RV Shower Heads & Hoses

Choosing an RV shower head and hose

The single most useful feature on an RV shower head is the shut-off valve at the head. It lets you pause the flow while you lather instead of running the pump the whole time — the water-saving "navy shower" every boondocker learns, and the difference between a quick rinse and an empty fresh tank. Beyond that, it comes down to spray feel, hose length, and how it mounts.

• Trickle or on/off shut-off. A must for boondocking. Wet, stop, soap, rinse — the shut-off at the head saves fresh water and slows how fast the gray tank fills.
• Hose length and material. Sixty inches is the RV standard and reaches the whole enclosure. Stainless or reinforced vinyl hoses last longer and kink less than cheap plastic.
• Spray pattern. Single-spray, multi-function three-spray, and rain-style heads all exist. More patterns are nice, but a strong single spray rinses fastest on limited flow.
• Mount. A wall-mount bracket, like the Camco two-position unit, holds the wand at a fixed height for a hands-free rinse. Confirm it fits your wall spacing.
• Flow rate. RV heads run around 2.5 GPM or less. Lower flow with a good spray face still feels strong while sipping tank water.

The wand pairs with the valve and the stall around it, so if you're rebuilding the shower, check the pan, surround, and curtain hardware and the bathroom faucet or diverter valve that feeds it. Steady hot water at the head also depends on a working water heater upstream.