Hiya, just a quick one. Will one cheap 2kw heater (rotating or non) heat a 9 sleeper Wynnster Mercury tent? I have 2 toddlers and me and hubby occupying 3 of the 4 'bedrooms' and am trying to work out if the heat will go through to all of us if I stick the heater in the central living area. Had BAD experience of freezing night last year and had to abandon but that was without EHU which I'm now definitely planning to get.
Personally Clare I'd spend the money on really good bedding and lots of it. Most of the heat you stick into your tent will disappear outside.
I find nights chilly (even when hubby is complaining about the heat), I avoid airbeds and use self inflating mats with good sleeping bags, a fleece inner and a collection of fleecy blankets.
I agree with Pigletandtigger, heaters are good for taking the chill off the air in the morning and evening. Having said that, I left the fan heater on one night in Glenmore for February half term when we went skiing, but there was a foot of snow outside and it did get down to -6. We also used thermarest mats with silver mats under those, good sleeping bags with silk liners, hot water bottles, hats and merino thermals. When we came to pack up there was ice on the ground where our beds had been, the insulation from the bed was that good our body heat never melted it. And we were never cold at night.
Hi We use both heater and lots of insulation. The heater will not really go through into the sleeping pods so we rely on picnic blanket under airbed and then on top, fleece underblanket then sleeping bags a with liner and then fleece blankets if needed. We haven't used hotties yet but may take them at easter just in case! The heater is great for warming the living area, ours has a thermostat so we leave it on overnight and it comes on/cuts out as necessary, also great for warming things up in the morning a must for little ones (mine is always awake and goes from 0-60 in seconds wanting to play before getting dressed!)
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A fan heater is fine for warming up the living area on chilly mornings or evenings, but I find them too noisy to leave on overnight. When we've camped in early March we used a skirting heater from Argos - slim & easy to pack, silent running, and made the bedroom really cosy - we didn't freeze when we got up during the night for a call of nature
The best way is to heat yourself, not the tent. Insulation between you and the airbed, plus good sleeping bags. A tent is just a non-insulated plastic bag, after all, and as has been said 99% of the heat will just radiate out through the canvas. Plus if you want any heat to get to the pods you'll have to roll back the doors, and that will actually make the pods colder. Closed pods are always warmer inside than the living area because of your body heat warming things up, and this is why small low sloping pods are cosier than full standing height ones.
You say you use three out of four sleeping pods? My suggestion is to double up...let the toddlers sleep together. If you floor the pod with cheap thermal sleeping mats cut to size and let them sleep in their (good quality, like a Vango Midi) sleeping bags, you'll find they will snuggle up to one another if they feel cold. Like a litter of pups! Alternately sleep one adult with each child. Children are great hot water bottles.
I don't use a tent heater, have gone camping in March and April in Scotland and have had mornings when the condensation has frozen in the inside of the tent...but I've never been cold at night because I take good bedding. The kids have been camping since they were months old and they've been fine. EHU and heaters in a tent is such a modern thing...really only in the last few years has it happened at all! I think folk have just got so used to heating rooms rather than wearing warm clothes and having warm bedding that they think it's the only way. I can't be the only person here that grew up in a house with coal fires and ice inside the windows, can I?
Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 07/3/2009
I can't be the only person here that grew up in a house with coal fires and ice inside the windows, can I?
depends if you have canvas or nylon tents if the latter 99 percent will go out if a good canvas less so but yes i agree with all on here about keeping warm. In my small cabanon etna a small gas heater is great and heats up well but the bigger tents will not be as good. I would try it in the garden first to test this therory!
Thank you for all your advice. I may give EHU a miss for now and stock up on layers then. Perhaps I'll splurge on the EHU later on after a few more attempts. I'll see how it goes.
Claire when we came back to camping a few years ago I dutifully bought an EHU because everyone on here went on about how you had to have one. I've barely used it since, it has been useful a couple of times but then we always want to take so much "stuff" because we can use it. It's a lot easier without lekky then we can't take the gadgets!
(don't forget you can use an inverter to charge mobiles, phone batteries, lights etc.)
"...then we always want to take so much "stuff" because we can use it. It's a lot easier without lekky then we can't take the gadgets! "
Thanks pigletandtigger! With a hubby, 2 toddlers and baby no.3 on the way I think your point may be extremely valid for us and our average size estate car! I'm gonna stick to old school lekky-free camping for now!
Quote: Originally posted by PigletandTigger on 09/3/2009
Claire when we came back to camping a few years ago I dutifully bought an EHU because everyone on here went on about how you had to have one. I've barely used it since, it has been useful a couple of times but then we always want to take so much "stuff" because we can use it. It's a lot easier without lekky then we can't take the gadgets!
(don't forget you can use an inverter to charge mobiles, phone batteries, lights etc.)
Even easier, get a car charger for the mobile, Tesco had them for £2 a while back. The charger can then live in the car, one less thing to forget!
Quote: Originally posted by freeatlast on 10/3/2009
Quote: Originally posted by PigletandTigger on 09/3/2009Claire when we came back to camping a few years ago I dutifully bought an EHU because everyone on here went on about how you had to have one. I've barely used it since, it has been useful a couple of times but then we always want to take so much "stuff" because we can use it. It's a lot easier without lekky then we can't take the gadgets!
(don't forget you can use an inverter to charge mobiles, phone batteries, lights etc.)
Even easier, get a car charger for the mobile, Tesco had them for £2 a while back. The charger can then live in the car, one less thing to forget!
The bonus of an inverter is that you can charge anything on it though.
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Topic: More heating queries `fraid....
