Heaters for small tents

[kill shot]

I have a 3 man 4 season tent that is just the right size for me and my gear.Went out in 14 deg weather and froze my butt off.I used my backpacking stove and it heated the tent up in seconds.The trouble was is that I got a headdache from lack of oxygen.You wouldn't dare go to sleep with it running.I was fine in my sleeping bag but in the A.M. it was cold.What would be a good heat source?

[Bill Turner]

The small Mr. Buddy heater should work just fine but I would make sure I had plenty of ventilation. No vent, no use.

[JimB]

I don't personally use them.They scare the H out of me.Instead I use a sleeping bag and good insulated pad that are warm enough for the temperature I'm in.

[azhunter]

Mr. Buddy heater. I have the big buddy heater, you don't one this big. Just the buddy heater. A little ventalation is all you need.  I will not go camping or hunting in really cold weather without mine. LOVE IT.

[Maxximusgrind]

One bonus to the big buddy heater is it has a battery operated fan that if your in a hurry to get warm helps.But I think my tent is 12x14?I've used mine for a few years down to freezing temps.
 The little one doesnt have the fan and doesnt put out the btus that the big buddy does but is smaller and a bit cheeper

[Maxximusgrind]

I'm a big wimp so I have the big one.I turn it on high to get the tent warm then turn it down th hold the temp.

[wvtradbow]

I generally use a couple candle lanterns hanging or sitting(on something sturdy).It doesn't get hot by any means but it does seem to take the chill off.I only use them while awake -- it's that whole idea of waking up thing.

[Maxximusgrind]

Wvtradbow,you are either alot tougher than me or have bigger candle lanterns than I have ever seen.
 If your dealing with freezing temps,that doesnt sound verry cozy-But I admire the commitment
 just be safe out there

[Brian Krebs]

You really need some kind of vent- unless you totally believe that the shutoff for the little buddy heater will work when the air runs low.

 A big canvas tent will breathe pretty good; and a woodstove burning wood all night will not hurt you; but I once woke up for a morning hunt; and my hunting buddy was on the other side of a nylon tent behind a divider wall. I took a knife and cut a slit in the tent to breathe through- or it probably would have killed me. He was making breakfast with a propane stove; and had passed out.
 NO ventilation- well now there is. I think with the small propane tank the little buddy heater will burn for about 4 hours- with a longer hose and a bigger tank it will burn all night- but in a closed nylon type tent... well some guys up here just found a tent with a body in it.

 Your sleeping bag should be warm enough to keep you sleeping soundly until you wake up and turn on the heater.

 During normal; not sub zero temps; I used to sit around in the cook tent until bed time - then go to my unheated tent for the night. It is good to have a heater for drying out clothes and warming up-  just be careful !!

[Brian Krebs]

http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/1075943.html

[NightHawk]

coleman heaters are made to be used in tents, as they are catalized. I use the coleman sportcat and haven't had any problems with it


 http://www.coleman.com/coleman/ColemanCom/subcategory.asp?CategoryID=3000

[Killdeer]

I use a BIG tent, and can warm it up to tolerable levels in sub-freezing weather with a couple of propane lanterns. A small Mr Buddy gets it like home.

I am not out there to be home. I am out there to be close to the hunting, close to the woods. It will get cold in the tent at night, but generally the water bottles don't freeze in there. I turn on the heater in the morning, get out, get dressed and turn it off. Turn it on at dark, peel down and get in the bag, turn it off. Managing ventilation is both for safety and for moisture control in the tent. You give off a lot of moisture as you live and breathe, and the warm/cold sides of the tent make for condensation.

A smaller tent heats up well with just a lantern. Just be sure to budget air for the both of you, and don't expect to be able to stretch out in your skivvies like you were in your living room in front of the TV. Unless your skivvies are long sleeved and long pantsed wool and Thermax.   :D  

Killdeer

[wojo124]

I use a Mr. Buddy heater in my tent on later november deer hunts....I take a legnth of clothes dry exhaust pipe with a piece of small screen on the end that stays out side and put the other end dirctly in front of the heater and crack a couple windows.....no headaches. been doing this for 6 years now.  

[NightHawk]

also get yourself a canvas tent. holds the heat alot better and yes Killy my tent is warm enough that I can sleep in my skivies  using my sleeping bag as a blanket or sometimes sleeping on top of my sleeping bag. :-)

[straitera]

All my tents are backpack. Never used a tent heater, never will. I'm skeered of waking up dead. Try a good reflecting solar blanket.

[Chris Shelton]

well you definatly need to keep a window cracked!  That is like rule #1 for heating a tent.  We use kerosene.  It gets pretty darn cold at night during deer season.  I am talking that with the heater full bore if you set something down on the ground it will freeze, but cot level stays right toasty, just dont stand up or you will bake, lol.  Where we hunt the little propane jobs dont keep up.  We have a 6x6 canvas tent I think, and it fits the two of us and all our gear fine.  But it is canvas.  Canvas is almost a must for cold weather!

[lisjak]

Did anyone tried this:

 http://www.heatstick.com/_KanHeet01.htm

I don't know how it works, but it is simple and it is worth to try!

[JARHEAD1371]

Around here we use a sunflower on top of a BBQ propane tank when we are out ice fishing. On low it was plenty to heat the ice shack in -25 deg temps. One tank lasts almost an entire season. It would not be fun to pack in or out.

[Mudd]

I've used the round Kerosun heaters for years in my canvas tents without any more brain damage than normal. I found that the round ones work best since the heat goes every direction whereas the rectangle heats are too directional for my needs.

I never tied my doors or windows shut, just let them hang.Then take a small can with both ends cut out and place it under the bottom of one of the walls. I guess that allowed enough fresh air to move through as I never had a problem.

God bless,Mudd

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Nope. Like a couple other guys on here, I'm not waking up dead.

I use a proper sleeping bag and I'm fine.