As anyone who has camped with me knows, I'm a "glamper"--all sorts of stuff for comfort, in a big tent, complete with cot, folding toilet, etc. The downside is weight, obviously, but I get away with it because I'm usually either alone or with my pupdog. I also make a point of going into places with a low fuel load. A minimalist, I aren't!

I have tried leaving my water supplies in the sun all day, and even on hot days, that's not adequate. Sure, the water isn't cold cold by the end of the day, and it's OK for washing hands, but to my way of thinking, it never gets warm enough to take a warm, comfortable shower--a cold shower, yes, but not that's not comfortable.

So my latest glamping equipment is a BoundaryTec shower coil. http://www.boundarytec.com/1530-showerc ... shower.php I ordered the full enchilada, which includes the shower coil, 2 water bags (15 liters each), and the connecting tubing. First, the delivery was very fast. I ordered it last winter, and it came within a week. Second, it was exactly as described in their website, and appears to be well made of quality materials. On a cool but dry day, I tried it out in our driveway. I used my old but supremely efficient MSR XGK backpacking stove--the newer ones are probably more convenient, but the heating specs are the same, so I'd highly recommend one as a heating source. At first, I was disappointed in the temperature of the water, so I turned up the thermostat. But I didn't test it again.

The first time I was able to use it "for real" was at the Meredith Lake seaplane splash-in, a couple of weeks ago. I heated the water per their instructions, and this time it was nice and warm! That took about 15 minutes. I then drained the water from the heated bag into my Nemo Helio shower system, which provides water pressure for showering without the need to hang the shower bag--it's conveniently the same volume as the BoundaryTec bags. I have a shower tent for privacy (nobody wants to look at my ancient bod, anyway), and I erected it and staked it down while waiting for the water to heat and drain into the Nemo Helio. And it works gloriously well! I had a very nice, warm shower, using about half the water in the Nemo Helio.

When camping, I can go a couple of days without a shower, but pretty soon I feel pretty grubby. Having a comfortable shower in camp makes a huge difference in my own comfort (and perhaps makes me more acceptable to those downwind from me). I highly recommend the BoundaryTec shower coil for anyone who wants to have a warm shower in the back country.

Cary

Nice review Gary, thanks! I have spent many a days in the boonies without having a decent way to clean up.

I built something similar many years ago after spending a few weeks out in the mountains on an archery elk hunt. spending 3 weeks under a military poncho liner can leave a guy a little 'ripe'. There was a creek down the mountain a little ways but that water was near freezing. After that first year, I decided I would not go on a hunt without being able to clean up better than a spit bath.
I wound a coil of copper tubing around the burner of one of those cheaper propane grills. I had a tiny water pump powered by a 12V battery that would circulate the water and a valve that ran it to a shower head. The second time we took it out to the mountains, I even made a prefab shower stall that I set up in the high country. There were guys that came to our camp and had to take pictures and couldn't believe how simple it was. Wish I had taken a picture of it just for something for me to laugh at.

For some folks, I suppose a warm shower when camping seems extreme, but I really hate trying to wash in a stream, freezing my gonads and shivering for the next few hours. My shower tent is one of those pop-up thingies that opens in a flash and then takes all kinds of gymnastics to get it back down to the right diameter circle to put into its bag, but it works great--and it was cheap, I think it cost about $65. How long it will last is anybody's guess. My Nemo Helio shower provides a decent water volume and pressure, and I've been using it around camp for several years for hand washing, dishwashing, etc.--it seems to be very sturdy, folds compactly, and is well worth its $100 price.

Cary

I've used a "Solar Shower" (brand name I belive), just a cheap but durable plastic bag with a hose, clear on one side and black on the other, They make them in various sizes, mine is 2.5 gallons and is plenty for a Navy type shower. I usually hike off in the woods and hang it from a tree to get adequate head pressure. Empty they weigh nothing and take up no room.


My backup is my 2 qt. coffee pot and my one burner Coleman stove. "Any amount of warm water, however supplied is MUCH better then none at all", my thought for the day. I just got back from a 1700 mile 2 day drive, and being too cheap to get a motel room for a 4 hour nap, I slept in the back of the Prius (full length flat bed with the rear seat folded, heated or cooled 24/7 using the hybrid powerplant, they make dandy campers plus I got 49 MPG at 75 per) but first got cleaned up a bit using the coffee pot/Coleman stove method, much better then nothing, it always amazes me how little water it takes to make you feel "normal" again.

The sun showers work well where it's hot & sunny. here is a not so good photo of a great shower spot on the grand canyon a few years ago. We took four of them with us (Group of 16) and had enough hot water for showers whenever anyone wanted. They are not so good here in the grey Northeast, but are better than cold stream water and pack up fairly small.


Pete

We run a copper coil over our campfire, gravity feeds the cold water from one container to a shower bag. When the shower bag is full we hang it high enough to stand underneath. Simple, but effective and pure bliss after a few days in the mud and rain.

pburns wrote:The sun showers work well where it's hot & sunny. here is a not so good photo of a great shower spot on the grand canyon a few years ago. We took four of them with us (Group of 16) and had enough hot water for showers whenever anyone wanted. They are not so good here in the grey Northeast, but are better than cold stream water and pack up fairly small.


Pete

No trace camping... suds just go down the creek?

Yeah, those are they type I've used for years, cheap, simple and effective.

I use mine in the bushes somewhere, and don't worry much about the run off, not enough to matter about.

Ive used those for years, simply boil water on the MSR and add to the bag with enough cold to temperature.

PapernScissors wrote:No trace camping... suds just go down the creek?

Yup,

That's the rule in the canyon. Any non-solids go in the river. Biodegradable soap for showers and dishes (Dishwater gets strained through a fine mesh). Apparently there isn't enough rain to rinse away any waste liquids in the soil. All solids (And I mean all) get packed out.

Pete