tent heater?

[Varandelo]

hi all, i'm new here. i found this forum when i looked for tent heaters. sorry if it's off-topic.
anyone have exp. with tent heaters?
do they put out good heat for a 2 man dome tent?
type of fuel?
how long do they last?
safety issues?

basically, i want something to knock the chill out of the air. GA Winters are hit & miss, might be 20 deg. one night, 60 another

[majorhavoc]

Welcome to the forums!

If you're really talking about a 2 person tent, my recommendation would be a good winter bag and maybe one of those Zippo personal heaters (although they're smelly in operation). A tent that small doesn't really safely lend itself to having any other discrete heat source in there with you, your bag, gear and perhaps another person. At least not one that requires combustion.

Larger tents can be heated with a wood fired tent stove or - for short term use - a Mr. Heater Buddy propane heater.

[RGR SNAPLINK]

I have spent many a night in a heated shelter via the wood burning stove and fiberglass stove jack option. I like it a lot for the winters here in OR, but comes with a lot of work, especially if the wood in your area was already pretty wet when the snows/freeze came.

As far as heating a more traditional tent, I like what majorhavoc had to say. I’ll caveat on that by saying I have had great success putting hot water in a Nalgene bottle, and putting that inside my bag. I like to do it before I got to bed that way I’ve got a nice warm bag to slide into. Of course this doesn’t take the morning chill off when you have to get up, which is my favorite part of having a heated shelter. What part of GA? If I was in north GA mountains, I’d consider the heated shelter option. If more down south, perhaps the warm bottle and just sucking up the occasional cold is more in order.

Let me know as I’ve had tipis from all the big 3 and can help you out on that front.

[behindyou]

hi all, i'm new here. i found this forum when i looked for tent heaters. sorry if it's off-topic.
anyone have exp. with tent heaters?
do they put out good heat for a 2 man dome tent?
type of fuel?
how long do they last?
safety issues?

basically, i want something to knock the chill out of the air. GA Winters are hit & miss, might be 20 deg. one night, 60 another

In smaller tents even a candle may generate good heat. A real small tent will be warmed by your presence. But a lot of this also depends on what type of cold it is and where you are. So any extra details are always welcome
But for a 2 man dome I'd recommend you to get a warmer sleeping bag or add a warm throw over your bags as well, as it would be more effective. For a small tent heater is an overkill as other guys already mentioned. But as another option you might try electro pad that uses a 12 volt battery. I found some reports in other communities about getting several days of use before draining a standard battery when used on 'low'.

[Stercutus]

I have not used this but love the design.

[YouTube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeHGDr81 ... =emb_title[/YouTube]

[Zed Hunter]

Get a medium sized dog. Smelly but very warm.

[RonnyRonin]

for occasional use Mr. Buddy heaters seem the most popular, I was recently camping with someone that was heating a 3-man dome tent with one, but he had to swap out the 1lb cylinders at least once during the night. The size and weight is a non-starter for backpacking, but for car camping it might be an option; an adaptor hose and a 20lb bulk tank would cut the cost down considerably.

In Japan I see a lot of folks use those large free-standing kerosene heaters in larger tents; also huge and heavy, and liquid fuel has its own hassles, also a non-starter for smaller tents.

I've heard candle lanterns recommended for smaller tents; they can be hung relatively safely with some care but I don't know how much heat to expect.

I use floorless tipis with titanium woodstoves. They don't heat the tent over night but are great for warming up in the morning and drying gear. They are a significant investment in money and time to use, and require a lot of special consideration in regards to tent installation and use.

[RoneKiln]

I have several inserts for my sleeping bag that allow me to add or subtract layers to fit a wide range of temperatures. They work far better for temperature swings than just getting a heavier bag. As others have mentioned, I've also found candle lanterns to add a fair amount of heat. Somewhere on this forum is a great guide to making a tiny wood gas stove. Not sure I'd want to risk using up that much oxygen in a tent, but it might help warm a tent up before going to sleep.

My bag(s) also can zip together to turn them into a larger double bag for two people, and I've found two people in one bag is FAR warmer than each in their own (not tried adding the thermal inserts this way). If you're lucky enough to be camping with someone you want close, try finding bags that zip together.

[NT2C]

[majorhavoc]

Most of these options make no sense for a 2-person dome tent, as OP specified. Supplemental heating in a tent that small isn't practical unless it's a personal heat source: hot water bottle, electric vest, Zippo hand warmer, or a willing tent-mate.

I continue to maintain a good winter bag is the answer. I probably also should have mentioned a good hat.

[moab]

I think a teepee tent with stove hole and proper heat protection is the answer. Isn't that called a "stove jack" or am I having a fever dream?

Teepee tents are also the lightest as they have no floor or fly. But then you add in the stove and it's an equal playing field. So you've got a dome tent for spring, summer and maybe part of fall. And then you use your teepee tent and stove in the winter. OR just use the teepee tent year around with and without the stove.

[PistolPete]

I've used both a Buddy heater and a wood stove in a small tent. The Buddy heater is on the verge of being too hot, even on it's lowest setting. You get about 6 hours of of a small propane canister.

The wood stove I puts out a more reasonable about of heat, but if you don't have good wood you have to stoke it pretty often. The first night I ran it in a 3 person teepee (with a stove jack) in 15 degree weather I had to feed it every 2 hours. If I had more solid wood it would have lasted longer, but the area I was in only allowed for collecting branches from the ground. I went through a surprising amount of wood each night.

As others have mentioned, a long burning candle may give just the right amount of heat for a 2 person stove. And it your tent won't have to be as ventilated as it would be if you ran a more robust heat source.

[moab]

I've used both a Buddy heater and a wood stove in a small tent. The Buddy heater is on the verge of being too hot, even on it's lowest setting. You get about 6 hours of of a small propane canister.

The wood stove I puts out a more reasonable about of heat, but if you don't have good wood you have to stoke it pretty often. The first night I ran it in a 3 person teepee (with a stove jack) in 15 degree weather I had to feed it every 2 hours. If I had more solid wood it would have lasted longer, but the area I was in only allowed for collecting branches from the ground. I went through a surprising amount of wood each night.

As others have mentioned, a long burning candle may give just the right amount of heat for a 2 person stove. And it your tent won't have to be as ventilated as it would be if you ran a more robust heat source.

I wonder how it would be if you ran one of those three wick 24hr candles in say a 2 man. That should keep the frost off. I know tea candles under a poncho while hunting is a nice warmer.

[Robbie in ME]

for occasional use Mr. Buddy heaters seem the most popular, I was recently camping with someone that was heating a 3-man dome tent with one, but he had to swap out the 1lb cylinders at least once during the night. The size and weight is a non-starter for backpacking, but for car camping it might be an option; an adaptor hose and a 20lb bulk tank would cut the cost down considerably.

In Japan I see a lot of folks use those large free-standing kerosene heaters in larger tents; also huge and heavy, and liquid fuel has its own hassles, also a non-starter for smaller tents.

I've heard candle lanterns recommended for smaller tents; they can be hung relatively safely with some care but I don't know how much heat to expect.

I use floorless tipis with titanium woodstoves. They don't heat the tent over night but are great for warming up in the morning and drying gear. They are a significant investment in money and time to use, and require a lot of special consideration in regards to tent installation and use.

Interesting looking tent! It reminds me of a canvas tent my Boy Scout Troop used back in the sixties,but with no stove. Is that something you made?

[RonnyRonin]

Interesting looking tent! It reminds me of a canvas tent my Boy Scout Troop used back in the sixties,but with no stove. Is that something you made?

The stove and tents are made by Seek Outside, the tent is their "courthouse" model, which was partially based off of an old canvas range tent but adapted for silnylon. I mostly led the development of the tent but I did not sew it. It has a better volume/footprint ratio then a tipi, but obviously is much more vulnerable to wind, went camping the other night where my 6 man tipi barely stayed up, the Courthouse would not have worked at all.

[moab]

Interesting looking tent! It reminds me of a canvas tent my Boy Scout Troop used back in the sixties,but with no stove. Is that something you made?

The stove and tents are made by Seek Outside, the tent is their "courthouse" model, which was partially based off of an old canvas range tent but adapted for silnylon. I mostly led the development of the tent but I did not sew it. It has a better volume/footprint ratio then a tipi, but obviously is much more vulnerable to wind, went camping the other night where my 6 man tipi barely stayed up, the Courthouse would not have worked at all.

I have to ask. Who's 10/22 is that? And what did they do the stock? I get the weight savings in the buttstock. But what is that up front?

[majorhavoc]

I have to ask. Who's 10/22 is that? And what did they do the stock? I get the weight savings in the buttstock. But what is that up front?

He corked it. Like an illegal baseball bat.

[moab]

I have to ask. Who's 10/22 is that? And what did they do the stock? I get the weight savings in the buttstock. But what is that up front?

He corked it. Like an illegal baseball bat.

LMAO!!! At least he's not stealing signs. (Or whatever you call them in baseball! lol.)

[RonnyRonin]

I have to ask. Who's 10/22 is that? And what did they do the stock? I get the weight savings in the buttstock. But what is that up front?

thats mine, its all weight savings. Plus it fits my bike-scabbard better with a shorter forend:



I just chopped the forened down and hit it with a spade bit anywhere I could, each spade bit hole saved about 2oz and off the front of the gun where it matters more. Now my $15 hardwood stock weighs less then most synthetics on the market, and when I pull the barrel and receiver out they happen to be the exact same length as the stock. two pieces of velcro one-wrap keeps the bundle together in my bug-out duffle.

[majorhavoc]

I have to ask. Who's 10/22 is that? And what did they do the stock? I get the weight savings in the buttstock. But what is that up front?

thats mine, its all weight savings. Plus it fits my bike-scabbard better with a shorter forend:



I just chopped the forened down and hit it with a spade bit anywhere I could, each spade bit hole saved about 2oz and off the front of the gun where it matters more. Now my $15 hardwood stock weighs less then most synthetics on the market, and when I pull the barrel and receiver out they happen to be the exact same length as the stock. two pieces of velcro one-wrap keeps the bundle together in my bug-out duffle.

So you essentially did cork your bat! I know you've posted that picture in a prior thread somewhere. But let me take the opportunity here to say that your Surly, the modded 10/22, that brilliant carry system (really, the only place on bicycle where it's practical), those mustache handlebars and especially that magnificent bike horn speak volumes about the kind of person you are, all good.

[Robbie in ME]

Thanks for the reply and info. That tent looks like it would work well here in the northeast woods. BTW your Ruger reminds me of Patrick Smith's old Remington 600 Ramblin rifle.

[moab]

I have to ask. Who's 10/22 is that? And what did they do the stock? I get the weight savings in the buttstock. But what is that up front?

thats mine, its all weight savings. Plus it fits my bike-scabbard better with a shorter forend:



I just chopped the forened down and hit it with a spade bit anywhere I could, each spade bit hole saved about 2oz and off the front of the gun where it matters more. Now my $15 hardwood stock weighs less then most synthetics on the market, and when I pull the barrel and receiver out they happen to be the exact same length as the stock. two pieces of velcro one-wrap keeps the bundle together in my bug-out duffle.

So you essentially did cork your bat! I know you've posted that picture in a prior thread somewhere. But let me take the opportunity here to say that your Surly, the modded 10/22, that brilliant carry system (really, the only place on bicycle where it's practical), those mustache handlebars and especially that magnificent bike horn speak volumes about the kind of person you are, all good.

Couldn't agree more.

[RonnyRonin]

Thanks for the reply and info. That tent looks like it would work well here in the northeast woods. BTW your Ruger reminds me of Patrick Smith's old Remington 600 Ramblin rifle.

oh man, I miss the golden years of Kifaru and the Kifaru forums, a lot of people asking interesting questions and coming up with real solutions. More then a few companies were born out of the old Kifaru forums, but I don't think anyone of them has really captured the spirit of what Kifaru used to be.

[Robbie in ME]

Thanks for the reply and info. That tent looks like it would work well here in the northeast woods. BTW your Ruger reminds me of Patrick Smith's old Remington 600 Ramblin rifle.

oh man, I miss the golden years of Kifaru and the Kifaru forums, a lot of people asking interesting questions and coming up with real solutions. More then a few companies were born out of the old Kifaru forums, but I don't think anyone of them has really captured the spirit of what Kifaru used to be.

Yup,me too.