Camper Van Shower Guide & Alternatives

Do you need a camper van shower? Many people (myself included) think the answer is yes, only to find out that they never use it.

There are many options for showers while traveling. I was surprised how easy it was to find affordable public showers to use instead of showering in my van.

After a few weeks living full-time in my van I regretted building a shower. It was expensive and time consuming, and now it’s just a glorified closet because I rarely use it to shower in.

But what’s the right decision for you? Shower, or no shower?

In this article:

• How To Shower In A Van
• Where To Find Public Showers
• Van Life Shower Ideas For Your Build
• Pros & Cons Of A Campervan With A Shower

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How To Shower In A Van

There are two primary categories for showering in a van: have some sort of camper van shower, or find a public shower nearby.

Find A Shower Nearby

Finding public showers is actually much easier than I anticipated. And, surprisingly, they’re usually extremely affordable.

The iOverlander app is my favorite way to find public showers near me. I just open the app, filter for showers, and can see locations other users have pinned and left reviews for.

There is also a Public Shower Directory that can be useful.

It’s quite common to find showers available at local recreation centers, aquatic centers, many gyms and most marina’s.

Local campgrounds will sometimes have drop-in shower fees for non-campers as well.

These options have been my favorite way to find showers while traveling because they’re typically $4-5 per visit with no time limits.

Occasionally, I find a coin-operated shower (about once every 6 months or so, they’re not as common anymore) that I have to feed every minute to keep the water running.

If all else fails, you can easily find showers at truck stops. These are generally fancier – you’ll have an entire room to yourself, and the cleaning staff comes through between every user so they’re very tidy.

The downside to truck stop showers is that they’re usually $14+ per person, and you may have to wait for your turn.

I’ve used these in a pinch here and there, but $14 per shower adds up really quickly so it’s not my favorite option for van life showers.

If you’re full-time traveling, or plan to be on the road for an extended period of time it may be more cost effective to get a gym membership.

My first year on the road I was traveling in states that didn’t have many Planet Fitness locations, so I went to local, independent public showers and paid $5 per visit.

After that, I was more frequently around Planet Fitness locations so it made more sense to get their Black Card membership (around $25/month) so I could drop in at any location and shower whenever I wanted.

Anytime Fitness is another popular chain for monthly memberships that also provide access to showers.

Camper Van Shower Options

If you plan to shower in the comfort of your own van there are several ways to achieve that!

• You can build a fixed indoor shower (this is what I did).
• You can use an outdoor campervan shower (ironically, I use my outdoor shower more than I use my indoor shower).
• Or, you can have a portable camper van shower that you set up when needed, but doesn’t take up spaces inside your van.

Each of these options comes with pro’s and con’s. Depending on where you plan on traveling (climate and privacy), some of these will work better than others.

Fixed Indoor Camper Van Shower

As someone who built a custom camper van shower into my first van build, I can definitely understand the appeal of a dedicated place to shower in a van.

Not only does a camper van shower create a place to rinse off, but it also doubles as a good place to keep your campervan toilet.

I also use mine for hanging clothes. This was a bit of an after thought in my build – I realized I never had any wrinkle-free clothes and I wanted a place to hang a few dresses and nicer tops.

After a bit of searching I found this retractable hanging rack. It works perfectly because I can pull it out of the way when I shower, which makes set up easier than installing a rod I would have to move every time I shower.

My camper van shower is also where I store my airhead composting toilet, dirty laundry bag, a broom, and a bag of dog food.

My shower dimensions are approximately 3ft x 2ft. It’s enough space to shower in, without being too large and taking up unnecessary space.

Building a DIY camper van shower can be a huge project. My shower is located along the wheelwell, which meant I could not buy a standard shower pan. I had to build my own out of fiberglass – that was super expensive and took me an entire weekend.

Luckily, you can now buy an entire camper van shower that comes ready to install and is completely waterproof. That takes this project down from a few days to a few hours!

I had a chance to see one of these showers in real life at a van expo recently – the quality is insane. The door even locks! Maybe there is such thing as privacy in a van 🙂

This camper van shower comes in a few size options, depending on your van layout. It’s not inexpensive by any means, but it does make for a much easier DIY build.

Outdoor Camper Van Shower

An outdoor camper van shower is a fairly simple and cost effective option for showering in a van.

I installed an outdoor camper van shower in my Ford Transit because I travel in my van with a dog and figured this was a great dog wash solution.

It is, and it also turns out I prefer my outdoor shower over my indoor shower. It’s easier to use, especially if I just need to wash my hair.

When I use my indoor shower, I wipe down the walls after each use to keep it clean and help remove moisture from inside my van. With the outdoor camper van shower I don’t need to do any of that.

My outdoor camper van shower is installed in the back bench seat. I can access it by opening my rear doors. I prefer this over having the shower installed on the outside of my van because I don’t like cutting into my van any more than I absolutely need to.

I installed this camper shower box and it’s worked well. It’s particularly great if you plan on having the shower installed on the outside of your van because you can lock it.

However, after a few years on the road I’ve seen some more innovative options. For my next build I would use something like this quick disconnect hose and attach it to either this simple access port or a faucet with temperature controls.

I like the quick disconnect hose because it can be detached easily, which means you don’t have to worry about it accidentally turning on and dumping water into your van if the handles are bumped (yes- I’ve actually seen it happen!).

Since I mostly travel in warm weather, the water in my fresh water tank is usually warm enough to shower in, so I don’t need a faucet with temperature controls. The direct port is easier to install (you only have to plumb one line, not two) and cheaper.

For some added privacy while showering outside of your van, I recommend you get a shower curtain. You can DIY one with some leftover fabric and a few magnets, or you can buy one online, like this one on Amazon (and also available on Campervan-HQ).

Alternatively, there are pop-up shower tents and ones that can be hung from your roof rack or a tree branch.

Portable Camper Van Shower Options

There are a variety of portable options for camper van showers.

Camplux Tankless Camper Van Shower

If you have propane in your camper, the Camplux tankless shower is a great option. It’s powered by 12v and can connect to your van batteries or a cigarette outlet.

The water is heated from your portable propane tank and the built-in pump can pull water from any water source.

Solar Showers For Campervans

Solar showers are very popular for vanlife and camping. They’re special bags you fill with water and let sit in the sun to warm up.

Once the water has warmed, you attach the shower hose and hang the bag in a tree or on the side of your van. No pump is needed, just gravity.

Solar camper van showers are more affordable and extremely portable.

BOXIO Wash Camper Van Shower

BOXIO sells several innovating camper van bathroom and kitchen solutions. Their Wash is a sink and a shower, and it’s completely portable so you can bring it anywhere.

The compact box houses everything you need – a holding tank for fresh water and a second tank for gray (dirty) water. The faucet and hand pump both fold into the sink so the lid can be placed on for storage when traveling.

To shower, just replace the faucet with the shower hose.

And because there’s an integrated hand pump, no electricity is needed to operate this camper van shower!

Geyser Heated Portable Shower

The Geyser system is especially great for low water consumption. The integrated sponge means you don’t need constant flowing water to get clean, so less water is used.

Geyser can heat water to 95°F and uses less than 1 gallon of water for a 15-minute shower.

This is also great for washing gear and dogs.

Other Camper Van Shower Ideas

These are some additional ideas for creative ways to put a shower in a van.

Pop-up Campervan Shower

A pop-up van shower requires the least amount of space. It also requires the least amount of build time and materials while still maintaining the ability to privately shower inside of your campervan.

Pop-up van showers are exactly what they sound like! This shower does not have a dedicated space.

Instead, it is stored away when not in use. When showering, your pop-up shower can be set up anywhere inside of your van. This solution has the most flexibility for a camper van shower.

Some pop-up showers have a built in drain that leads to the gray tank. However, this isn’t a requirement. You can opt for an enclosed base to catch the shower water, instead.

To build a pop-up shower you’ll need a shower “base” (with or without drain), a shower curtain you can hang and a shower head.

The shower head can be as simple as an attachment for your van sink, or you can install a shower head that has a bit more water pressure.

Tetravan has an incredibly compact fold down shower pan that’s perfect for a pop-up shower. It’s plumbed to drain into your gray tank under the van, and comes with everything you need for a shower, stored neatly in one thin little box.

The largest downfall to this camper van shower setup is having to wait for the shower curtain to dry before storing it so it doesn’t get moldy.

NOTE: The Tetravan folding camper van shower system is also available at NomadicSupply.com

Modular Indoor Campervan Shower

A modular van shower is an option that falls between a fixed shower and a pop-up shower. These camper van showers are typically built into the base cabinets under a countertop, and can be set up to have a shower with relatively few steps. 

Because the modular camper van shower isn’t a full shower it allows you to have more options and storage in your van build while still maintaining a dedicated van shower space. 

Like the fixed van shower, this is also a space for your composting camper van toilet.

Benefits Of Having A Camper Van Shower

There are several benefits to having a camper van shower, like the convenience of being able to shower whenever and wherever you want. In addition, there are other less common benefits, like resale value and safety.

#1 – Saves Time

Let me just state the obvious – being able to shower in your own “home”, without having to wear shower shoes (because public showers can be YUCK) whenever you want is as convenient as it’s going to get.

Not having to constantly search for a local place to shower, drive to said location and pay a shower fee is a really nice perk to a camper van shower. 

There are some days where it takes me two hours to shower. By the time I pack up the van, drive to the gym, shower, and get back to camp I’ve wasted a large portion of my morning. If, instead, I had showered in my van I would have been done in 20-minutes.

#2 – Resale Value

The second benefit to having a campervan with shower is in resale value. Vans with some type of shower, ability to wash bikes and gear appeal to more people.

Basic supply and demand principles apply- the more people willing to buy your vehicle, the more you can sell your van for- and the faster you’ll be able to close the sale!

#3 – Privacy

Having a camper van shower means you don’t have to shower in public spaces.

As much as I love the great water pressure and endless hot water at Planet Fitness, I’m still aware that I’m showering in a locker room with other people around.

There’s a slight inconvenience to having to walk around in a towel, wearing shoes so your feet don’t touch the floor and keeping the volume of your podcast down so it doesn’t bother other people.

#4 – Pandemic Proof

In 2020, when the pandemic hit, there were hardly any public showers that were open. This made it extremely hard for everyone in van life who relied on gym showers.

While I hope we never have to experience that again, it’s not a bad idea to have some form of camper van shower available to you, just in case.

The Downsides To Having A Shower In A Van

There are a few downsides to having a camper van shower – namely the lack of space and access to water.

#1 – Space

The first obstacle to having a campervan with shower is the space it requires.

Depending on which type of camper van shower you go with the space needed will vary.

When you’re living in 80 square feet every inch counts! Space dedicated to a shower (and the plumbing system accompanying it) is space you can’t use for other things, like a van office, storage, seating, bunk beds, or different utilities such as a diesel heater, an oven or a refrigerator.

The reality is that everything you decide to add to your van build is also a decision about what not to add due to space constraints.

#2 – Complex Plumbing

I hinted at the plumbing requirements above, and the reality is that installing any type of shower means running additional plumbing lines, and probably adding a water heater.

The more plumbing you install, the more things you have that can break or leak. Plumbing fixtures and pipe fittings are also wildly expensive.

#3 – Water Consumption

Perhaps the biggest obstacle to truly benefiting from a camper van with a shower is the limited amount of water you can carry in your van.

A typical 10-minute shower consumes up to 60 gallons of water. Instead, most vanlifers take “military showers” – as in, water on, water off, water on, water off.

This (very unsatisfying) way of showering consumes about 3 gallons of water in total. Assuming you’re carrying 30 gallons of water, one shower equals ~10% of your total capacity.

The more you shower, the more frequently you’ll have to fill your fresh water tank and dump your gray water tank.

Additionally, water tanks take up a huge amount of space, and water is really heavy to carry which decreases your MPG.

Vans tend to top out at 40 gallons of fresh water. However, the majority of vans only carry 20-30 gallons or less. 

Personally, I think the convenience of showering in my van doesn’t outweigh the inconvenience of having to fill and dump (which is one of my least favorite things about van life).

#4 – Additional time and cost to build

Building an indoor camper van shower is the most expensive way to incorporate a shower in your build. If you’re looking for an easy shower solution, portable solar showers are a great cost effective choice, instead.

In order to build an indoor camper van shower you’ll need:

• additional plumbing (tubes and connections/shutoff valves) ($40+)
• a shower head and mixing valve ($90+)
• a drain ($20)
• a water heater (you might opt for this regardless, but I do not personally think the space required to have a water heater is justified if you’re only using it for washing hands and dishes- room temperature water is just fine for me if it means I get back precious storage space) ($175)
• a larger fresh water tank (+$20)
• a larger gray water tank (+$20)
• a shower pan ($150+)

In general, adding a camper van shower will cost approximately $700+, not including labor.

The total increase in build cost will greatly vary depending on the complexity of your shower.

In addition to extra cost, a shower will also require additional time. Even the simplest shower set up will require running plumbing lines to a shower head as well as installing a drain system.

If you’re building a fixed, modular or pop-up van shower this will add several days of labor to your timeline, as these require more than just plumbing. There’s quite a bit of custom carpentry and engineering that will be required in order to fit these showers into your van build.

#5 – Moisture Management

The biggest threat to any van is moisture. Over time, moisture can lead to mold, rot, and mildew.

If you plan to shower in your van it’s incredibly important to have proper ventilation, like a roof vent fan to exhaust moist air out of your van.

I have also found that a few interior 12v fans help circulate the air, keeping the moisture content under control, and also helping to regulate the temperature in your van. My favorite is the Sirocco fan.

FAQs: Camper Van Showers

How do you shower when living out of a van?

Some people have showers inside of their vans. Others use public showers – either through gym memberships like Planet Fitness, or by purchasing a day pass (or a shower pass) to local aquatic or fitness centers. Lastly, truck stops offer showers for anyone living out of a van, but these tend to be the most expensive option.

Is it worth it to have a shower in a van?

If you plan to live in your van full-time it may be worth it to have a shower. Showers require a significant amount of space and a water tank large enough to hold enough shower water. For most people, it is not worth it to have a shower in a van, and instead to use public showers at gyms, pools or truck stops.

Where do van lifers go to the bathroom?

Most van lifers go to the bathroom in their vans- either with a portable camper van toilet, a composting toilet, or a simple pee jug. Other van lifers use public restrooms, like Starbucks, pit toilets at trailheads, or truck stops.

Verdict: A Shower In A Van is Not Necessary for Most Van Lifers

So, is a camper van shower worth it?

A full van shower set up – probably not.

In most cases having a fixed camper van shower setup is not necessary. If an interior shower is a must for your van lifestyle then consider a modular or pop-up shower. These require a small amount of setup but create a lot more storage space in your build overall.

An exterior shower – absolutely.

Regardless of how you choose to live vanlife you should always consider installing an exterior shower. These double as a dog wash, a bike wash, a post-beach sand rinse, etc. They’re relatively inexpensive and take up very little space.