lorentje

i have am a total novice, so humor me if this is just a stupid idea... i would like to be able to camp over night at the mountain this winter. i would prefer not to freeze in my sleep. is it possible to run a generator or something to power heat safely? i don't think a power inverter with a space heater would be very safe!! you guys are so creative - any ideas?

abalagtas

I've been thinking about getting one too. Here is what I've found.

http://www.zodi.com/products.html

I already have a Coleman BlackCat heater, but it only really heats if your directly infront of it and I wouldn't use it while I'm sleeping.

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/Colem...ategoryID=3000

I like the Zodi because it sits outside the tent, but I don't like that you need to hook up a battery. With the coleman, I only use it while getting ready for bed or waking.

gwhayduke

Been there, done that, without the portable heater though.

1 20 degree down bag
1 closed cell foam pad
1 thermarest pad
Polypro long underwear
Food
Stove
Pack
1 Malamute

I have a 2nd gen and sleeping in back I have to curl up.
If the rear seat cushions are taken out, there is enough room to stretch out (I'm 6').

I'll give you a hint though...A good 4 season tent is warmer than a car.

lorentje

i am a very small girl, and no malamute, just a fiesty beagle - being in the truck is for safety... i was hoping i could rig something electrically to heat the truck, a generator or something... but it might just not be possible...

gwhayduke

Ok very small girl. First things first.

1. Where is this mountain you want to stay on (latitude or state and elevation)?

2. Do you have a good down or polarguard sleeping bag of at least 20 degree rating?

3. Do you own any cold weather layering gear (polypropylene long underwear, polar plus jackets, gore-tex shells, wool socks, etc).

4. Do you own any sleeping pads or wool blankets?

5. Do you have any prior camping experience?

6. Do you own any other miscellaneous camping equipment (stoves, pots, etc.

lorentje

well, my happy couple friends have a westfalia, so they are going to be parked next to me. parking lot camping at mt hood, cold, but not below zero. the idea is to get heat to run in my rig, so i can sleep separately. then we'd make breakfast and everything in their van. wanted something that could run safely and keep me warm overnight and the pooch warm while i was snowboarding.
if the only way to do that is to use a electric blanket, then i will find a dog sitter and crash in their van, or drive up in the morning.
i guess my truck can't be perfect for everything

gwhayduke

While you're answering the above questions, let me explain a little.

1. Yes you can stay in your 4Runner for safety. Depending on how small "small girl" is, you might even be able to stretch out.

2. Generators are not made to heat, they make electricity. In doing so, they put out exhaust fumes that are deadly (Carbon Monoxide). NEVER use one in a closed space as in your 4Runner. It will kill you as you sleep.

3. Gas stoves put out plenty of heat, but also put out Carbon Monoxide gas. So don't even think about using a gas stove to keep warm. It will kill you as you sleep.

4. Coleman does make a catalytic propane heater that is approved for use in closed spaces, but they also make the other kind as well. Make sure you read the labels of all heaters before you buy and purchase the correct one. Or it will kill you in your sleep.

5. Electric blankets may have been used by others, but a good down sleeping bag works without wires and will keep you and your beagle comfy, cozy and WILL NOT KILL YOU IN YOUR SLEEP. None of us want to see you hurt sweety. Get a good down bag from REI Outlet, keep it dry, take care of it and it will keep you warm for a decade. And yes, I have one that is a decade old. Avoid sythentic sleeping bag fills. They're cheaper, but they do not loft up as long as down. Rely on the down to keep you warm while you sleep. When you get up, then start the catalytic heater.

TechWrench

Using a gas generator to power a ceramic type box heater is one possibility, but you would have to consider the run time. Most portable generators small enough to transport easily, would not have enough run time to last thru the night. You would be getting up every couple of hours to refill. As others have already suggested, a good sleeping bag with a pad will be a much less expensive and quieter option.

Paul H.

gwhayduke has some very good advice on the heaters, but todays quality synthetic sleeping bags are just as good a down and are much cheaper. If all you are going to be doing is car camping then get yourself a zero degree bag from a camping store, not walmart, and either an air mattress or a thermarest pad, some polypropaline(sp) or capilene underware and don't go to bed with an empty stomach and you will be plenty warm.



PS. Awesome pictures, whats it like to wheel on a frozen lake?

dusty98

One of our camping adventures, we played cards in the tent by the light of the gas lantern. Next morning, we were both sick because of the fumes.
For simplicity, safety, & ease of use, I'd suggest a really good sleeping bag, some thermal underwear and blankets. All of which you can use in other places besides your truck.
We have some really thick sleeping bags that we used when we lived in CO. On a really cold night, a good sleeping bag is worth every dime.
Have fun & enjoy the snow!!

Darren

I REALLY enjoy my Coleman BlackCat. To this point, I have only used it ~10 minutes before I crawl in and ~10 minutes before I get up, and have not used it during the night. My -5 bag has kept me plenty warm during the nights, but if it ever gets too cold for my blood, I would not hesitate to run it for the duration--with the windows down a bit, of course. A warm bag will not help matters when you have to get out and have to face the cold air. The heater really makes getting out of the comfy confines of the bag bearable.

I will respectfully disagree with Alfred about it only heating the area directly in front of it. Sure, that's where it's the warmest, but it will really make the inside of the truck/tent nice and toasty.

CoedNaked

Supposedly they have those camping propane heaters out today (was that a blackcat heater?) that have a carbon monoxide alarm/detector on it. I would NOT trust those. In fact I wouldn't trust anything in an enclosed space that has the potential to release Carbon Monoxide and I don't care how good they say the detector is. I have heard stories of the detector not working from park rangers who have to pull 3 dead people out of their camper a few days later when they are found after having been reported missing. I guess the chances of being the one are slim but I don't want to be the one, do you?

Ontos

Good 0° rated down bag and a Therm-a-Rest (Z-Rest is cheap, and really warm) should be all you need..... I've found the 4Runner to be a nice, warm little hidey-hole from time to time.


Other than that, a four-season tent is actually warmer than your truck. If you're not into backpacking, and don't need a really light down bag (In which case I personally recomend the REI Kilo-Plus, 700 Power Down, and 2 lbs, 8 oz.), Coleman makes a super-warm 0° bag that you can get at Wal-Mart for like 50 or 60 bucks.....it's a million pounds, but if it's just going in your truck, that doesn't matter. Cheers!

lorentje

thanks all - that is some good advice... sounds like i need to upgrade my bag and maybe do a space heater for the crawl in and crawl out. i guess dreams of a running heater were too good to be true, i'll let my friends with the westfalia win on the camping front [he did spend $50K more than me]. and try not to play too long so the pooch don't freeze.
gwhayduke >> i will promise not to use the heater while i'm sleeping, as not to kill myself in my sleep
Paul H. >> wheeling on the ice is crazy fun, you get to slide around like you're driving a rally car. you can totally lose control, and never worry b/c there's nothing to run into.

Ilovemountains

I’ve camped in my Yota’s bed many times before ... I ran a small 2cycle generator and ran an oil filled radiator heater ALL night with no refills or problems. My generator was a flea market find though!>>>> It had a 5 gallon tank and ran at a very mild engine speed and had a HUGE muffler so you could barely hear it! I loaned it to a buddy a year ago and right after they got home from camping their entire house burned down, along with my generator which I have not been able to reproduce since…! The moral if you can find a small gas or 2 stroke generator that either has a large fuel tank or you can retrofit a large one to it you will be in good shape. I bought a tank at Wal Mart this past summer in the fishing section of all places that is made for a boat for like $13 that would be perfect!! Its 6 gallons with a filler hole and a place to attach a fuel line, this and a small generator, I mean the smallest you can find, you’re only going to run a small heater and possibly a light bulb and radio so you do not need one that an entire job site can run off of or an entire cabin! Good luck and have fun camping! Matt

SHINYSIDEUP

Hi, I have camped in my truck several times. If your truck is an automatic, you can install a remote starter. Mine has a timer that shuts it off after 15 minutes. I fire up the truck, get it nice and warm and climb under my sleeping bag. If I wake up in the middle of the night and am cold I just fire up the car and fall back to sleep. In the morning I fire up the car again and it is toasty warm when I get out of my bag.
PS, for those of you that are tall, removing the bottom rear seat cushions allows you to push the front seats froward and stretch all the way out. Very comfy and safe.
Good luck.

kickaha

Mt. Hood, inside the truck, above freezing, you should be fine. Everyone has given good advice. I would second (third, forth) getting (1) get the best sleeping bag you can afford, (2) get really good thermals (check Cabelas), (3) get a good quality pad (most heat is lost through the ground - if your truck is cold, you will be too).

You can also get several large Survival Heat pads http://beprepared.com/product.asp?pn=CW+W115 They don't last as long as they're advertised for (15 hours), but combined with a good sleeping bag, put a few of those in with you in the middle of the night and you'll warm right up and probably stay that way for the rest of the night.

Koz

When I camp in the winter I use a kerosene heater, its like 20K BTUs so I turn it down to its lowest setting and leave at least 1 window open to supply oxygen. Works great, even on the coldest days/nights it keeps you nice and toasty.

Koz

gwhayduke

Still not recommended. Carbon Monoxide is denser than air, so as it exits the heater and cools, it will collect in low areas. Once your body breathes it in, carbon monoxide binds to your red blood cells, rendering them incapable of carrying oxygen. Thus, breathing CO has a cumulative effect that can accumulate over hours or days. As more blood cells are rendered useless, production must increase. And anyone who gives blood can tell you it takes a few weeks to replace the red blood cells lost in a donation. Incidentally, since your body needs oxygen to generate heat, and red blood cells are rendered useless by CO, you may find yourself, over time, getting increasingly chilled, as well as tired and drowsy.

MTL_4runner

Any kind of a combustion heater (fuel cells are slightly different) will put off CO or CO2 or both (carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide) and neither of which you want to use in an enclosed space even with an oven window......very dangerous! This is why some were recommending electric heaters and blankets. The problem with these is that they consume large amounts of power and would drain a battery very quickly. Best way is the old fashioned way, insulate very well (sleeping bag, blankets, etc) and to do it with natural body heat.