Do campervans have showers?

Having access to a shower is an important part of any holiday – and it’s no different if it’s a getaway in a camper. However, if you’re new to the lifestyle, it does raise the question – do campervans have showers? After all, if you’ve ever been in an unconverted ‘van before, it could be easy to think there’s no obvious place for one to go.

Add to this the fact that I’m sure I’m not alone in viewing a shower as a necessity – for me, having access to one is almost as essential as having a cup of coffee to start the day. However, the long and the short of it is it very much depends on the model – and how big an issue the lack of a shower poses will also depend on your touring lifestyle.

The good news is the majority of the best campervans nowadays will feature a shower – in fact, they will come with a fully functioning washroom. Take the 6.36m-long Mobilvetta Admiral K6.3 – here, the washroom has a partition which can be swung out to create your cubicle and reveal the shower hose.

This isn’t limited to larger campervans either. Even small models can have one, as seen in the Panama P57 which is only 5.40m, yet features a washroom which can be turned into a shower, with the tap in the basin doubling up as a shower head.

However, not every campervan will offer such a shower. In some cases, you could find yourself facing having to wash with a cold shower tap which is located towards the back of the camper – personally, I’m not hardy enough to use this, and would instead stick to using that for my boots. Such showers can prove useful for people who tour with their faithful four-legged friends, however. A dog who has just been rolling around in the mud or splashing in the waves will be much easier to clean outside the ‘van than inside.

How much of a hindrance the lack of shower or only having a very basic one will pose is largely going to depend on your touring lifestyle. For instance, if you’re only intending to visit one of the bigger sites, you will find they have wash blocks where you can use their showers. Some ‘van owners prefer to use these even if their vehicle does have the shower facilities – apart from anything else, it can save you from thinking about how to stop condensation in your campervan.

For those who go off-grid or pitch up at festivals, the lack of a shower can be more of an issue. Washing at the sink will always be an option, as will embracing that bracing option of using the rear cold tap. For those summer tours where a cool shower is a more tempting prospect, you could even consider investing in a collapsible shower and a rechargeable shower head, such as these made by Colapz – they can give you that little bit of extra luxury that a cold shower tap on its own may not quite provide.

Something you may be thinking about as well is how to power gadgets when you’re away in a ‘van – if this is the case for you, take a look at what we had to say about whether campervans need electric hook-up.

Written with contributions from Peter Baber.

If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Motorhome magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things motorhome related.