Are you dirty enough to get a $700 portable shower?

Hot showers, like electricity, are a luxury that is easy to take for granted. That all changes after a few nights camping out at a music festival, a week of toiling on a remote job site, or traveling overland all summer in the great unknown. An itchy scalp and the vague smell of warm oysters suddenly make the idea of ​​spending hundreds on a handheld shower seem less ridiculous.

I have been tested Hotap go From Australia-based Joolca while riding for a shower after surfing and a shower after cooking. It features a built-in 12-litre water tank, which is an improvement over other portable showers that require an external enclosure and a long, cumbersome hose that is easy to trip over. Hottap Go also recycles water until it reaches your chosen temperature. This slows things down a bit, compared to “Instant” portable shower.but it does not waste water because it will not produce the initial shock of cold water that would normally be sprayed on the floor.

The $554 Hottap Go requires an external 12V power supply, but in the US Joolca sells a 12V/5A power supply. Power bank $165 Which magnetically attaches to the case. In Europe I had to roll myself using 85 euros (about $100) power bank Found on Amazon. The result is a true self-contained hot water system that can be taken anywhere.

To immediately clear up any confusion: The Hottap Go needs electricity to run its built-in water pump and display, but it heats water with propane gas. It works with standard 1-pound propane canisters out of the box, and larger tanks come with a hose and regulator you’ll have to provide.

One of the things I love about the Hottap Go is that the hoses, battery, shower head, and gas can can be stored inside the water tank when not in use for easy portability and storage. I also love that the adjustable shower head comes with a magnetic holder. Combined with its approach to heating water through recycling, Joolca’s product designers have clearly learned from the shortcomings of the current crop of portable propane baths.

To shower, you first connect the gas hoses and quick-release shower head, then connect the shower to a 12V power source (power bank, power station, or cigarette plug inside your car), then set the desired temperature and wait. The unit will begin heating and recirculating water until a series of beeps indicate the target temperature has been reached. It brought tap water to a temperature of 47°C/117°F (per screen) in exactly four minutes, which was enough time to gather everything I needed to shower out of my truck while maintaining my modesty.

One windy day at the beach, I noticed that the Hottap Go had to keep restarting, despite venting downwind. It failed so often that I saw an E3 error message on the screen. Repositioning the shower out of the wind kept the flame lit. The handle on the top makes it easy to move, and the seal around the lid ensures that water doesn’t drip onto the floor or onto your power bank. Otherwise, the Hottap Go is always lit and stayed lit without a problem during testing.

Joolca says the Hottap Go is suitable for “two great showers” ​​or a “long, luxurious shower.” I was able to take two practical, satisfying showers from the full 12-liter (3.2-gallon) water tank, allowing free use of the on/off switch on the shower head to conserve water while lathering.

Water flow is fine, even at maximum setting. It’s strong enough to penetrate long, thick hair when shampooing, but it won’t get rid of dirt from my mountain bike, for example. The magnetic holder is sturdy and the shower head feels good in the hand with a well-placed on/off switch. Adjusting the flow rate dial is a two-handed operation, but for the most part I left it at maximum.

If you’re only going to use it once or twice a year, spend more $554 for Hottap Go handheld shower It makes no sense, especially when you want a tankless portable shower The BougeRV costs half that. I much prefer the Hottap Go’s recirculating water tank, performance and overall comfort, though I’d like the optional option Magnetic power bank for $165 It is included in this price. However, for vanlifers like me or someone who regularly spends days away from plumbing, $719 is easily justified for what may be the best hot water portable shower available.

Photos by Thomas Ricker/The Verge