Shower/No shower

[lhasalady]

We are shopping for our first popup. What are the advantages or disadvantages of having a shower besides the obvious? The kids are grown so that's not a factor.

Thanks,
Sherry

[wavery]

WELCOME TO PUT!!!

We don't have a shower in our PU but we do have a shower tent that we set up if we are going to be camping for more than 2 days and there are no showers available.

I am a big person (6'3" - 225#) and I can't stand a small shower and/or plastic shower curtains. I guess they would be OK for smaller people.

One thing to keep in mind is that PUs with showers and slide-outs hold their value better than ones without. If you are buying new, this could be a consideration. If you are buying used, it makes the ones without even a better deal as they depreciate faster in the 1st 3 years.

[kimrb266]

Our 1st PUP had a CP but no shower.  We had 3 small children and when baths were necessary, we'd either bathe using the outside shower or put them in the galley sink.   At this time, we were happy without a shower but when we purchased our last PUP, I had to have a shower because I don't like public showers.  We absolutely LOVED the shower; it came in handy with the kids and the convenience of our AM shower was wonderful.   We no longer had to worry about showering.  
 
If I had to purchase another PUP, I would purchase one with a shower only because the convenience in itself.

[tlhdoc]

We camp where there aren't showers on a regular basis.  We have also camped where I wouldn't use the showers.  I wouldn't want a camper without a shower.  Clean, warm in the cold weather, cool in the hot weather.  Good luck on finding your PU.

[AZsix]

Welcome. You are about to enter another world! At least I felt that way when I joined not long ago.

We have a shower in our PUP but on the three trips we've taken we have yet to use it. There will be trips when we will need it so I am glad we have it. I know it will get some use.

You need to look at where you will be camping and for how long. As a newbie myself I have found out through this site that state parks are wonderful places to camp. A lot of the SP's here in AZ have showers and the two that we have been to have been really clean.

Just for the record, we also have a toilet and have yet to use that as well.

[kminton]

In our former popup, we had a shower (Coleman Niagara).  We had a 2 y.o. at the time so it was mainly to bathe her.

Another advantage we found was: that when we dry camped in the Smokies, we could get a shower and enjoy our stay longer.  There are no showers in the National Park only potties.  Now it wasn't a long shower but it was enough to feel refreshed and clean.  We only had a 5 gallon gas can to catch our grey water.  We didn't have any problems with moisture either - we usually took the shower curtain outside after we finished our morning showers to dry.

Disadvantage:  It took up a lot of floor space (but we weren't in the camper a lot anyway).  For traveling, we could store dirty clothes and garbage can in it.

Just my $0.02 worth
Kerri

[austinado16]

Welcome!

I guess you have to think about; would you use it, would you rather have that space dedicated to something else, would you rather use public showers, if you do use it would you be able to keep from using up all your water supply if you dry camp (moot if you camp with hook ups).

We've got one without.  I'm kinda of a "gear" guy, so I like stuff with all the features possible.  But then again, sometimes less is more.......I don't have a water heater to deal with, or all the extra plumbing, and weight, and more stuff to service and keep an eye on, etc.

We only dry camp and so far, it's not been missed or really wanted and the public showers have been nice........so far.  Plus, we seem pretty adept at needing all the storage space we can get.

To give you an idea of what we'd loose if we had the model with the shower, here's a page out of the brochure for our Starcraft.  The top camper is the one with the shower in the upper left corner of the floor plan.  Our model is the bottom camper.  Without the shower, we get the kitchen and cabinets in that upper left corner, a big long cabinet in the lower right, our stove isn't parked right next to where someone's sitting in the dinette, and our dinette is off to the side so we don't climb over it to get in and out of the front bunk.

[6fordaroad]

We just recently bought our pop up, and have to say we love it!!  We have the 08 Fleetwood Avalon.  We went down to Benson last weekend and the kids went swimming in the pool.  So needless to say, we had to use the shower on our maiden voyage.  IT WAS GREAT!  We were at the KOA down there but when the kids were done swimming they couldn't use the public shower because they were cleaning it, so we hauled them into the camper one at a time and they all took a shower.  We have both inside and outside showers.  Personally, I wouldn't get anything without a shower.  But that's just me.

[fritz_monroe]

When we bought our pup last year, we were originally looking at nothing but shower models.  We ultimately decided that it is not necessary.  My view is you lose some living space for something that we would rarely use.  So far over the past 2 seasons, there has only been 1 trip that a shower would have been nice.  Still not necessary, though.  If we have to, we will use the outside shower.

[ForestCreature]

We gave up valuable floorspace for the shower, and in an Aliner that is sizable! Are we sorry, not a bit. I wouldn't trade the shower for more storage.

We use the shower/cassette often when we are dry camping back in the forest. Nothing beats a shower after a days hiking in 90* + and youre hot, dirty and sweaty. Then after that you open the slightly larger fridge (3 cf) and pull out an Ice Cream from the freezer !  :frosty:

[tlhdoc]

I contacted the campground that we are going to for Thanksgiving.  I found out that they turn the water off at the campsites and that the bath houses are also closed.  I am not surprised that the water is turned off, but I expected to be able to use the campground showers.  Glad we have our own shower/toilet.  Other wise we could get a little stinky.

[eanddrice]

We are on our 2nd PUP with shower and would not be without it.  Well worth the space it uses.  Having the shower and toilet means DW likes to camp.

[TroutBum]

Shower? Who needs to shower?

You should ask yourself how often you will be camping in excess of 2-3 nights. And of those times, how often will be somewhere that doesn't offer them.  Most of the shower facilities I have encountered are at worst nothing that a pair of sandles won't make tolerable.  (by the way, Four Paws Kingdom CG in North Carolina has showers that were cleaner than mine at home)

I use a solar shower on longer trips.  It works fairly well, though it takes longer to heat than advertised.

Just my 2c

[TXpopper]

Seems like everyone answering this thread who has a shower is very happy having one, and would probably get one in their next PUP.  Those without showers seem to justify not having one for various reasons, but unless they have had a PUP with a shower will they ever really know?  

I spent lots of years using a tent, and one of the main reasons I bought a PUP was for the inside shower and toilet (yes we use both).  I personally will never go back to tent camping, or buy a PUP without a shower and toilet.  

I'm sure a few will say they had a PUP with a shower and now they don't because they don't need it, just like others don't have heaters or air conditioners.  I'm really glad we got a Niagara, it has just the right stuff for us, and still feels enough like camping to keep us very happy.

[LimeJeeeep]

went through two pop ups ...get a hybrid

troutbum like your avatar.still listen much?check out the latest from deadnet road trip #1 vol ! is on its way