Heater options?

[Wojo14]

OK, I am hunting private land in Missouri. Second season archery. Dec 6th.
I have a spot to camp. I was thinking about trying a floorless shelter (seek 6 man tipi) with some cots to get off the ground. I will be able to “Truck” camp, so I have the ability to use a little buddy propane heater. Is this advisable?
Other option is purchase a small travel trailer and use it for future out of state hunts as a base camp.
~Wojo

 

[KurtR]

If you can hunt right out of the camper i would go that route.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Hard to beat the comforts of a small travel trailer

 

[RockChucker30]

I wouldn't run the heater all night, but yeah it's fine to use a buddy heater in our tipis.

Make sure you insulate the cots just as you would on the ground. Air space under you gets cold.

 

[Wojo14]

If I go the tipi and cots, I have an underquilt.
~Wojo

 

[Mansfield Outdoors]

The problem I have with a camper or camp trailer is that you can only go where you can get the camper. This is one of the biggest advantages of tent camping. Most of us endeavor to get away from the crowds, get away from other hunters, other camps. At least here in the mountain areas that often means that you can access more remote areas if you can get into areas on old unmaintained roads which are often too rutted out for campers or camp trailers to use. We've always seen this as a big advantage. If even one member of a hunting party is using a camper, and you want to camp together, then you're limited to areas that camper or trailer can access.

The Mr. Buddy heaters are a fantastic option for many situations. But, be aware that for every pound of propane burned, you're putting a pound of water vapor into your tent. In cold weather this can become a real problem. That water vapor quickly cools once it contacts the wall of the tent and turns right back into water. You are probably also hanging wet clothes to dry, maybe boiling water for coffee, exhaling, etc. too, all of which add more and more moisture to the inside of the tent. Add a little wind and it will literally rain on you inside the tent. Particularly in single wall nylon tipi's or other coated nylon tents this condensation issue is a constant problem. Dry radiant heat from a wood stove is a far better option if you can make it work for you. Canvas tents with wood stoves have long been the best option for cold weather camping for these reasons.

Disclaimer - Mansfield Outdoors is the sponsor of this forum and we sell high-end lightweight Tentipi canvas Nordic tipi tents as well as nylon tipi's, wood stoves, etc. But, I got involved in importing and distributing the Tentipi brand from Sweden because I became a big fan of them first, and knew they would be a very attractive option for many North American hunters.

 

[mcseal2]

If you don't already own the 6 man I'd consider going bigger. We run an XL stove in our 8 man and a half floor. 2 Thermarest mesh cots like this:

Ultralite Cot from Therm-a-Rest | Cots | BackcountryGear.com


Take up the half with the floor and your feet will be darn close to or touching the sides. I usually give my buddy the extra room and let my feet touch because I have a better bag that won't leak through. It's nice to have both cots on the floored side to keep cleaner and drier when moving around, keep gear, wood, and the stove on the other half. I sometimes wish we had gone with a 12 man for the two of us the way we use it. The smaller footprint of the 8 man is nice though. We used the wood stove on our WY hunt but considered the Mr Buddy also. We found that the Mr Buddy isn't rated to work at the elevation we were hunting. I'm going to try to put up some pics and write a review on our SO 8 man from that hunt, we had 15" of snow the first night, 0 degrees the 2nd night, and 40mph winds the 3rd night. It handled it all well.

 

[archer wapiti]

If you go with a propane heater, a carbon monoxide alarm is a good cheap insurance policy.

 

[Jimbo V]

I use a Mr Buddy truck camping and it works great, I use it at night while I’m eating and reading, shut it off before I sleep then turn it on about 5 minutes before I get out of my bag. Even though they have the Carbon monoxide sensor, As others have said I wouldn’t trust it at night when you’re sleeping.


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[MontanaMarine]

Nu Way 4000 propane stove in our SO-6.

We've used the buddy heater with good results, but this Nu Way gets around the risk of low oxy or CO2, and the vent also sends the moisture out the pipe.

We just recently got this and I was playing with how it would work with a couple cots in the 6-man.

 

[ahlgringo]

For tipi campin next to the truck- havent found a better heater than the Hunter SHS military diesel/kerosene burner. Thing cranks heat and will last all night on one gallon of diesel. Works great in my 8 man. You can find them sometimes at surplus stores or military auctions. Pretty bombproof as well.


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[Ironmerganser]

MontanaMarine.....where did you get that Nuway? That is EXACTLY what I have been looking for.....
Also...are you just using the stove pipe from SeekOutside? any modifications to make it work with the NuWay?

 

[Brendan]

I used a Nu-Way 3500 in my Kodiak Canvas for two years. A godsend. I used a battery powered CO detector for safety. I sold the Kodiak and will replace it with a SeekOutside 12 or 8, but am keeping the Nu-Way.

I found mine at a random place searching on google. I used 3x24" stainless stove pipe from Go2Marine.

Dickinson Marine, Stainless Steel Stove Pipe, 24"

 

[Where's Bruce?]

What a coincidence...I put the Nu-Way 3500 on my Christmas list this year to match my new Kodiak Canvas tent. LOL
Brandan, is this the stovepipe and accessories you used? One 3" x 24" Stainless Stove Pipe (part # 93255) and two Stainless Stove Pipe Elbows (part # 93256) and one 3" Stainless DP Cap (part # 20198) from GO2MARINE???

Model 3500 - Nu-Way Stove

When selecting a shelter, be it a tent or tipi remember this...a 4 man is big enough for 2. An 8 man is big enough for 4. Whatever the occupancy says it is, divide by 2. Cots, firewood, packs, chairs and such all eat space.

Also, look at the youtube videos on the Hunter SHS military diesel/kerosene stove and compare it to the Nu-Way. Whole lotta work involved in the "military method" vs the Nu-Way.
I think SHS is short for Stupid Hassle Stove

 

[Brendan]

These were my part numbers from summer, 2016:

93256 3" Stainless Stove Pipe Elbow
93255 3" x 24" Stainless Stove Pipe

Can't remember where I got the cap though - it wasn't part of the same order and I can't find a matching one...

 

[MontanaMarine]

MontanaMarine.....where did you get that Nuway? That is EXACTLY what I have been looking for.....
Also...are you just using the stove pipe from SeekOutside? any modifications to make it work with the NuWay?

I ordered the Nu Way straight from the mfr.

Propane Stove Archives - Nu-Way Stove

I picked up some 3" stovepipe from the local Ace hardware store I imagine the titanium pipe from SO would work well too, probably even transfer more heat.

 

[Ironmerganser]

BOOM! NuWay ordered. They are selling them for $209.99 with free shipping at clancysoutdoors.com.
Going to put it to good use at the end of November on a week long upland hunt in KS!!!