Columbia Shoshoni Falls Shower Tent Reviews

• great shower tent!

  
  By A2F2PI8JKDUOP8 on 2005-07-25
  This shower tent was very roomy There is enough space to stand in one section and not get wet, even for a large person you will not feel cramped. It has a place for all your stuff even a towel bar. It was very sturdy it held up through some pretty strong winds. The only thing I would change is in the flooring it has a mesh section on three sides for the water to drain and I would put it on all four sides. There is a place that unzips for you to put your shower hose through and connect the shower head to the top of the tent, We took a black 50 gallon drum and filled it with water and put a pump for a pond in it covered the top with black rubber mat for maximum heating by the sun and hooked a regular shower head to the end of the hose and had enough water for many showers. This was money well spent! Sure you can buy some for $30.00 dollars but you can barely stand up or move and certainly cannot hang your stuff in them and they don't have floors. Buy this product with confidence.
  
  

• Roomy & stable, but heavy and awkward to set up.

  
  By A190SMQ5379VCF on 2005-11-24
  A shower tent is a great concept. Having the freedom to bathe privately and avoid the often undesirable and crowded camp bath house has boosted our camping enjoyment immensely.
  
  I purchased and used this Columbia Shoshoni shower tent last Labor Day weekend for a 4-day camping trip in the Poconos, and here are my impressions.
  
  On the positive side, the Shoshoni is very large and roomy inside. A couple can easily shower together. There is also plenty of room to put a chair inside, in one corner, making it easier to change clothes. The added accessories (towel bar, shelves, light) are useful and welcome. A large canvas carry bag is also included.
  
  The tent is also very stable, even when just staking down the base of the tent. Guy lines are provided and can be used in windy conditions.
  
  On the down side, the tent when packed in its bag is very heavy to carry - something to keep in mind if you need to hike into your camp site.
  
  I also personally found this tent awkward and somewhat of a pain to set up. I'm lucky I was not alone, or I would have had a hard time raising the large center-piece from which the rest of the tent hangs.
  
  Since then I have also purchased the Paha Que Tepee, a shower tent from a competing tent manufacturer. I haven't camped with the Paha Que yet, but I have set it up in the yard.
  
  The Paha Que tepee has less room on the inside (4' x 4', instead of the Columbia's 5' x 5') and is less stable - I would probably guy this down anytime I used it.
  
  The Paha Que also comes with accessories and a very nice oversized carry bag. It is also *much* lighter to carry.
  
  More significantly, the Paha Que is a snap to set up - I did it myself in less than five minutes. (The Columbia took me a half hour, and I needed my wife's help at the end to lift the center of the frame.)
  
  The design & engineering of the Paha Que Tepee is elegant and simple. The quality of the materials & contruction appears to be higher as well (although quality was certainly adequate with the Columbia tent).
  
  The Paha Que tent is a little more expensive. I was fortunate and received a bargain on both tents.
  
  Basically, if you want the most interior space, don't have to hike to your camp site, and have two people to set up the tent, the Columbia is fine.
  
  On the other hand, if you're looking for better engineering and quality, less carry weight, and vastly easier one-person set-up, the Paha Que would be the better choice.
  
  Buy one either way - you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.
  
  

• Nice tent if you don't need light gear

  
  By A3G925HVFIH21V on 2006-07-14
  I purchased this tent to use as a private space for a composting toilet that was to be set up in my garage workshop. I had no difficulty with set-up. It took approximately 15 minutes and I set it up alone. (I'm 5' 4" and 120 lbs., so it doesn't take massive strength.) The directions were clear. I did not need to stake it out as my garage is not noted for windstorms. I did use the rainfly as it added strength and stability. The materials were of good quality, and everything went together without difficulty.
  
  This is a very large shower tent and was more than large enough to hold the composting toilet I intended it for. I would need to cut a hole in the back wall for the venting connections and finished that off so that it would not fray. I had no difficulty with the zippers or door. The shelves, towel bar and gear loft were nice accessories. The actual size is 4 1/2 ft. by 4 1/2 foot, not 5 ft. by 5 ft. as many sites list, which was a problem for me as I actually needed the 5 ft. by 5 ft. size to accomodate additional equipment. It is 84" tall center height. There is alot of room. The carry bag is very well constructed. The light and remote are also nice touches and worked well. There is a velcro patch on the ceiling that the light attaches to, with velcro on the back of the light as well. Batteries are not included -- 2 AA for the light and a 12 volt camera type battery for the remote.
  
  This is a heavy piece of camping equipment -- about 25 lbs. The poles are steel, very sturdy but heavy. I find it hard to think of something this heavy as camping gear, but then I have back packing gear. If you were car camping or setting up camp for awhile in one spot and needed a private place to shower or use a porta-potty, and either had a very strong teenager who'd carry the thing in or could drive to your site, this would be great. There are bungee cord type connections to hold the shower hose out of the way. The shower tent takes about the same amount of time as most tents to set up, maybe a bit less. I paid $112 with free shipping for it on Amazon.
  
  

• Saved the day

  
  By A2GW5HPMFHVX8G on 2006-07-17
  Came in very Handy, great for rinsing the mud off the kids as well as taking a full complete shower. I went camping with my family (44 of us)and the facility showers broke down, this shower saved the day, we all used it. I suggest you buy more than 1 solar bag, so you do not run out of warm water.
  
  

• Quality, Quality, Quality

  
  By A2CA99L4UEMBUT on 2005-09-29
  I set this up in our backyard. Mind you we live on a hill with a good bit of wind. This shower tent handled the wind, no problem. I did however tie it down to the included stakes. Set up wasn't too difficult. I was able to do it by myself. However, help in raising the top would be less stress on the frame. It comes in a really heavy duty carry bag. The stakes included are heavy duty, not plastic. The headroom and standing area are unreal. No worries there. Everything about this shower tent is an A++++.
  
  
• Can't wait to use it!
  By A1DRP6WAUZB4E on 2006-06-23
  I just got my Columbia shower tent yesterday and already set it up! At first I was going to just buy a $30 shower tent, but I'm glad I found this one!
  
  Here are my first impressions:
  
  1. Very roomy, but the ad states 5' X 5' and the box reads 4.5' X 4.5'?? There is plenty of room to put a porta-pottie in the shower and make it a dual purpose tent.
  
  2. Very easy to set up. Every thing is color-coded for easy set-up! I was hesistant in ordering this because of the other review of how hard it was to set up. It did take a while at first because I was following the instructions. But I think the next time I set up, it will only take 5 to 10 minutes max. There are a lot of parts when setting this up, so be sure to set it up in the daytime or have a good lantern to see with.
  
  3. Nice carrying bag! Very well constructed. However, I wish Columbia could have spent less on the bag and taken that off the cost of the product. $112 was not bad though for everything you get. It sure beats spending $140 to $160 on one and it definately beats the cheap $30 tents.
  
  4. Nice accessories like corner hanging rack, towel bar, and light. HOWEVER, the remote control for the light takes a 12v photo type battery. The light itself just takes 2 AA batteries. You don't really need the remote though. There is an on/off switch on the actual light itself. I just hate it when battery operated items do not take regular batteries such as AAA, AA, C, or D. How many little convenience stores out in the middle of nowhere, when your camping, carry 12v photo type batteries?? Plus those batteries are expensive! Be sure to take the batteries out in the off season!
  
  5. The tent comes with the nice thich metal stakes! Not the cheap plastic ones that bend or break after the second or third time you pound them in the ground. We have the same stakes for our regular tent and ground cover and they can drive through rocky and clay soil with no problem!
  
  6. IT HAS A FLOOR!! The cheap $30 ones do not all have floors, so be careful when you purcahse one! The mesh around the floor to let the water run out was not what I expected. I expected more of a tent window type screen. The mesh around the floor has rather large holes in it to let the flow of water out of the tent. However, the holes are large enough to let in creepy crawly bugs such as ants and spiders. We'll have to see though. Maybe putting a ground tarp on the bottom of the tent will help keep the bugs out as well as save the bottom of the shower from rocks.
  
  7. Very sturdy. I think she will hold up well in high winds and storms. The one downfall is that in order to use the guy lines to give it more stability, you have to use the rain fly because the guy lines are attached to the rainfly. If you didn't want the rainfly on but still wanted to use the guy lines for stability, you could get some line and tie them to the corners.
  
  8. Lots of storage! There are lots of spaces in the shower to place your stuff like shampoo and what not. There is even a compartment in the hanging rack to put toilet paper in so it doesn't get wet.
  
  9. There is about a four inch zipper on the back to run in you shower hose if you use one of those hot water shower pumps. I wish they put zippers in all four corners, so you can place you shower pump anywhere and still run the hose into the tent. I would have like to see the zipper in one of the front corners because we have one of the those propane hot water pumps. The way it is set up now is that you would have to go to the back of the tent and light the propane shower and start the pump. There are also some connectors at the top to hang a solar shower bags. However, those so called 5 gallon solar showers would be a lot of wieght. Anyways, I have never been able to get a full 5 gallons in one of those things.
  
  10. Heavy duty metal poles. I was very impressed on how sturdy they were!
  
  All in all, I was very impressed with the shower tent, even though I haven't actually used it. There are a few minor things I wish Columbia would have done differently, but still happy with the purchase.
  
  The reason we got this is because where we camp, there is ussaully just an outhouse, sometimes a shower house. There is nothing worse then having to hold your breath and go into an outhouse. That's not the worst part. I hate wasps and every outhouse and shower house I have been in, there are always wasps flying around your face while you trying to use the restroom. YUCK! It's like the parks we go to won't spray for them or something!?
  
  We don't have a camper or travel trailer becausse we take our boat with us. So this will be perfect. After a long day on and in the lake, a nice shower makes you feel better and you can wash off all of the sunscreen and bug spray before you go to bed!
  
  I know this will make your camping experience a happy one. At least I know my wife will be a happy camper! Hope this review helps!
  
  
• didn't last long in the sun
  By A1H2F8P5QQGAMM on 2006-08-12
  We bought ours in April, and have left it set up at our summer cabin since then. It was in a partially shaded area under some oak trees where it was only exposed to morning sun for about 2 hours each day, and after about 2 months the fabric became very dry and brittle, and just gave out along the seams.
  
  When I called the store where I bought it, they explained that this is just the result of normal everyday use and is not covered by a warranty. I am ok with that, sorta, but it sure seems like the fabric ought to at least last one summer. Heck, I bought it expecting to get a few years use out of it. Bummer!
  
  
• The Luxury of Privacy
  By A1AAV9GJTO80KD on 2005-06-16
  As our camping crew gets larger and more diverse , We have found that privacy is a luxury some hold onto the most. I recieved my shower tent this afternoon and of course had to set it up.I have found that this shower tent has all the features we need and more. I'm sure it will prove to be a good investment when that August camping trip to the Blackrock Desert in Nevada, comes around. It feels big enough to put a tub into, but then that really would'nt be roughing it.
  
  
• Lots of PRIVATE space!
  By A2LR4L4F5DHIPA on 2005-10-25
  We found this shower tent gave us a lot of private space. It fit a large porta-potti with lots of extra room. We bought it so we could potty our wheelchair bound handicapped son close to the camper. We were able to pick him up, walk him in and were not crowded in the process. My husband and I are both large people and we enjoyed the extra room to shower as well. The height is great and it is easy to assemble.
  
  
• very flimsy and bad zippers
  By A7ASFYH8XW787 on 2006-06-28
  This was a gift from a camper friend who thought I would really enjoy this - I never really thought about showering in a tent before! Noce idea, and when I first set it up I really liked how roomy and big it was. It took about 20 minutes to set up, but I think that may get shorter with more practice - it is a little complicated. Fortunatley my friend was able to help me get all the poles in place and stand it up.
  
  Fast forward about 3 months and my first actual camping experience with this shower tent.....and I discovered that it was very flimsy in just a little bit of wind. No matter how many strings I tied to it it just seemed to move around alot whenever the wind blows. And the door zipper jammed after a few uses and made it very tough to use. Someone suggested I spray it down with wd40, but I am afraid the chemicals could stain the unit and not help the zipper. What to do?
  
  Anyway, seems like this is a nice idea but the tent is not put together very well. Or maybe I got a lemon, either way I do not think I will recommend this to my friends, Just didn't seem to be made very well.
  
  
  
• Nightmare to set up
  By A1K79LGKQ5EF7U on 2006-06-26
  Not happy with this thing......it is so hard to set up that I had to go to the bathroom twice while doing it. Now I consider myself above average intelligence, but this is a screwy design. Nice concept, bad design. Camping should be easy, not frustrating!
  
  Signed,
  Frustrated and Pinching Off
  
  
• TRY IT , YOU WILL LOVE IT.
  By A1P1K5EPFP6J9K on 2006-08-03
  GREAT SHOWER
  I LOVE THE SPACE.
  
  
• Let there be rain
  By A38R344D0TBJFU on 2006-08-08
  This item set up fairly quickly in about 20 minutes. It appears to be sturdy enough for windy conditions. I haven't figured out the water bladder attachment because, it just hangs in the way. My best solution to this is to lay the bladder in a basket and suspend the basket from the "S" hook. Overall, it appears to be an satisfactory product.
  
  
• horrible construction and worse customer service
  By A3Q3GBTS243KDF on 2006-07-13
  QUALITY - JUNK
  
  CUSTOMER SERVICE - NON-EXISTENT
  
  set up is a joke, quality is a joke, and if you don't mind calling the factory in China for customer service than by all means, buy it. I love the Columbia company history bit..... founded in 1938....sold to the Chinese in 2004. It is a name only, owned by someone who is interested solely in selling a lot of junk, and a few unhappy customers is acceptable to them I guess.
  
  
• Columbia Shoshoni Falls Shower Tent
  By A1B3YLRCVHPXVQ on 2007-05-31
  A great find and a great buy! I found the same item advertised for $189.00 on the INTERNET but purchased mine from Amazon for $129.95. Amazon paid for the shipping. The shower tent arrived a week earlier than I thought it would, which was another plus. I was planning a trip over Memorial Day so I had time to open the tent up to see how easy/hard it would be before taking it camping. It went together easily. The poles and supports are marked with color strips. The color strips do come off so it probably would be best if they were marked with paint instead of tape. The only other fault I found with it was that the maker only allowed one zippered hole for the shower hose to enter the tent, which was to the left rear as you enter. I have a Coleman Popup trailer and thankfully had added more hose to the outside trailer shower compartment. My camping trip started on Wed. 5/23 and ended on 5/28. We were able to shower every day, a big, big plus. Do buy a carpet to place under the tent though. The flooring could be damaged if it wasn't protected. I found a 3x5 rug, (green grass) at Home Depot that worked very nicely. All parts for the tent are packaged separately in a good quality storage bag.
  
  

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