RoadShower vs WaterPort ??

[RyanRanger]

Anyone have any experience with the RoadShower or the WaterPort water tanks. I see pros/cons for each and am looking for what people think of them (durable, ease of use, performance as intended etc)

I'm from a hot windy and usually sandy climate area. I do intend to use it for camping/hunting mostly so would involve a shower (rinse) from time to time....It would be nice to get some of the sunscreen, bug spray and sand off before going to sleep at night.

Thank you!

 

[chuckoverland]

We have a Zodi, it works great.

 

[vegasjeepguy]

I picked up a roadshower earlier this year. It’s a very convenient way to transport 7 gallons and does heat up nicely in the desert sun. Holds pressure and works as advertised.

 

[Renegade]

https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/road-shower-vs-waterport-vs.3151/

 

[VCeXpedition]

I bought the original Shower Port and have been pretty satisfied with it. There have been some improvements in the latest design, and I've heard you can even get them at Costco and Sportsman's Warehouse now.
The downside to the WP is that it doesn't hold a lot of water, and the idea is that the water pressure from the hose is where it gets it's pressure. When the water gets low, and it does so pretty fast when rinsing off, the pressure goes down pretty quickly. It's true that you don't need much pressure to rinse off, but it does go down quickly.
Upside is that it is flexible and expands and holds pressure well, but the big plus is COST! I can't believe how much the Road Shower's are! They are a lot of coin for what they do and the WP seems to be the bang for the buck bargain there.

If you're always going to be where the sun will heat up the Road Shower, my guess is that it probably does a better job of absorbing the heat to warm the water than the WP.
For me, it didn't matter, i don't need the warmed-up water so much, I have a different way to take a shower. I use the WP for a back-up water supply and it's very convenient.
I've also mounted it with very inexpensive QuickFist large clamps that secure it very well in the worst of environments.




Dan.

 

[Graeman]

While I was reading this I thought about my remedy for the strawberry milkshake (bypassing the factory radiator for cooling the transmission fluid). What if you had a pressurized tank of water and ran a hose from it to through the radiator and another hose from the radiator to your nozzle. With the engine running at idle and depending on how well the actual radiator cooled the trans fluid you should be able to get some pretty hot water.
I might just have to take a trip to HD and see about some of those water line quick disconnects, a few hose clamps, hose of various sizes and a nozzle.

 

[Bob (Fishingbob)]

Ryan

Noticed you have a Jeep wrangler. Another option you may have is a "Water Bumper". I live in Aransas Pass, TX (lived in New Mexico for 27 years)-I'm on the beach almost daily when I'm home. My Jeep is a 2015 JKU-the stock bumper is hollow. You can do what I have done and it works great. I use it to wash down my fishing rods, spray myself down, spray my wading boots off-also great for camping-washing dishes, etc. I installed a Shurflow RV pump above the differential, added reinforced tubing, a quick disconnect on the outside of the Jeep, filled the drain holes in the bumper, added a filler hole on the top of the bumper and plug and added the appropriate tubing fittings. Holds about 7 1/2 gallows, fantastic water pressure. The spray nozzle has shower, jet etc---and I'm sure it was a lot cheaper than the Road shower or Water Port water tank. Just a thought if you have the hollow bumper. I'm adding a New front bumper and winch over the winter-but I'm keeping the rear bumper.

When I have the Morris Mule Trailer hocked up I also have a system to run water to the rear of the trailer-works great.

If you need specifics I can send pictures and describe exactly what I did--and the problems I had initially.

Hope this helps
Bob

 

[smritte]

Ive camped with people who have these mounted to the roof of their vehicle. It looked like a good idea but, for me I wanted pressurized hot water for winter showering. Most of my long trips are winter. Clouds, rain...
I have a 12 gallon, rectangle, poly tank mounted in the front of my trailer. The tank fits against the wall and is about six inches thick so I don't loose much room. 1.5 GPM pump and a carbon/ceramic water filter with quick release fittings in the front and rear of the trailer. The rear fitting is my water supply for drinking/cooking, filter is because sometimes the water is poor. If Im out for a long trip, I have an ecotemp water heater that drops onto a mount on the side of the front cargo box and plugs into the front quick release. Now I have a hot shower.
This fall Im going to build a new trailer and I'm going to use either water cans or make something like what @VCeXpedition has on his. I like the Idea of having water storage out of the way.

@Graeman There have been a few companies who make (made) heating units that you tie into your cooling system for hot water. Here's one I found just now. Synergy Heat Exchanger Unit. The only draw back is if you want hot water, the vehicle has to be warmed up and running. That's fine if you shower/rinse off right after you park. Otherwise you need to run the vehicle for a while. Years ago I drew up the plans to build one but never did it.

Scott

 

[Megadoomer]

I sourced my own parts from Amazon and home depot. This all cost me $250 and took less than a day to install. You bypass the heater supply hose through the heat exchanger and use the pump to push water through the exchanger. I hold the hoses in a screw top 5 gallon bucket along with my soap.

It gets warm the first time through but if you cycle through the bucket for 45 secs it can get up to 120 degrees. Always has pressure and you can get 2 people bathed in 1 bucket.

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[Kent R]

I only have experience with the Road Shower and the version I got is not nearly as nice as the current version. But it works just fine as long as you check the temp before taking a shower, if the suns down then its cold.

 

[smritte]

@Megadoomer. where did you get the heat exchanger? It looks similar to the one I linked.

Scott

 

[Megadoomer]

Close.
Duda Energy HX1210:HB12 B3-12A 10...

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[Megadoomer]

Maybe that works.

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[Stickman]

I am a huge Water Port supporter. I got one in May 2018 and have used it on three trips to take full blown soap and water showers, wash dishes, and rise off the back of my rig. This little rig has a ton of options which make it more versatile than the Road Shower.

1. Capacity: < 4 gallons
2. Three (3) Pressurization Options (Max - 50psi):
a. Use garden hose fitting to fill and pressurize all in one go
b. Fill to 80% and use air compressor / bicycle pump to pressurize via built in schrader valve
c. Purchase optional cap with built in pump to pressurize
3. Removable / Portable - One can take to any water source and fill with non-potable water and utilize
4. Multiple mounting options

I am not too worried about water temperature when I am hot, sweaty, dirty, stinky. I just want to be clean, and the Water Port does the trick.

Note: Keep in mind this basic procedure when using as a shower: 1) Rinse down - turn off water, 2) Soap down, 3) Rinse off . Otherwise you will most likely run out of water mid-shower. Not good! I'm glad there is no video of me refilling tank with bottled water in the raw. LOL

 

[RyanRanger]

So many ideas, will have to Alice in Wonderland and venture down the internet rabbit hole research all of these ideas.

 

[Stickman]

Oh yeah. I built my own version based on some you tube videos about the idea. After spending more than $100 at Lowes, I went to work. Went together well. Way to heavy and bulky. Looked homemade in a bad way.

 

[K1mj]

Has anyone here ever mounted the WaterPort on a Nissan Xterra roof rack? I am thinking of ordering one for my 2005 (2nd generation) Xterra and just wanted to research mounting options.

 

[AnywhereInTX]

Costco has Waterport's with extra items for $40 off until today or tomorrow. Just picked one up for $140 after taxes.

 

[resqr1]

Does the water warm up if it's mounted outside? Looks like it would.

 

[K1mj]

The water warms up with the sun so it will only be slightly warmer then ambient temperature on a sunny day. I bought the Costco deal and I need to install it now. The included hardware is not sufficient to mount it on my OEM Nissan Xterra roof rack but I think I can make it work with longer bolts. We'll see how it goes and I will update here.