Tent camping in December and heat source ?

Johnbobrick

Earning My Ears
Joined
Dec 24, 2019
Hi all!

i have a tent camping reservation for dec 30 to Jan 2 at the fort. I’ve previously stayed in an rv several times so never really thought about overnight temps. I’m not quite sure what to expect in the tent. Should I bring an electric heater ? I have sleeping bags and I’m coming from the north so the temps will be pleasant but wondering if most people use heaters in tents.

I have a (tough) wife and some (not so tough) 9 and 11 year old.

this was a last minute trip, I managed to painfully score the dates one by one and combine the reservation just this week. I’m super excited to be able to go to the fort and try tent camping.
 
We just used electric blankets and were nice and cozy but the year we went in the winter it was fairly warm. We are also from up north so the temps felt during the day felt downright hot. I have heard of others using electric heaters but I was chicken
 
Thank you! That’s good to hear. I don’t have any of those and I don’t have a small portable electric heater, either. But looks like the lows are around the mid 50s which seems warm enough for tent camping. I’ve been camping in Canada in the freezing range and it wasn’t even that bad, but I didn’t have a family with.
 
I've only been camping once in someone's backyard with cub scouts and this may be a really stupid idea, but I'll throw it out there anyway.

What about the hand warmers that you put inside gloves? I'm not sure I would trust them overnight with kids, I wouldn't want to take the chance of them getting too hot. But maybe active a few, throw them into the sleeping bag 30 mins. before they get in so the bag is warm before they get in. But don't leave them in the bag all night.
 


I’ve tent camped at the Fort in Dec/Jan timeframe a few years ago and was glad I brought my little ceramic heater. Didn’t need it for the first half of the trip but then a cold front came thru and dropped temps into upper 30s At night.
 
DS and I tented it at the Fort for a few nights a few years ago in January, I feel like he was about 11 or 12 at the time (and I'm the tough-ish wife, LOL...DH stayed at home with the dogs that trip). We had spring/fall sleeping bags and sleeping pads and were comfortable. I think we had extra layers of sweat pants and sweatshirts along to sleep in, I don't remember if we needed them or not but I remember not being cold. We're northerners as well, so that probably plays into the comfort level - cooler temps is what we call "good sleeping weather" around here! I guess it all depends on the overnight temps, your comfort zone, and your tent size as well. DS and I were in our 4 person backpacking tent, so not a ton of extra space for heat loss.

@jo-jo 's idea of hand warmers is a good one. DS has since done a lot of backpacking with scouts and for the spring and fall overnight hikes he likes to have some Hot Hands along for chilly nights.
 
I am tent camping now from Dec 23-Jan 7. It was cold on Dec 23 and warmer on Dec 24. Downright hot on Dec 25 :)

We have a ceramic heater and handwarmers. Haven't used the handwarmers yet (they are awesome for cold weather camping!) but plugged in the ceramic heater for a little bit last night. It did help - we have an 8 man modified dome tent. My 10 man cabin tent at home is way chillier to sleep in - I have used heaters in it in the past and the tent is jist too big to warm up easily.

Suggestion if u bring a heater - make sure u have something stable to put it on. I have two heaters but haven't found a stable surface for my second heater yet.
 


Might not need it right now. While it was downright freezing in early December, we have our A/C on at home in north central FL right now.
 
We have a ceramic heater that turns off as soon as it tilts even a tiny bit. That is probably the only heater I would be comfortable camping with in a tent. With good sleeping bags and ground pads you should be fine even if the temps drop when sleeping. But a space heater would definitely make changing or hanging out in your tent more comfortable. Our kids have been way tougher camping in variois temperatures than we thought they would be before we started camping.
 
Well we survived the camping trip. The truck was already packed enough that I figured I’d see how 50s felt before getting a heater. Waking up after a night in the 50s, well my face was cold but I simply walked to the showers first thing and took a hot shower. The days in Florida warm up quickly so by that time it was comfortable. Any colder, I’d skip the tent camping altogether though!
 
Well we survived the camping trip. The truck was already packed enough that I figured I’d see how 50s felt before getting a heater. Waking up after a night in the 50s, well my face was cold but I simply walked to the showers first thing and took a hot shower. The days in Florida warm up quickly so by that time it was comfortable. Any colder, I’d skip the tent camping altogether though!

The CS's are GREAT for a nice long HOT SHOWER!!! :worship:
 
Glad it worked out for you :) We had a few very warm nights where I actually used my little heater as a fan to get cool enough to sleep haha!!
 
Glad it worked out for you :) We had a few very warm nights where I actually used my little heater as a fan to get cool enough to sleep haha!!
Oh my gosh. I hate being hot sleeping. I cannot imagine being in a tent, tired and sweating after a day of outdoor activity/swimming or park and trying to cool down with a fan !!
 
Oh my gosh. I hate being hot sleeping. I cannot imagine being in a tent, tired and sweating after a day of outdoor activity/swimming or park and trying to cool down with a fan !!

It wasn't that hot at night actually. The little fan just took the edge off and it was comfortable.

The sunny afternoons were quite uncomfortable though. Our site wasn't all that shaded and all 3 of our tents plus dining tent was in the blazing sun. One hammock was set up for early afternoon shade and our second hammock was set up for late afternoon shade so we hammock hopped haha! My mother and kids often took refuge in the rental car in the afternoons. (They were too lazy to walk to Meadows or the pool or whatever to find shady spots).

But yes, I was shocked to be sweltering in the tent at the end of December! On top of that, mosquitos were super annoying every evening. We all came home with chewed up ankles!
 
Wait, were you there at the end of this december and it was this hot? I must have caught a "cool" wave right after you! (arrived dec 30th, left the 2nd.). The new year's eve beach party was awesome!
 
Wait, were you there at the end of this december and it was this hot? I must have caught a "cool" wave right after you! (arrived dec 30th, left the 2nd.). The new year's eve beach party was awesome!

I was there Dec 23-Jan 4. And yes, there were some afternoons that were blazing hot.
 

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