Tent Heater?

[Kevin108]

Tent heater? I use a Glock 26 with a 17 round mag. [emoji16]


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[Anak]

Does your tent provide some sort of insulation, or is it just good at blocking off ventilation?

It seals up quite well. It is not drafty at all.

We open up a vent or two just a bit as needed.

There is an air gap between the inner and outer walls that provides a bit of an insulating effect. Not exactly what most folks think of when thinking of insulation, but it is effective.

 

[Cort]

That USMC tent is awesome. I’ve never seen one in civvie hands, where did you find it?

 

[Overland USA]

I'm a newbie to campy as an adult and I'm looking to do some camping near Lone Pine late February or March sometime. Looks like it gets fairly cold in the evenings so I was interested in a heater. Most articles I've read recommend not using a heater in a tent. I'm interested in what everyone else is doing or using. I have a roof top CVT Mt. Shasta Summit Series tent.

Thanks!

It's just my opinion but the best heater is you.
Your body generates enormous amounts of heat.
If you have the right sleeping bag and liner you can be very comfortable.
Tents just aren't designed to keep heat in.

 

[Andrew A.]

Tents just aren't designed to keep heat in.

This is so true

 

[Anak]

That USMC tent is awesome. I’ve never seen one in civvie hands, where did you find it?

C/L, from a Boy Scout troop. I expect it was donated to them by the Marines. (Keep in mind, I am local to Camp Pendleton and MCRD.) It appeared to have never been used. It didn't fit their system.

You can find them on ebay. $600 seemed to be the going rate when I bought ours. I see one right now for $3K: https://www.ebay.com/itm/North-Face-ECWS-ECWT-Extreme-Cold-Weather-Tent-Military-USMC-New/112635620996?hash=item1a399b2e84:g:jrwAAOSwo4pYS3Nb

That is crazy money in my book. If that is where they have gone price-wise then I am certainly priced out of getting a second one. Having two would be one solution to the size challenge. I am sure The Varmints would love playing with the way those tents connect to each other.

 

[APtrail2005]

I live in Montana and camp all 4 season, I also travel from AZ to Alaska so I cover a lot different terrains from Mountains to Deserts. For me it’s all about the gear, I have a RTT from Tepui with a winter hood for colder nights. I use layering (blankets/sleeping bag) for warmth. I also place my clothes inside my bedding at night so that they are warm in the morning.

 

[Kent R]

I use the Mr. Buddy to take the edge off in the morning and during the night just layering works for me.

 

[000]

The correct amount of insulation will always be safer than a heater in a tent and plenty warm. I’ve never heard of a good tent, thick pad and a sub zero rated sleeping bag killing anyone or melting anything. Just my 2 cents...


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[DesertFox]

I've considered a 12v electric blanket and a portable power supply. Would probably be a good write up if somebody wanted to do a current draw test so we can approximate how long we can power them off a given source.

I'm a big fan of up-rating sleeping bags. Just because the bag will keep you alive at a given temp doesn't mean you'll be comfortable. For the Sierra's I always always always bring my 0-degree down bag, even in summer and usually in combination with a fleece blanket. I never have to zip up into full-mummy and I'm always comfortable. I do like to sprawl out when I sleep I'll admit that. May be something to consider.

I agree re bag temp ratings. They're survival rates not comfort rates. I've got a 20 degree bag but feel cold at much warmer temperatures. Admittedly, I'd probably be cold at the equator in the middle of summer cause I don't have much meat on me.

I'm thinking about getting a small Mr Buddy. I shouldn't have a problem with condensation as my Marmot tent's fly provides good ventilation.

This has been a very helpful thread.

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[ArkansasDon]

my concerns were two things with a tent heater for the wife & I. 1st was CO2, next was fire. On my overland trailer build I researched heating systems for my RTT, from a another forum was suggested to look into Propex\Heat Source. I was sold on it by all the safety factors with the H2000 Propex. The electronics continuously monitor the Propex system leaving the CO2 outside while monitoring the flame, case temperature, combustion airflow, gas solenoid valve & voltage. The heat is pump in to the tent from the ducting while the main heating system is outside of the tent. Should any of these stray outside of the predetermined levels, the heater will be switched off & the red light on the thermostat (which located in the tent with you) will indicate a fault by flashing a certain number of times. It has a solid state electronic thermostat which automatically switches the unit on & off to maintain the desired temperature. When the Tent temperature drops below the set temperature , the Propex will automatically ignite & run until the tent reaches the selected temperature again. Power by propane & 12v. I like the fact its compact (the size of a hand carry tool box) & it only draws 1.8 amps a hour.

 

[sailor96]

One word:
Snuggy

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[Kenstaroni]

I've got a little buddy heater and it works great. Unless its just super cold I would put in in the annex of my tent and let the heat travel up to the tent. Seemed to work well and didn't have to sleep too close to the heater. A good idea is to put the heater on a cookie sheet in case it were to fall over it wouldn't burn anything. Sure the buddy heaters will shut off if tipped over, however it would still be hot enough to melt tent material for a short period of time.

CO2 isn't a big deal if your tent is vented well. If concerned just crack a window somewhere. I've seen people buy battery powered CO2 meters that will alarm if you're really worried.

 

[ArkansasDon]

CO2 is a serious danger because your body doesn't sense it. It is a silent & displaces oxygen in the blood, eventually starving the brain of real oxygen. In most cases deaths in tents happen while your sleep. IMO that isn't a gamble I am willing to put my wife or me through.

I'm not trying to sell anyone on the Propex system, if you can afford it which the system is costly (plus how can you put a value on your life anyhow IMO) you only pay once & cry once on the purchase but to feel at ease about zero dangers of C02 & fire then this tent heating system is for you. If not & the cost is too expensive & you are willing to use a heater that possibly has risk of C02 then purchase a battery power co2 alarm monitor.

 

[Angel Sterling]

I've heard many great things about the MR Buddy system.
In Canada it gets well below freezing!
So with my budget i just picked up a heated blanket for temporary use until i buy a heater.
I used it once already in my RTT in Banff on a -16 Celsius night. Worked perfect ontop of my sleeping bag.
I did manage to get a camp spot with power so that was convenient, otherwise i would have used the plug-in inside the trax.
My tent is made by Treeline here in Canada. Its an all season tent so its completely weather and wind proof. It alone acts as an insulator so i can sleep in it just below freezing with out being cold.
Pic shows the extension cord i used and fed into the tent for the blanket.

 

[Nicholas Nelson]

I'm working on an idea simple but may work well. Will be using a army stove filled with charcoal. Get it nice and warm before bed. I will create a duct system up to my James Baroud tent. I will use one of the wood stove self propeled fans attached to the duct and stove to keep the air moving in.

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[Veljko]

You can try HillHotel. Go to Indiegogo and type HillHotel.
Heat source is located outside, so no danger of CO poisoning. Only drawback is that you need 5 gallons of water.

 

[Kevin108]

I finally wimped out and bought a Buddy heater. I already had the fan hanging over it for warm weather camping, but it helps to disperse the heat well. Honestly, this heater is WAY too big for the standard rooftop tent. At the time of purchase, it was the same price as the smaller model, so it seemed to make sense, but I'm questioning that. I may downgrade at some point.

 

[CR-Venturer]

Some more cold camping pro tips - Boil up some water and put it into a well sealed bottle or traditional hot water bottle and snuggle up to it when you go to bed. It will pre-heat your sleeping bag and keep you toasty for quite a while. Wear a toque (beanie for you 'muricans :P ) when you sleep, as this will help enormously with heat loss. Insulate yourself well from the ground if you're in a ground tent - foamies, blankets, whatever, as the ground can make a lot of heat loss. If you're sleeping in a tent cot or a swag with a cot under it, enclose the open area underneath the cot so the wind doesn't blow under it, as this wind will tend to suck the heat right out of you.

In the army on one of our winter ex's, I had to sleep right beside the door of the modular tent, which had a broken zipper and thus was open all night in sub zero temps with a foot of snow on the ground. It was not very comfy. The next night, I rigged up a little lean-to tent with my half shelter by sticking a pair of tent poles into the holes in either end of the cot. The half shelter covered me and draped down to the ground, blocking the wind - I was amazingly warm and cozy. I don't think I had ever had that good a sleep in the army!

 

[CR-Venturer]

I'm working on an idea simple but may work well. Will be using a army stove filled with charcoal. Get it nice and warm before bed. I will create a duct system up to my James Baroud tent. I will use one of the wood stove self propeled fans attached to the duct and stove to keep the air moving in. View attachment 50782

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This guy had basically the same idea: I like your idea of using a fan powered by the stove though!