Cold Weather Shelter

[carbon60]

Good Morning All,

My lady and I have been enthusiastically exploring the forestry roads north of Ottawa for the past year, since we bought our first truck. We use a CVT RTT and awning, which are great.

Now, I'd like to extend our ability to vacation in the wilderness throughout the year and that means making ourselves happy in -30°C and enduring the wind that sometimes blows through.

So my question is: what shelters and heat sources work for those wanting to spend a few days in the cold? I've been looking at stoves, fireboxes, tepees (tipis/teepees), wall tents, hybrids, etc. Wood, alcohol and even diesel.

I'd really appreciate some ideas!

Also, I'm thinking I need to find another forum where those that work in the field during winter might hangout.

Thanks,

A.

 

[Hilldweller]

I used a Buddy Heater in our cavernous Conqueror Compact tent and it kept us toasty. Never got below 15 degrees F though.

 

[007]

You can do propane heat in a rooftop tent but it isn't advised because of all the humidity it creates. 1 pound of burnt propane creates one pound of water vapor. This water can collect in the betting, clothing, footwear and make life miserable. It can also create mold and mildew problems for the tent itself.

There is a way to use propane and not create humidity by using a propex type heater that burns outside the tent and forces warm air into the tent - these units are over $1000.00 I believe, but they are compact.

The other option is using a good canvas tent like a spring-bar tent outfitted with a wood stove. Wood is great because it provides a very intense dry heat that winter campers love. Springbar tents are built in Utah and they are very high quality and easy to set up.

One thing to keep in mind with a propane heat source is elevation - some units don't work well, or at all over 7,000 feet.

 

[Ranchero]

I have a Propex in my Vanagon. Multiple zero degree (F) nights (-17C) every winter. Works great but a little loud. ($600-$800). Got mine from Karl at http://www.westyventures.com/propex.html . Wood stove in a Springbar sounds great though.

 

[BillTex]

that means making ourselves happy in -30°C and enduring the wind that sometimes blows through...So my question is: what shelters ...I'd really appreciate some ideas!

A truck camper comes to mind...

 

[Hilldweller]

You can do propane heat in a rooftop tent but it isn't advised because of all the humidity it creates. 1 pound of burnt propane creates one pound of water vapor. This water can collect in the betting, clothing, footwear and make life miserable. It can also create mold and mildew problems for the tent itself.

There is a way to use propane and not create humidity by using a propex type heater that burns outside the tent and forces warm air into the tent - these units are over $1000.00 I believe, but they are compact.

The other option is using a good canvas tent like a spring-bar tent outfitted with a wood stove. Wood is great because it provides a very intense dry heat that winter campers love. Springbar tents are built in Utah and they are very high quality and easy to set up.

One thing to keep in mind with a propane heat source is elevation - some units don't work well, or at all over 7,000 feet.

We got a little bit of condensation but not much; we get more in the teardrop without any heat at all.

We placed the heater "downstairs" on a table and ran it off a 10# tank. Just the small Buddy, not the big one. And we kept the upstairs windows open. Convenctive activity kept air circulating.
In the coldest weather it would be about 30 degrees on the floor of the basement and 80 degrees at the very top of the tent.

Here's what ours looked like in warm weather:

And on a Thanksgiving trip after a front pushed through:

 

[carbon60]

The other option is using a good canvas tent like a spring-bar tent outfitted with a wood stove. Wood is great because it provides a very intense dry heat that winter campers love. Springbar tents are built in Utah and they are very high quality and easy to set up.

This is what I've been leaning towards. So far, I've looked at the very difficult to setup wall tents and the easy to setup but very costly Tentipi (and others). Also, the Alaska Oven. Had not looked lat Springbar, that's my next stop…

Thank you,

A.