A shower has been the one item that could make me look longingly at a 159". The net is crowded with folks who store stuff in the shower they never use, but as hikers we need one. In the best hiking conditions, campground showers are often non-existent or closed, plus we don't like to forego a nice boondocking spot for a campground just so we can take a shower. We have a shower set up outside the slider which works well in warm, calm conditions, but that's not when we're likely to be hiking. And no, baby wipes, etc., are simply not enough, particularly several days in a row.
The "plumbing" for the shower is a "Helio". We used it outside on our last trip and we're impressed. The Helio holds just shy of 3 gallons. We each use about a gallon, so there's a safety factor. To make the Helio easier to carry when full, I made a carrier with a solid base and handles.
So far, we have heated a bit less than a gallon on the butane stove for each Helio fill. We'd like to find a better way--that Isotemp would be great if we had a place for it, but we don't.
So on to the shower stall. The superstructure weighs less than a pound. I can set up or take down in less than a minute. Like most folks contemplating this, I started thinking round. That just didn't work. Pieces started to fall into place when I started thinking in straight lines.
For some time, I have had two stainless steel hooks about 20" apart attached to the ceiling rib in the doorway. They are handy for hanging various things. I also have magnetic hooks about 36" apart on the metal surface below the overhead bin. These are my attachment points.
Just dropping from those attachment points would give me a trapezoid. A 36" tent pole hooked into eyelets in the straps gives me a 2' x 3' rectangle. Given that the superstructure is so light, I hung it with 3/8" grosgrain ribbon and plastic rings from Hobby Lobby. I made the tent pole from parts obtained at questoutfitters.com.
Before the door:
The structure is coated ripstock nylon from questoutfitters.com. This is the same fabric I made my awning from and which lines the sides of my door screen. Light, sturdy, and works easily. I ran the fabric horizontally, so top and bottom edges are selvage. The sides taper down at the corners to fit into a 15" x 18" x 6" plastic bus box (for clearing restaurant tables) that I found at Sam's. Quite sturdy. It holds 7 gallons, so a couple of gallons should be easy to handle.
The bottom of the curtain goes about halfway into the box. To keep it there, I lined the box with the mosquito curtain material that I replaced with noseeum a few months ago. Ordinary netting would work fine. I ran this fabric to the top edge of the box, then sewed the bottom of the curtain to it. This will also keep the wet curtain from sticking to the box.
I then cut down a 15" x 20" poly cutting board from Walmart and placed it inside the box on top of the netting. Besides protecting the feet from the ribs in the bottom of the box, this board firmly holds the bottom assembly in place.
Looking down before door install:
There is a nominally 5" doorway, but it widens when the rings are slid on the pole. A "door" attaches to one side and is closed by looping its ring over the outer end of the pole. I left it as a full rectangle, so it drapes around enough to allow the wand to snake through without risk of leakage.
With the shower stall in place, all drawers and fridge are fully accessible, the counter is usable, the potty can be deployed, and there's still room to move around. Only the front seats and the microwave are obstructed. This means we can leave the stall up to dry before storing. (Superstructure easily fits in bus box.). The MaxAir directly above should help with drying and humidity control.
Wand holder and soap dish are works in progress. Soap dish will probably be a ladle hung from the pole. Wand holder may be a modified ladle.
And, BTW, we won't need full window cover to use this. Our one-led license plate light over the counter gives enough light to see but not be seen.
We should get to test it when we head to the Grand Canyon in the next week or so.
The "plumbing" for the shower is a "Helio". We used it outside on our last trip and we're impressed. The Helio holds just shy of 3 gallons. We each use about a gallon, so there's a safety factor. To make the Helio easier to carry when full, I made a carrier with a solid base and handles.
So far, we have heated a bit less than a gallon on the butane stove for each Helio fill. We'd like to find a better way--that Isotemp would be great if we had a place for it, but we don't.
So on to the shower stall. The superstructure weighs less than a pound. I can set up or take down in less than a minute. Like most folks contemplating this, I started thinking round. That just didn't work. Pieces started to fall into place when I started thinking in straight lines.
For some time, I have had two stainless steel hooks about 20" apart attached to the ceiling rib in the doorway. They are handy for hanging various things. I also have magnetic hooks about 36" apart on the metal surface below the overhead bin. These are my attachment points.
Just dropping from those attachment points would give me a trapezoid. A 36" tent pole hooked into eyelets in the straps gives me a 2' x 3' rectangle. Given that the superstructure is so light, I hung it with 3/8" grosgrain ribbon and plastic rings from Hobby Lobby. I made the tent pole from parts obtained at questoutfitters.com.
Before the door:
The structure is coated ripstock nylon from questoutfitters.com. This is the same fabric I made my awning from and which lines the sides of my door screen. Light, sturdy, and works easily. I ran the fabric horizontally, so top and bottom edges are selvage. The sides taper down at the corners to fit into a 15" x 18" x 6" plastic bus box (for clearing restaurant tables) that I found at Sam's. Quite sturdy. It holds 7 gallons, so a couple of gallons should be easy to handle.
The bottom of the curtain goes about halfway into the box. To keep it there, I lined the box with the mosquito curtain material that I replaced with noseeum a few months ago. Ordinary netting would work fine. I ran this fabric to the top edge of the box, then sewed the bottom of the curtain to it. This will also keep the wet curtain from sticking to the box.
I then cut down a 15" x 20" poly cutting board from Walmart and placed it inside the box on top of the netting. Besides protecting the feet from the ribs in the bottom of the box, this board firmly holds the bottom assembly in place.
Looking down before door install:
There is a nominally 5" doorway, but it widens when the rings are slid on the pole. A "door" attaches to one side and is closed by looping its ring over the outer end of the pole. I left it as a full rectangle, so it drapes around enough to allow the wand to snake through without risk of leakage.
With the shower stall in place, all drawers and fridge are fully accessible, the counter is usable, the potty can be deployed, and there's still room to move around. Only the front seats and the microwave are obstructed. This means we can leave the stall up to dry before storing. (Superstructure easily fits in bus box.). The MaxAir directly above should help with drying and humidity control.
Wand holder and soap dish are works in progress. Soap dish will probably be a ladle hung from the pole. Wand holder may be a modified ladle.
And, BTW, we won't need full window cover to use this. Our one-led license plate light over the counter gives enough light to see but not be seen.
We should get to test it when we head to the Grand Canyon in the next week or so.
