How to Make a Portable Outdoor Shower Room

After a long day of hiking, a warm shower is a welcome luxury.

One of the main bugaboos of outdoor activities like camping, hiking and hunting is the inability to have a hot shower to soothe your muscles and get the dirt off. However, it is possible to build a portable shower that can provide a wonderful shower experience. Your portable shower aspirations are only limited by your capacity to carry. The easiest to carry would be a solar bag shower. A lightweight and collapsible enclosure will add some measure of privacy without sacrificing portability.

Things You'll Need

• 4-foot-long 2-inch PVC pipes, 8
• 2-inch 3-way elbow PVC connectors, 8
• 6-foot-long 2-inch PVC pipes, 4
• Hanging solar shower bag
• Shower curtain with rings

Instructions

1. Fill the shower bag with water and place in a sunny area. This will ensure that your shower will be pleasantly warm.

2. Lay out four of the 4-foot lengths of PVC to form a square. Connect the sides of the square by inserting the ends of the lengths of PVC into the openings of four of the 3-way connectors. The PVC lengths should be inserted as far as they can go into the connectors to ensure stability without using adhesive. Once the square is completed, each 3-way connector should have one empty opening pointing upwards. Repeat with the remaining 4-foot lengths and connectors. You should have two equal squares at the end of this step.

3. Insert a 6-foot length of PVC into each of the remaining connector openings of one of the squares. Insert the opposite ends of the PVC lengths into the remaining connector openings of the second square. Ensure that the pipes are seated as far into the connectors as they can go. You now have a framework for your outdoor shower.

4. Attach the shower curtain to the PVC along the perimeter of the 4-foot square using the shower rings. Ensure that the rings are evenly distributed on all four sides for even coverage.

5. Place shower framework on a level surface. If necessary you can add stability by placing heavy pieces of driftwood or rock on the bottom of the shower enclosure.

6. Attach the filled shower bag to one of the sides of the top square. The attached shower head and hose can now be used to take a warm and private shower.

Tips & Warnings

• The PVC lengths to be used for the bottom square can be partially filled with sand or pebbles at your campsite before insertion into the connectors. This will add weight and stability to the bottom of the enclosure.

• The water in the shower bag can become quite hot after an hour or two in the sun. Test the water before full immersion in the spray. Cool water can be added to the bag to reduce the temperature.

References

• Lowes: Project 1: Portable Outdor Shower
• "Mother Earth News"; A Portable Solar Water Heater; Raymond Meloy; 1980