Buy all your VW California Accessories at the Club Shop Visit Shop

What is the best shower system?

HappyGus

HappyGus

VIP Member
Messages
99
Location
Switzerland
Vehicle
T6.1 Ocean 150
Hi,

This summer we took a three week tour with the Cali. We were using a combination of this(when good weather):
HTB1gigoSpXXXXXQaXXXq6xXFXXXZ.jpg

and this:
1598948303797.jpeg
(+ anoter collapsible container to put the pump + bag).
It was working "fine", until it was not: the pump stopped working at all.

So I'm looking for a new outside shower? What do you advise?

I was hopping to find a system that would allow me:
  • to be small when unused
  • To be exposed to the sun to heat a bit the water
  • contains ~15L
  • autonomous(not mandatory to be just near the car)
  • Has some pressure to not require us to find somewhere to hang the bag
Did someone figured out a solution? It would be ideal if it was possible to have some kind of portable pump that connects directly to a black bag.
 
Hi,

This summer we took a three week tour with the Cali. We were using a combination of this(when good weather):
HTB1gigoSpXXXXXQaXXXq6xXFXXXZ.jpg

and this:
View attachment 65394
(+ anoter collapsible container to put the pump + bag).
It was working "fine", until it was not: the pump stopped working at all.

So I'm looking for a new outside shower? What do you advise?

I was hopping to find a system that would allow me:
  • to be small when unused
  • To be exposed to the sun to heat a bit the water
  • contains ~15L
  • autonomous(not mandatory to be just near the car)
  • Has some pressure to not require us to find somewhere to hang the bag
Did someone figured out a solution? It would be ideal if it was possible to have some kind of portable pump that connects directly to a black bag.
I take you don't have the rear shower connector on your Ocean? You could warm up the water with the black bag and then fill the fresh water tank with it
 
I take you don't have the rear shower connector on your Ocean? You could warm up the water with the black bag and then fill the fresh water tank with it
Yes I do have the rear connector, but:
- with only 27L of potable water, we try to take water from river/fountain/... to shower instead of using the clean water.
- When it's hot outside, we like having fresh water inside ^^
 
Pressure does fall off but never had a problem. It gives a good combination of water flow and economy so can get a couple of showers out of it, pumping in between.

Hace had various electric pumps and shower bags over the years and this has been the most reliable and portable solution. The temperature on the side also useful to prevent accidents. Was also cheap!
 
Pressure does fall off but never had a problem. It gives a good combination of water flow and economy so can get a couple of showers out of it, pumping in between.

Hace had various electric pumps and shower bags over the years and this has been the most reliable and portable solution. The temperature on the side also useful to prevent accidents. Was also cheap!
Okay, but you don't need to pump during the shower?
It seems hard to find it here, but this is a nice option!
 
correct. pump it up and use, no need to continuously pump.
 
Have one of these. Works hot for showers and washing up, cleans the bike and the dog cold.
View attachment 65396
These are brilliant. The latest version has a more compact handle. The circular thing bottom front is a basic temperature gauge. Handy if you pour hot water in from the kettle.very well made and effective. Packs pretty flat.
 
I used something similar today to spray my box hedges to get rid of the box moth which is eating the leaves. Must remember to wash it out if I decide to use it for a shower.

I used a Collapz shower with a folding bucket last week. Worked really well.
 
Hi @Calimili , Decathlon do have some shops in Switzerland, but unfortunately they don’t seem to stock this pressure shower. It is sold in France but it seems to be out of stock (online and in shops - at least around Geneva and Paris when I checked their website just now).
However it is showing as in stock at a number of stores in the UK (eg Crawley, Uxbridge, Wandsworth when I searched decathlon.co.uk using Guildford as a location). Perhaps another forum member would be prepared to get one and post it to you, as the UK price of 40GBP is less than the French price of 50Euro.
I bought one recently and found it useful for rinsing salt water off my wing foiling kit. The 10litre capacity was just enough to rinse all the equipment. One small frustration is that the valve at the bottom that you push the hose into is too short so the hose pops out regularly- I need to check if I was doing it properly.
 
Difficult to choose which of the many shower threads to add this link to ...

Colapz have brought out a new shower and toilet tent, and a folding shower stand, to add to their range of portable shower products. Not cheap, but lots of features apparently (I have no experience of them).

https://colapz.co.uk/collections/portable-showers

They say they're developing a portable loo too.

1613653997975.png 1613654021515.png
 
I bought the Geyser system. As my van is not yet here i have only set it up in the garage to try. Now i have changed the plastic inlet and outlet fittings for QR brass, It works very well. Considering our mains water is around the 4 Deg C point at this time of year, the output temperature was too hot to touch when i had it on the maximum setting.

I plan to have my infeed coming directly from the shower point in the van, which will start a few degrees warmer than the 4 Deg point so it will most certainly work for hot showers. I run the pump and gas ignition off a small handheld power bank rather than using a cigarette lighter DC socket, and it worked perfectly battery power dropped from 100% to 97% after 15 minutes of shower time.

I am still to decide what enclosure/tent i will go with, indeed depending on what awning system i end up with the shower annex may simply be in the drive away tunnel section. The shower head i tested on a 4 meter hose so won't have any issue with it working from the side of the van.
 
I bought the Geyser system. As my van is not yet here i have only set it up in the garage to try. Now i have changed the plastic inlet and outlet fittings for QR brass, It works very well. Considering our mains water is around the 4 Deg C point at this time of year, the output temperature was too hot to touch when i had it on the maximum setting.

I plan to have my infeed coming directly from the shower point in the van, which will start a few degrees warmer than the 4 Deg point so it will most certainly work for hot showers. I run the pump and gas ignition off a small handheld power bank rather than using a cigarette lighter DC socket, and it worked perfectly battery power dropped from 100% to 97% after 15 minutes of shower time.

I am still to decide what enclosure/tent i will go with, indeed depending on what awning system i end up with the shower annex may simply be in the drive away tunnel section. The shower head i tested on a 4 meter hose so won't have any issue with it working from the side of the van.
Dodge, I've changed the gas outlet to a male QR with a short length of 8mm hose and 2 clips. Please could you share how you modified the inlet/outlet for the water to QR brass? ...3/8th inch QR?
 
Dodge, I've changed the gas outlet to a male QR with a short length of 8mm hose and 2 clips. Please could you share how you modified the inlet/outlet for the water to QR brass? ...3/8th inch QR?
I would love to know too. I plan to make the same adaptation.
 
Okay, but you don't need to pump during the shower?
It seems hard to find it here, but this is a nice option!
I ordered on decathlon website (in Switzerland). It's the best system I've seen so far
 
We use a rinse kit for the dog. No pumping required but does need to filled from a pressurised tap:


 
i bought one of these for this season (with lockdown restrictions on campsites)

Used in conjunction with a pop up utility tent. Fold flat bucket (although you could easily use any form of water container).3 litres of cold water in the bucket and a kettle of boiled water seems enough for a hot, top to toe shower. I've been using the attachment with the push button shower head to avoid the shower running continuously.

Works a treat so far, rechargeable lithium battery has done several showers without yet needing to be charged. Pop up tent is compact - theres no space for clothes as everything gets wet. I usually put it up at the back of the van and let the water drain into the grass on the pitch. The tent came with a 'floor' (piece of tent material) which is definitely needed, otherwise the second person in the shower tent has to stand in the mud/wet grass!

pop up tent fits flat on the rear parcel shelf under the mattress and the bucket and shower systems folds down into a compact carry pouch.

Recommended, but clearly there are plenty of other shower options on offer
 
Back
Top