To be honest, these days we are sometimes too busy to realize the luxury we’re experiencing at every given moment.
The fact that you can take a hot water shower whenever you want or get the kettle ready for your coffee water is not a big deal to us in regular life.
But if you’ve ever gone camping, you’ll know this easy-to-access thing at home isn’t very flexible to access in campsites.
If you have such a plan coming up real soon, knowing methods on how to get hot water when camping is one of the major priorities. Let’s help you with that with a few common formulas that really works when one needs to use hot water at campsites.
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How to Get Hot Water When Camping Using Different Methods
First of all, the water cannot be readily available heated at campsites. And so, you probably need multiple methods that use a source for heating the water. So that’s exactly what we plan to discuss, processes based on a heating source that can be available or bought along at campsites.
Also, keep in mind no matter whatever method you choose, there will be some effect on your whole camping experience. You may have to carry heavy stuff with yourself at the site. And if it’s too far then that might be less practical. Such scenes will force you to choose a different path. So, it’s not just about knowing the multiple methods but also figuring out which one will work best with your case.
Method 1: Heat Water When Camping with Solar Shower Bag
Now not having any propane or electricity available for you to enjoy a warm shower could be a common scenario at the campsite. And in such cases, solar shower bags are the perfect solution. These are not just cheap to buy but also super-efficient. However, you want weather to be in favor and that is the only err with this solution.
Mostly, these bags come with dark coloring. This is to make them work best for sunlight absorption. Also, there should be a showerhead attachment coming along. Having plenty of water is all you need for utilizing a solar shower bag along with a sunny day.
With sunlight, it will heat the water inside and this takes not more than three hours usually. You can simply hang the bag on top of a tree. The attached showerhead will seem like you’re in nature’s washroom.
And then after the water is heated enough, go and take a warm shower before your long hike. Drawbacks that you should also know about are not being able to take early mooning showers with this as well as the short period of time for usage as the water will quickly get cool.
Method 2: Car Camping with Portable Electric Shower
When camping in a spot that’s pretty huge, bringing equipment can be a scene too. And this usually brings campers to opt for car camping rather than the regular way for such huge places.
Portable electric showers work best with car camping. You don’t have to worry about public shower blocks too. There are multiple types available online that come with great value overall. You will require rechargeable batteries for running them. Some also utilize electricity and can be a great option if that power source is accessible.
Now just bringing the portable shower with you won’t be enough in a few cases. As some can be not capable of heating water themselves. You need some extra accessories with it such as a heater. With having these two items you’ll be able to escape any need for propane gas cylinders.
A portable electric shower with a heater can be one of the easiest ways to heat water in camping and enjoy a comfortable shower experience. These are usually coming with speed mode as well as a lightweight feature to be easily carried to a spot.
Method 3: Use Camping Kettle to Make Hot Water While Camping
The unique design of a camping kettle may make it a wonderful thing to bring to the campsite for heating water. There’s a hollow core and this basically helps in fire building. You don’t need fuel for firing.
Simply using grass and twigs can be enough sources instead of fuel. Using a camping kettle also gives faster hot water. There should be a separate chamber seating downwards in the fire core. And this is where the fast heating of water takes place.
The heat from fire first goes towards the interior of kettle. There are many sizes of camping kettles available that you can pick from. The largest variants are capable of holding around 50 ounces of water.
Even for more than just a few people, it’s going to be enough actually. Also, people love it for making hot water within 5 minutes most of the time. And so, it can be considered as one of the fastest ways to get hot water at campsites.
Method 4: Camp Stove with Burners Work Wonderfully
Another relatively simple way to heat water at camping is using a camp stove. These are appropriate for sites that don’t require you to go on a long hike. The weight and size of such stoves are usually on the weigher side. So, carrying them can be cumbersome as well as limitations are still there.
The modern-day camp stoves come with adjustable burners to make them super beneficial. You can quickly get hot water with these. Also, the process is simple. One thing to pay attention to is buying pots that come with proper coating for being used on such open fire. And this is super important. As not all type of cookware goes well with it.
The most preferable camp stoves should come with at least room for two burners. And there should be a huge fuel tank. Additional hose purchase can be necessary. So that you can add the fuel for hooking. And this is helpful for camp plans that take place for an extended period of time.
Method 5: Boil Water While Camping with Campfire
The simplest method for getting hot water is obviously making arrangements of boiling. This method is by far the most common one, even if it needs quite a bit of effort from the user side.
Not having a lit campfire at your site is probably a scene that is almost impossible to happen. What you would do is use that free energy of fire for boiling water. And get ready the water for making some tea to enjoy in the wilderness.
Campers who are on a budget and follow minimalism will love to use this method mainly. Also, there’s actually no extra material to buy with this process. As usually everything is available along the trail. You just have to carry a well-made pot. For making a cup of hot beverage, you won’t even need a pot. A paper cup or clean can will also do.
However, with a campfire, you don’t have the ability to control the heat. And so, you don’t know how much time it will take. Also, don’t forget to check all the campfire safety guidelines before trying this. Because open fire is no doubt quire dangerous if not handles with care and caution.
You will need enough fuel for keeping the fire going by using a kindling and tinder, aim for huge pieces. Then build support to hold the pot on top of the fire. Usually placing two huge rocks or logs on the sides of the campfire works wonderfully to balance the pot.
Then you need to balance the pot as well as receptacle above flames. The water should be inside the pot and it should take somewhere between 10-20 minutes for finishing boiling.
When removing the pot, make sure you are careful and not end up burning your hands. Oven gloves or thick rags will be very helpful. You can even bring plyers or tongs for the job. But these might not be very appropriate for too heavy pots.
Wrap Up
Buying a camping water heater or simply trusting the traditional campfire boiling technique, there are so many ways to choose from. Now hopefully you won’t be stressing about how to get hot water when camping and plan rather on stuff like what camping games to play or places that would be best to hike for the trip.
Having the comfort of taking hot showers even in nature is actually a big thing, at least for those who absolutely cannot handle cold water. And even if you can, hot water is still necessary for cooking as well as drinking.
The method you chose for getting hot water will vary depending on what type of adventure you’re planning to have. But for most cases, at least one out of these five methods should work for you.
Philip Robert is an avid camper and hiker who loves nothing more than spending his weekends camping and hiking in the mountains. He has been camping and hiking since he was a young boy and has never lost his love for the outdoors.
Philip is a firm believer that there is no better way to connect with nature and get some exercise than by spending time in the great outdoors. He is always on the lookout for new trails to explore, and loves sharing his experience with others.
“MyOutdoors.net” is a place where you will find a comprehensive guide you need to know about camping and hiking. Philip has the knowledge and experience to help you enjoy the great outdoors.