Yakima RoadShower Review

The RoadShower is a powder-coated, aluminum car-top shower with a powerful spray around 55 PSI. This sprayer produces highly pressurized water through a thin, hose-like nozzle—though we also tested the Yakima RoadShower FlexHead showerhead attachment. The version we tested holds 4 gallons of water (though Yakima makes other models that can hold up to 7 or 10 gallons).

Comfort

Fully pressurized, the RoadShower can spray an impressive distance of over 20 feet. This is a great asset for cleaning your gear. And, if you don't want the high level when spraying yourself or your pets off, you can adjust the flow on the nozzle. It's also worth noting that after a few minutes of use, the tank depressurizes, and the water comes out much more slowly and won't launch as far.

If you need pressure the whole time, you can re-pressurize the tank with an air pump or bicycle pump—assuming your pump hose is long enough to reach the top of your car. You'll run out of water faster, but the pressure might be worth it to get that excess mud off your bike.

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We also bought and tested the FlexHead 30" showerhead sold to accompany this metal tank. Its spray pattern is akin to your high school locker room shower, which isn't nearly as regular and comfortable as your shower at home, but is a usable, efficient solution for a hands-free shower next to your car. The only real struggle we had using this showerhead is that its connection point to the tank is too loose, allowing the whole thing to sag.

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Functionality

The RoadShower we tested has a 4-gallon capacity that runs dry in about 4 minutes and 40 seconds (with no re-pressurization). Used without pressure, powered by just the flow of gravity (and a loosened fill cap), you can use this trickle to clean dishes or splash water on your face for about 10.5 minutes. If 4 gallons isn't going to cut it for you, the full version of the RoadShower holds 7 gallons, and the large version packs 10. We weren't huge fans of the length of the 4.5-foot hose, which didn't feel super ergonomic and made it more difficult to hang in a privacy shower tent. Though, it makes sense that the hose would be shorter, as it's more aerodynamic and easier to store along the entire tank while driving.

With the included nozzle only, the RoadShower puts out a concentrated 0.2-inch stream of water. For cleaning gear, this is pretty ideal. Twisting the golden end of the nozzle widens the stream gradually, all the way to a fine mist. This makes it easier to get a more comfortable stream of water and keep your cleaning far more efficient. The FlexHead showerhead attachment runs through water at about the same speed as the fully opened spray nozzle, but in a configuration that's more spread out while still pressurized perfectly to get a complete shower.

As a metal tube with a black exterior, this shower heats up very quickly in the sun. The temperature gauge on the outside helps indicate how hot the water inside is. We even tested this shower in the late fall in 50-60°F weather, and we were able to get comfortably warm water out of it.

One minor gripe we had with the RoadShower that may not bother everyone is the sound that it makes on top of our car. Especially if you're going on long road trips that last several hours, the sloshing sound it makes when you stop and go can get pretty annoying. Though, we don't notice too much noise when we're driving at a continuous speed.

Ease of Set Up

This package comes with everything you need to mount the RoadShower to your car right out of the box—minus the roof rack, of course. A thorough set of directions helps make the process as simple as possible—though not nearly as simple as the showers that don't require a mount.

Having it mounted on top of your car and filling it through the attachment at the end of the hose makes refills easy. While filling your tank with a hose is simple and only takes a minute or two, the pressure it creates makes for an interesting experience when removing the hose, as it tries to spray that built-up water all over you and your car.

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If you've decided your vehicle is tall enough to use the FlexHead showerhead, the included quick-connect attachment is a fantastically easy way to snap on your showerhead when in use and stow it in your car when you're done. The showerhead also has an on/off button, making efficient showers even easier. We were, however, a bit disappointed to find the shower is nearly impossible to drain completely without taking it off your car and physically dumping it upside down.

Durability

Constructed of powder-coated aluminum with a food-grade hose and brass fittings, the RoadShower is built like a tank. All the attachment pieces are replaceable, and the included directions give numerous maintenance and troubleshooting tips for common things that could go wrong with your unit. We adventured with this shower in all kinds of bumpy terrain, and at speeds higher than 80 mph, and everything stayed perfectly intact. We couldn't find anything related to durability to complain about with this tough shower setup, beyond the additional maintenance required of a more mechanical piece of equipment.

Scouring the internet for other user complaints, we couldn't find too many that stood out. Mostly we found others discussing the regular maintenance these showers need to stay in tip-top shape, which we don't think is so bad.

Portability

With an oblong shape and no handles, this shower is not meant to be carried. But mounted on top of your roof rack, it's as portable as bringing your bumper with you. Though the 4-gallon version weighs 19.4 pounds empty, your car won't notice the difference—even when it's full of water. It has three open clips for the hose and two velcro straps to keep it tightly pressed against the side of the tank as you drive. From there, it easily pulls out when you're ready to use it. The FlexHead shower head attachment comes standard with a quick-connect adapter, making it even easier to simply pull it off and toss it in your car when you're ready to roll out.

The only real con of transporting this shower around is that you need your car to do it. This model won't be accompanying you into the backcountry, because it's attached to your roof rack. But if you're the typical weekend warrior, cruising around to all kinds of adventures in your truck or camper van, this won't hold you back a bit.

Should you buy the Yakima RoadShower?

As one of the most expensive showers we tested, the RoadShower is an investment, and its larger versions cost even more. But if you frequently find yourself returning home and forgetting to clean your gear until it's been far too long or needing to clean your car AND your hair because you've had too much fun, we think this shower is absolutely worth it. And with its durable build, it's likely to last for many years of weekend excursions. Just keep in mind that you'll also need to have a roof rack, which is another even more expensive purchase.

What Other Camping Showers Should You Consider?

While we love the RoadShower, it's tough to fit it onto the roof of your average car with other gear, like a cargo box. And, you'll have to decide if having a shower on top of your car is worth potentially lowering your gas mileage.

If you want a simple and easy setup that doesn't require breaking out a wrench, the Nemo Helio is an exceptional camping shower that folds down and can stow away easily in a bag or the trunk of a car. It also heats very efficiently during the summer, getting hot enough for comfortable use within just a couple of hours.