Why Shower in Bathhouses Instead of the RV
05-17-2018
Author: in Education
We used the tub a few times in the beginning, but the funny thing is, we rarely use it anymore. In fact, we hardly ever use our in-trailer bathing facilities at all. Many full-timers look at me like I’m crazy when I share that bit of information. They can’t even imagine why I would choose to use public facilities over my own.
For all those wondering our reasons for choosing this, read on. Below I have put together a list of reasons why we shower the way we do. Reading this list may even change your mind.
#1: Tons of Hot Water
Let’s start with the most obvious reason for making this choice: hot water. It’s no secret that most RVs have a very limited hot water supply. Obviously, this poses a problem at shower time when the hot water runs out part-way through and you’re stuck rinsing with cold water.
I will say that the hot water can be stretched through the use of an Oxygenics shower head. Still, I much prefer knowing that in most RV park bathhouses, I can often shower for as long as I wish without running out of warm, wonderful water. This is especially lovely on cold days and on evenings when I’m tired and sore from the day’s adventures.
Related Read: How to Replace Your RV Shower Parts
#2: Room to Move
This isn’t a problem for all RV owners, but it is for us. Our shower, despite the fact that it includes a tub, is tiny. So tiny in fact, that turning around is difficult, and shaving my legs is all but impossible. Personally, I don’t love showering while a curtain is sticking to my side, so the bathhouse showers are typically more comfortable in my opinion.
#3: Faster Family Shower Times
When our whole family needs to bathe, doing so in the rig can take hours. This is because we have to wait for the water to reheat between every shower, making the experience an ordeal. By packing up our toiletries and heading to the bathhouses, our family of three can be showered and squeaky clean in a matter of minutes.
Because we love adventuring and want to spend as much time exploring as possible, this is hugely beneficial to us.
#4: Slower Filling Tanks
Another issue with showering in an RV is the fact that the gray tank fills so quickly. Because we don't always have sewer hookups, this could be a real problem. However, because we choose to use the campground showers, we skip over this problem entirely and can usually wait until we leave the campground after a stay of a week or two to use the dump station.
Related Read: Bathhouse Etiquette
#5: Fewer Plumbing Issues
It seems my family is always at war with water. We dealt with flooding issues and plumbing in our house, and those issues apparently followed us into our RV, where we’ve repaired the water heater, some roof leaks, and even a gray tank leak.
Therefore, the fact that showering in our rig places more wear and tear on our plumbing system—and increases the risk of something breaking—is reason enough for us to avoid it. After all, nobody wants to be stuck making repairs when they could be out making memories.
This is my 2 cents on the subject of bathhouses vs in-rig showers. What are your thoughts?
Comment
wear flip flops to keep off the floors and don't get your feet cut enroute to the shower.
Totally agree with the author's points. We have a (very tiny) shower in our much-loved and well-made Jayco Kiwi hybrid. Before that our very basic pop-up had no bathroom at all. So our family of 4 was used to showering in campground showerhouses. When we "upgraded" to a camper with a bath, all we really wanted was a toilet and sink as we were well aware that campground showers were larger, had few if any limits on hot water and saved so much time with the whole family able to shower at the same time. And most campground websites these days make a point of highlighting the number and quality of their bathing facilities. I just keep a few extra pairs of inexpensive "flipflops" (i.e. shower shoes) in the camper, and we've been good to go since 1996! Now that the kids are grown and we're about to retire, we'll be moving up to a motor home of some type, but a fancy built-in bathing facility will NOT be a priority. Virtually every other feature of our next rig will take priority over the bathing facility. But, to each her /his own....
One item I might suggest having when using a public bathhouse is something to stand on, like a portable teakwood shower deck, while showering or to dry off as the floors of the ones we have used were completely wet and there was no dry place to completely dry off or get dressed.
Author: Chelsea Barron
