Camper HEAT? Softopper for the bonus point.

Is a colman white gas lantern too much "bad gas" to be used to HEAT and light a sleeping accommodation in a pickup bed /topper situation?

The Softopper has lots of gaps in the corners, the bed and tailgate leak like sieves. I have not been able to sense "warmth" in the topper even when sleeping two. (sans any powered heater)

Is there ventilation enough? Certainly those lanterns throw a lot of heat. and a simple wrap of alu. foil cuts the light output to near nothing.

Comments on similar ..ahh...err... experiments? I'm reluctant to start up the stove, but it's only 34 degrees out there! ;-)

 

Probably, but there is zero way I'd try it without a smoke/CO alarm in the back with me. Even before that I'd put it in the back with the CO detector and let it sit to see if it went off (obviously a CO meter would be better if you have one available to you).

Side note, you may have heat issues with the top as well, especially if you wrap foil around it which would act like a chimney and direct the heat upwards. I have one of the small butane heaters that screws onto a butane cartridge and if I put it on the side locker (part of my bed set up) it gets hot enough above it that I think it would damage the carpet if I left it on for more than a few minutes. A candle lantern on the other hand is enough heat to help take the edge off depending on the temp (I have a fiberglass shell) but doesn't get hot enough that I worry about the carpet. I use a heater to warm the back before going to sleep then cut it off. I cut it back on to warm up the rear before climbing out of my bag.