Tent heat?

[Mannlicher]

Living in Florida, I don't do a lot of cold weather camping.

I am going up to mid Georgia the second week of January, to camp. Projected temps at night are mid twenties. This is NOT back pack camping, but old man style car camping.

The tent I am taking, a 11X7 Coleman is not a four season tent, and I am looking for a suggestion for a heater.
I realize that flame/nylon/close quarters is not a good mix, so a catalytic unit might be best.

My sleeping bag is adequate for zero or a bit below. I have a reflective foam pad to put under the air mattress, and I'll have a tarp over the tent. My clothes are suitable.

If someone has used a catalytic propane heater in the tent, I'd appreciate your thoughts.

 

[kgd]

Avoid the heater. CO is just too dangerous. Throw in an extra wool blanket and use that if needed. Also don't forge to wear a hat to bed. That makes a big difference.

 

[cmdionne]

I am going up to mid Georgia the second week of January, to camp. Projected temps at night are mid twenties. This is NOT back pack camping, but old man style car camping.

The tent I am taking, a 11X7 Coleman is not a four season tent, and I am looking for a suggestion for a heater.
I realize that flame/nylon/close quarters is not a good mix, so a catalytic unit might be best.

My sleeping bag is adequate for zero or a bit below. I have a reflective foam pad to put under the air mattress, and I'll have a tarp over the tent. My clothes are suitable.

Everything you just described means you will be more than warm enough without a heater. Not only are they dangerous, you don't need one in this situation.

If you must, Throw a wool blanket over your sleeping bag or even get one of the AMK heatsheet bivy's.

As KGD said, wear a hat. Don't wear too much clothing in the bag though, I find it to be counterproductive. I usually wear a medium weight baselayer.

Cinch the bag up tight around your neck and you'll be fine.

 

[dawsonbob]

This is something I'm interested in, too. Don't laugh: I know I'm in San Diego, but I'm thinking of trip to our local mountains, which can get down in the twenties, too.

 

[Bigdumplings]

remember when throwing anything over a sleeping bag that loft is what keeps it warm.. if anything put the blanket inside your bag... also remember adequate ground padding is really important as your body compresses the insulation under you.

 

[August West]

I camp quite a bit and use a heater in my tent, only when I am awake though, never when I go to sleep. I have a Cabelas alaskan guide 6 man tent and I use a coleman propane heater not sure of the model though. I have used this set up down into the teens and it has kept it very comfortable in my tent. You mentioned a tarp over your tent, I would be careful about that and make sure that you have adequate ventilation.

Heat in your tent is very nice, especially on those chilly mornings and to play cards at night. If you use some common sense and the right heater I really think you can minimize the risks. Chris

 

[Mannlicher]

tent is well ventilated, so CO is not an issue. I would not, of course, be going to sleep with the dang thing burning.
I want the tent to be a little warmer during the day, and before I retire.

 

[August West]

tent is well ventilated, so CO is not an issue. I would not, of course, be going to sleep with the dang thing burning.
I want the tent to be a little warmer during the day, and before I retire.

I did not mean to insult your intelligence, but a lot of people kill themself every year leaving the heat burning when they go to sleep. Back when I was a team chief and on a cold field problem I had to fight with my guys everytime about leaving the heat on when we went to bed.

The Coleman heaters and the mr heater brand propane heaters work well with no fumes, I have used both. I agree with you, they are very nice on those cold mornings. Middle of November this year it was down into the 20s I camped with 5 other guys and every morning they packed into my tent to warm up. Chris

 

[sawgrass7]

I don't know what your "reflective foam pad" is, but I would also forget the heater. The only kind of camping I have done is sleeping on the ground with no heaters or electricity.

So I very highly recommend that you find, borrow or rent a THERMAREST sleeping pad. if you are not familiar with them, check them out. They come in all sizes and thicknesses and they have never let me down. I have used them into the single digits.

The thicker they are, the warmer they are in cold temperatures. I have even slipped an old blue foam pad beneath my Thermarest in very cold weather and slept snug as a bug. Have fun and be safe

You MUST have adequate insulation UNDER YOU while yo uare sleeping to stay warm.

 

[dawsonbob]

I seem to remember seeing plans for a convection heater (for tents) made out of a couple of tin cans, that — if I remember correctly — used a candle for a heat source. It would supposedly raise the temperature of a tent by around 20 to 30 degrees (or more), which beats the heck out of being below freezing.

This would have been back in the late '50's, or early '60's, and was — I think — shown in one of my old survival/camping books. I may even still have the book somewhere, come to think about it: I'll see if I can find it. The idea was that the candle heated up the metal of the cans and, since one was inside another, moved hot air via convection.

 

[Stickman]

Based on what you said your bag was rated to, I'd suggest folding up the blanket and putting it "under" your bag...that and a good pad can make a world of difference. I also use a fleece hat or even better a balaclava to avoid tucking my head in the sleeping bag and dumping a lot of condensation into it.

 

[Alberta Ed]

I've tented in -45 (12 x 12 with an airtight wood stove). It got cold enough to freeze the eggs in the cooler when the fire burned down, but I was warm with a Thermarest mattress on top of foam pad, and a mummy bag rated to 0 F. inside a 4 lb. down bag. Wore one layer of polypropylene long johns and top when I went to bed, and a Thinsulate toque, and was plenty warm. Getting up to stoke the fire though was a challenge. The tent let in lots of air so no problem with carbon monoxide from the wood heater. Kept my Lexan water bottle in the bag(s) with me so it wouldn't freeze. The whisky was OK.

 

[DWK2]

http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Consumer/zodihotvent.html

I always liked the looks of this setup. I have a Zodi hot shower but not this heater so I can't personally report on it.

I know a bunch of guys who car camp in cold weather. Some use a small generator well outside the tent with a power line running to a ceramic/electric heater inside the tent. No fumes near the tent.

DancesWithKnives

 

[dawsonbob]

I've tented in -45 (12 x 12 with an airtight wood stove). It got cold enough to freeze the eggs in the cooler when the fire burned down, but I was warm with a Thermarest mattress on top of foam pad, and a mummy bag rated to 0 F. inside a 4 lb. down bag. Wore one layer of polypropylene long johns and top when I went to bed, and a Thinsulate toque, and was plenty warm. Getting up to stoke the fire though was a challenge. The tent let in lots of air so no problem with carbon monoxide from the wood heater. Kept my Lexan water bottle in the bag(s) with me so it wouldn't freeze. The whisky was OK.

See, at my age, you won't find me camping in those kind of temperatures. My idea of camping when it's that cold, is a Holiday Inn or the Hilton. Bear Grylls and I have a lot in common at those temps.

 

[Varg Lobos]

Lots of good ideas here, and I'll add one that I find works for me. I don't use a heater when I camp here in the winter in Minnesota, but I find that eating a good meal before I go to bed will keep me warmer during the night. Keep the ol' internal furnace burning.

Have fun!

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Living in Florida, I don't do a lot of cold weather camping.

I am going up to mid Georgia the second week of January, to camp. Projected temps at night are mid twenties. This is NOT back pack camping, but old man style car camping.

The tent I am taking, a 11X7 Coleman is not a four season tent, and I am looking for a suggestion for a heater.
I realize that flame/nylon/close quarters is not a good mix, so a catalytic unit might be best.

-Forget the heater, if anything take a hot water bottle or two - you're car camping so the weight is not prohibitive. You also mentioned your bag is rated for zero, so you really should have no problems at all. And as Varg Lobos mentioned a good meal an hour or two before hitting the hay.

My sleeping bag is adequate for zero or a bit below. I have a reflective foam pad to put under the air mattress, and I'll have a tarp over the tent. My clothes are suitable.

Put the reflective/insulating pad on top of the air mattress - an air mattress is a huge heat sink.

If someone has used a catalytic propane heater in the tent, I'd appreciate your thoughts.

My friend Gerry did. He and his girlfriend died. (many years ago).

I'm not saying that you can't safely use them (see August West above), but why screw around and possibly forget to remove them? Be safe so you can come back here and tell us about it.

Doc

 

[fugawee]

Lots of good ideas here, and I'll add one that I find works for me. I don't use a heater when I camp here in the winter in Minnesota, but I find that eating a good meal before I go to bed will keep me warmer during the night. Keep the ol' internal furnace burning.

Have fun!

+1 :thumbup:

I drink a cup of hot chocolate before bed as well.
Some food or drink with a higher fat content seems to
keep the old bones from freezing.
Now that trip to the head in the wee hours of the morning,
thats a completely different story...


(i will add,if you do leave your bag to hit the head,
close your bag up as it will retain much of your body heat)

 

[DOC-CANADA]

+1 :thumbup:

I drink a cup of hot chocolate before bed as well.
Some food or drink with a higher fat content seems to
keep the old bones from freezing.
Now that trip to the head in the wee hours of the morning,
thats a completely different story...


(i will add,if you do leave your bag to hit the head,
close your bag up as it will retain much of your body heat)

Good tip, also don't bury your head in your sleeping bag, the moisture from your breath will adversely affect the insulating qualities.

Another thing, don't put off taking a leak, if you have to, you'll be colder longer, than if you just bite the bullet, get up and take care of business.

Doc

 

[THE PUNISHER]

coleman makes neat propane heaters,a candle works good also ......

 

[Mannlicher]

I don't know what your "reflective foam pad" is, but I would also forget the heater. The only kind of camping I have done is sleeping on the ground with no heaters or electricity.

So I very highly recommend that you find, borrow or rent a THERMAREST sleeping pad. if you are not familiar with them, check them out. They come in all sizes and thicknesses and they have never let me down. I have used them into the single digits.

The thicker they are, the warmer they are in cold temperatures. I have even slipped an old blue foam pad beneath my Thermarest in very cold weather and slept snug as a bug. Have fun and be safe

You MUST have adequate insulation UNDER YOU while yo uare sleeping to stay warm.

well gee whiz.
I suppose a fellow has to write a freaking book here, to put forth all the antecedents, and outline one's entire life experience before asking a simple question, that requires an answer such as "yes, have used x heater, and it worked", or "I used a heater and it did not work", or even "I used a heater and died because I was overcome with CO", or ...........

well you get the picture.:jerkit: