Backpacking hot bath dream?
Introduction
The backpacking hot bath dream
When on extended backpacking, remote area working-bees or base camp activities a hot shower and or a long hot bath would, for some, be a welcome luxury and a concession to mature age. Here are some examples: wood-fired hot tub, hot tub hammock, but they are not going in my little backpack.
Such backpacking luxury could be possible and practical if the hot bath and the hot water service/shower could be compact, simple and ultralight. Small fallen sticks could be used to efficiently and quickly heat a suitable quantity of hot water for a bath or shower. This would mean that the bath experience could be enjoyed even more with a guilt-free clean green conscience.
Hot bath practicalities
If bathers have a pre-wash (Japanese Onsen style), some bathers may even accept ‘used hot water’ that is topped-up with more hot water that is prepared by those in the bathing queue. “The last person may get the deepest bath, but no bath pees if you please! Can you see another ode coming on?”
In the wilds, we share precious bath water you see,
Made hot with small fallen gifts from a tree,
With shared water, we thought that we oughta,
Resist the urge in the warm bathwater to pee.
Of course, for some backpackers, sharing hot bath water would be a step-too-far. Consequently, the hot shower, I am sure would still be an acceptable alternative wilderness luxury, even if it is a tad Spartan and does not last as long.
The hot water making components
The potential coupling of my innovative stick burning blower stove with my lay flat kettle has fueled my enthusiasm to attempt to make a luxurious backpacking hot bath.
Could the abundant heat of the stick blower stove be transferred efficiently into a large reservoir of water (a giant lay flat kettle)?
Also, if it could be suitably suspended from an overhanging tree branch it could overcome its lack of compressional strength/stability. This would also provide a convenient height for the pressure head to run the Spartan shower.
Alternatively, if the hot water was discharged into an ultralight covered hip bath that could keep the whole body warm during bathing. Imagine enjoying the protracted cross-leg zen bathing experience while viewing (one way for privacy) the stars of the wilderness night sky through the gossamer-thin protective cover.
It would also be very beneficial if the heat source was one that would already be part of one’s backpacking kit. For example, it could become the fourth purpose for, the Miniature Dome stove- the three-in-one-stove or my improved and simpler KISS Stove. or even a simple blower stove.
The hot bath tub
I consider that my very old DIY and (not so light) canvas bush bath from many years ago puts this concept within reach. It has a conical cover, made from a nylon shower curtain. The cover can be supported by a cord from an overhanging branch.
The cover preserves the heat in the bath and keeps the whole body pleasantly warm as you sponge-wash your upper body. The cover also provides essential support for the outer edge of the oval, vol-au-vent shaped hip bath to prevent water spillage. It has a zipless join down the front to allow easy entry for the bather. “It can also be opened easily for your friends to serve you drinks while bathing.”
Under tension from the hanging cord, the opening snaps closed to keep in the warm air and water vapour.
[Photo of my old canvas and nylon bush bath]
The ultralight hot bath tub
We are now blessed with modern ultralight fabrics such as glue-able silnylon fabric that could be used to make the bath. It may just make the dream of hot luxurious protracted bathing in the wilderness an ultralight reality.
A bath made of such light fabric would need protection from punctures by putting it on a pad formed from sleeping mats, waterproof clothing or an enlarged unfolded lunchtime sit-upon mat etc.
Making a backpacking hot shower and bath a reality
I plan to make two posts. The first will be the ultralight backpacking hot water service/shower. It can stand alone as a useful device. This idea has morphed into a very simple and light Soft bottle shower.
As well as carrying water the soft bottle can also become an Alpine hot water bottle.
The second post will be about the a tiny bush bath that could also be a sauna bath to bring to backpacking the ultimate in wilderness camping bathing.
“Could you just imagine having a hot bath in the snow after a day of skiing?”
I telemarked till my legs said no, Because I could not waste that virgin snow, Would it be a brisk shower, at this early hour, Or into the stick fired hot tub for a soak I go.
More to come.
Tim
