Showering - Wild Vanning
Discussion
Have got a trip planned away with the Mrs who is far less disgusting them me, so washing will be on the cards.
We are borrowing a mate's converted VW van and have access to 5v USB and 12v, with mains when plugged in (although if we are somewhere that has full fat national grid power then they will also have showers and hot running water...)
What do people recommend for getting semi clean - I'm happy with a wet wipe, but any luxury would obviously be appreciated.
Solar showers - naff?
Something like - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-Ltd-4140A0000-Po... combined with hot water from the stove?
Is a fag lighter kettle worthwhile, or is gas easier and quicker?
The best answer seems to be use a normal campsite every so often to get a proper clean, but flexibility is the name of the game on this trip, so having the option to at least rinse down after a day of biking etc. would be good.
We are borrowing a mate's converted VW van and have access to 5v USB and 12v, with mains when plugged in (although if we are somewhere that has full fat national grid power then they will also have showers and hot running water...)
What do people recommend for getting semi clean - I'm happy with a wet wipe, but any luxury would obviously be appreciated.
Solar showers - naff?
Something like - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-Ltd-4140A0000-Po... combined with hot water from the stove?
Is a fag lighter kettle worthwhile, or is gas easier and quicker?
The best answer seems to be use a normal campsite every so often to get a proper clean, but flexibility is the name of the game on this trip, so having the option to at least rinse down after a day of biking etc. would be good.
The black plastic bag 'solar' gravity showers are pretty good, but for a good de-coke (or two people) you need a couple. Sun is considered useful for them. They can get too hot. (Cover with a towel.
When the sun don't shine, you need a back-up, and some sort of biggish gas kettle thing. Fag lighter kettles tend to either burn out the plug, melt the socket, or flatten the battery. Gas is more better.
These electric 12v showers work quite well, you can get a bucket full up to the right temperature, and it comes out at a good pressure, unlike the solar ones. You can run them off a portable jump-start pack which will easily manage three or four showers before a re-charge.
Downside is if the bucket runs dry the pump rapidly overheats and melts the impeller housing. Out of choice I'd probably choose the electric, and a couple of black plastic-bag solar showers as backup.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/WOLFWILL-Portable-Recharg...
Camp-site showers vary in their horrible-ness, but are usually well-kept, otherwise people moan.
When the sun don't shine, you need a back-up, and some sort of biggish gas kettle thing. Fag lighter kettles tend to either burn out the plug, melt the socket, or flatten the battery. Gas is more better.
These electric 12v showers work quite well, you can get a bucket full up to the right temperature, and it comes out at a good pressure, unlike the solar ones. You can run them off a portable jump-start pack which will easily manage three or four showers before a re-charge.
Downside is if the bucket runs dry the pump rapidly overheats and melts the impeller housing. Out of choice I'd probably choose the electric, and a couple of black plastic-bag solar showers as backup.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/WOLFWILL-Portable-Recharg...
Camp-site showers vary in their horrible-ness, but are usually well-kept, otherwise people moan.
Edited by Slushbox on Wednesday 17th April 16:15
tones61 said:
do swimming at a local swimming bath, take shampoo etc into shower after,cheap as chips,
Same story as the campsite thing - if we end up biking somewhere in the middle of nowhere, get bogging and then want to fire up the BBQ and get on the beers, a shower would be nice.I saw the 12v electric showers - they all seem really knock off and dodgy - hence the Hozelok thing (or decathlon do a Quecha version - https://www.decathlon.co.uk/portable-shower-8-l-id... - which looks similar)
Leaning towards a solar one to get a bit of warm water to dump into one of the Quecha/Hozelok ones backed up with extra water from the stove - unless anyone has a bright idea.
I have cycled the north coast 500 with nothing but wetwipes and a spare set of cycling gear, sleeping in a "2 man" tent with another manky cyclist - I'm fine with roughing it, but having both a van and a wife on this trip means that a little luxury is on the cards.
Does the van have pressurised water from a tank? And a gas bottle for cooking/heating?
I'd heath Robinson something like this:
https://equestrianco.com/products/fyna-lite-trolle...
No need to tell her it's for horses though
I'd heath Robinson something like this:
https://equestrianco.com/products/fyna-lite-trolle...
No need to tell her it's for horses though
Uggers said:
Does the van have pressurised water from a tank? And a gas bottle for cooking/heating?
I'd heath Robinson something like this:
https://equestrianco.com/products/fyna-lite-trolle...
No need to tell her it's for horses though
105 notes and you still have to buy the shower!!!I'd heath Robinson something like this:
https://equestrianco.com/products/fyna-lite-trolle...
No need to tell her it's for horses though
Ouch!
Yes which is why I'd knock something together using a sack cart and an old boiler from a scrapped caravan.
The lengths you have to go to in order to just get the other half to go do something like this.
I feel your pain OP, I have to cart the a trailer full of luxury kit with us camping. But without it she wouldn't even entertain it.
The lengths you have to go to in order to just get the other half to go do something like this.
I feel your pain OP, I have to cart the a trailer full of luxury kit with us camping. But without it she wouldn't even entertain it.
2 options I’ve used remote hiking with no proper washing facilities
1/ ‘African shower’ .. just boil up a kettle and add to bucket of water to get a bucket ( a gallon is enough) of warm water ... and ladle (mug) water over your head and body to wash- works fine. Do this standing outdoors.
This also works fine with ‘cold’ water in the tropics
2/ fill up 2 litre camelbak with warm water and use as shower ... may need to fill twice - once is enough if careful.
1/ ‘African shower’ .. just boil up a kettle and add to bucket of water to get a bucket ( a gallon is enough) of warm water ... and ladle (mug) water over your head and body to wash- works fine. Do this standing outdoors.
This also works fine with ‘cold’ water in the tropics
2/ fill up 2 litre camelbak with warm water and use as shower ... may need to fill twice - once is enough if careful.
After getting back from a muddy trail and before drinking plenty of beers with other runners I prefer to have a proper wash, some don't but they're just crabby.
I use 2 litre bottles of water, 2 of these is usually sufficient, my wife will use 3.
Place them under the bonnet for 30 minutes (engine off but still warm obviously) and they are plenty toasty enough for a great shower.
In a pair of shorts and standing on a bath mat has worked for me for the past 8 years of running on the hash.
If you can get 'square' bottles then they don't collapse when you upend them and the water comes out in a much more controlled fashion. I'm not sure what brand uses these in the UK, in Indonesia we find Pocari Sweat work best.
Others have small pop-up cubicles, electric pumps and a shower head, seems too much of a faff to me.
I use 2 litre bottles of water, 2 of these is usually sufficient, my wife will use 3.
Place them under the bonnet for 30 minutes (engine off but still warm obviously) and they are plenty toasty enough for a great shower.
In a pair of shorts and standing on a bath mat has worked for me for the past 8 years of running on the hash.
If you can get 'square' bottles then they don't collapse when you upend them and the water comes out in a much more controlled fashion. I'm not sure what brand uses these in the UK, in Indonesia we find Pocari Sweat work best.
Others have small pop-up cubicles, electric pumps and a shower head, seems too much of a faff to me.
Old thread, but I remembered this from Kickstarter. Probably if you have to ask how much it costs... 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hydrohammock/...
Not sure it counts as wild?
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hydrohammock/...
Not sure it counts as wild?
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/CzshbzQ2.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/rRAJl8jy" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/rRAJl8jy.jpg)
bobtail4x4 said:
its not your van I know, (and its 2 years ago so you must be back)
for everyone else, I fitted a heat exchanger under the bonnet, and a shower head that clips on the mirror,
total cost about £100
works well,
What van did you fit it under and what heat exchanger please ?.... thanks in advancefor everyone else, I fitted a heat exchanger under the bonnet, and a shower head that clips on the mirror,
total cost about £100
works well,
Edited by bobtail4x4 on Tuesday 3rd December 20:01
If you want to splash the cash 'Colapz' have got it covered - https://colapz.co.uk/collections/all-products/prod...
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