Is Portable Shower is BAD A$$! : Kakadu Shower

After discovering Kakadu's overland shower at the recent Overland Expo PNW I knew I had to try one out. A compact, incredibly efficient, self powered shower system? This is exactly what I have been searching for and it just so happens they are now sold in the USA. Is this better than the Geyser shower? Better than the Joolca?
This brilliant shower packs a lot of punch for being so small, and being so easy to use. We will cover what this shower is, the pros and cons, and of course the price tag for this newly introduced gem of kit.
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[@IndependenceOverland]

Kakadu Shower Link: bit.ly/45AUsRY

[@E67CHope]

It would be nicer if it had more pressure..

[@davidrucci]

You had me at those auto vents!😮 This thing is super sweet. Having varying plug in and pump accommodations is the key for us, which shouldn’t be too difficult to do as add-on’s. Other than that it’s efficiency and footprint are sooo ideal. ❤️

[@IndependenceOverland]

Yeah this thing is clutch. Similar to the heat exchanger setup, but not having to warm up the Fj is ideal and of course less water pressure and no garden hoses is a big perk! I’m very satisfied with this setup!

[@mattritscher1930]

one of the coolest products that I have seen this year.

[@IndependenceOverland]

Me too, cool to see a retake on a product rather than a rebrand!

[@Burly1995]

This shower seems awesome. Exactly what I’ve been looking for and glad I haven’t dropped the money on others showers yet. I have a tight spot that seems like it will fit this but I do have one question. Is there any way you can measure the bag after completely loading everything in it? I’ve seen the measurements on their website for the bag but it is slightly confusing.

[@mikechandler3791]

Awesome review, we use a Scepter 5-gallon plastic can which has a larger cap for filling - hard to tell but it looks like that would work for the water pump??? We like the Scepter so much that we are replacing our original water (old cube style-broken spigot) 5-gallon plastic container with a second Scepter for our long base camping trips. Thanks for the review and thanks for the tip from a previous video on what to use for the mosquito's - Thermacell

[@IndependenceOverland]

Yes sir I briefly covered it in the video but the wide mouth scepter looks like it would work great for this application!

[@tomassanesson902]

Awesome

[@SueUTube]

The engineer who designed this deserves a medal.

[@IndependenceOverland]

I’m with you there! They did an incredible job with it!

[@billhernon2655]

If they introduced the biolite thermal charging technology, you could be completely wireless!

[@JarradShaw]

Nice!!!

[@IndependenceOverland]

It’s a pretty awesome little gadget!

[@HoustonBrownPhotography]

I am more of a hybrid overlander in that I am in the middle of converting from camping to overlanding but at a very slow pace. I have the Joolca system and I love it but it is not as compact. But I get a shower and sink for what the Kakadu system costs, almost. But like you said, there is always a trade off with these things. As always, great video, love your videos. Heading your way in a week or so. Hope to see you on the trail. By the way, your 50% (percent) off code in your notes is really $50 off for the HEST mattress. Just FYI

[@IndependenceOverland]

Thanks man! I went through all of them and corrected the $50 off! Huge typo on my part! But for the Kakadu I totally get your perspective. I know how much crap I carry (😜) so I’ve been looking for something on the smaller side. I had a Joolca type of system in my UEV490 and while it worked well, I wouldn’t want to deal with it on its own. It was hard mounted to the trailer which simplified it. But I also wake up and want to wash my face and take my hair because I start filming within 20 minutes of waking up. So quick and easy is important to me. The Joolca systems do look solid!

[@kizzyp2735]

Need this in the UK !!

[@richardghalayini2666]

Why?? You poms don’t wash anyway so stay dirty convicts😂😂

[@VictoriaWargaming]

adapter sounds like a job for 3d printing

[@gotsteem]

Wow, what a great camping product..

[@shaungutierrez9976]

I really like it and am ready to order. My question is how easy will it be to get parts and warranty issues taken care of since they’re from over seas? Also, can I just cut the pump off and just plumb it directly to my pressurized water tank?

[@IndependenceOverland]

Service won't be an issue at all, they have a US branch. So no worries about having to ship stuff over! As far as your water pump, I would assume it would work if you could reduce pressure on it somehow. Too much and itll be too cold, too slow it will be scalding.

[@Rob_FJ]

I have had this for a few years (Aussie version), it’s good, but I prefer the Geyser electric hot water system as I can permanently mount it inside the car. When I’m driving I can turn it on 30 mins before camp. The gas one is good but it’s annoying taking it in and out of the car.

[@IndependenceOverland]

Yeah that certainly is a huge advantage. I like the geyser for solo stuff, but the Kakadu will be getting a whole lot of use from me this coming year!

[@Rob_FJ]

@@IndependenceOverland if you have the space, the Duetto 12V water heater is nice, too.

[@returnofthecmack2013]

Oh man I’d love to see an in-line option or just something with a smaller tube/connection for a more standard jerry can lid. I’m a big fan of how dometic has their lids set up with the quick connect barbs. How well did this unit end up working well for washing longer hair? Was the pressure enough for really getting the dirt out? (This has been my eternal struggle having long hair and going on longer trips)

[@IndependenceOverland]

Yeah the Dometic setup is pretty slick, a great way to keep stuff out of the water tanks! As for her long hair, this thing is perfect. Because it has 3 spray modes you can use the center spray mode to get a bit more pressure. Of course it’s still not like home water pressure but it’s above and beyond the Geyser system for her washing her hair. The wife is 100% satisfied with this thing!

[@paulkuc8399]

@@IndependenceOverland this right here is the most important part lol thank you!

[@babbidgej]

I've had mine for a few months now. GPM at .6 has +/-. My main issue is the battery; I definitely need to recharge after every us (5-7 min/ use). I would recommend having the battery topped off before use/ if it's been sitting for a few days; I would top it off again. It works, it gets the job done. It hardly uses propane like other systems. Note: it'll error code E3 on you once when starting it up. Just power off and power up and that clears that up.

[@IndependenceOverland]

I’d call them about the battery, your should be getting almost 10x the use off a charge.

[@jakemetz1742]

Do you switch off the power when it’s sitting around? Saw another review that states the battery drains when it’s on

[@babbidgej]

@@jakemetz1742 I've turned it on to charge 30 minutes before use, looked charged, dies with in a min

[@InGratitudeIam]

I love mine. I got it for my wife. After all, happy wife, happy life! And I enjoy it too.

[@IndependenceOverland]

It’s a very nice unit, by far the most efficient on fuel and the most compact I’ve seen!

[@hmficdavid2606]

Great but the price point is bit higher versus others. appreciate the product review. thanks!

[@k9khodi363]

Yeah, I expected it to be less than Joolca. Not worth it for me.

[@Baebon6259]

you pay for the "compactness" of it. Being smaller footprint, this is perfect for pretty much any vehicle. the Joolca is too bulky for a sedan.

[@IssacMart]

Hey there, by chance do you know how many watts it’s pulling from the 12v?

[@IndependenceOverland]

For charging its internal battery? Not sure.

[@Penny-mk7fv]

The altitude typically affects propane canisters as they get lower on fuel and have less pressure.

[@IndependenceOverland]

If that happened, I’d just swap to my big tank/adapter.

[@kacotr27]

It would be great if there were filters on the intake side so you can actually recycle your tub of water if you had a bigger tub to stand in

[@IndependenceOverland]

Yeah that would require a significantly stronger pump though. Soap/hair/dirt would be a problem. I think just a cheap water filter in your kit to purify more water would be the most cost effective and most easily made solution.

[@FirehawkVFX]

Why did you cut the edit when turning on the water? How long did it take to produce hot water?

[@IndependenceOverland]

At where in the video exactly? Happy to answer, I fumble over my words a lot so I do a lot of jump cut type of editing. The hot water is literally instant. It takes as long as as it takes to get from the unit to the end of the hose.

[@Knardsh]

Can you use just the pump if you disconnect propane for unheated water?

[@IndependenceOverland]

I don’t believe so

[@jakemetz1742]

Will this still run even if the propane doesn’t spark? To at least have running water

[@IndependenceOverland]

Yes sir

[@michaelfreund]

thanks for this review. super informative, yet i am left with two important issues: you cut the video between starting the unit and it starting to produce water. that is what probably most people were looking for. how long does it actually take. anyone can cut and then say, yes it's working. not sure i understand the reason for this cut. second, i was pretty gung-ho about this unit but the fact that the water, according to you, wasn't super hot while you'd been recycling the warm water back into the tank gives me an indication that if i were to use cold water and not recycle it back into the tank, obviously, so as to not make the unit dirty from my used shower water, it may not get very warm at all. thoughts?

[@IndependenceOverland]

Yeah sorry, someone else actually made the same comment about the cut though I’m not exactly sure if the exact shot you guys at talking about. Wherever the shot is, I didn’t cut it to hide anything other than myself misspeaking or a shaky camera. This test was done at 11k feet, so keep in mind propane doesn’t burn as well up there. It doesn’t really take any time. The cold water gets heated as soon as it goes through the burner, so as soon as it makes its way out of the faucet, it’s hot. As mentioned, the Kakadu heats water up to 50 degrees above its starting temp. So if it’s cold Colorado River water in spring, you might need to let it pass through for a few minutes. Somewhere like the Midwest however, the rivers aren’t nearly as cold so it wouldn’t require the same preheating.

[@417plasma6]

I bought the coleman hot water on demand ..same features, and it works great...BUT the only con..even on this unit, once you turn it on, there is not shut off switch to stop the water, at the shower head...so you must keep it in a water tank so you don't lose the water supply ..thats the ONLY down fall.....

[@IndependenceOverland]

This one definitely has an on/off switch on the handle. As soon as the pump sensors water isn’t flowing, it turns off so it isn’t over running.

[@417plasma6]

@@IndependenceOverland wish colemans would have had it on there, but i don't think i seen turn off n on ??

[@royvillanueva3263]

How does this compare to Camplux Nano and Bougerv portable?

[@IndependenceOverland]

Not sure, I have no yet tested those units

[@-PORK-CHOP-]

It's a bit pricey over there, I have the same unit in Australia [Companion Branded they re-brand it a Kakadu over there] price in Australia is $240 US

[@essbee3720]

Can this run with a garden hose?

[@IndependenceOverland]

No, not that I know of. It has to use the built in water pump.

[@vtran1082]

Is kakadu or rinse kit better and why?

[@IndependenceOverland]

Kakadu for me. I prefer on demand heat, and heated by gas which is very efficient. Rinse kit even with a heating element takes a lot of power and will take a few minutes to heat up. I am sure its a nice kit, but the Kakadu is more my style.

[@vtran1082]

@@IndependenceOverland good to know! I never knew about that. I'm a Kakadu fan now.

[@k9khodi363]

I like that it uses a small propane tank.

[@IndependenceOverland]

Using a larger one is an option as well, but the small ones just fit so well

[@jefflindsay42]

$379 at Anaconda, Sydney. ❤

[@Florida_Adventure]

Everyone that reviews this misses a very important spec. It's always mentioned the max temp it can heat but more importantly for us southern states or when the source water is already warm like 75 degrees, the Kakadu can be reduced to a 15 degree diff which no other system can do. Meaning 75 degree water can be heated to 90 degrees. Joolca for example can only have a 30 degree diff so 75 degree water can't be any colder than 105 degrees. I'm here to say that can be a problem. Joolca also is too sensitive to wind. Kakadu for the win.

[@IndependenceOverland]

I did not realize that. I’ll cover that in a future video, thank you!

[@CraigG21]

A 55F increase in water temp equates to a temperature difference of 30.5C, not 12.77C as you showed. FYI.

[@IndependenceOverland]

Thank you sir! Whoops!

[@CraigG21]

@@IndependenceOverland looks like a great system. But I wish they had a connection for the pump to be able to draw from a std garden hose since I already have 7 gallons of water in a Yakima Road Shower container.

[@jakemetz1742]

Stereotypical question here. Where da heck is that camping spot? Gonna have to check er out

[@IndependenceOverland]

Sorry man, I don't share locations unless its just an insanely popular area already (Like the Ouray area). Trying to keep the less inhabited places less inhabited!

[@OldFellaDave]

This is a rebadged Companion Lithium Hot Water system, been running mine for a while now and it's awesome. Light and portable, you Can mount it in the back of your truck/ute or carry it from one vehicle to another or use it in a shower tent etc The water pump won't fit into a standard Jerry can, so we use a collapsible bucket. Heats up near instantly. Battery and Propane will easily last a family campaign trip for a week or two - and you can plug it into your other 12v power sources and regular propane bottles for longer trips. Only Con I have found so far - the connectors are crap plastic and require finessing to get on some times.

[@IndependenceOverland]

Yes sir, same company under a US distribution. I am a fan of it and I am looking forward to getting more use out of it this year!

[@richardghalayini2666]

Companion are the brainchild behind this brilliant camp hot water shower just renamed Kakadu for the USA market, Aussie Aussie Aussie, oi, oi , oi🇦🇺💪🏼👌🏽

[@Master-Blaster-4x4]

$350 for black friday

[@jonnytacooutdoors]

Time to sell my camplux shower

[@IndependenceOverland]

I think you’ll really like this thing man. It’s incredibly easy to use, it’ll be in the Fj for the rest of the season and finding a home in the new build next year 😁

[@jonnytacooutdoors]

@@IndependenceOverland definitely. My buddy had one when we went camping last weekend really love the design and how compact they are and they you can just screw on a propane cylinder to the unit. One less thing to pack.

[@jonnytacooutdoors]

@@IndependenceOverland definitely. My buddy had one when we went camping last weekend really love the design and how compact they are and they you can just screw on a propane cylinder to the unit. One less thing to pack.

[@kellstat]

Not to sure if your not the Commander and Cheif. Better check yourself, before, well you know.

[@IndependenceOverland]

😂

[@robertocorchado4199]

Coleman do it 6 years ago so no new tecnology here

[@IndependenceOverland]

The Coleman’s aren’t quite the same thing. People have had a lot of issues with those.

[@campmansoutdoors6927]

You can tell when a product is made in the PR of China because of the ridiculous names they use to brand them. I'm sure it will last 3 life times!! $100 is the most I'm willing to donate to the chinese for what I'm sure is a "quality" product like that

[@IndependenceOverland]

This isn’t a Chinese company, it’s Australian. I’m not saying it’s not produced in China, but the company itself isn’t Chinese.