TESTED: Yakima Roadshower 26L

Words: Mike Blewitt

Photos: Gerard Lagana

Yakima have taken getting outdoors as corporate policy, and in the past few years their range has exploded out from the mountain bike market into the booming off-road recreation market. While Yakima's roof top boxes have been popular for some time, you will now see their LockNLoad platforms and accessory kits your 4WD, and of course off-road rated bike racks and plenty more accessories. The Yakima RoadShower is another addition to fit the outdoor range, alongside the Yakima HighRise HD roof-top tent. 

The Yakima RoadShower takes a simple idea and adds some nifty features. You'll see plenty of black-painted PVC pipes attached to roof racks on off-road vehicles, as the sun warms the dark painted pipe and allows for a hot shower, typically via a tap attachment or camp shower head at one end for a warm gravity fed dribble.

Yakima use an alloy tube that is super strong so it can be pressurised, with two recessed slots built in for mounting bolts so you can easily and securely attach it to round, aero or square roof racks, either sitting on it's base or it's side – for a little more roof rack real estate. There are two outputs plumbed in, with a hose and head that come attached. There's a small tap to control the flow via a 90 degree turn. What really sits the unit apart isn't just the secure attachment and robust build compared to some storm water pipe, but being able to track the temperature via an external thermometer and pressurise the water via a schraeder valve and a pump or compressor.

Yakima have a screw top opening for easy filling, and the schraeder valve right next to it. So you simply fill the tank, and then pressure it with a compressor or a hand pump. This means you don't just rely on gravity, the water you have has been pressurised – so it can clean equipment and people as well as warm up your water.

Fitting and set up 

I fitted the RoadShower to some crusty square railed racks on my van, and the curved mounts with firm rubber backing secured easily. The long attachment slot makes it easy to position the RoadShower further forward or backwards to suit your vehicle. It was only tedious as I don't own a ratcheting 13mm spanner.

Once fitted I was then able to put the hose in the top, and ended up using the mini pump I keep in my van to pressurise it. It didn't take too long but I'll use my compressor next time. You can use a hose adaptor to fill through the attached hose, but I have no qualms standing on a tyre with a hose in the top, and it makes it easier to see how much is in there. It would be nice to have a pressure gauge for the tank, as Yakima do state that much over 55psi is bad news. There's a release valve if it gets too high with changes in altitude and temperature.

The thermometer on the leading side of the RoadShower will give you an idea of the water temperature. It could easily get hot enough to scald you so do be wary. Yakima also have a flexible shower head you can attach on the second output at the rear, and I had the RoadShower FlexHead setup so this could act like a shower at the back corner of my van. All that was left to do was drive somewhere for a ride.

At the trail head

Having left my van in the sun for a little over an hour on a 29 degree day, the water warmed up to about 46 degrees according to the thermometer. The hose sits flush next to the water tank, with the nozzle strapped in place with velcro. It's easy to undo and pull the hose off to wash your gear or bike down. The nozzle has good pressure, and like a garden hose you can have it more of a spray or a direct stream. So it depends whether you need to spray off mud before putting your bike away, or clean yourself, your dog or some other gear. It's easy to use the trigger to adjust the flow, and the pressure is a nice extra if you were camping and wanted to clean dishes or dirty children. Pressurised water really is handy when you have it, most notably for getting mud off – and you use less as well.

Of course, as you use water you lose pressure. So unlike at home where you have consistent water pressure from the mains or your water pump, the pressure in the Roadshower will drop off. The solution if you need the pressure? Pump it back up again. It might take a little longer, but if you have some crud to move and a limited amount of water, such as 26L, it makes sense to use the pressure. While it can be easy to use more water when it's pressurised, once the novelty of shooting water jets at your mates at the carpark has worn off, you'll likely surprise yourself for how much use you can get out of it.

The optional RoadShower FlexHead is essentially a clip on shower head and flexy hose with it's own on-off slide switch. It's no luxe waterfall shower, but better than holding the hose above your head. While I could have the height set in a reasonable position off my van, it did spin around in the coupling, so was less useful than I was hoping. Again, as the pressure drops as you use the shower, it ends up losing pressure.

Read our Yakima Onramp Bike Rack review

Verdict

At $699 the cost for the Yakima RoadShower is far, far higher than some PVC pipe, a can of paint, some hardware and a tap bunged in. But it's a far more refined product with more uses as well. The attachment to your vehicle is bombproof, which is essential given the weight it has when loaded. The fittings to keep it watertight are also excellent quality, and I found the included hose really easy to use.

What really makes the Yakima RoadShower stand out is being able to pressurise the water. My post ride or race wash down has typically been a bottle or two of water kept on the dashboard to warm up in the Queensland sun. As for my bike or other gear? Well that stays filthy. Being able to use pressurised water to clean yourself off, or your gear, is a big bonus. And for many months of the year having some solar power to assist will make it a much nicer experience. Quite often I find the dread of the clean up at the trail head, and back home, after a wet or muddy ride can be off-putting. But the Yakima RoadShower can make it a lot easier to get cleaner and get moving. And this speaks nothing of taking the RoadShower on your adventure rig for a multi-day camping trip where you're riding from your base. For someone who isn't just riding on the weekends, but getting into the great outdoors for car camping trips and driving to remote trail heads, this is a big bonus, and would likely make the RoadShower a worthwhile investment.

I wish it was possible to maintain the pressure for longer with the shower, and I think the FlexHead needs some work. Still, I really like the concept. It's not a cheap piece of kit – but if you have an electronic seatpost or gears, carbon wheels or other high end bike parts, then you understand the difference between price and value.

RRP: $699
FlexHead shower: From $81

From: yakima.com.au

Hits:

• Warm water nearly on demand!
• Water pressure for comfort and cleaning
• Rock solid mounting
• Works with other Yakima accessories

Misses:

• Pressure drops off quickly
• FlexHead attachment a bit hit and miss