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Hiya, just a quick one. Will one cheap 2kw heater (rotating or non) heat a 9 sleeper Wynnster Mercury tent? I have 2 toddlers and me and hubby occupying 3 of the 4 'bedrooms' and am trying to work out if the heat will go through to all of us if I stick the heater in the central living area. Had BAD experience of freezing night last year and had to abandon but that was without EHU which I'm now definitely planning to get.

The best way is to heat yourself, not the tent. Insulation between you and the airbed, plus good sleeping bags. A tent is just a non-insulated plastic bag, after all, and as has been said 99% of the heat will just radiate out through the canvas. Plus if you want any heat to get to the pods you'll have to roll back the doors, and that will actually make the pods colder. Closed pods are always warmer inside than the living area because of your body heat warming things up, and this is why small low sloping pods are cosier than full standing height ones.

You say you use three out of four sleeping pods? My suggestion is to double up...let the toddlers sleep together. If you floor the pod with cheap thermal sleeping mats cut to size and let them sleep in their (good quality, like a Vango Midi) sleeping bags, you'll find they  will snuggle up to one another if they feel cold. Like a litter of pups! Alternately sleep one adult with each child. Children are great hot water bottles.

I don't use a tent heater, have gone camping in March and April in Scotland and have had mornings when the condensation has frozen in the inside of the tent...but I've never been cold at night because I take good bedding. The kids have been camping since they were months old and they've been fine. EHU and heaters in a tent is such a modern thing...really only in the last few years has it happened at all! I think folk have just got so used to heating rooms rather than wearing warm clothes and having warm bedding that they think it's the only way. I can't be the only person here that grew up in a house with coal fires and ice inside the windows, can I?

Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 07/3/2009

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I can't be the only person here that grew up in a house with coal fires and ice inside the windows, can I?

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Quote: Originally posted by kjrowla on 09/3/2009

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whats an inverter?, a type of battery?

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"...then we always want to take so much "stuff" because we can use it.   It's a lot easier without lekky then we can't take the gadgets! "

Thanks pigletandtigger!  With a hubby, 2 toddlers and baby no.3 on the way I think your point may be extremely valid for us and our average size estate car!  I'm gonna stick to old school lekky-free camping for now!

Quote: Originally posted by PigletandTigger on 09/3/2009

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Claire when we came back to camping a few years ago I dutifully bought an EHU because everyone on here went on about how you had to have one. I've barely used it since, it has been useful a couple of times but then we always want to take so much "stuff" because we can use it.   It's a lot easier without lekky then we can't take the gadgets!

(don't forget you can use an inverter to charge mobiles, phone batteries, lights etc.)

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Quote: Originally posted by freeatlast on 10/3/2009

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Quote: Originally posted by PigletandTigger on 09/3/2009

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Claire when we came back to camping a few years ago I dutifully bought an EHU because everyone on here went on about how you had to have one. I've barely used it since, it has been useful a couple of times but then we always want to take so much "stuff" because we can use it.   It's a lot easier without lekky then we can't take the gadgets!

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(don't forget you can use an inverter to charge mobiles, phone batteries, lights etc.)

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Even easier, get a car charger for the mobile, Tesco had them for £2 a while back. The charger can then live in the car, one less thing to forget!

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