Ready for an adventure but can’t imagine skipping your spacious shower? Well, you’re in luck. Here’s a cool fact for you – some recreational vehicles (RVs) come equipped with full-sized showers.
While it’s a common joke among RV owners that their showers can either accommodate a person or the water, but not both, it’s important to remember that this doesn’t hold true for all models.
So, which one offers the biggest shower, you ask?
Luckily, finding a spacious RV shower is becoming easier as manufacturers move to more “luxury” amenities in newer models. To help you navigate which RV has the largest shower, check out the information below.
The top shower sizes may surprise you, with some that rival residential dimensions, so finally, you can purchase an RV with a large shower that is comfortable for anyone to use.
Which RV Has the Largest Shower?
I don’t like fluff, so let’s just straight out answer the question. The RV with the most extensive shower is the Jayco Pinnacle and Seismic models that offer 1,710 square inches of space.
The Jayco barely nips the runner-up Newmar King Aire by a mere 10 square inches, but the Newmar design offers a more useable and aesthetically pleasing unit.
Finding a large shower in any RV is a bit of a unicorn, as even models that boast of large bathrooms often have shower stalls that are not much bigger than the standard 24″ x 32″ dimensions found in most recreational vehicles.
Trying to find the actual dimension of most RV showers while comparison shopping is challenging. Many sellers and floorplans omit the size in inches and instead offer up adjectives such as spacious, roomy, oversized, or extra-large.
Of course, if a huge RV shower is a priority, you can custom-build nearly any size shower you want if you choose to spend $1M+ from a luxury RV dealer such as Provost.
For the rest of us regular buyers, next up are the top five off-the-showroom-floor RVs with large showers.
Top 5 RVs With Large Showers
1. Jayco Pinnacle Fifth Wheel and Seismic Toy Hauler
Both of these units feature Jayco’s “luxury line” walk-in shower that measures 30 inches deep and 57 inches wide.
The showerhead can be adjusted and removed to accommodate various angles or requirements for washing. On the rear side of the shower, there is a foldable bench seat made of teak, which is resistant to mildew and capable of supporting up to 300 pounds.
Define: What is teak? Teak is a tropical hardwood known for its durability, water resistance, and use in outdoor furniture and boat construction.
The drawback of this shower unit is the layout. The showerhead is on the short-side wall, which means all the space is behind you. The configuration means less elbow room when washing and rinsing off.
Another poor design feature is the shower half-wall that doesn’t completely enclose the shower stall so that water can splash out. Even if you shut the extra lower door, it doesn’t keep all the water inside.
2. Newmar King Aire
Many of the Newmar King Aire Motorcoach models feature a 50-inch wide by 34-inch deep shower stall. This shower unit’s layout feels more comfortable to use, as the rainfall showerhead is more centered, which means plenty of space to move around without bumping into the walls.
The fully enclosed glass walls and doors increase the feeling of openness, while the built-in pull-down teak seat increases ease of use.
Tiled floors and walls create a spa feel that upgrades the look of the entire bathroom. As a bonus, a Fresca panel in the shower has massage sprays and footwash.
With all these features, it’s difficult to find any complaints about the shower from customers.
3. Palomino SolAire Ultra Lite
The Palomino SolAire Ultra Lite travel trailer provides an ample-size shower that is 30 inches deep and 48 inches wide. Some models feature a small integrated seat, which some people find helpful. Other models do not have a seat, which increases foot space for turning around.
The textured glass sliding doors provide a hint of privacy while letting light penetrate. The detachable showerhead makes it easy to rinse, and the built-in shelves are handy to hold showering supplies.
On the downside, the fixtures and shower surround are pretty bland, neither low-quality nor of a cool-looking design, but perfectly functional and easy to keep clean.
4. Winnebago Horizon
This Class A motorhome’s 42Q Floorplan has an expansive master bathroom with a shower stall that measures 31 inches deep and 41 inches wide.
This model offers one of the biggest skylights above the shower, which expands visual space and lets in plenty of daylight. Nighttime? No worries. LED lighting surrounds the skylight.
The shower head, which is both adjustable and detachable, extends far enough from the distant wall to distribute water more centrally within the shower space, offering you ample room to maneuver. The clear glass doors, adorned with chrome trim, exude a modern and sleek aesthetic. A compact seat, neatly tucked away in one corner, also serves as a handy shelf if needed.
5. Newmar Bay Star Sport
The Newmar Bay Star Sport model 3008 offers a 36-inch by 36-inch corner-round shower stall that is roomy and well-lit. The bathroom itself is a bit small in this motorhome, but the shower space is not cramped.
The shower stall interior has wrap-around molded fiberglass with a decorative design that adds to the appeal. The shower head is detachable to increase convenience, and the glass doors have a bit of texture to hide water spots.
RV Shower Pan Shape Vs. Comfort
The same square-inch dimensions of various RV shower pan shapes can feel very different while inside the enclosed space taking a real shower.
Each person will have a preference, which is why it’s crucial to have everyone who plans to use the RV take a test “fake” shower while shopping for a model.
SQUARE
Square shower pans can feel claustrophobic when they are less than 36 inches by 36 inches. Add in a built-in bench, and the space becomes even tighter.
If your RV has a square shower pan under 36 inches, you can expect to bump elbows on the walls as you turn or are lathering up your hair. Drop the soap? It may be a fun test of your contortionist skills to pick it up!
RECTANGLE
Rectangle shower pans give you a bit of room to spread out and more space if a bench seat is part of the unit. The most common width for a rectangle RV shower pan is 24 inches, which can feel narrow.
Look instead for a rectangle pan that is at least 30 inches deep to allow more room to turn about and bend without hitting the doors or wall.
QUARTER ROUND
Quarter-round shower pans are the perfect solution to tight spaces as they fit into a corner and allow the door to open on the diagonal, which increases ease of access and lets in more light.
The interior of a quarter-round shower feels more spacious as it allows free movement of arms in all directions, even with smaller units. A 36-inch size pan (the dimension from the two farthest points) provides a roomy shower experience, but larger sizes are available.
CORNER NEO-ANGLE
The corner neo-angle shower pan also fits into a corner, but the front edge has the forward tip cut off at a 45-degree angle. This design adds more square inches of floor space, which makes turning around while showering easier.
The neo-angle design also puts the shower door in the center, which leaves more room on either side to fit in the sink or toilet without interfering with access to the shower. In tight RV bathrooms, this feature is a huge bonus.
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If you can find an RV with a neo-angle shower above 32 inches, you will enjoy the extra roominess.
RVer Shows How She Showers in Her RV (Video)
Showering in an RV, no matter how luxurious the bathroom, isn’t quite the same as in a home.
Overall, space will still be limited, and often, the bathroom is in a location that doesn’t provide much privacy. Here are three tips to make your RV shower experience more enjoyable:
CONSIDER AN ON-DEMAND WATER HEATER
Most RV water heater tanks are only six gallons, which means any shower you take will be short. Even after regulating the hot water flow as carefully as you can, you’ll typically have only around six to ten minutes of warmth.
When the hot water runs out, it goes out fast, and you’ll be doing the cold-water shuffle, trying to rinse out the shampoo.
Many modern RVs, especially the more expensive models, install-on-demand water heaters that create hot water as you use it, which means unlimited time in the shower. Don’t overlook the luxury this type of water heater provides, not just in the bathroom but also in the kitchen.
The cost of on-demand water heaters that run on propane or electricity can be a bit pricey, which may deter RV owners from upgrading their current system.
If you are only taking the RV out for short camping trips a few times yearly, the investment may not be worth it. If you RV full-time or take extended trips, the benefits of endless hot water will be worth every penny.
RUN THE VENT
Just like at home, an RV shower will create lots of steam. The issue is that the RV is much smaller, built with less-quality materials, and prone to mold and mildew much quicker.
If your RV bathroom has a crank-up ceiling vent with a fan, always open and run the unit while in the shower. After you’re done, shut the door and run the fan for another fifteen minutes until the moisture is gone.
No ceiling vent? Run the standard exhaust fan and crack open a window if you have one.
SWITCH TO A SHOWER CURTAIN
Those glass doors on an RV shower look really nice and do an excellent job containing water, but they’re also rigid.
After the thousandth time bumping your elbows or knees, you’ll appreciate the extra space and softness a shower curtain provides.
Removing glass doors and wall panels in your RV shower may seem daunting, but it’s often a straightforward remodeling project. No matter which shape shower pan you have, there is a shower curtain rod to match.
Swapping out the solid walls for a fabric shower curtain gives you those extra few inches of elbow room that make all the difference in the world.
Final Thoughts
A large RV shower is a must-have for those in the know, but newcomers to RVing may overlook this important feature.
Now that you know which RVs have the largest shower and tips to make sure your next RV bathroom and shower will work well for your needs, you can shop with confidence.
The Smallest Class B+ Motorhome With a Full Shower (Video)
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I find it frustrating to find most RV manufacturers assume the average adult male is 5’10” and 170 lbs. It doesn’t take a study to determine Americans are bigger than that and many are huge. Even a 3′ by 3′ shower pan is cramped for a lot of potential RV buyers and that will turn them off. I’m 6’2″ and 230 lbs. The 2 most important places in my house are the bathroom and the bedroom – roomy, comfortable and not clostrophobic. Why can’t RV designers figure that out. How does it make sense to design a master bedroom where you can’t walk around the bed to make it – WTF? I would give up the couch for a reasonably sized bathroom (with an elongated toilet). The focus seems to be on how many people can potentially try to sleep in ur RV. I don’t think there are many adults (especially > 40) who wants 6 or 8 other people crammed in their RV – probably nobody. Every manufacturer should design at least one floorplan for each class of RV that maximizes the size of bedroom and bathroom – The market? Couples, retires and big people.
Agree! The only reason we haven’t bought an RV is the lack of bathroom and bedroom space. I’m a retired 6’-4” guy weighing 260. We have rented a lot of motor homes and 5th wheels trying to find anything that works for us. No luck so far.
Not any mention in the entire post about the height of the shower. It’d be a great addition.