Easy Pvc Shower Curtain Rail

At the risk of getting booted off the forum for too many (wordy) posts in a month, here's something else...

This last trip we used the PVC floor frame for the side-tent and liked it. Worked great. Thanks Evan. We weighted the corners when wind was an issue. PVC Frame for Side Tent

At any rate... I also used the Zodi in camp for the first time, in an emergency, when I discovered the showers wouldn't take my quarters. This is after I had already pre-soaped and pre- shampoo'ed; I had scrounged and only had 50 cents and figured they wouldn't last too long, hence the pre-soaping. The Zodi got me out of a jam. And I found that heating it up on the slide-out stove was easy, as was the using its water temp gauge, which was accurate.

See these posts for how others have elected to get clean while on the road...

Boondocking Shower
Where Do You Shower?

Anywho... when we got home I got to thinking again about a decent shower tent. At 6' 4" most stand-alone pre-made enclosures are a non-starter for me, and my previous attempts at a homemade tripod enclosure didn't get off the ground.

I decided to combine two things: we already take collapsible 8' MSR poles for the tarp that covers the galley. I simply added two additional 36"sections of PVC to the existing side tent frame and placed it on the roof. I used two 4-way PVC connectors: https://www.amazon.ca/CIRCOPACK-Fit...+PVC+connectors&qid=1603057240&s=books&sr=1-1 , that are used for making PVC furniture, to make the joint at the poles. (See attached photos at the end before you go any further to see what I'm talking about). A bit of foam tape kept them from slipping down the pole.

The photos also show the existing side tent frame superimposed on my new extension, on top of the trailer, just so you see how both line up.

I used a 6' X 8' tarp for the shower curtain and clamped it. However a 6' X 10' would be better and give you complete coverage, if using 36" extensions. We already take a tarp for things like transporting firewood, so this wouldn't be anything additional. For a "cleaner look" (intentional pun) I have these nifty things coming to attach the tarp on to the PVC, instead of the hand clamps... https://www.amazon.ca/Snap-Clamp-Inch-Inches-White/dp/B0050B0N06. They're meant for making PVC greenhouse frames.

The door can swing open to provide you with a discreet entry and exit, and 6' is a high enough coverage otherwise. I did 36" out from the trailer but you could make it even bigger. Especially if you use a wheelchair.

The CampInn side tent poles will work with 1/2" PVC fittings but they are a little sloppy and would need to be filled in a bit. Be forewarned PVC and CPVC have different OD's. And as far as I know, the 4-ways are only available in PVC.

Obviously the use of this will be governed by campground rules about grey water on the site, personal tolerances about privacy/modesty, etc... But for those who want a shower in the evening, and the dark, those who boondock, or use primitive campsites and BLM lands, (or who simply need more room than a standard shower shelter can provide) will find this a nice option, without lugging around a great deal of extra or complex gear. With COVID looming large again next year, resulting in closed or limited washroom facilities, and the extra pressure put on campgrounds by newbie trailer owners this year, of all stripes, this may have even greater utility for some of us.