Howdy folks! When we're out overlanding in the Tramper, we hate giving up the creature comforts of home — and there's nothing worse than smelling like a Sasquatch when snuggling up to your honey. With a multi-day off-grid trip to Overland Expo East coming up, we ran an experiment: hook up the shower, show you exactly how we get clean, and figure out how much water a shower really costs us. We're pro-shower around here.
The Setup, Step by Step
The whole shower rigs up off the side of the truck in a few minutes. The awning comes out a little for cover, and straps go up on the Front Runner rack — snug but not cranked down, since the rack isn't meant to hold much hanging weight. The side window opens and gets secured to the rack with a strap, our shower tent hangs from the straps for privacy, and the sprayer hose hooks up to the sink's water supply.
One detail worth stealing: the shower head holder is a metal clamp that grips the edge of the open window, with a little piece of cut rubber between clamp and body so it never scratches the paint.
The One-Gallon Shower
Here's the discipline that makes off-grid showering work: we limit total running-water time to about 2 minutes per shower, which works out to roughly one gallon of water per person. Wet down, water off, soap up, rinse fast. That number is the whole reason for the experiment — once you know a shower costs a gallon, you know exactly how many days of clean you're carrying. Watch the video for the full test (and a warning about soapy feet on a slick mat).
Shower Gear We Use
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Outdoor Shower Tent
Hangs from the rack straps for instant privacy.
Hibbent Sprayer
The shower sprayer that hooks up to the Tramper's sink.
Bamfan Bamboo Bath Mat
Clean feet, no mud — just mind the soap, it gets slick.
Clean and Comfortable, Anywhere
You don't need a bathhouse or a big RV wet bath to stay clean on the road — just a few straps, a tent, a sprayer, and the discipline to keep it to a gallon. See the whole experiment in the video (mosquitoes and all), and check out the full Tramper tour to see the plumbing behind it.
Curious how the rest of the Tramper works?
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▶ Subscribe on YouTubeDisclaimer: The information provided in this article and its video is for entertainment/educational purposes only. By following any advice from this article, video, or any provided links, you do so at your own risk. Please consult with a professional before attempting any construction, plumbing or electrical work.