Product Recommendations by Hayley Helms. Day six without a shower during a van trip to Colorado, and it hit me: I needed one … Now. I peeled off my sweaty mountain biking shorts, grabbed a bottle of soap and a towel, and practically sprinted to the nearby recreation center, hoping against all odds they offered day passes to the facilities there. One look from the guy working the front desk and I realized 1) that I was out of luck, and 2) that it was suddenly painfully obvious I’d been living in my van for the last week. Unless you’re lucky enough to travel in a fully equipped RV or can afford a hotel for every night of your trip, you may find yourself in a similar situation during one of your adventures. But where there’s a will to be clean, there’s a way to shower. First things first: While you could sneak into hotel pools or wash yourself in a restaurant sink, please don’t. Not only is that disrespectful, but it also leads to business owners cracking down on other campers and climbers. If you’re going to bum a shower, make sure you do it right, or plan your trips to be shorter so you can go home and shower. That, or invest in a whole lot of baby wipes.
Gear Essentials for Winter Car Camping
Read article
Oh, and a big thank you to that recreation-center employee, who wound up letting me shower for free. Here’s wishing you some good camping karma. Option 1: Stay at a campground with showers While free or inexpensive primitive campgrounds won’t have running water or flush toilets, reserving a spot for a single night at a campground with showers can offer some relief during long trips. Option 2: Pay for a truck-stop shower In recent years, many truck stops have rebranded themselves as more family-friendly travel plazas, offering laundry rooms, showers and even churches. Grab your flip-flops (this is non-negotiable), pay for a shower and wait for the truck-stop attendant to call your name or number. Option 3: Test out local health clubs and recreation centers Most gyms, health clubs and recreation centers offer an inexpensive day pass to potential new members who want to check out the facilities. Some will even let you try the joint out for free if you give them your email address! Not only can you freshen up, but you’ll also be able to squeeze in a workout and maybe even a swim.
The Coolest Public Beach Showers in the US
Read article
Option 4: Invest in a solar shower (or a big jug of water)
Whether you score a day pass to a health club or invest in a solar shower, nothing feels better than getting fresh outdoors. Photo: Courtesy of Brandon Scherzberg Commonly called “pocket showers,” “sun showers,” or “bag showers,” solar showers are blissfully easy to use and not that expensive to buy. Fill these waterproof bags up with water in the morning, place them in the sun during the heat of the day and treat yourself to a warm shower whenever you want. We like the NEMO Helio Pressure Shower, a freestanding shower that uses a foot pump to deliver the pressure you need to wash off. The cheaper option? Fill a plastic gallon-sized jug with water and follow the same concept. Option 5: Find a mountain bike wash or public shower Yes, some mountain biking parks and trail areas have “bike washes” where you can hoist your muddy bike up on a hook and give it a cleaning after a good ride. And where there’s water, there can be a shower—if you can handle the freezing-cold temps. (Just don’t hog the faucet if someone is in line with their bike.) Similarly, many public beaches offer free showers where you can rinse off after a surf. Option 6: Find a quarter shower stand Some savvy businessmen in popular outdoor recreation areas have set up buildings that host pay-by-minute quarter showers. Slip four quarters into the shower’s pay box and try to soap up and wash off in the allotted amount of time.
Field Test: How Gore-Tex’s Newest, Most Durable Fabric Holds Up
Read article
Option 7: Call up a friend — or make some new ones If you have friends nearby, call them up and ask them if you can use their shower. Or get friendly with that couple driving the RV at your campground. Be quick, discreet and appreciative, and always return the favor to dirty friends who happen to pass by your house. Option 8: Use environmentally safe soap with river water If all else fails and you absolutely have to shower, don’t just grab for that bar of soap in your backpack and rinse off in the lake. To protect wildlife and natural waterways, always make sure to use all-natural, biodegradable soap that’s specially formulated for camping. Try Trek & Travel Shampoo with Conditioner, or Juniper Ridge Trail Soap, and never bathe upstream from where people might be swimming or filtering water—instead, fill up a bucket with some river water and step away from the stream, always making sure to bury your suds in the dirt when you’re done. Recommended Products to Bring With You Nemo Helio LX Pressure Shower ($150)
Photo: Courtesy of REI What’s a shower without water pressure? Sad, that’s what. Well, time to dry those tears, dear readers, because the Nemo Helio LX Pressure Shower comes with a foot pump that delivers consistent and excellent water pressure. If that doesn’t excite you, the Helio LX also boasts a threaded fill cap that’s big enough for easy cleaning, as well as a 22-liter capacity that provides 7-10 minutes of shower time. Sea to Summit Pocket Shower ($33)
Photo: Courtesy of REI The capability to rinse off, in a size that can fit in your pocket? If you didn’t believe it was possible, those days of doubt are over. The Sea to Summit Pocket Shower, constructed from polyurethane-coated nylon fabric, folds up with ease, making it a great option for backpacking. It’s waterproof, leak-proof, and features a roll-top for easy filling. Rinsekit LUX Soft Tote Shower ($160)
Photo: Courtesy of REI Photo: Courtesy of REI The RinseKit LUX Soft Tote tops our list for a few reasons. Not only is it the latest evolution in RinseKit’s line of showers, it also pulls double-duty as both a shower and cooler. The LUX Soft Tote is an insulated soft shell that houses the removable shower tank, so if you need it to hold drinks and food, it’s an easy transition from portable shower to camp cooler. Advanced Elements 3.0 Gallon Summer Shower ($25) Harness the power of the sun for a warm and refreshing shower. That’s the promise of Advanced Elements’ 3.0 Gallon Summer Shower, which, in its stunning simplicity, uses four-layer construction to provide optimal heat retention. Keep in mind this shower has a seasonality to it, so if you’re looking for a warm shower in the winter months, you’ll most likely need to look into a different option.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
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Product Recommendations by Hayley Helms.
Day six without a shower during a van trip to Colorado, and it hit me: I needed one … Now.
I peeled off my sweaty mountain biking shorts, grabbed a bottle of soap and a towel, and practically sprinted to the nearby recreation center, hoping against all odds they offered day passes to the facilities there. One look from the guy working the front desk and I realized 1) that I was out of luck, and 2) that it was suddenly painfully obvious I’d been living in my van for the last week.
Unless you’re lucky enough to travel in a fully equipped RV or can afford a hotel for every night of your trip, you may find yourself in a similar situation during one of your adventures. But where there’s a will to be clean, there’s a way to shower.
First things first: While you could sneak into hotel pools or wash yourself in a restaurant sink, please don’t. Not only is that disrespectful, but it also leads to business owners cracking down on other campers and climbers. If you’re going to bum a shower, make sure you do it right, or plan your trips to be shorter so you can go home and shower. That, or invest in a whole lot of baby wipes.
Gear Essentials for Winter Car Camping
Read article
Oh, and a big thank you to that recreation-center employee, who wound up letting me shower for free. Here’s wishing you some good camping karma.
Gear Essentials for Winter Car Camping
Read article
Gear Essentials for Winter Car Camping
Option 1: Stay at a campground with showers
While free or inexpensive primitive campgrounds won’t have running water or flush toilets, reserving a spot for a single night at a campground with showers can offer some relief during long trips.
Option 2: Pay for a truck-stop shower
In recent years, many truck stops have rebranded themselves as more family-friendly travel plazas, offering laundry rooms, showers and even churches. Grab your flip-flops (this is non-negotiable), pay for a shower and wait for the truck-stop attendant to call your name or number.
Option 3: Test out local health clubs and recreation centers
Most gyms, health clubs and recreation centers offer an inexpensive day pass to potential new members who want to check out the facilities. Some will even let you try the joint out for free if you give them your email address! Not only can you freshen up, but you’ll also be able to squeeze in a workout and maybe even a swim.
The Coolest Public Beach Showers in the US
Read article
Option 4: Invest in a solar shower (or a big jug of water)
Commonly called “pocket showers,” “sun showers,” or “bag showers,” solar showers are blissfully easy to use and not that expensive to buy.
The Coolest Public Beach Showers in the US
Read article
The Coolest Public Beach Showers in the US
Fill these waterproof bags up with water in the morning, place them in the sun during the heat of the day and treat yourself to a warm shower whenever you want. We like the NEMO Helio Pressure Shower, a freestanding shower that uses a foot pump to deliver the pressure you need to wash off. The cheaper option? Fill a plastic gallon-sized jug with water and follow the same concept.
Option 5: Find a mountain bike wash or public shower
Yes, some mountain biking parks and trail areas have “bike washes” where you can hoist your muddy bike up on a hook and give it a cleaning after a good ride. And where there’s water, there can be a shower—if you can handle the freezing-cold temps. (Just don’t hog the faucet if someone is in line with their bike.) Similarly, many public beaches offer free showers where you can rinse off after a surf.
Option 6: Find a quarter shower stand
Some savvy businessmen in popular outdoor recreation areas have set up buildings that host pay-by-minute quarter showers. Slip four quarters into the shower’s pay box and try to soap up and wash off in the allotted amount of time.
Field Test: How Gore-Tex’s Newest, Most Durable Fabric Holds Up
Read article
Option 7: Call up a friend — or make some new ones
If you have friends nearby, call them up and ask them if you can use their shower. Or get friendly with that couple driving the RV at your campground. Be quick, discreet and appreciative, and always return the favor to dirty friends who happen to pass by your house.
Field Test: How Gore-Tex’s Newest, Most Durable Fabric Holds Up
Read article
Field Test: How Gore-Tex’s Newest, Most Durable Fabric Holds Up
Option 8: Use environmentally safe soap with river water
If all else fails and you absolutely have to shower, don’t just grab for that bar of soap in your backpack and rinse off in the lake.
To protect wildlife and natural waterways, always make sure to use all-natural, biodegradable soap that’s specially formulated for camping. Try Trek & Travel Shampoo with Conditioner, or Juniper Ridge Trail Soap, and never bathe upstream from where people might be swimming or filtering water—instead, fill up a bucket with some river water and step away from the stream, always making sure to bury your suds in the dirt when you’re done.
Nemo Helio LX Pressure Shower ($150)
What’s a shower without water pressure? Sad, that’s what. Well, time to dry those tears, dear readers, because the Nemo Helio LX Pressure Shower comes with a foot pump that delivers consistent and excellent water pressure. If that doesn’t excite you, the Helio LX also boasts a threaded fill cap that’s big enough for easy cleaning, as well as a 22-liter capacity that provides 7-10 minutes of shower time.
Sea to Summit Pocket Shower ($33)
The capability to rinse off, in a size that can fit in your pocket? If you didn’t believe it was possible, those days of doubt are over. The Sea to Summit Pocket Shower, constructed from polyurethane-coated nylon fabric, folds up with ease, making it a great option for backpacking. It’s waterproof, leak-proof, and features a roll-top for easy filling.
Rinsekit LUX Soft Tote Shower ($160)
The RinseKit LUX Soft Tote tops our list for a few reasons. Not only is it the latest evolution in RinseKit’s line of showers, it also pulls double-duty as both a shower and cooler.
The LUX Soft Tote is an insulated soft shell that houses the removable shower tank, so if you need it to hold drinks and food, it’s an easy transition from portable shower to camp cooler.
Advanced Elements 3.0 Gallon Summer Shower ($25)
Harness the power of the sun for a warm and refreshing shower. That’s the promise of Advanced Elements’ 3.0 Gallon Summer Shower, which, in its stunning simplicity, uses four-layer construction to provide optimal heat retention.
Keep in mind this shower has a seasonality to it, so if you’re looking for a warm shower in the winter months, you’ll most likely need to look into a different option.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
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More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
Famed Yosemite Climber Zach Milligan Dies After Ice Climbing Fall
Skiing in Japan Is Back Again—and the Powder Was Worth the Wait
10 Winter Hikes to Keep You Trailblazing All Year Round
The North Face Introduces Athlete Development Program
Ocean Rower Fiann Paul Completes Most Grueling Expedition
Snowmobile-accessed Ski Touring in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
