A Power Wagon-mounted water tank gives you 7+ gallons of pressurized water at camp — for showers, dish washing, cooking, refilling bottles. Mount the RoadShower to a bed rack and the black tank solar-heats to 80-100°F on a typical day. The right answer for multi-night camping or any trip where you don't want to depend on stream-water filtration.
A pressurized water system upgrades a Power Wagon from "camping trip" to "multi-night basecamp" comfortably. Three options:
**Yakima RoadShower 7** ($520) — the reference. 7-gallon black aluminum tank with hose, pressurized via bicycle pump or 12V air compressor. Mounts to bed rack crossbars on standard 80/20 channels. The black tank solar-heats during a day of driving — you get warm water at camp without any heater. Yakima also makes a 4-gallon version ($350) and a 10-gallon ($680).
**Front Runner 42L Tank + 12V Pump** ($680) — better for cooking + dishes use case. 42L plastic tank (about 11 gallons), 12V pump for genuine pressurized flow (not trickle), proper RV-style faucet. Mounts in the bed (not on the rack — lower CG). Doesn't solar-heat unless you add a heater module.
**Geyser Systems portable shower** ($320) — different approach. A 4-gallon insulated tank that lives in the bed or cab, pumps water through a shower head via 12V. Lighter (no roof weight), more compact, but only useful AT camp (not a mounted-system for drinking water on the road).
**Power Wagon-specific:** the bed rack is the natural mounting point for the RoadShower. Your rack needs to be rated for 60-95 lb dynamic load (7 gallons of water + tank = 65 lb minimum). Most quality overland racks (Front Runner Slimline, Eezi-Awn K9, BAJA Designs) handle that fine. Cheap eBay racks may not.
**Plumbing:** RoadShower comes with a 6' hose and shower head. For dish-washing or refilling water bottles, the standard hose is fine. If you want a proper sink at the back of the bed, you'll need to plumb a longer hose (Yakima sells extensions).
**Water quality:** the RoadShower's aluminum tank is potable-rated. The Front Runner plastic tank is the same. You can drink from both. The Geyser uses a removable refillable bag — also potable.
**Cold weather:** any system with water in it freezes. Drain in winter or accept that you're camping without water below 32°F.
**Honest framing:** a $520 RoadShower is a quality-of-life luxury. For weekend trips, a 5-gallon jerry can + cooking pot ($30) does the same job. For multi-night camping or 5+ days of base-camping, the convenience of pressurized hot water at the rear of the truck is worth the money.
| Part | Vendor | Est. price |
|---|---|---|
| Yakima RoadShower 7 (7 gallon, solar-heated, bed-rack mount) | Yakima | ~$520 |
| Front Runner 42L Pressurized Water Tank + 12V pump kit | Front Runner | ~$680 |
| Geyser Systems portable shower (4-gallon, separate from rig) | Geyser Systems | ~$320 |
| Mounting brackets for bed rack (depends on rack) | rack manufacturer | ~$60 |
Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.