The least glamorous part of camping is also the part that determines whether your partner wants to go camping again; or at all. Here's the seven items that handle water and hygiene at every bush camp we do, sink, bucket, water can, shower tent, shower pump, toilet, and toilet bag.
Nobody writes blog posts about camp water and hygiene gear because nobody wants to think about it. But if you camp at actual bush camps, the free ones, the remote ones, the ones with no amenities, you need to solve the hygiene problem before you go, not after you've already set up.
This kit is what made the difference between "My wife flatly refuse to come without a shower and toilet” and "everyone's fine, let's stay another night." Every item is boring. Every item is essential.
What's in the water & hygiene kit
- Kings Collapsible Sink (washing up station)
- Kings Collapsible 10L Bucket (all-purpose water carrier)
- Bush Tracks 22L Heavy Duty Water Can with Tap (main water storage)
- Spinifex Premium Single Shower Tent (shower and toilet privacy)
- Rechargeable Portable Shower Pump (camp shower)
- Spinifex Portable Toilet 10L (for bush camps with no facilities)
- OZtrail Canvas Toilet Bag (cover for the portable toilet)
We paid under $400 AUD for the whole kit. Cheap for how much misery it prevents.
Kings Collapsible Sink, ★★★★☆
What it is: A silicone/plastic sink that collapses down to about 3cm thick for transport. Heavy-duty, holds roughly 10L of water, has a drain plug at the bottom.
Why it matters: You need somewhere to wash dishes, wash food, wash hands, and rinse kids' faces. Doing any of that in a plastic tub or on the ground is miserable. A collapsible sink sits on the camp table, takes up no real space, and gives you a proper washing station. Under $12. Just get it.
Pros:
- Collapses to basically flat, takes zero storage space
- Heavy-duty enough to survive rough handling by kids
- Drain plug lets you empty it without lifting it
- Doubles as a washing tub for smalls (nappies, socks, whatever)
- Cheap enough that replacing it every few years is no issue
Cons:
- Not the deepest sink, fine for washing up, not for soaking large pots
- Silicone edges can collect grit in the folds, rinse properly before packing
Tip: Don't waste water rinsing soap suds off, just dry dishes with a tea towel.
Verdict: Just buy it or get it free with a kings table. Cheapest useful thing you'll own, gets used every trip.
View product at 4WD Supacentre ↗
Kings Collapsible 10L Bucket, ★★★★★
What it is: Same concept as the sink, collapsible silicone, holds 10L. Sturdy handle, closable lid optional.
Why a separate bucket when you have a sink: Different jobs. The sink lives on the table for washing dishes and food prep. The bucket is what you carry water from the tap (or water source) in. Trying to use one for both means you're carrying your dishwater and your drinking water in the same container, which isn't great. We also use the bucket for our camping shower.
Pros:
- Same collapsible design, packs to nothing
- Handle strong enough for a full 10L (which is heavy)
- Versatile: water carrying, cleaning, bath for toddlers, fire bucket for safety
- Cheap enough to have two (one clean, one dirty)
- Sides actually hold their shape, doesn't tip over easily like many collapsible buckets
- We use ours as the water container for the shower pump
Cons:
- None, great product
Verdict: Combined with the sink, these two items handle 95% of your camp water needs. Pair purchase.
View product at 4WD Supacentre ↗
Spinifex Portable Toilet 10L, ★★★★★
What it is: A self-contained portable toilet with a 10L waste tank below and a clean water flush tank above. Piston-pump flush. Empties via a swing-out spout. Looks and works essentially like a caravan toilet, just smaller and cheaper.
Why you need one: Bush camps, free camps, and many national park sites don't have toilets. Drop-toilets (if they exist) are often questionable. With kids, forcing them to use "the bush" can turn into a 20-minute meltdown every time. A portable toilet solves this completely: clean, private, easy to use, kids can do it themselves.
Honest about the "gross factor": Yes, you empty it. Once a trip, into an appropriate waste disposal point (every caravan park and many roadhouses have a dump point). Modern chemical sachets neutralise everything and there's almost no smell during the trip or when you empty it. It's nowhere near as bad as you think.
Sturdy, easy to use. Lasts 2 adults + 2 kids 3–4 days before needing to be emptied.
Pros:
- Kids will use it without complaint, no tears, no negotiation
- 10L capacity is enough for a family of four over a 2-3 day trip
- Clean water flush means it actually feels clean to use (not a bucket)
- Sealed tank, no smell if you use a chemical sachet
- Cheap enough to justify even for occasional use
Cons:
- Needs somewhere private, a shower tent and canvas toilet bag are essential
- Chemical sachets are a recurring cost (~$1 per use)
- Adult-comfort-size is tight for bigger adults, manageable, but not a regular loo
- You need to remember to empty it, don't forget on the drive home
- Can feel close to the ground for the 10L version, not really an issue in practice
Tip: Fill up the top half with water before you leave home so you arrive ready to go.
Verdict: If you camp with kids anywhere without facilities, this one is essential. The misery it prevents is enormous. If my wife is happy to use this over longer camps and genuinely loves the product you know it is a winner.
OZtrail Canvas Toilet Bag, ★★★★☆
What it is: A zip-up canvas cover that fits over the portable toilet. Tough canvas, solid zippers and keeps the toilet out of sight when it's packed or not in use.
Why we like it: Two reasons. First having a dedicated carry bag that can also store the sachets make moving it neat and has a home when in storage. Second, discretion during transport, canvas cover keeps it from being the thing everyone sees when they look in the boot. Is it essential? defiantly not, this is a nice to have.
Pros:
- Canvas is tough, doesn't rip or stretch
- Drawstring means you just cinch it up and drop it in the boot
- Dark colour is discreet, doesn't scream "portable toilet here"
- Easy to wipe down if anything splashes
Cons:
- Nil, works well.
Verdict: The $35 that makes the whole portable toilet solution viable. Buy it with the toilet.
Bush Tracks 22L Heavy Duty Water Can with Tap, ★★★★☆
What it is: A 22-litre heavy-duty plastic jerry can with a screw-on tap. Olive drab colour, standard military-style handle.
Why you need one: If your camp doesn't have a tap within walking distance, you need to carry and store water. 22L covers showering, cooking, and basic cleaning for a family of four across a couple of days. Having a proper tap on it (instead of pouring from the spout) makes a surprising difference to water waste.
Pros:
- Heavy-duty construction, handles rough roads and getting tossed around
- 22L is a good balance between capacity and weight when full (~22kg)
- Tap works well once installed
Cons:
- Tap doesn't come pre-installed, you need to remove the stopper first
- No way of knowing these are every truly clean
Tip: Use a very large flat-head screwdriver at home to remove the stopper and add the tap before your first trip. Much easier on the kitchen bench than at camp. Also I would avoid any jerry for drinking water as you can never know they are truly clean, for drinking use the water storage I talk about in my camp cooking kit. ↗
Verdict: Does the job, no issues. Essential for any camp without running water.
Spinifex Premium Single Shower Tent, ★★★★★
What it is: A pop-up privacy tent with a multi-purpose floor designed for shower and toilet use. Internal storage pockets, towel hooks, and ventilation at the top.
Why it matters: If you're using a portable toilet AND a camp shower (which you should be), you need somewhere private to do both. This tent handles both jobs, the multi-purpose floor drains for showering and keeps things clean for toilet use. Without a privacy tent, nobody showers at camp. Without showers, nobody wants to stay past day two.
Pros:
- Multi-purpose floor works for both shower drainage and toilet use
- Plenty of internal storage, keeps towel and clothes dry while showering
- Pockets for shampoo, soap, and toiletries within reach
- Sturdy construction, holds up well to wind
- Easy to put up and take down
Cons:
- Nothing to report, it does exactly what it needs to, love this product.
Verdict: Great product. Non-negotiable once you've used one, you'll never go back to the "towel draped over a branch" approach.
Rechargeable Portable Shower Pump, ★★★★☆
What it is: A submersible USB-rechargeable pump that drops into a bucket of water and pushes it through a shower head via a flexible hose. No plumbing, no 12V wiring, just charge it, drop it in, and shower.
Why it works: Paired with the Kings collapsible bucket and the Spinifex shower tent, this completes the camp shower setup. Fill the bucket with warm water (heated on the fire or mixed from the jerry can and a kettle), drop the pump in, and you've got a real shower. Good enough water pressure that it actually feels like a shower, not a sad dribble.
Pros:
- USB rechargeable, tops up from the battery box like everything else
- Compact and lightweight, takes zero space
- Good water pressure for what it is
- No plumbing or wiring, truly portable
Cons:
- The hook that comes with it does not have a dedicated spot yet in the tent but works fine.
Verdict: Does the job. Cheap, rechargeable, gets everyone clean at camp. I looked at selling this as one of our first products but you can get the exact one cheaper and faster on amazon.
See the one I purchased direct from manufacturer but on amazon. ↗
The full setup in use
Arrive at camp: Set up the Spinifex shower tent. Put the portable toilet inside it. Instant private toilet, and your shower enclosure is ready too.
During the trip: Water can stores your main supply. Kings bucket carries water from the tap (or stream) to camp. Kings sink sits on the table for washing up, food prep, hand washing. Shower pump drops into the bucket for end-of-day showers. Portable toilet gets used as needed.
Leaving camp: Empty the toilet at a dump point (every caravan park has one, most fuel stations on highways do too). Rinse the sink and bucket with clean water. Collapse the shower tent, pack everything flat. Takes 10 minutes.
What we'd add (and what we'd skip)
Add:
- Toilet chemical sachets. Box of 20 is usually $15-20. Lasts a season.
- Microfibre towel for the washing up, quick-dry, packs small.
Skip:
- Expensive 12V shower systems. The rechargeable pump in a bucket does the same job without the wiring or bulk. Save the money.
- Expensive "camp kitchen" water setups with taps and gravity-fed sinks. The collapsible sink + bucket combo does the same job for $20 instead of $200.
What we paid
- Kings Collapsible Sink: $11.96
- Kings Collapsible 10L Bucket: $11.96
- Bush Tracks 22L Water Can with Tap: ~$44.99
- Spinifex Premium Single Shower Tent: ~$149
- Rechargeable Portable Shower Pump: ~$49
- Spinifex Portable Toilet 10L: ~$79.99
- OZtrail Canvas Toilet Bag: $35
Not the most expensive kit on our setup, but one of the most important for actual family enjoyment. Prices change daily, check the links above for current deals.
The bottom line
Nobody gets excited about camping hygiene gear. But the families that have it have good camping trips. The families that don't have it end the trip early, or stop camping altogether. We know which side of that line we want to be on.
We paid under $250 for the lot, and this kit solves the "but where do we wash?", "but where do we shower?" and "but where's the toilet?" questions that otherwise end family camping before it starts. Buy the whole kit. Keep it boxed up, ready to go.
See our complete family kit at Our Setup.