heater for sleeping in the back?

[txj2go]

(Actually I'm asking for my daughter. She wants to winter camp and sleep in the back of her Grand Cherokee with her dog.) Neither of us has been able to find a reasonable heater to use in the back of the vehicle. Propane heaters seem to be too big for a small space, and some of them say they don't work at high altitude.

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[Mx5red]

What’s your budget?
A battery/solar generator and a heated blanket work pretty well.
More complicated but maybe cheaper is diesel heater?

 

[Geronimo]

They make a ton of small electric space heaters for vehicles and tents. You would not use a propane unit in that way unless you wanted to suffocate or possibly burn to death. I would use a dual battery set-up such as a Genesis and small RV portable electric heater. Many good ones to choose from.

 

[Vanburi]

Or leave the jeep running.

 

[21Rubi]

Or leave the jeep running.

Another way to die from carbon monoxide

 

[stumblinhorse]

Best and safest heater inside a vehicle is a good sleeping bag…. Propane heaters in a small enclosed area is a great way to lose a child in this case.

Not that cold right now anymore at high altitude unless for next year…. If it is too cold right now for her without a heater, then it is probably not a safe idea to camp. Only safe heaters run outside and put heated air into the sleeping area.

 

[roaniecowpony]

A vehicle is a very poorly insulated enclosure. In fact, a Jeep has almost no thermal insulation. Heating it takes a lot of BTUs to keep up with the losses thru the sheet metal and all the thin glass. Probably the safest route is to get some of those chemical heat packs and put them in a sleeping bag. But the idea of heating the entire vehicle so you can sit around in warmth, is impractical. If that's the goal, maybe renting a small trailer to tow to the campsite is a better option.

 

[MtCamper]

The easiest, cheapest and safest way is a good foam pad to sleep on and a good down quilt to put over the top of your summer bag. NEVER use a gas heater in such a small enclosed area. If it's really cold a pair of thick wool socks and a watch cap work wonders.

 

[multicam]

Another way to die from carbon monoxide

Wait… how? In a closed garage, sure but outdoors?

 

[Boosted_Rubi]

There’s a lot of diesel heaters out there now, or the home assembled route. That’s what I use

 

[21Rubi]

Wait… how? In a closed garage, sure but outdoors?

No breeze, CO makes its way into vehicle. Just not a safe thing to do. Try at your own risk.

 

[txj2go]

I reached the same conclusion as what most people have expressed here- that propane is not feasible inside the vehicle. I remember many years ago going on a winter fishing trip with a group and one of the men slept in the back of his pickup with a camper shell over it and a propane catalytic heater. I haven't been able to find anything like that for sale that seemed reasonable. I was just trying to make sure I had not missed anything.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Clearly, I don't know all the innovations in camp heaters. But whatever you come up with for your daughter, get a CO2 alarm if the heat is from any type of combustible fuel.

 

[Heimkehr]

(Actually I'm asking for my daughter. She wants to winter camp and sleep in the back of her Grand Cherokee with her dog.)

I use and suggest an analog approach: synthetic layers (my personal preference), a premium brand down-filled sleeping bag with a survival rating no higher than 0°F, and an insulated air mattress (another preference of mine). Extra credit for sleeping bag liners, or a repurposed woobie.

The act of continual exhaling may eventually provide a bit of warmth to a sealed vehicle interior, too.

 

[Shibadog]

No breeze, CO makes its way into vehicle. Just not a safe thing to do. Try at your own risk.

This. Many moons ago as a firefighter we drug a dude out of a parked car at a rest center, cold weather, left engine running, monoxide got him.

Strongly suggest a good insulated pad under a high quality winter rated sleeping bag. I’ve done it on the ground in single digits and done just fine. Jeep should be more weathertight than my old tent. Dog makes a pretty good little supplemental heater if they cuddle up next to you as well?

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