A portable shower just may be the answer to all your sandy problems.
Sometimes a single use justifies a purchase. I insisted on bringing my new Beach Soul Portable Shower along on an outback Queensland road trip, much to hubby’s chagrin, as we were staying somewhere with facilities, not off-grid camping.
Parked beside Lake Houdraman at Quilpie on a 40°C-plus day, I attempted to go for a swim. Let’s just say I didn’t make it through the quagmire of calf-deep, glutinous mud hidden beneath fringing plants. There was no way I could get back in the car with the ganache-like coating of liquorice black mud on my legs and feet.
Hubby had to admit, the Beach Soul saved the day – and the upholstery!
BORN OF NECESSITY
The saying ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ is true for Beach Soul designers Bec and Luis Gil of northern New South Wales. As parents of three young children who love the beach, they needed an easy way to rinse off sandy kids that didn’t involve batteries or electricity. Something simple the kids could even use themselves.
They took inspiration from the humble garden spray bottle. In fact, their first prototype – affectionately called the Franken-shower – was a garden hose head attached to a pressure sprayer. Fast forward countless hours of research and development, testing and tweaking, and the Beach Soul Portable Shower – coming in a five, eight or 10-litre tank – was born.
And there’s heart behind what they do. The Gils have chosen durable materials built to last, provide spare parts to save on landfill, use sleeves made from recycled plastic bottles (some decorated with paid artwork) and plant a tree for every order.
HOW IT WORKS
Unscrew the handle, which doubles as the pump, fill the tank with hot or cold water and screw the handle back in. Twist to unlock the handle and pump up and down seven to nine times to build up air pressure in the tank, forcing water through the showerhead when you flick the nozzle on.
As the water level in the tank drops, so does the pressure, meaning you need an additional two to four pumps about every 20 to 30 seconds which, when I’m using it as a camp shower, coincides with when I turn it off to lather up or put shampoo or conditioner in my hair.
There are 10 different showerhead modes, ranging from a single jet to traditional shower spray, though I only ever use about five. Pressure from the wide spray is great for a portable shower, but if you have thick hair like me, you may need the narrow spray for better pressure to rinse out shampoo.
The Beach Soul runs for three-and-a-half to six minutes, depending on the showerhead mode selected. A detailed list of runtimes is available on the website, which also has lots of user information and how-to videos.
Interestingly, the manufacturer says you should only three-quarter fill the tank, which equates to six litres of water in the eight-litre unit, although I usually put in about seven.
To test run times, I used six litres of water and the stated 3.25 minutes of continuous flow on the wide spray mode was spot on. A couple of other modes tested were within 20 seconds of the time specified.
The tank is made from black BPA-free plastic, which helps keep water warm for a couple of hours and prevents the growth of algae and bacteria. A valve on the top releases air pressure when you want to open the tank to refill.
Because of its 56-centimetre height, the eight-litre model doesn’t fit under our kitchen sink or laundry taps, but that’s a minor issue. It comes with a hook to hold the showerhead on the unit, replacement seals and a two-year warranty.
A showerhead holder (additional cost), which suctions on to a car or caravan, leaving your hands free, is super flexible so you can angle the shower for adult or kiddie heights.
THE VERDICT
I love the simplicity of the self-contained, non-spillable, take-anywhere design. The handle locks in firmly, is comfortable to carry and the unit feels sturdy, like it can take some knock-about action, with the washable neoprene cover providing extra protection and insulation.
It’s stable and the on-off lever is not going to get bumped on in transit. The coiled hose is flexible and doesn’t tangle. You can fill the tank with cold or hot water, which will stay hot for several hours depending on the ambient temperature.
The suction showerhead holder is a must-have accessory, in my opinion, although a hook to attach it to the unit for transport would be appreciated.
Beach Soul’s portability means you can take it to the beach for showering off after a swim or use it around the campsite for rinsing dishes, washing the dog or for kids’ water play. And, of course, it’s also handy for hosing muddy feet or boots to keep the car clean.
The new 10-litre food-grade model is a game-changer, and an ideal way to carry extra drinking water in your RV, especially on remote outback trips.
SPECIFICATIONS
SIZE 8L
DIMENSIONS 56cm x 18cm
WEIGHT EMPTY 1.8kg
WEIGHT FULL 10.3kg
MATERIAL High quality HDPE plastic (BPA free)
SLEEVE 4mm 73% REPREVE recycled polyester, 27% spandex
ACCESSORIES Suction showerhead holder ($45)
WARRANTY 2 years
RRP: FROM $170
*CMCA members receive $10 off as part of Member Advantages.
