Recommendations for Tent heating

[Parus major]

Well you're sorted then! lol.

[spaceboy]

Trouble is the 4 cans for £3 are in Skegness and I'm in Brum Better see if the in laws are going to the seaside again.

[swamp thing]

Therma rest and ex army Antarctic sleeping bag will keep you warm down to -50*C.

I used this mid winter in northern Scandinavia at -32*C and couldn't zip the sleeping bag up as it was to hot.

Just lay under it using it like a duvet mmmtoasty!

You can get the therma rest at most good outdoor shops and the sleeping bag from an army surplus supplier.

Trust me you won't get cold or even know it is cold.

I was with a couple of mates using 5 season bags costing quite a bit and they were cold. The ex army one cost just £40 at the time.

On second thoughts It actually might be a little too warm for anywhere in the UK.

Regards Steve

[bish]

Therma rest and ex army Antarctic sleeping bag will keep you warm down to -50*C.

I used this mid winter in northern Scandinavia at -32*C and couldn't zip the sleeping bag up as it was to hot.

Got to get me one of those ex army sleeping bags!

[swamp thing]

Make sure it's the "Antarctic" one. It has this written on the bottom.

The zip runs up the middle of the bag, not the edge like normal,

And the foot area is lined so boots can be warn inside, so keep your socks on inside.

I couldn't believe how good it was for £40. That was a few years back so they probably now charge a lot more.

All The other guys, and I were very dubious when I bought it, The guy in the army surplus store told us, in full kit it is possible to spend the night in temperatures down to -70*C. We were obviously gonna take this with pinch of salt, but I thought at £40 gotta be worth a punt.

Most were taking the rise before the first night saying, I would be blue and possibly hypothermic after an hour or two, but I got the last laugh.

The first night it was only -20*C and I got into it and zipped it up. Twenty minutes later I was sweating like a pig and had to unzip it. The heat just built up and up absolutely ridiculously warm.

As we travelled further north into the Arctic circle and the Mercury really started to drop they were wearing more and more clothes in their sleeping bags while I was still, boxers T shirt and socks.

I know I am pretty warm blooded and don't feel the cold like most, but at -32*C on the coldest night we were there I was warm and toasty and still not actually in the bag.

As I said for UK camping it is probably way over the top, but if you feel the cold very easily in mid winter it might be worth your while.

The coupling with a therma rest is just so good, and getting a good nights sleep in very adverse conditions really helps keep your spirits up.

Regards Steve

[spaceboy]

Pics please Steve. This sounds just the trick but my local surplus store is not the best

[swamp thing]

I'll see what other markings are on it and post them as I don't own a camera at the moment.

Regards Steve

[spaceboy]

Cheers Steve.

[bish]

Thanks Steve. I'm going to have a search around. I have spent over twice that on sleeping bags and felt the cold as soon as it drops below zero. This means packing the car full with extra blankets and duvets, whuch in turn makes the possiblity of taking the 10" camping slim in the winter (due to lack of space in the car - I almost literally pack every square inch)

[swamp thing]

Alrighty. The sleeping bag cover has "Antarctica 2C" embroided into a label on the bottom.

On the actual sleeping bag itself are three labels. One says "Pertex fabrics" on, one says "Snug Pak" in big letters with a picture of a bird of some description with it, underneath that is written "the label of Brett Harris"

The last label just has "Antarctica" written on it.

That's about it.

HTH

Regards Steve

[jbk44]

Don't forget you can heat up pebbles and use them to heat up your sleeping bag or tent. When I go beach fishing in the winter I always heat a couple of medium sized pebbles near the fire or stove then place them under my feet... Warm toes for hours, even nicer with no boots on. Just don't let them get hot too fast and they won't explode. Haha.

[galathea]

I've still not worked out where the camoing is taking place.... and exactly how cold is it going to be?

No one has mentioned memory foam matress toppers yet, they're amazing as they keep you really warm. We have a 2" memory foam topper on top of an air bed and are always really toasty warm at star parties. We also have Nelson the dog. if you get too cold you can borrow him, he's not fussy who he sleeps with ) Amanda :

[Moonshane]

It's a general issue but this star party is at Buxton Derbyshire.

It does get cold there (quite cold anyway) as Buxton is quite elevated.

I agree with you on the memory foam toppers. I am using one myself.

[Squagnut]

Oooohhh, the Thermodynamic Police are so going to be after you

James

Yeh, I was going to say ... when it comes to basic physics, some people are just scrabbling about in the absence-of-light ...

On topic, I'm looking at getting an MSR multi-fuel burner - as the name suggests, it runs on various different fuels, including unleaded petrol. They're not cheap to buy, but then I'm into astronomy ... Way cheaper to run than gas stoves, and no fussing about getting gas bottles. I've borrowed one for testing this weekend in Cumbria, so I'll see how it goes.

[MG1]

Be super careful with multifuel stoves like the MSR and Coleman equivalent.... They are designed to cope at altitude and can be a little prone to flaring if you're not accustomed to using them.

Saying that they are amazing and we managed a week three meals and hot drinks a day for two of us using just over half a ltr of fuel.

Whilst u can use diesel or petrol, they tend to burn cleaner and require less maintenance if you stick to white gas (Coleman fuel)

But I repeat...be very very careful if using in a tent.

[spaceboy]

Be super careful with multifuel stoves like the MSR and Coleman equivalent.... They are designed to cope at altitude and can be a little prone to flaring if you're not accustomed to using them.

Saying that they are amazing and we managed a week three meals and hot drinks a day for two of us using just over half a ltr of fuel.

Whilst u can use diesel or petrol, they tend to burn cleaner and require less maintenance if you stick to white gas (Coleman fuel)

But I repeat...be very very careful if using in a tent.

Could have done with knowing this before PSP. The wife decided she wanted a cuppa in the middle of the night and lighting the Colman stove turned into a fireworks display. Almost lost my eye brows at one point. I was just glad to see that the skies were patchy with cloud at this point as anyone within a 50ft radius would have lost their dark adaption.

[Squagnut]

Heheh, thanks for the warning and anecdote. I'll be careful - I have a large-ish tent (also untested), so there are no confined-space issues, but if things do go seriously awry then at least it'll be spectacular, not to mention costly. I'll also have a gas stove for quick cuppas and whatnot - the multi-fuel one will be mostly for heating.

[Adrian Condon]

Hi,

I would use a gas fire for heating if really really required, you may suffer condensation which will make things damp / wet..... plus fill the tent with C2O if your ventilation is poor.

I have a Coleman Peak 1 petrol stove, it flares occasionally on start-up, I never never use it in the tent.

To be perfectly honest, it is just not worth the risk, as your tent is a life-saver in bad weather..... I do a fair amount of mountain treks and follow the three things required to survive, namely, find shelter, shelter, shelter and a burnt tent fails on that score big time.

The final decision is yours....... Good Luck.

Cheers

Adrian

PS... I have just returned from Cumbria SP 4 and did not find a need for heating.

[KerryAnn23]

haha, i bought the argos double sleeping bag for psp at i had mats and a quilt underneath us, brought a fleece throw too but didnt need it, me and the other half were toasty,actually opening the bag a little from the warmth........ DEFINATELY freezing to go to the toilet and walking to the block in cow pjs and a hat lol

[Squagnut]

Hi,

I would use a gas fire for heating if really really required, you may suffer condensation which will make things damp / wet..... plus fill the tent with C2O if your ventilation is poor.

I have a Coleman Peak 1 petrol stove, it flares occasionally on start-up, I never never use it in the tent.

To be perfectly honest, it is just not worth the risk, as your tent is a life-saver in bad weather..... I do a fair amount of mountain treks and follow the three things required to survive, namely, find shelter, shelter, shelter and a burnt tent fails on that score big time.

The final decision is yours....... Good Luck.

Cheers

Adrian

PS... I have just returned from Cumbria SP 4 and did not find a need for heating.

Thanks for the advice - safety is of course paramount. I won't use any heating if it's not necessary, and I'll test the stove outside to see how it behaves. And I'll have my spare small tent handy too. I'm a one-man village!

As for warm clothing, I have some skiwear and suchlike, not completely unlike those sleeping bags you wear, so I look a bit like the Michelin Man, but hey - it's dark and it's not a fashion parade. I'm warm, and that's the point. And yes, this autumn/winter is astonishingly warm so far.

[Adrian Condon]

Hi,

Glad to hear your comments and of your respect for safety.

Incidentally, I wear shorts all year round, so I don't suffer too much from the cold.

I was changing out of my shorts just prior to the start of the evening's viewing at Cumbria SP 4..

The reason I treat my petrol stove with respect is because in June 2009 I was camping by Loch Lomond in Scotland, I decided to cook a meal by the loch, when little nut was loose, (I hadn't noticed it) when the stove became completely engulfed in flames..... I kicked the stove into the loch. I waited until the stove had cooled down before retrieving it. I checked it out and found a loose nut.

I tightened it and tried again, everything was then ok. But I was shaken by the experience.

Incidentally, if you want to cook in a tent, I would recommend having a penknife in your pocket to effect a quick exit in case of an emergency.

Happy camping!!!!!!

Cheers

Adrian

[Balder]

Along with what others have said a good crash bag or 2. If you're really serious the better bags have more insulation on the underside.

Decent mat for under it or an airbed.

One thing I bought for those really cold nights was a 12V electric blanket. Get a pukka Waeco one - not a cheapy one. Turn it on for about 10-15 mins before getting into your pit, takes the chill right off.

Don't use butane/camping gaz heaters: 1/ Fire risk 2/ Fumes. There's a good chance you'll fall asleep before you've turned it off.

Or "upgrade" to a camper with an Ebaspacher

[Fay]

I have a hot water bottle, convector heater & electric blanket!

Fay

[MikeP]

And yes, this autumn/winter is astonishingly warm so far.

So squagnut, this weather is your fault is it.

Mike

[OldWolf]

I think i'm more and more going for the Caravan option, with the Duvet and gf to keep me warm lol.......