Step #12: DIY Portable Shower Jeep Wrangler JK , Wrangler JL or Gladiator.
How to Shower During a 4x4 Off-Road Expedition and Camping on the Trail
The Waterport is a hitch mounted and pressurized shower tank
DIY portable shower projects for camping are sure fun but you won't build anything better than this Waterport Hitch-Mounted and Pressurized Shower. Made in USA and easy to use, this portable shower is exactly what a Jeep Adventurer needs for an expedition or a long stay in the remote wilderness.
Off-roading alone in the remote wilderness is a messy activity. You'll need a shower at the end of the day in order to rid your hands, face and body of sweat, mud and grease.
Jeepers, let me save you the trouble
As you probably already know, there are plenty of stupid posts and articles written by hikers and camping enthusiasts that will recommend you things ranging from swimming in creeks to using a bath sponge, cleaning yourself with unscented/biodegradable baby wipes, shampoing yourself with dry shampoo, or dealing with solar / inflatable shower bags. I went that route and I'll tell you what : it's a miserable life on the trail. Why?
- Swimming in creeks, rivers, pounds, hydroelectric reservoirs, or whatever that contains water : You gonna freeze most of the time (and maybe die from cold water shock like a lonesome idiot), hurt yourself badly trying to reach unreachable water sources or encounter dangerous wildlife. I was once myself charged by a distraught moose while bathing like a Greek goddess. If you start diving alone into various "easy to reach" water sources on a daily basis, I guarantee you will eventually face crazy encounters (I mean in the extreme remote wilderness). So, unless your are a professional game tracker who knows his business, I warmly advise you to not go that route. Safe and easy to access swimming spots are scarce and remote regions are fraught with danger with untamed and unpredictable animals. Even a wolverine might attack you if you're not careful (read Man survives wolverine attack in Alaska).
- Bath sponge : Whatever it's antifungal, antibacterial, bamboo, charcoal... It never dries and starts to smell awful after 3-5 days.
- Baby wipes : Unless you are a hobbit, wiping yourself requires a lot of sheets (get ready to use 100 sheets per week). Won't make you feel clean. And even if they are biodegradable, you'll be fined (and maybe have your vehicle towed as well) if a conservation officer catches you littering those baby wipes in the bush. The fact is that an animal will eat them and die because those damn wipes stay in its stomach and make it die of starvation. Burning them? Not always possible to build a fire.
- Dry shampoo : Expensive, smelly, greasy, ridiculous. I hate it.
- Shower bags : Even if you have a great storage setup like mine (see storage for a long term expedition), there's no room in a Jeep to store a shower bag full of water. So, you will have to find water sources to fill it. Once again, hazardous walks and dangerous wildlife encounters. And it takes time. Time is a limited commodity in the bush. You better spend your time working on your Jeep, reading the map (carefully), scanning the area with your binoculars, or enjoying the landscape.
Why carrying a shower is important?
1) To maintain personal hygiene 2) To wash your muddy boots 3) To clean your tools and recovery gear after use 4) To carry a sealed container of water on dry terrain
It's a hassle-free shower that only requires to be mounted to any standard trailer hitch receiver (universal mount).
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(Worldwide Shipping) *They are NOT paying me to promote it. I just like their product and couldn't live without my Waterport. And it's Made in USA. |
Contains 3.8 gallons of water (11.4L). Enough water for 2 showers (45 seconds per shower) + to clean some dishes after cooking.
Add hot water to heat up your shower. Nine cups of hot water makes a huge difference when you take a shower in cold weather. Nine cups = 0.56 gallons / 3.8 gallons total in the Waterport.
Coleman Coffee Pot (9 cups) Add 9-Cups of boiling water to your portable shower with this cheap and light percolator (it makes great coffee as well)
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Don't waste that precious hot water while you pour it into the tank.
Sillicone Collapsible Funnel (Stop wasting hot water when pouring from the coffee pot)
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Super powerful. Will boil the 9-cup Coleman Coffee Pot in 4 minutes. The best way to get hot water to heat up your shower tank. Please note that I'm using the discontinued version Pocket Rocket 1. The 2.0 model is even better than mine.
Comes with its own carry shell. I store my stove inside my Coleman coffee pot.
MSR Pocket Rocket Stove 2.0 Water and corrosion proof, durable, compact and easy to store. (Weighs only 2.6oz / 73 grams and extremely wind resistant)
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I'm not fond of carrying heavy bags of water while wheeling on rough terrain because I don't have storage space for it. But I still have two collapsible dromedary bags (just in case) that I use from time to time. It's not cheap but it's indestructible (1000-Denier) and made to handle the abuse inflicted by an expedition in extreme regions. Won't scratch, won't leak, and no problem if you freeze it solid (I did many times). It also comes with extremely strong grommets and reliable straps.
MSR Dromedary Water Bags 4L - 6L or 10L - BPA Free Another option to store water in a Jeep Wrangler JK/JL
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My favorite soap on the trail. All purpose (body, hair, dishes, tools, recover gear), affordable, refreshing, biodegradable and Made in USA. Ok, it's pine scented. But after years wandering in the wilderness and to the best of my knowledge, this one is not a bear attractant. I trust it.
Campsuds Soap Bottle A small bottle lasts me for 3 weeks in the remote wilderness
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- High quality towel made by Gill, a reputable company on the sailing scene. It dries incredibly fast (10 minutes max during sunny days) and never ages. Been using mine for 5 years and don't have any plan to replace it any time soon. By the way, I often use my limb risers as a clothesline wire (see: My Jeep Wrangler JK).
Quick Dry Gill Towel (*Virgin wool woven in American mills, USA)
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