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A hot shower is what makes a dusty track or a salty beach day feel civilised, but Australian camps do not share one water supply. A caravan park usually has a tap. A bush camp often has a jerry can or a creek, and a national park may limit where soapy water can go. The heater and the privacy tent are separate buys.
Prices and specs below are what Snowys and BCF listed in October 2026.
Our picks at a glance
| Pick | Best for | Price band | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joolca HOTTAP V2 Essentials Kit | Hot water from a tap | A$399-400 | Check price at BCF Check price at Snowys |
| Companion Aquaheat NXT | Jerry-can hot water, pump included | A$469.99-729 | Check price at BCF |
| Companion 12V Shower | Pump for a bucket you heat yourself | A$36.99-52.99 | Check price at Snowys |
| BCF Essentials Solar Camp Shower 19L V2 | Cheapest sun-warmed rinse | A$14.99 | Check price at BCF |
| OZtrail Fast Frame Ensuite Single | One private room | A$164.99 | Check price at Snowys |
| Coleman Instant Up Double Ensuite | Shower and toilet in two rooms | A$219.90 | Check price at Snowys |
| Joolca ENSUITE Triple | Shower, change and toilet | A$449 | Check price at Snowys |
The picks
Joolca HOTTAP V2 Essentials Kit
Who it suits: car campers and caravaners with tap pressure who want hot water on demand, rather than one bucket.
Key strengths: BCF lists a tankless LPG heater with a 27,000 BTU burner, a flow of 2.5 to 6 litres a minute, a 50°C maximum, and about 15 hours from a 9 kg bottle. Temperature rise is 35°C at 2.5 litres a minute and 20°C at 6 litres a minute. The kit includes ensuite plumbing, a 5 metre hose and rose, a gas hose and lightweight feet. The rose can be handheld, magnetic, or hung in a tent. Ignition takes two D-cells, not included. Snowys lists the heater at 4.2 kg, the carton at 9.2 kg, an LCC27 fitting, 70 kPa minimum pressure and an IPX3 rating. Warranty is 2 years. It was about A$399.99 at BCF and about A$399 at Snowys at time of writing (October 2026).
Trade-offs: No pump is included, so a jerry or creek cannot meet 70 kPa. Snowys staff point those users to an off-grid plumbing kit or the HOTTAP V2 Outing kit. The 15 hours is burner time. A 20 litre jerry lasts about three to eight minutes at the listed flow, and cold water will not reach 50°C unless you slow it down.
Check price at BCF Check price at Snowys
Companion Aquaheat NXT Hot Water System
Who it suits: off-grid campers who want the pump, battery and burner in one box, and can accept a slower shower.
Key strengths: BCF lists a 3800 mAh rechargeable lithium battery and a brushless pump that fits most jerry cans. A 5 metre 12V lead is included (12V DC, 1 amp). Flow is 2 litres a minute, maximum heat is 50°C, and the listed lift is up to 30°C. The shower hose is 2.5 metres and the pump hose is 1.5 metres. Fuel is propane, a non-refillable cartridge, or ULPG, at 19 MJ/h. It measures 44.2 x 16.3 x 38 cm, weighs 7.5 kg, and is listed for up to 2 hours. The head hangs from a suction cup, magnet or loop. Warranty is 3 years. BCF listed A$729, and a club price of A$469.99, at time of writing (October 2026). The lower figure is the member price.
Trade-offs: Gas and water are still yours to carry. Two litres a minute is easy on a jerry and modest next to a household shower. BCF does not say how long a given cartridge lasts.
Companion 12V Shower
Who it suits: weekenders who can warm a bucket on a stove or in the sun, and want a cheap pump for the car socket.
Key strengths: Snowys lists a 12V cigarette-lighter plug at 1.5 amps, 4 litres a minute, a 4 metre lead, a suction cup or S-hook, an inline switch and a 1 kg carry-bag kit. The pump goes into water you have already warmed. It was about A$36.99 at Snowys at time of writing (October 2026), against an RRP of A$52.99. Warranty is 1 year. A portable power station with a 12V outlet can stand in for the car socket. See Best Portable Power Stations for Camping in Australia.
Trade-offs: It does not heat water. Snowys staff say it will not fit a standard jerry (widest point 5.4 cm), so a bucket is the usual setup, and there is no creek filter. The hose is 2 metres in the specs and 2.1 metres in the features. A 20 litre bucket is about five minutes at 4 litres a minute.
BCF Essentials Solar Camp Shower 19L V2
Who it suits: people who want the cheapest warm rinse, are packing light, and can leave a bag in the sun.
Key strengths: BCF lists a 19 litre PVC bag with an on/off tap, and says that capacity suits one or two people. The sun does the heating. There is no pump, no gas and no 12V lead. It was A$14.99 at BCF at time of writing (October 2026).
Trade-offs: The page does not publish a heat-up time, a temperature, a hose length or a weight. You only get what fitted in the bag, as warm as the day made it. On the OZtrail Fast Frame page, Snowys says solar bags can weigh up to 20 kg and that those frames are not built to carry that. Hang this bag from a tree or another solid point.
OZtrail Fast Frame Ensuite Tent Single
Who it suits: one person, or a couple taking turns, who want one room for a toilet, a shower or getting changed.
Key strengths: Snowys lists 120 x 120 x 213 cm pitched, so 213 cm of head height on a 120 cm square floor. Packed size is 110 x 18 x 18 cm and weight is 5.8 kg. The frame is steel and the fabric is silver-coated polyester. The floor is clip-in polyethylene with drain mesh. Staff on the page confirm the floor comes off and that a carry bag is included. There is a rose hanging point, hose ports, a toiletry organiser, towel rack, toilet-paper holder, laundry hamper and a locking zip. Warranty is 1 year. It was about A$164.99 at Snowys at time of writing (October 2026).
Trade-offs: Toilet and shower share one room. OZtrail publishes no waterhead. Snowys staff say the frame should hold a rose and hose, not a full solar bag, and that the hose port is too low for a bag overhead. Peg the base and the four guy ropes. Fully exposed, it will struggle in wind.
Coleman Instant Up Double Ensuite Tent
Who it suits: couples and families who want the shower separate from the toilet or a dry change space.
Key strengths: Snowys lists 213 x 106 cm, 213 cm head height, a 114 x 23 x 23 cm pack and 7.9 kg. It uses the Instant Up steel hub frame, 75D silver-coated polyester and mesh, with an 800 mm waterhead on fly and body. A sewn-in divider makes two rooms, with doors on opposite sides, a mesh-edged polyethylene floor, a hose port, towel holder, gear hammock and toilet-paper holder. Warranty is 1 year. It was about A$219.90 at Snowys at time of writing (October 2026).
Trade-offs: Staff say the floor is stitched in, so a portable toilet sits on it rather than over a pit. The hose port is about knee height, for a gas hose rather than a bag in a tree. An 800 mm waterhead is not a sleeping-tent storm rating, and 114 cm of pack length needs a measured boot. For a bedroom tent, see Best Family Tents in Australia.
Joolca ENSUITE Triple Shower Tent
Who it suits: families, or anyone pairing a HOTTAP with room to shower, change and use a toilet in separate zones.
Key strengths: Snowys lists 275 x 200 x 210 cm pitched, 210 cm of head height, a packed size of 120 x 25 x 25 cm and a weight of 11 kg. Fabric is 68D silver-coated polyester. The floor is 150 gsm polyethylene with mesh around the edge, and the doors are mesh for airflow and insects. The frame is coated steel and instant-up. The page describes shower, changing and toileting use, and compatibility with the separately sold HOTTAP. Warranty is 2 years. It was A$449 at Snowys at time of writing (October 2026).
Trade-offs: Joolca does not publish a waterhead rating. This is the bulkiest tent here, and the 2.75 by 2 metre footprint needs a flat site before guy ropes. The hot water unit is not in the box.
How to choose
Match the heater to the water. A tap suits the Joolca Essentials kit. A jerry or creek needs a pump, which the Aquaheat NXT includes. The 12V shower only moves water you have already heated. The solar bag needs sun and a branch or bar that can take the weight.
Count litres before gas hours. Fifteen hours on a 9 kg bottle outlasts any jerry you can lift. At 6 litres a minute the Joolca can empty 20 litres in a few minutes. The Aquaheat’s 2 litres a minute is closer to 10 minutes from the same jerry. Turn the rose off while you soap.
Use the temperature rise, not just the 50°C maximum. Both gas units need mild inlet water or a slower flow to get near that cap. Alpine or winter creek water wants the Joolca’s 2.5 litre setting (35°C rise) or the Aquaheat’s listed lift of up to 30°C.
Pick the tent by the jobs it has to do. One 120 cm square room is a shower or a toilet. Two rooms keep clothes or a toilet out of the wet. Three zones suit a family on a longer stay. None of these is a bedroom, and the only published waterhead here is the Coleman’s 800 mm.
Peg them, and leave the burner outside. Flat walls catch a sea breeze. Do not run LPG inside a closed cubicle, and do not send soapy water into a creek. Check the park or station rules. The OZtrail packs to 110 cm, the Coleman to 114 cm and the Joolca ensuite to 120 cm.
FAQ
Can I get a hot shower without a tap?
Yes. The Aquaheat NXT draws from a jerry can. The Joolca Essentials kit needs mains pressure or a separate pump. A 12V shower or a solar bag also works away from a tap, without gas heat.
How much water is one shower?
One 20 litre jerry is a fair rinse if you turn the rose off to soap. That is a few minutes at the Joolca’s 6 litres a minute, and closer to 10 minutes on the Aquaheat. The solar bag is one 19 litre fill.
Will a solar bag work in an ensuite?
Hang it outside the tent. Snowys says these bags can weigh up to 20 kg, and that the Fast Frame should carry a rose and hose, not the bag. The Coleman port sits about knee height, which is awkward for a gravity feed.
Can I sleep in an ensuite tent?
No. They are privacy shelters. Only the Coleman publishes a waterhead here, at 800 mm. Use a tent or a swag for sleeping.
Do I need a separate toilet tent?
Not always. The OZtrail has a toilet-paper holder and a removable floor. The Coleman floor is stitched in, so a cassette toilet sits on it. The Joolca triple is listed for shower, change and toilet. A second room keeps the toilet dry.
What else should I budget for?
A gas bottle or cartridge, two D-cells for Joolca ignition, and water containers. Add a pump if the Essentials kit will be away from a tap. The 12V shower needs a cigarette-lighter socket or another 12V source, plus water you have already warmed.
