Showers

[podge52]

We've been thinking of buying a solar shower to take to glasto has anyone ever used one at glasto or any other fest. Prices start from as little as £3.99 up to £15. Apparently for the £3.99 it gives a 7 minute shower and takes 3 hours to get warm according to the info. So is it worth it and would it piss people off if it was used close to someone elses tent. Not bothered about the warm shower just to stay clean. Been going to fests for 12 years now and never bothered with showers in the past the usual wetwipes and a load of roll on, but had the thought of getting one of the portie showers. Your opinions, views and commets etc would be much appreciated.

[Onus]

We got one and have trialed it in the garden. Won't be taking it though for two reasons - it's heavy (20l is kg after all) and we can't figure out how/where to hang it (not taking a trolley); also, I can see the people in surrounding tents being incovenienced by the waste water. Shame, fancied a shower. Nevermind, wet wipes it is (if I cba to go to the actual showers).

[cejx]

We got one and have trialed it in the garden. Won't be taking it though for two reasons - it's heavy (20l is kg after all) and we can't figure out how/where to hang it (not taking a trolley); also, I can see the people in surrounding tents being incovenienced by the waste water. Shame, fancied a shower. Nevermind, wet wipes it is (if I cba to go to the actual showers).

[MrHew]

Depending on where you camp you might not have room to use it anyway. If you are going to use it though I'd suggest getting some eco shower gel like Ecover or Jasons so you're not washing chemicals straight into the ground.

Personally, I'm with cejx, baby wipes all the way. x

[The Nal]

Bought one from Joe Bananas, going to pick it up at the festival. Ive no problem walking off with it for 5 minutes to find a nice spot for a shower, beats the queue!!

[Magic Bus]

We've got a motorhome, and use solar showers on the roof, fed down thru the shower vent, as they save our valuable batteries and the water in our tank.

[OneLittleFish]

I get a collapsable car wash bucket and sponge from Poundland. Rudimentary but it works

[LusciousLucy]

If you trundle over to the inner fence and as long as you have brought something like one of those strong wooden coathangers, then hanging them up on the fence and showering away I have always found suffices extremely well.

The only bugger of getting one of the solar showers is YOU NEED SUN to warm them up and when you tend to want a shower is NOT the warmest or sunniest part of the day so in the end you never have a shower and rue spending out for it in the first place.

A large tent you can stand up in, a collapsible bucket, some warm water from a nearby kettle and a sponge...works just as good as any shower. I swear by it. 'Tent bath' as we call it.

[podge52]

If you trundle over to the inner fence and as long as you have brought something like one of those strong wooden coathangers, then hanging them up on the fence and showering away I have always found suffices extremely well.

The only bugger of getting one of the solar showers is YOU NEED SUN to warm them up and when you tend to want a shower is NOT the warmest or sunniest part of the day so in the end you never have a shower and rue spending out for it in the first place.

A large tent you can stand up in, a collapsible bucket, some warm water from a nearby kettle and a sponge...works just as good as any shower. I swear by it. 'Tent bath' as we call it.

[G1T]

I filled one up for a kid at Sunrise last weekend, and chatting to him asked him if it worked. 'Nah, it's crap' was the response.

[StoneCircle]

Or if you get there early enough pitch your tent near the inner fence and leave about a 3 foot space so you can shower, I hooked mine over the fence itself and run a line to dry things off. This was at the top of Williams.

[Moonlight]

Sounds like far too much hassle.

I vote baby wipes!

[DevilMadeMeDoIt]

Last year i got up about 8am on the Saturday, none of my friends we awake so being a bit bored i thought i might as well try those green peace showers. Got down there with my towel, your not allowed to take soap with you they supply that eco shower gel. The eco shower gel and dirty water gets recycled back into a garden they have. Once the water has gone through this special garden it comes out clean. Don’t worry they don’t pump the recycled water back though !!!!

Anyway i only queued for about 20 minutes, it was a great feeling to have a nice hot shower to start the day off.

Of course the men’s queue was shorter because the men we taking less time to shower. The women’s queue was very long and they had an hour wait. Not really because there was more women but because instead of taking 10 minutes to get in undress shower dry and out they were taking anything between 20 to 30 minutes each.

[Thatmax]

What I do for cleanliness is at festivals is bring a small bottle of water with 2 in 1 shampoo conditioner mixed in and pour that over my head half way through the weeked, rub it in and pour some normal water over me.

Works a charm for people like me who have blonde hair which grease is incredibly visible in.

[chuckley]

waste of time and money for obvious reasons.

[podge52]

waste of time and money for obvious reasons.

[tvrobbie]

If you get a solar shower, make sure you take some gaffer tape. Lat year I found that any time I tried to use mine the shower head kept popping out of the tube! I used it to wash my hands and face but could have done that in the sink!

[dougied]

For me, a solar shower is an essential. Yeah, you need lots of sun to warm the water, but if there's no sun at least you can have a cold shower...

We were in Pennards, just by the entrance to the Green Futures field, last year. I used to hook the solar bag on the fence there and crouch under it. Ace.

I can't see there's any difference between a £3.99 one and a £15 one - they are just a pvc bag with a hose on.

Second the gaffer tape tip though, they do fall off unless they're fixed.

[Neville Street]

Greenpeace showered 3 times last year, never queued even 10 mins. Each time I was mid/late morning, 1030-1300ish I would say. Bliss, definitely going to use them this year unless the crew ones are as good as I am working this year

[r0cky]

Tried solar showers, but for all the reasons listed above didn't use it.

What I do: is to take a small bowl (pack stuff around it in transit, so doesn't take up too much space), water carrier, flannel, plastic beaker, soap, and towel. I fill up the 15L water carrier on arrival, that generally lasts for the weekend for washing.

So nice to be able to have a wash each morning, and I usually wash my hair on the Saturday with the beaker. Also shave at one point, as my stubble begins to irritate.

[podge52]

Well after reading this i will buy one and will use it at somepoint even if its only once or twice. Not bothered about hot showers as long as i end up clean at the end of it. Sayin all this i might buy one and it ll just end up at the bottom of my rucksack and i ll make do with wipes and a roll on deo.

[eisha]

I bought a collapsible pet water bowl from Tescos for a £1 (ive seen more expensive ones in camping shops) ...that and a sponge and some eco soap works for me...Im lucky my hair lasts more that 5 days without a wash.

[LupineHowl]

Greenpeace showered 3 times last year, never queued even 10 mins. Each time I was mid/late morning, 1030-1300ish I would say. Bliss, definitely going to use them this year unless the crew ones are as good as I am working this year

[noodle24]

wet wipes are much easier!