Review on Advanced Elements Portable Solar Camp Shower Kit - 2.5 Gallon to 10 Gallon Summer Solar Shower by Colin Arcos

I bought 2 of these after research to replace aging solar showers made in the US from the 90's. I was very happy with the Advanced Elements 5 gallon model and wanted to try this 3 gallon elsewhere. You have done a good job. Here is my rating and time tests: The thickness of the vinyl is about the thickness of a baby pool inflatable float. Build quality is good but remember this is a vinyl bag with a spout and tube. At 8 pounds per gallon of water, they weigh 24 pounds. Of course, they will still heat up any content even if you don't fill them to the full. The manufacturer's instructions state that they should NOT be used for human drinking water, so I'll be taking their advice. To be honest, solar showers don't have many options. Today most are just fragile plastic bags. All the brands I see are now made in China. If you had old American solar showers, the current bags will feel thinner and more delicate by comparison. However, Advanced Elements is the best of the current manufacturers. Most people have a choice between 3 gallon and 5 gallon sizes and how realistic a solar shower is for your location. FIRST DAY TEST: We placed 2 of these in the direct Florida sun from 3am at the end of March. until 5:45 p.m. Filled them with kitchen tap water from the cold faucet. The outside temperature is 74 degrees. At 5:45 a.m. after 2 hours and 45 minutes of full exposure, the temperature gauge on one bag read 104 feet and the other 98 feet (temperature gauges are available in 6-foot increments). The bag that said 98 feet had more water in it so it didn't heat up as quickly. I tried spraying both bags on my hands and the water temperature was subjectively comfortable but not hot like a hot tub. Both bags were definitely warmer than the 74-foot air temp. I still wish they were a few degrees hotter than the 2:45 test. I love that the rubberized top handle that the bags hang from has a clasp that unlocks for easier hanging and hanging. The front mesh pocket has a small plastic mirror with a drawstring. TEST DAY 2: 3 days after the first test above, on another sunny day in Florida, I put the same 2 bags, refilled with cold water from the kitchen faucet, outside for 3 hours at noon. The air temperature was 78', a warmer day than the first test. This time they reached 104 feet and 110 feet, respectively. Each time one bag was filled slightly less than the other, and each time the less full bag became warmer than the fuller bag. Both 104' and 110' seem like very comfortable shower temperatures to me. Once you hit 104 feet, that's about the same temperature most public gyms set their hot tubs to, just for reference. Extension is very important. And throughout the day they're going to be very hot - if they're in the sun for 6 hours or more, they're about as hot as I can personally take. Once out of direct sun, these bags begin to lose their warmth. So you have to use them while they're hot. Wrapping them in towels or blankets etc. will keep them warm longer (evening dishes?). It also seems to take at least 3 hours to reach a comfortable temperature level. So plan at least that much time. I've used them dozens of times and they're holding up well so far. I didn't treat them roughly because they were clearly not designed for that. The sun hardens the plastic over time, so I can't comment on durability. I am happy with them and glad I bought them. The 5 gallon model weighs 40 pounds and takes 20-25% longer to heat than these 3 gallon bags. Sales on Revain in the category. AE products are clearly better than competing brands. Some of them are actually just thin black plastic bags. Based on my experience I would say these AEs do the job and are currently the best solar showers out there. I've noticed that they fluctuate between $32 and $19 so be patient and look around. You can also check out the 5 gallon AE model (listed separately) and the 10 gallon model (which isn't very portable with a gross weight of 80lbs, but is good for a sailboat, cabin, car camp, etc. might be suitable). . Hope this will be helpful. . Good luck everyone and have a nice shower.