Many of us take the chance to freshen up after a training session when at home or at the gym. But if you’re training in the great outdoors or camping, there may not always be convenient facilities nearby. Enter the portable shower.
Thanks to lightweight, packable kits, it’s now possible to rig up a shower wherever you are, even if you don’t have access to electricity. While some models rely on gravity to provide a consistent stream, others use solar technology to pressurise the water.
Keep scrolling to see our favourite portable showers for on-the-go washing.
Portable showers for outdoor workouts
LIBERRWAY Portable Shower
This portable shower uses battery power to provide water pressure of up to 5L/min. Either use the supplied power pack for 3.5L/min or connect it up to your car’s cigarette lighter socket for full strength.
The set also comes with a handy hook and suction cup, so you can stick the shower head to windows or even hang it from trees. It only weighs around 650g, which should make transportation and set-up fairly easy.
Plus, the shower head is designed with a gentle curve for comfort and ease of use.
Dr. Prepare Camping Shower
With its black PVC construction, the Dr. Prepare portable shower relies on the sun’s rays to warm your water, but you do get two different spray settings. Either press the lever to control the stream manually or push it upwards for a continuous jet.
To help you inflate the water bag, the set comes with a small, rechargeable air pump, which is slimmer than a can of beer. It’s a compact kit, ideal for on-the-go showering, and once you’ve connected everything, you just press the ON button to start the spray.
At the end of your shower, you’ll be able to store the shower hose, nozzle and foot pump in the zip-up travel bag.
Garden Hanging Outdoor Shower
At just over £20, this is a simple bit of kit at a great price. Just fill the inflatable bag with water, hang it up and let gravity do the rest. If you don’t have access to a kettle or hot tap, you can wait for the sun to heat up your water naturally – if the weather is fine!
You’ll be able to fit 40L of water in the bag for a relaxed shower and can control the flow of the jet with the hose’s useful ON/OFF valve.
Garden Shower Set (Set of 2)
- Buy now from Vidaxl (£17.99).
If you’re willing to halve your shower length for the sake of conserving storage space, you might want to opt for this 20L bag instead of the 40L option above. Apart from the smaller size, it has most of the same features, including a detachable shower head and a handy ON/OFF valve for convenience.
It also comes with a hook, allowing you to hang it from anything nearby.
Quechua Pressure Solar Camping Shower
- Buy now from Decathlon (£49.00)
For a slightly more high-tech portable shower, try this option, available at Decathlon. It has an in-built pumping system, which means you don’t have to hang it above your head to get a pressurised stream of water.
There’s also a level window, so you can see how much water you’ve got left in the tank, and a temperature gauge between 30°C and 40°C.
If you don’t have access to warm water, you can wait for the sun to heat the 10L tank – unless you’re a fan of a rejuvenating cold shower, of course!
Sea To Summit Pocket Shower
A simple and convenient solution, this nylon pocket shower folds up into a small pouch, so it’s perfect for adding to your rucksack for lengthy outdoor workouts or for after a training session when camping.
The design keeps things simple, with hanging hoops at the top and a nozzle at the bottom. It holds 10L of water, which is said to be enough for a comfortable seven-minute shower.
Again, you can either top up the sack with warm water or wait for the sunshine to work its magic.
Pocket Shower
- Buy now from Fruugo (£33.95)
Another simple portable shower is this 10L one available at Fruugo. The defining feature is its six-metre-long hanging cord, which makes it easy to suspend and secure in high-up places.
There’s no complicated technology here, just twist the nozzle in one quick motion to start the water flow and adjust the pressure.
Like all the best lightweight portable showers, this one packs up into a compact pouch, so you can tuck it into even the smallest of bike bags and rucksacks.