*THE RTT Owners Thread (With BS)*

Curious how you keep warm in an RTT at super cold temps? Layers and the correct sleeping bag? I know someone said something about that propane portable heater thats "tent safe", but then you run in to off gas issues and such to where you need to crack a window which defeats the whole purpose.

 

Not layers but I wear long underwear type things. Can't think of the proper name, we always just called them waffle tops/bottoms. That with a fleece blanket inside a 0 degree bag and down comforter work great. As for the window I always 100% of the time have them cracked to help with moisture, but almost never run the heater more than before bed/early morning anyways. On occasion the cold will wake me in the middle of the night so I'll turn it on for a while.

 

I've set up a propane heater on the ground in the awning room with a battery powered fan circulating the warm air up into the tent. Freezing temps outside and 70 degrees in the tent. I imagine that setup could work well into single digits or negative temps with a weather hood on the tent.

 

I'm a simple peasant with only a Tepui Ayer, which has no awning, please forgive me.

 

As far as ventilating for propane I leave the zipper of the awning room open behind the heater to bring in fresh air and a window corner open up top

 

I have no overhang for the annex either or I'd probably be okay running the heater full time.

 

Yeah I mean I have the Ayer for just myself and maybe my boy when he gets a little older and, otherwise I have the full Coleman family package for everyone else. I need to pick up a double person sleeping bag (my singles are all to small for me) and have considered the small propane heater. I usually have a window cracked as well for moistute issues.

 

Not a peasant, you've got an easier setup! When I don't have propane heat I boil water and keep it in a water tight container to throw into the sleeping bag if it's going to be colder than what my gear can handle.

 

Haha I know, I got the Ayer because it was the cheapest and I wanted something for myself to test out how I liked it. I love it, so once some other expensive mods get taken care of I'll probably sell it and get a larger one for the family. Or build a trailer and put that one on it and keep the Ayer for myself

 

My tent is huge. When it's just me (lately it has only been me!) it's a hassle. I've considered downsizing a lot recently.

 

When backpacking there's a few tricks to staying warm at night that can translate to using a rooftop tent. Put on dry clean socks as you go to bed, wear some sort of cap or beanie even if your bag has a hood, eat a hot meal before laying down and eat plenty of it to stay full, wear all your insulating clothing, use a warm sleeping pad to keep heat loss at a minimum, the bottled hot water trick I mentioned earlier... and if all that fails try to dream of a scorching desert!

 

Haha good to know! Lately its been hot nights, windows down all the way, blanket across my feet (because who the fuck sleeps with uncovered feet? Heathens), waking up a tad cold and tossing another blanket on. Or If its a little chilly I'll bring the pup up with me and hes a damn heater himself, since he takes up half the damn tent anyhoo. I guess I need to re-evaluate my cold weather tent gear lol

 

I have a heated matress pad on top of the foam mattress and then i use a heating blanket to sleep under for my boy and my wife in colorado. No sleeping bags, I run a Honda 1000 all night to run them without issue. I run a 100' extension to get it as far away as possible then bury the exhaust behind rock or trees to minimize the noise. The blanket goes up to 10 but we havent gotten it past 2 yet. It is nice to have warm blankets and bodies to warm up with.

 

^also good to know!

 

How much fuel do you use on a given night? Gas or propane?

 

The EU1000, Honda, has a regulator that adjust engine speed based off of consumption. It doesnt reach full throttle with three apple devices and both heated blankets at full tilt. It has a roughly 2 gallon tank and runs for 8 hours wide open. I top it off at night before we turn in, fire it up and have no issues all night. I got it off craigslist for $400. Cosmetically a little rough but no issues from the little honda

 

Interesting, I might have to look in to a little generator one of these days

 

Used a propane heater for the first time last weekend.

Set it in the middle of the tent near the walls, right over the crack. Vented the window / door thingy by my head. Ran it for 20 mins without the window cracked and turned it off. fell asleep, woke up about 3 hours later and took a piss outside, then ran it from about 12:30-5:30 with the window cracked. Didn't have a problem and was nice and toasty.

I'll probably buy a battery powered CO detector at homedepot for a backup in the future, just to be safe