If your solar shower is in working order — meaning it doesn’t have any holes or damaged parts — it should work quite well. Solar showers depend on water capacity, the duration of sun exposure, and the quality of sun exposure. (9)
For example, your solar shower probably won’t reach the maximum possible temperature on partially cloudy days. Many solar showers take three hours to heat up fully, but if you can’t wait a full three hours, your water won’t be as warm as it could be. Smaller capacity showers heat up faster, but they also cool off faster, too.
Something else to keep in mind is ambient temperature. If you’re absolutely filthy, a cool shower might be better than no shower at all. But you should use an alternative like wipes — or tough out being dirty — if the ambient temperature outdoors is uncomfortably cool. Showering in hot water might sound like a great idea in cold weather, but it isn’t worth risking hypothermia.