If you camp in the cold, sooner or later you want heat in the tent. There are three common ways to get it. Each has a place, and each comes with rules.
Wood stove in a hot tent
Best for: multi-day winter trips, hunting camps, places where firewood is easy to find.
- Dry heat that dries wet gloves, socks and boots.
- Fuel you find on site instead of carrying canisters.
- A stove top for cooking and boiling water.
Needs: a tent with a stove jack, a pipe and spark arrestor, a fire-resistant mat, and someone awake while it burns. See what a hot tent is.
Propane tent heater
Best for: short trips, car camping, quick warm-ups in the morning.
- Instant heat with no fire to manage.
- You must carry fuel, and cold weather lowers canister performance.
- Burning propane releases moisture, so the tent gets damp.
Only use heaters rated for indoor or tent use, follow the maker's ventilation rules, and never sleep with one running unless the maker says it is designed for it.
Electric heater
Best for: campsites with power hook-ups.
- No combustion, no fumes.
- Useless off-grid unless you bring a large power station.
Rules for any heat source
- Keep a vent open.
- Carry a battery carbon monoxide detector rated for the purpose and test it before each trip.
- Keep heat sources away from tent walls, bedding and gear.
- Read the full hot tent safety guide.
Our pick for winter trips longer than a night is wood: see our hot tent kits.