View Full Version : Tent Heater Suggestions
Max Power
02-21-2006, 01:13
I will be doing some camping with my wife and child during our road trip out west. Any suggestions on a safe heater to use inside a tent. This heater will not be used during backpacking. I am very concerned about using one so I would like to hear if there is any experience with heaters made for camping.
I've checked out the catalytic heaters and they seem good, but I would like to hear from any of you.
I would be fine without a heater, but I want the wife and kid to be very comfortable. If there happy, then I am happy!
Thanks
At the PA Ruck we had an electric campsite. I used a heating pad, with a outdoor extension cord. It worked great. And I believe it was safe too. I had it set on the lowest setting and that was more that I needed.
Panzer
What time of year are you going? Instead of a heater you may need an air conditioner!
I have a Coleman Black Cat labeled as safe for indoors, used it in a 9x9 tent for cold weather sleeping with grandkid, and in an ice fishing tent. I don't use anything for heating when backpacking. Never had any problems. The grill gets hot, got to be careful with little kids. It cost about $50 and will run all night on a 1 pound can of propane.
digger51
02-21-2006, 02:07
A coleman catalytic heater always worked for me when tenting out here in the winter.
xXIndyXx
02-21-2006, 02:36
I'm not a chemist nor am I very good with science, but isn't carbon monoxide created when propane is burnt? I know that the Coleman model is safe for indoor use, but still, wouldn't this be dangerous. I'm just a little weary since I always hear the bad news every hurricane season with residents dying of CO poisoning cause they were using their generators and gas grills indoors. Not trying to flame, but clear this up for me.
xXIndyXx
02-21-2006, 02:52
http://www.carbonmonoxidedeaths.com/
A little bit of good info.
icemanat95
02-21-2006, 09:04
I will be doing some camping with my wife and child during our road trip out west. Any suggestions on a safe heater to use inside a tent. This heater will not be used during backpacking. I am very concerned about using one so I would like to hear if there is any experience with heaters made for camping.
I've checked out the catalytic heaters and they seem good, but I would like to hear from any of you.
I would be fine without a heater, but I want the wife and kid to be very comfortable. If there happy, then I am happy!
Thanks
First question, how big is the tent?
How old is the child?
How many days are you planning on staying at each campsite?
In a commercial campground (with showers and activities rooms, etc. or at rustic campsites?
Catalytic heaters are one way to go in a big tent where you may end up rained in for a couple days.
If the tent is smaller and all you are worried about is getting things warm for the evening, a lantern may do the job nicely and cast some light about as well.
If you are going to have access to electricity, consider an electric radiator such as one of the DeLonghi oil-filled radiators. They are bulky and heavy, but they are safe to run for long periods of time inside structures...no CO emissions at all.
Pacific Tortuga
02-21-2006, 12:12
Boiling hot water in Naglene,s placed in your bags,mix up,cook outside and 'eat' pasta in your bag and some push-ups,jumping jacks or any thing to get your heart rate up before hopping into your bag. There is always a "3 dog night" or keep going west until you hit...Maui...:sun I know far to many gals who's comfort zone is 72 to78 degrees,you do not want them to be cold....:eek: ... but every now and then you find granola bunny Navarna ....;)
vipahman
02-21-2006, 12:32
My Marmot Lithium is a great tent heater. It's highly portable @ 2 1/2 lbs and runs on body heat.
RockyTrail
02-21-2006, 14:53
All I can say is please be careful, very careful.
A few years ago here in Georgia there was a father and son that died from CO in their tent on a cub scout campout. They put a stove or lantern in the tent for warmth and never woke up. Very, very sad.
You're likely far more experienced than they were so I'm sure you can figure it out, but personally I never trust any type of fuel-burning heater in a tent.
The Cheat
02-21-2006, 15:03
We have one of those catalytic tent heaters from Coleman. When cub scout camping, I run it just before bed to warm up, but won't leave it running while we sleep. I start it back up in the morning to get the chill out again.
Max Power
02-21-2006, 16:19
Thanks for the help. For all those concerned I am very precautious as this pertains to my wife and kid. I do have great reservations about propane for carbon monoxide reasons and fire.
I like the heating pad idea, but am still open for suggestions. Will the pad heat the small tent? Or just us? For more info the tent is ruffly the size of a queen size bed (8x 6) (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=226&memberId=12500226&productId=39198978) the child will turn two on the trip and sleeps still between my wife and I. We will usually be one knighting at campsites, however at more amazing place like Grand Canyon and Arches... we will be staying two nights.
I planned on doing no electricity sites. I was looking at one of those portable batteries that you charge in your car and then can use wherever to power whatever we use.
Thanks again for the help!
briarpatch
02-21-2006, 17:50
What about this http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Consumer/zodihotvent.html ? Heats the tent but the propane stays outside? I don't know anything about them, just did a web search for "tent heater".
Children and heaters don't mix. That's how fires start. It's always the small kids who don't understand about the dangers of heaters. They put something combustible too close to the heater and then you have a fire.
If you were in the tent by yourself that would be different.
Panzer
Two Speed
02-22-2006, 16:17
At the PA Ruck we had an electric campsite. I used a heating pad, with a outdoor extension cord. It worked great. And I believe it was safe too. I had it set on the lowest setting and that was more that I needed.
PanzerSome of my redneck buddies used to use the same trick when sleeping in the bed of a pick up; put down an old blanket, electric blanket, lots of bedding on top, turn the electric blanket on low and sleep warm all night long.
A couple of hot water bottles, filled with boiling water, will radiate heat quite nicely in a small tent, and for quite a while too. No problems with CO and no desperately hot surfaces either. You don't get that hot forced air feeling, but heat is heat.
Cheers,
PKH
What about this http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Consumer/zodihotvent.html ? Heats the tent but the propane stays outside? I don't know anything about them, just did a web search for "tent heater".
Nice, but now you must have a very heavy battery, which means you're stuck close to your vehicle. And you have to cut holes in your tent. That don't sound so good.
orangebug
02-23-2006, 11:57
Please don't consider the Coleman heater at all. That did a father and 8 yo son in back in March, 2001 at the Boy Scout Camp near Covington, GA.
Sleeping bag, hot water bottle, extra blankets, warm Mommy and Daddy will keep the little one happy. Keep everything tight around the diaper, as a wet sleeping bag can be a very unpleasant surprise.
RockyTrail
02-23-2006, 12:02
OB: That was the one I was talking about.
Absolutely heartbreaking. People die for lack of knowledge (not that I know anything...).