Wild-camp shower? No worries, we have a solution — road test
Two months on the road takes preparation — especially when one of the conditions is independence, i.e. wild camping.
Beautiful landscapes don’t always come with infrastructure. And when you sleep away from campsites, far from busy spots with full amenities, the question pops up: what about hygiene?
I’m not going to write here about alternatives or creative ways to deal with no shower. I just want to share our proven solution for showering in a camper.
Sure — a solar bag hung on the mirror does the job. Sometimes there’s a swimming pool, a gym, a petrol-station shower. Plenty of options. But each affects your planning to some degree. And we want independence.
Let’s get to it.
Home spa in a VW California? Sounds funny… but it works
Ever since we upgraded our setup with the Elgena boiler, travel just got more comfortable. The natural next step was fitting an interior shower. The question was: would it work? Wouldn’t setup, breakdown and drying become annoying?
How would we fit it all in the van?
The compact dimensions of the Volkswagen California don’t make it easy. An evening shower or a quick wash sounds like a luxury reserved for full-size campers.
But we made it work.
The shower system — simple and effective
A kit that, once folded, fits in the drawer under the seat. Velcro-mounted, with a watertight tray — exactly what we were after. A shower on the road? We use it whenever needed. Nice to have the option.
Thanks to the boiler we’ve got plenty of hot water for the two of us. Just right — no waste, no cold surprises.
We power the whole thing through the EcoFlow station. But that’s a story for a separate post — about electrics on the road 😉
The sun as our ally — what showering looks like in practice
The best conditions for heating water are around midday. The sun beats down and the solar kit runs at full power. The water heats up in about 15 minutes.
The power station signals we used 20–30%; topping it back up takes about 3 hours.
Then — showers, one after the other. The tray comfortably handles two people, provided no one dawdles.
Afterwards, towels and the rest go outside — an hour later everything’s dry, we fold it up, slide it in the drawer, done. Simple, effective, works.
Showering in a camper — comfort without faff
A bit like a home bathroom — except without the bathroom. We set it all up in a few minutes. The bonus — your passenger can stay inside without having to leave the van. The shower goes in the middle section and holds nicely thanks to the velcro.
We tilt the upper tent windows open — that’s enough for sensible ventilation. The only thing left is what to do with the water in the tray. For now we tip it into the grey-water tank, but we still need a better solution. Something to work out after we get back.
Wrap-up — who is this for?
If you plan trips longer than a weekend, if you want to stop in unique, wild places — without hunting for campsites or compromising — this system genuinely makes a difference.
Or if you just like a proper sweaty workout, mountain biking, and then staying overnight in your California — then yes, definitely recommended for staying clean without overthinking it on the road.
