ONTAP Portable Camping Shower Review

What’s in the box

The kit is the black jerry can with the pump inside, a detachable 12V power cord with a cigarette plug, the coiled hose and a seven-function spray gun, plus a tap, a bung and a dust cap. A separate shower head with its own hose comes in a round zip bag, together with a suction cup and a hanging hook. The can is the same shape as a standard 20 L jerry can, so it fits most jerry can holders.

Quick Specs

Setting It Up

Fill the can, then open the air valve on top before anything else. It’s a manual breather valve, and if it stays shut the pump sucks the can into a vacuum and stops. We forgot it a few times, so make it a habit. Then plug the cord into a 12V cigarette socket (we use the one on our Kings Batblock), press the button on the cord and you can start using it straight away. The power cord plugs into a socket on the side of the can and screws off, so it comes away completely when you pack up, and a rubber cap on a strap keeps the socket clean.

Pressure and the Spray Head

The water pressure is really good, and it stays steady. The spray gun has a rotating head with seven settings, from a soft shower to a fast, narrow burst, so there’s a setting for whatever you’re doing. The flow stops as soon as you let go of the trigger, which makes a tank go a long way.

Showers, Dishes and Muddy Dogs

With 22 litres on board, there’s enough for many quick rinses at the end of a hot day. Because the can is black, it warms up if you leave it in the sun, which is great for a warmer shower, but out in the outback we barely bothered: a cold shower was just fine, even better. We use it for the dishes too, and if you travel with a dog, it’s great for a quick rinse when it’s been rolling in the mud.

The one thing to know is what the water is for. ONTAP says the water inside the can is food-safe, but the coiled hose isn’t food-grade, so they don’t recommend drinking straight from it. Ours is for rinsing and cleaning only.

Living With It

The power cord and hose are a good length: even with the can plugged in at the back of the car, they reach all the way to the front wheel, and everything comes off the can for packing. The downside is that it isn’t battery powered: it always needs to be plugged into a 12V socket, so you need a power station or a socket within reach of where you’re using it. For a fully cordless setup, a battery shower pump like the FlexTail Max Shower is the alternative, but you have to bring your own bucket.

For a proper shower, swap the spray gun for the shower head from the storage bag. The suction cup and the hanging hook let you hang it anywhere around the car, so your hands are free.

For washing up and showering without leaving soap behind, we use Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash, and the ONTAP Mariner Mat keeps your feet out of the sand while you rinse.

Portable showers compared

We’ve tested four other camp showers, and they work quite differently. The FlexTail Max Shower and the San Hima are small battery pumps that drop into your own jerry can or bucket, and the Kings solar shower is a 20 L bag you fill and hang up. The San Hima 24L Portable Water Tank is the closest to the ONTAP: a pressurised tank, but with its own battery and a longer hose. The ONTAP costs about the same as the San Hima, and it’s the only one here that needs a 12V socket. Our camping showers guide has more on choosing.

	This oneONTAP Shower	Top scoreFlexTail Max Shower→	CheapestKings Solar Shower→	2 headsSan Hima→	24 L tankSan Hima 24L→
Built-in tank	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Power	12V socket	Battery	Gravity	Battery	Battery
Warms in the sun	Yes	No	Yes	No	–
Capacity	22 L	–	20 L	–	24 L
Max flow	4.4 L/min	2.96 L/min	–	3.5 L/min	8 L/min
Weight	2.9 kg	0.62 kg	0.35 kg	0.6 kg	5.5 kg
Price paid	$249	$88	$13	$75	$250
Our score	9.2	9.3	9.1	8.5	8.6

Conclusion: ONTAP Portable Camping Shower

The ONTAP Portable Camping Shower is a 22 L jerry can with a 12V pump and a seven-function spray gun, and after months in the back of our Prado it’s still a great setup. The pressure is really good, a fill lasts for lots of quick rinses, and it handles showers, dishes and muddy dogs. It isn’t battery powered, the hose isn’t food-grade, and you have to remember the air valve on top. At $249, it suits 4WD tourers and campers who want a simple, tough shower that lives in the car.