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#146836 - 02/22/11 12:53 PM Sea to Summit Pocket Shower
Kent W Offline
member

Registered: 10/15/09
Posts: 607
Loc: IL.
I was looking at sea to summit water proof gear bags on REI and came across a pocket shower. It weighs five ounces. Has anyone here ever tried one. It would sure would be nice to be able to rinse off good at the end of a day of hiking! I am sure sleeping bag would stay cleaner as well. I thought if it was big enough I could maybe use as a bear bag for food as well and make duel purpose? Any insight on this device would be appreciated!

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#146850 - 02/22/11 03:15 PM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: Kent W]
skcreidc Offline
member

Registered: 08/16/10
Posts: 1590
Loc: San Diego CA
If the color is dark or black, they heat up surprisingly fast. It could be nice to have a least a warm shower at the end of the day. Have used bags like this many times before, but only at the beach in Baja California. The water can get almost too hot on a summer day.

sk

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#146871 - 02/23/11 01:02 AM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: Kent W]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada
I didn't try this thing, although I tried to make one once.

It worked pretty good in the back yard where I could leave it out on a sunny day for a while.. my problem with it backpacking was that I typically wasn't stopped sitting around long enough for it to warm up. and by evening there wasn't enough strong sun.

So I gave up on my homemade (dark platy bag) one and just do what I usually do, which is either go for a dip in a creek, or if I'm cold but wanna get clean, use a little fuel and warm up a small pot of water for a sponge (aka spare sock) bath.

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#146879 - 02/23/11 09:50 AM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: phat]
Kent W Offline
member

Registered: 10/15/09
Posts: 607
Loc: IL.
Phat, it is a black bag and I ordered one. I am gonna try it out next month. I am gonna use for bear baggin at night. I will hang food in plastic turkey roaster bag when shower in use. I am only out about 4 days at a crack so I will forgo a bit extra fuel to heat a pot of water if need be. My little coleman exponent heats 1.5 qts in just over 2 min with windscreen. I will post how well it works after expermenting.

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#146881 - 02/23/11 11:33 AM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: Kent W]
OregonMouse Online   content
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
I stick my feet in the creek on arrival at camp (and sometimes at my lunch stop) and sponge off critical body areas, using leftover lukewarm water in my cooking pot, in the tent at bedtime. Easier and definitely lighter than carrying a shower. I once had a shower gizmo and it was more of a nuisance than anything else. Areas private enough to use the thing are normally not in the sun!

Try out the thing, while you can still return it, in your bathtub at home to see if you can live with the slow trickle!

A gravity-style water filter can be used as a shower of sorts by removing the filter.

A bear canister, if you have to carry one anyway, makes a great tub for sponge baths and washing hair!



Edited by OregonMouse (02/23/11 05:31 PM)
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#146903 - 02/24/11 09:45 AM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: OregonMouse]
Kent W Offline
member

Registered: 10/15/09
Posts: 607
Loc: IL.
I stick my feet in the creek two! LOL I try to remember to fill water bottles first though!
Thats a good Idea , I will test it out and see if it is worth messin with. At the shelter on Silers Bald I am sure others will be around that night. I figure I could still shower in my spare hikingshorts. Maybe a waste of time, but it hadsome very good reveiws? Thanks for your insight!

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#146951 - 02/25/11 09:49 AM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: Kent W]
CamperMom Offline
member

Registered: 01/04/02
Posts: 1228
Loc: Eastern MA, USA
Hi, Kent and All-

I carry a 1 qt. Gatorade bottle as part of my normal "kit." In it I have water or cool tea/Emergen-C by day, and at night, if the temps warrant it, hot water to warm my feet. These bottles are rigid enought that as lon as the top is on properly, they don't leak.

A third use for this bottle can be a shower of sorts. Just drill/poke some holes in a spare cap or make a liner from a plastic coffee or other can lid. Works great as a sprinkler.

CamperMom

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#146953 - 02/25/11 11:04 AM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: CamperMom]
Kent W Offline
member

Registered: 10/15/09
Posts: 607
Loc: IL.
Folks the camp shower arived to day from REI. I have to say after filling with water and hangingin the shower to test. I a favorably impressed! The water comes out About the same as my green shower head at home. didnt seem to leak at all. Holds 11 liters and will take place of my camp water bag for chores etc.
Also will hang food bag in it at night! I dont normally go for gadgets due to weight, but a couple extra ounces to shower off after a long hike? To me it is a keeper!


Edited by Kent W (02/25/11 11:12 AM)

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#146959 - 02/25/11 01:24 PM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: Kent W]
Dryer Offline

Moderator

Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 3591
Loc: Texas
I had one of their older versions and literally wore it out. Since made another from a plastic jug. I never hiked with it, but instead, left it on top of the van to get hot upon my hike return. Found that if you lay it on something that insulates, it will heat faster.
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#147336 - 03/03/11 09:58 PM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: Dryer]
JollyRogers Offline
member

Registered: 02/16/11
Posts: 26
Loc: Iowa
I got in the habit of "field showers" also known as "whores baths" in the military. Back then we used an empty ammo can and used it to wet our wash cloths with and sponge off. If you were lucky you could heat up the ammo can in a fire, but that was rare. The only times we got showers were when it rained. Heck, I was at one place where the only shower you got was being hit by a fire hose every 10 days.

When backpacking I carry a folding bucket that I use as my camp sink and wash basin. Not to mention hauling water for the gravity filter. Never really considered a camp shower as I never saw more than 1 purpose for it and I didn't think they looked very durable. Either I use bio-degradable wet wipes, dip in the stream or field shower.

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#147348 - 03/04/11 10:56 AM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: phat]
GDeadphans Offline
member

Registered: 12/26/08
Posts: 382
Loc: Maine/New Jersey
Originally Posted By phat

It worked pretty good in the back yard where I could leave it out on a sunny day for a while.. my problem with it backpacking was that I typically wasn't stopped sitting around long enough for it to warm up. and by evening there wasn't enough strong sun.


Keep in mind kent you will most likely have more success than Kent due to latitude differences. Sun is always lower the farther north you go.
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#147377 - 03/04/11 06:44 PM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: GDeadphans]
Kent W Offline
member

Registered: 10/15/09
Posts: 607
Loc: IL.
Yep I will let you know when I return. If I have to carry a couple ounces of extra fuel to heat water and be clean? Looks like a win win situation to me!

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#147626 - 03/10/11 08:57 PM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: JollyRogers]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
A quick dip in any water, even very cold water, is the way I wash. The key is to go in exactly the minute you stop at the campsite - before you cool down and before the skeeters find you. Typical character-building bath conditions on one of my high altitude treks, shown below, featuring my crazy old friend.


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#147632 - 03/10/11 09:34 PM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: wandering_daisy]
Kent W Offline
member

Registered: 10/15/09
Posts: 607
Loc: IL.
LOL, While I do respect your opinion! I am still gonna give a pocket shower a try! That is hard core! How do you get warm afterward. I have taken ice cold showers and jumped in 40 degree water to go water sking on a fluke warm March day. But DAng!

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#148497 - 03/27/11 09:56 PM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: Kent W]
Franco Offline
member

Registered: 04/05/04
Posts: 1010
Loc: Australia
A guy I hiked with has one.
To better understand why, you need to know that he takes a 20-30 min (timed...) hot showers at home or as in our case at the hostel.
He loved it. He started by boiling up some water whilst waiting for the bag to pick up some heat. About half an hour later he was ready.
By then I had my tent up,washed myself (sponge bath) got changed into my night clothes prepared dinner and about to start or having started eating..
But whatever works for you.
Franco

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#148504 - 03/27/11 11:46 PM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: Kent W]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
I have the Amigo Pro which doubles as a shower, if you pull out the filter and put the shower head in the hose end. Hang it in a tree like a bear bag, shower away.

Then I lost the shower head... but emailed ULA and Chris thinks he still has a box of them somewhere! my future as a clean hiker restored.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

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#148518 - 03/28/11 09:35 AM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: lori]
Kent W Offline
member

Registered: 10/15/09
Posts: 607
Loc: IL.
What can I say I like to be clean. I will let ya know my thoughts after I carry it all next week. Franco , If I was trying to pull big miles , I most likley wouldnt have time to mess with it. I normally break camp bye 7 am and on the trail. I should be in camp depending on terrain bye 2:00 PM. I will have lots of time to heat water if need be. Time will tell one week from today and I will be on the road to Gatlinburg!

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#148646 - 03/30/11 11:24 PM Re: Sea to Summit Pocket Shower [Re: JollyRogers]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
Come on you guys! End of day before you cool down, quickly jump into the lake or creek, even if it has ice. You will feel so good! Once you get used to cold dips, you will really like them. If air temps are cold or if it is windy, having water slowly trickle over me sounds like torture. I solar warm water by putting my platypus on top of my black gaiter, but this is to pre-warm cooking water to save fuel, not for baths.

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