer]

Yeah Phantom I've been meaning to build one of those. Takes 5 minutes. Just remember to rinse the Roundup out of there so you don't go bald and break out in hives.

The Sunshowers do NOT warm up in the sun. Maybe in the desert but I've layed them on a big rock facing the sun for hours & hours and it just doesn't cut it. We heat our water.

[WapitiTalk1]

If you are hunting from a basecamp (non RV camp), here's the ticket for all you stinky elk hunters. This setup works very well and is pretty inexpensive. Nope, you don’t need to buy a $300 “hot water on demand” system which IMO, doesn’t work that well anyway.

Equipment list:
1. Shower enclosure (nothing fancy, just a shock corded enclosure that drains thru mesh on the bottom corners).
2. Battery Powered Shower Pump (Zodi, TexSport, Stansport) that runs on 4 D cell batteries. They have a pump that sets in water which pumps the H2O through a clear plastic hose to an attached shower head).
3. 6’ step ladder with a kick-out paint shelf close to the top. Mine is an older wooden step ladder.
4. 5 gallon bucket.
5. 3’ X 3’ pallet (I built one out of 2X4s) to set under the shower enclosure floor so you’re not right on the ground).
6. Washing machine pan (I drill holes in the bottom and set the pan, upside down, on the pallet... makes for a sturdy support top for the wood frame).
7. Bailing wire and parachute cord.
Select location, preferably where the water drains downhill. Place pallet/upside down washing machine pan, dig a few drainage trenches heading away, somewhat downhill from the location. Set up the enclosure on the support structure. Place stepladder close to the enclosure and set the empty 5 gallon bucket on the shelf close to the top of the ladder. Wire the bucket to the ladder so it is secure. Set the shower pump in the bottom of the bucket and set the control switch/button on the shelf by the bucket, where it can be reached from inside the shower enclosure by reaching out. Run the plastic shower head hose into the enclosure, near the top of the enclosure zippered door. Tie the showerhead to the inside/top of the enclosure with some parachute cord. The bucket has to be high so the pump doesn’t have to work so hard and give maximum pressure. Put 1/2 stream water in the plastic bucket. Heat up the rest it takes to fill the bucket to almost boiling and carry to the shower, climb the steps, and pour in with the cold. Jump inside, reach out to push the pump button, and get close and personal with your scent free soap for a nice, hot shower.. Been using this setup for 4 or 5 years with outstanding results.

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[pointysticks]

I like the simplicity of the gallon jug with holes option. We have also used the solar showers but as others have said, they don't get very warm but a bit better than standing under an Idaho culvert for a shower

Another elknut, "mandrroofing" posted his home made, lightweight, shower system a while back. I have yet to put one together like this, but a great idea! It's just a yard/garden sprayer with a hose and head attached.. Genius!

2013-09-08%2019_34_34.jpg

Hmmm. Easier to spray "up " into an area than a gallon jug. I like it. Haha

Sorry for the mental image.

[timberland]

We had the same setup in the Breaks. set the jug on a ladder uphill with a dark 50' garden hose for pressure and heat. Got so dang hot in the afternoons it would scald your hind end.

[ST52V]

I have the zodi system and just use the pump and a empty tote we use for gear. Traveling from PA room in the truck is limited. We take a heavy duty trash bag and lay it down in our privy. Put a rock on each corner to hold it in place. I did see a video where a guy put a T in the line with 2 small valves on each end of the T. Just before the shower head . Run a return hose from one side of the T back to the bucket. With several guys in camp you can stretch the heated water out or use the zodi heater without scalding your self. The water can continuously circulate until the shower head is turned on and by pass shut off. I hope this makes sense.

[ishy]

The outfitter I worked for a beer keg with a shower head tapped into it. Then a weedburner attached to the bottom of the keg. The keg was spring fed and worked like a charm.

[rudyc]

"I use a Sunshower. Not the cheap little Coleman imitation. The shower head and the holes are the perfect size where if you hang it high you get good pressure to rinse and the water lasts pretty long. Heat the water on the wood stove and add cold til perfect. You could listen to Freebird and Stairway to Heaven (live) before I'm done"

+1
Been using Sunshowers for many years, they just plain work.
If you bring and use an old rubber car mat, it makes for nice footing, no mud, no mess.

[Swede]

I do not think any of those contraptions will get me to abandon my trailer shower, but in a pinch the gallon milk jug would sure beat stinking. I don't carry a pallet with me, but will use a clean garbage sack to stand on when showering outdoors and I have a pair of rubber slippers.

[rowdycwby1]

I use a Zodi battery - power shower with a 5 gallon bucket and works great in the shower tent.

[Lefty]

I "found a hydrant that comes from a well 7 miles away.
a bit cool, lots of pressure,.. even without soap it just blows the grime right off me