How Do You Shower When Camping?

Camping is the time to create lifetime memories. It is the time to sit down around a campfire with your mates, family members, or even people you are meeting for the first time to associate and see life from another angle. 

However, one thing usually goes unmentioned when preparing for camping—how you are going to bathe. In reality, you cannot backpack or camp without bathing. By taking showers, you will not only be keeping your physical and mental health at par but also be in a position to socialize effectively with your mates. 

One thing that is sure about camping is the build-up of grime on your body. The more you enjoy the scenic attractions and several rare species of animals, the more you grow dirty. Depending on personal preferences and availability of resources such as water, you can indulge in body wiping. 

However, this is not ideal for a camping session that goes for more than three days. A fully-fledge body soaking is the only means to bring your senses to dire normalcy and see you through the remaining hours. However, this is not a walk in the park more so when you lack the basics. 

First, the basic personal effects matter a lot

You are on the camping session to enjoy what nature has to offer.

For progressiveness, you should make sure that you preserve that environment to enhance sustainability.

The Leave No Trace rule in camping and other outdoor vacation takes effect even during the shower sessions. 

Carry a biodegradable soap

Non-biodegradable soaps pose many health hazards to several animals. A time you may be tempted to take your showers beside the waterways—or even inside the waters. Using a non-biodegradable soap, you may end up killing the fish and other aquatic animals in the water sources. 

Take a microfiber towels

Microfiber towels are bursting in popularity among backpackers and camping gurus for some reason. They feature snowflake-pricked fibers with spokes that pick both moisture and dirt from the body.

They also come in thin surfaces hence highly compact for easy folding and carrying. Lastly, unlike the cotton towels that absorb moisture and grow heavy when not properly dried these types of towels “hold” moisture.

They dry faster and feel smooth on the skin even after a multiple-use. Lastly, you can use them to wipe almost everything ranging from gears, boots, tent fabrics and more.

A pair of clean cloth

You need to change your clothes after every shower. This will help your body to stay refreshed and disease-free. However, do not be a packrat. Two pairs of clothing starting from the innerwear to shirt will help you with cutting down the bulk that comes with poor packing.

A hand sanitizer

Though this is not a necessity for showers, there is a lot more to carrying this chemical with you. A hand sanitizer keeps the hands clean while at the same time ensuring any bacterial infection on the hand does not spread to the other parts of the body when showering. 

Two Ways to Shower When Camping

Using a portable shower bag

A portable shower bag means it all when it comes to showering during the camping sessions. Modern bags come handy with solar panels that capture the terrestrial energy from the sun and converts it to electric energy.

This means you can hit up the water and have a hot shower during the cold season anytime and anywhere you like.

How to use a portable shower bag

Portable shower bags work pretty much the same as the home shower. The only difference is that, one is advanced and complex and the latter is simple—just like a backpack.

All you need is to refill your shower bag, hang it somewhere and turn its wells on for some showers.

However, where the shower bag uses solar power to expel water from its system, you will need to make sure that it is fully charged before turning the power button on.

Generally, most shower bags take four steps to operate:

1. Fill the shower bag with water
2. Hang it on a sturdy tree
3. Position yourself just below the bag
4. Turn on the sprayer and take a bath

When using a solar shower bag:

1. Fill the bag with clean water
2. Place it on an open place where sun rays can easily strike it
3. Leave the bag to heat the water for twenty minutes to one hour depending on the intensity of the sun
4. Hang the bag on a sturdy tree, open the sprayer and take your shower. 

Note that, solar shower bags can heat water to a temperature of up to 120 degrees. Therefore, it is advisable to measure your water’s temperature before taking a shower to avoid burns. 

Using a pop-up camping shower tent

Camping shower tents are popular for the apex privacy they give when taking showers. They come in different shades, designs, and heights to accommodate different kinds of personalities. 

A pop-up shower tent comes with two accessories. Just below its rainfly is a detachable shower bag that you can use to hold up your water.

Alongside that, is storage poach and a hanger that you can use to hold your shampoo or biodegradable soap. 

To use a pop-up camping shower tent, all you need is to:

1. Fill the bag with water and attach it to the rainfly 
2. Step in the tent and zip-up its door
3. Open the sprayers and have your shower

Some pop-up shower tents come with an additional hook that you can use to hold the shower bag in place and remove the detachable rainfly.

Even with that, you can still enjoy your showers with minimum risks of falling victim to the prying eyes. 

Conclusion

Though not recommended, you can opt for taking showers from water points nearby.

However, even with the biodegradable soap, this option immensely affects the living organism in the water.

Where you lack both a pop-up tent and shower bag, you can use a bottle to carry water from the source and have a blissful shower some meters away from the water source.