What's the best campervan shower?Choosing the Best Fit for Your Adventure Van

What shower option is best for your build?

Imagine returning to your van after a long day on the trails. You're caked in dust and sweat, and ready for a nice warm shower. What shower set up do you want to have in your van?

Whether or not to have a shower is one of the more controversial choices in campervan conversions. Some people can't imagine life without a full shower cubicle, while others are more than happy with a sink and a wet cloth.

But what are your options when thinking about a shower in a van, and which one suits your lifestyle best?

In our vans, we offer four shower solutions:

1) fixed internal shower

2) a pop-up internal shower

3) an outdoor shower

4) no shower at all/portable shower

Which one is right for your adventure van conversion?

1. Fixed internal shower

Many people opt for a permanent fixed internal shower in their campervan, as this provides the most privacy and "at-home" experience. With this option, you would be choosing to dedicate a full space in your van for your shower.

A permanent internal shower offers home luxury.

Pros

-Dedicated shower space means you can shut the door and shower in privacy, more like being at home

-Provides a permanent wet room, great for hanging up wet kit after being out in the sea or the rain

-Can double as a toilet room, giving you privacy for doing your business inside your van

Cons

-Space: a comfortable shower space will need to be a least 700mmx700mm, and even that is a fairly small shower cubicle. Do you want to give up that much of your campervan for a luxury you can only use for 5 minutes a day?

Who is this for?

-Long-wheelbase van conversions

-Permanent van lifers

-People who often have wet kit

2. Pop-up internal shower

This option entails having a permanent shower tray and shower point inside your van, but hidden in a bench or a cupboard. We use this in our medium wheelbase Summit layout. You have a full sized shower in under a minute when you want to use it, and the rest of the time your shower is a bench or cupboard.

A pop up shower offers the privacy of an internal shower without taking up space.

Pros

-Not having a permanent cubicle means you have a lot more space in your campervan on a regular basis - and if you won't be using the shower for the entirety of your trip, you have an extra place to store more kit!

-Since it's an internal shower, you still can shower anywhere in privacy

Cons

-Some set up required (ours takes about 1 minute to set up)

-Doesn't provide good hanging space for wet kit

-Doesn't provide a separate room for your toilet

Who is this for?

-Medium wheelbase adventure vans

-People who want a more open van layout while still havign the option of a private shower

-We use this option in our Summit van conversion (check it out here!)

Setting up a pop-up shower is pretty easy!

3. External Shower

This option means you have a shower point built into your van, typically in the garage area, so you can take an outdoor shower. We include this in most of our builds, as the shower point can double as a dog wash or kit wash. We also love an outdoor shower ourselves while wild camping - there's nothing like a shower with a view!

An external shower point is great for outdoor showers and for washing off kit and dogs

Pros

-Super simple set up

-Doesn't require draining from the van

-Doubles as a dog or kit wash

Cons

-Not much privacy

-Weather dependent - not great for winter days

Who is this for?

-Everyone! an outdoor shower point is a great addition to any camper conversion

-People who will normally be on a campsite with shower facilities

-Those who are happy to have a sink shower if the weather isn't great or they can't access a public shower

-Smaller builds, like our Onyx Defender.

4. No Shower or Portable Shower

This is also a great option. Many people don't want to add the complication of more plumbing into their vans, and therefore don't want a shower at all. What’s more, there are a number of great portable showers out there that you can bring along. Plus, if you're going to be on campsites often, why put a shower in your van when you can have a great shower at your campsite?

Pros

-Simplifies the plumbing in your campervan

-Requires no space inside your campervan

-You can still have a sponge shower if you aren't somewhere where you can find a public shower

Cons

-You may not be able to shower!

Who's this for?

-Anyone who will be staying on campsites or who is happy to make do without a shower.

Conclusion: So what's the best campervan shower option?

Choosing the right option for your campervan conversion

There's no wrong choice when deciding on your campervan shower, but make sure you've thought through how you're going to use your campervan and what's most important to you.

If space inside your campervan is your priority, consider just having an outdoor shower. If you love your creature comforts, an indoor shower is probably the way to go. If you want the best of both worlds, a pop-up shower like in our Summit conversion is a great option.

Here at Onyx, we specialise in designing a adventure vans to suit your lifestyle - with or without a built-in shower.

Want to see how some different options look in a van? Check out our build gallery here.

Ready to start planning your conversion? Get in touch for a free consultation.

Ready to start planning? Get in touch to make your campervan come to life!