To shower or not to shower? That is the question.

Shorty

Just putting together my self build LWB Transit and as you all know, space is precious. I really am torn between having a shower room or not. I have planned for it then ripped the plans up... then planned for it again!! Then bla bla bla ....If I have a shower/toilet room I can't have extra seating (two seats facing each other with table between).
We have a lpg portable shower which I could hang on the rear doors and rig a curtain up and we could put up a toilet tent (does anyone else use one of these....if so, what do you think)
If we are on sites then we will use the shower/toilets provided.
Do you use your shower room enough to justify it??
 

izwozral

Shorty said:
Just putting together my self build LWB Transit and as you all know, space is precious. I really am torn between having a shower room or not. I have planned for it then ripped the plans up... then planned for it again!! Then bla bla bla ....If I have a shower/toilet room I can't have extra seating (two seats facing each other with table between).
We have a lpg portable shower which I could hang on the rear doors and rig a curtain up and we could put up a toilet tent (does anyone else use one of these....if so, what do you think)
If we are on sites then we will use the shower/toilets provided.
Do you use your shower room enough to justify it??
Click to expand...

Personally, if I don't have a shower after 2-3 days I start to feel minging, even though I have a good wash over. However, there are plenty of opportunities to have showers/bathe out there, such as swimming baths, gyms, saunas, leisure centres, camp sites, streams, sea. Members on here have the portable shower type you mention, they will be more qualified than I to comment as I have never tried one.
It's your choice at the end of the day, weigh up how long you think you will be in your van when on trips, how often you think you can last without a shower.
Consider this type of thing maybe. Google
 

phillybarbour

If mainly using sites maybe give it a miss, if mainly wilding I'd fit one.
 

mossypossy

We have a shower but I am too tight with water to actually use it very often.
It does not take up any extra space though, as it is above the loo.

Toilet is I feel THE most important thing in a motorhome.

Anything less is just a rigid tent.
 

Obanboy666

Got to have at least one shower a day, personnelly wouldn't have a motorhome / pvc without one.
 
n brown

n brown

Forum Member
wildcamping, for me, is about water conservation, and as i don't get very dirty sitting around enjoying the view, i'm happy with a stripdown whore's bath, and save showering for those times when there's an abundance of water
 

GWAYGWAY

What a shower for apart from steam cleaning you or freezing you.?
 

wakk44

It depends on how you use the camper,if wilding a lot then a shower is recommended.We both like to shower every day,as we mainly use campsites this is not a problem.However occasionally we do go off grid and if we have a long period of wilding then in the spirit of water conservation we use the navy or sailors shower technique which involves switching off the water once you are wet and then lathering up before a quick rinse clean.The micro switch water tap system works well for a sailors shower switching off the pump in the middle of the shower and then back on again when required at the same temperature.With a 120 litre fresh water tank we can last around 5 days without a refill if careful with the water.
Navy shower - Wikipedia
 
campervanannie

campervanannie

Forum Member
I built a shower in Snoopy a Peugeot Boxer I fastened a.large hula hoops on the ceiling using wardrobe rail hangers fastened 2x shower curtains on it when I needed a shower I blew up a child's paddling pool sat it on the floor dropped the shower curtains ensuring they were inside the Ppool then hung a 12v shower to the rail jobs a good one and it all packed away in a small plastic box saving the space for something else.
 

Nesting Zombie

Shorty said:
Just putting together my self build LWB Transit and as you all know, space is precious. I really am torn between having a shower room or not. I have planned for it then ripped the plans up... then planned for it again!! Then bla bla bla ....If I have a shower/toilet room I can't have extra seating (two seats facing each other with table between).
We have a lpg portable shower which I could hang on the rear doors and rig a curtain up and we could put up a toilet tent (does anyone else use one of these....if so, what do you think)
If we are on sites then we will use the shower/toilets provided.
Do you use your shower room enough to justify it??
Click to expand...

Hi Ya,
I Totally get what your saying, & Lets be fair a Shower area DOES take up a Huge space doesn't it.
I think it comes down to 'YOUR intended use of the Vehicle' as in is it a Livaboard, Long time Travel, Occasional Use, UK or Southern Europe Cruising, 100% Wilding, Or 50%-50% split on Camp sites, Water Carrying Capacity etc etc.
Just going through some of the Basic questions might sway your answer.
Good Luck.

BTW Ive got a Separate Dedicated Shower area, & I DO use it.
 

Beemer

I think it is personal preference..
My brother and his wife lived in their T4 abroad with no shower for 12 months and we met them when we ventured abroad. They managed by using local amenities and/or their Solar shower behind the van.
If I was to do a self build it would have a shower cubicle, with loo, so that it could be used to hang clothing, store kit, changing room and personal cleaning.
 
trevskoda

trevskoda

Forum Member
Toilet a must but no shower just a wash down,use swimming baths etc,irish folk bath once a week at home with daly wash down so why require it every day in a van.
 
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Byronic

A few German adventure type vans I've been in have accommodated a shower facility by fitting a sunken shower tray into a floor cutout with a ply infill drop in panel at floor level, A ceiling fixed curtain rail with easy hook rings. The curtain goes in the shower tray space under the ply floor panel for storage.
Obviously it takes VERY careful planning to get this right, and may not be possible in some vans,
 

Wisewoman

I've done a reasonable amount of wilding on and off over the last year in my VW T4 and I'm one of the shower cravers. I don't have a shower in my van but that said you're never too far from a leisure centre where you can get one and I will also happily go onto a campsite for the night purely so I can use their showers!

The only time I had any major issues (well to me anyway) with showers was on the Isle of Lewis on a Sunday where I naively, had failed to realise that *everything* shuts and I had spent a chunk of the previous day fantasising about this imaginary shower I was going to have that day. Obviously I had to wait another day.

All that said there is NO WAY I would sacrifice any of my space to a shower in my little camper. When I was looking at old vans to buy last year, the ones with showers in seemed to have issues with cracked trays and leakages.

Also, in the case of a VW if you went for one with shower it tends to be at the back, this means that the seating has to be placed further forwards and this means you cant just have a bed roll handily rolled up behind it. I'd much rather have a simple unrollable 'insta' bed to crawl into at the end of the day, than a faff plus a shower!
 

colinmd

Our Campscout has the shower in floor with tambour doors, this greatly reduces the space needed by a shower.
 

izwozral

We have a rail above the shower head to which we hang our clothing, it makes a great wardrobe and it only takes a couple of minutes to remove them for a shower.
When MHing, everything must have at least two uses.
 

Wisewoman

Another thought - you could compromise and get one of those systems where you actually shower outside at the rear of your van and simply pull the showerhead out from the back of your van. I'm not sure how much space the plumbing and necessary would be for this but you save the whole shower tray and floor space issue. The main downside is having to choose carefully where and when you shower! lol
 
trevskoda

trevskoda

Forum Member
Wisewoman said:
Another thought - you could compromise and get one of those systems where you actually shower outside at the rear of your van and simply pull the showerhead out from the back of your van. I'm not sure how much space the plumbing and necessary would be for this but you save the whole shower tray and floor space issue. The main downside is having to choose carefully where and when you shower! lol
Click to expand...

Cant see many wanting to shower in tescos car park behind a flimsy curtain at rear of van in the flesh.:scared:
 

Byronic

trevskoda said:
Cant see many wanting to shower in tescos car park behind a flimsy curtain at rear of van in the flesh.:scared:
Click to expand...

And if you waited for a nice warm day in the UK, that'd be 2 showers a year, ok maybe 3.
 
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