Best heater?

[slippery]

Excited to get onto the ice.  Just want to know what is the best gas heater for a pop up tent.

[tbern]

Mr Heater Big Buddy or Mr Heater Little Buddy heaters should work good. Can run on a 1lb l.p. canistor or with a hose,  a 20lb tank.

[ran7ger]

 yep any of the mr. heaters, really only need the big buddy if you've got one of those huge hub tents.

[bart]

Mr. Heater for me...

[shootsmcgee]

The big buddy with the electric fan is actually pretty darn good. Nobody likes buying batteries but it sure helps moves the heat around the tent

[pkurtz]

I agree with everyone else, get a Buddy Heater. I've had ones for years and its never let me down. Bought the hose (and filter) and use my BBQ tank. It lasts for days.

[cwavs1982]

My vote goes to the Portable Buddy Heater.  The size and output is just about right.  Now, it will depend on the temp outside, and how many people you have in the hub, or flipover, but usually the Portable is gonna be just about right.  No need to make it too hot, it just melts more of the snow and that can create a whole 'nother situation.......

[Tech By Trade]

May have to upgrade the old sunflower for a big buddy this season myself. I like that you can cook on it and the fan would be handy. Was thinking about picking up a fire bowl for the kids outside the shack too. I could use it when the fire bans are on in the summer as well.

[slippery]

Thanks for all the input!  Nice pics Bart!  I can't wait to have that first hot dog on the lake!

[saskbucks]

Mr. Heater for me...
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Does that shelf attachment come as an accessory?

[bart]

Does that shelf attachment come as an accessory?

I made the shelf. I ordered a front grill for the heater, modified it a little, drilled two holes and it lays across the existing front grill. Easy on and off, no fumes too.

I did make a video last season on the windguard and the grill... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsIqHWWkMuc

[Warren_G]

I have a Big Buddy and really like it, but I have to admit that my old Coleman Procat is a better choice for my use. Unless it is 40 below and windy, the Procat keeps the popup toasty warm as it has a fan as well. They are hard to find now, but I liked mine so much that I found another one on ebay and got it as a spare. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/COLEMAN-PROPANE-HEATER-PROCAT-5053-WITH-FAN-3000BTU-ELECTRONIC-IGNITION-AND-HOSE/263298443310?hash=item3d4dcf682e:g:s24AAOSwyYFZ~g0d

[FG Steve]

Another vote for the Buddy heaters.  When we jumped from the Buddy to the Big Buddy for our QF6, it was night-and-day different--much warmer.  I also recommend an 11-lb propane tank for the Big Buddy (or a 5-lb for the Buddy).  They cost some $ but the payback is fast over buying disposable 1-lb cylinders.

I don't think this is the place to fire up the refill discussion again.  That's been well covered already in multiple threads.

[Tech By Trade]

I think I have one of those procat colemans sitting in the basement from our tenting days. I totally forgot about it. I may have to break it out this year and try it. I will have to pick up a tank adapter for it though for my 8lbs tank.

[Blue Hog Ridr]

I work Fishing at Cabelas so here goes.  There are 3 sizes of the Buddy Heaters. Consider the size of your Ice tent.   There is the Mr. Buddy Heater, the Potable Buddy Heater and the Hunting Buddy that comes in Camo. The Camo can be handy if you're fishing for Smart Fish and you don't want them to see the heater.   Just teasin on you of course.   Off hand I cannot remember the BTU's that each put out.   I have an older Clam tent with 64 sq ft. My portable Buddy heats it just fine, altho it can take a little longer which of course depends on the outside Temps.   

The Mr. Buddy is the largest and the Hunting Buddy sits nice right in the middle.   I don't have a problem heating mine with the Portable, but there are times when I wished I had a larger one.   All can be hooked up to Mr. Buddy accessory hoses so you can run a larger propane tank.  a 10 lb tanks will last for a long time. Also consider the space that you have.   How many folks,  their bags, pails, maybe a cooler or 2, chairs and or pails to sit on.   

My personal preference and doesn't have to be others is to stay away from the top mounted Sunflower Heaters. The screen guards get red hot and possibility for someone to back into one and melt their bib pants is directly proportional to how expensive they are, or were once you burn a serious hole in them.  And don't say it will Never Happen, because Never is a Very Long Time.  It will happen sooner or later.   

Myself, I will always prefer to be invited for a day in a wood shack because I love the heat and smell from a wood fired stove. 

If you look at Bart's set up, he knows.   Get yourself a Stanley heatable cup like he has. It come with 2 nesting cups inside for coffee or tea.   

I use a Dpower butane type stove for this as an extra. Takes up zero space, but is big enuff to place a decent sized frying pan for shore lunch in the middle of a lake or a pot for chili or whatever else you might take with you for dinner.   The good ole stand in Coleman Fuel stove is always great to put on your tail gate.   

Last year there were pictures of folks who cut a hole in their tent, used a welding mat and a small wood burning rocket stove. The small rocket stoves can be had at Cabelas, and if not mistaken, there were several guys who were making them for people.   If you have access to a cutting torch, they can be made from an old propane tank also.   That is if you want to haul around a wood stove, pipe and wood. No Biggy.

Your Buddies will be the way to go. Unless you are in a hurry, watch the Cabelas fliers or the websites because the Buddies will all go on sale from time to time over the course of the Winter.

Also, depending on the day, the little 1 lb propane tanks won't last forever and when you run one out, please do not litter the lake with them, pack them home with you, refill them or toss em in the dumpsters.   I always hate to see people leave their garbage on the ice for others to clean up.   Unless your Mom Ice Fishes with you, have some Respect.

I forgot and most important, The Buddy Heaters have an 02 Sensor so will shut off before you shut off and go to sleep. 

[Blue Hog Ridr]

Bart, those beans on a Dog look pretty tasty to me.  Now that I have the little Dpower stove,  I am going to be doing that this Winter. 

[Junkie4Ice]

A flask of Jack should do the trick!

Depending on the size of the popup, I've found that my big buddy is almost too good of a heater. I have a hard time finding a spot for it in my nanook (which isn't huge but isn't tiny either) without having to worry about melting or burning something. I prefer my regular buddy heater to the big buddy. Both are excellent heaters though.

[bart]

Bart, those beans on a Dog look pretty tasty to me.  Now that I have the little Dpower stove,  I am going to be doing that this Winter.

It was good, fishing wasn't bad too!

You may want to test drive that stove, in my experience butane doesn't work well in the cooler temps.

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Bart, those beans on a Dog look pretty tasty to me.  Now that I have the little Dpower stove,  I am going to be doing that this Winter.

I carry a Coleman propane grill that is half grill/ half burner. Perfect for such a fine meal!

[mjs059]

I own the lil buddy and the buddy.
Never looked back to my old sunflowers and the noise they generate.

[Hookin-fish]

had the big buddy for a few years and its great.no problems..but i will definitely make what Bart did.that wind guard is a good idea.like that grill idea also!

[canada]

bart you better patent that!!!

[Blue Hog Ridr]

It was good, fishing wasn't bad too!

You may want to test drive that stove, in my experience butane doesn't work well in the cooler temps.

Thanks, I will and didn't think of that.   I still have my ole Coleman 2 burner stove that runs on camp fuel.   That will never let a guy down.