| 368 | Pocket Shower | 2011-03-30 |
Spring is finally coming. We are busy planning weekend trips for the spring and for a longer summer trip. While the weather is still cool, it is hard to remember last summer, when it was so hot. Yes, it was hot and when you hiked and climbed it was sweaty.
While Amy and I were climbing the Colorado 14ers a couple of years ago, we found that store bought showers required too much energy. As long as we had food, we would not go to town and therefore would not take showers. Still, each day we climbed and most days were filled with sweaty endeavors. Soon, we were begging each other to use the mighty odor reducing deodorant sticks. We understood that our noses would eventually get used to the smell; but we never found that sweet spot. During the trip we purchased the Pocket Shower to use for camp clean ups. We used it regularly.
Then last summer (2010) most of our showers were taken with the Pocket Shower. While others in our group were driving to town for showers, we just heated up some water and washed the dirt and odors away.
A few Pocket Shower tips ...
Filling the bag with water and leaving it in the sun heats the water some; but we found adding hot water to the bag was the best method to avoid a cold shower.
The dry bag opening made it east to add the hot water.
Find a sunny location for the shower if possible. With the sun warming your body, a barely warm shower is easier to take.
The bag holds 10 liters (that was enough water for both of us to take a good rinsing.)
The bag leaks. This was not a problem for us; but it is not a water storage bag.
The bag is light (5 ounces ) and packs to the size of a sunglasses case.
It is possible to hang the bag from a limb; but I would replace the supplied cord with a slightly larger cord.
We had good luck using the bag by just laying it on a boulder and pushing the bag to force a stream.
We also used a basin to catch the water. We could reuse the water in some cases (for feet washing, etc); but it also enabled us to scatter the water when we were finished.
At $5.00 a shower for each of us, the Pocket Shower paid for itself in a few days.
The Pocket Shower also saves you the time and cost of driving to the shower.
Some LNT hints: collect your water and go at least 200 feet from the water source and from camp. Use a scent free and biodegradable (no phosphate) soap or just rinse off. Check out the Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash soap.
The Sea to Summit Shower is our 5th (!) showering device. It is the only one that we still use.
Happy clean body trails