I’d be rich if I could paint those high wispy clouds on a blue winter sky. Last January I was peering through maples and oaks, with only a few sparse brown leaves clinging to them, at one such winter afternoon sky.
I knew it would quickly turn to evening and then the cold would set in. You see, I was out here because it was the coldest day of the season, yet. I was out here to see what that was really all about.
How cold is winter camping? It’s a question a lot of us have who’ve never done it. Of course, it also depends on where you live. Suffice it to say, a good camping stove will make it better.
Cutting and splitting firewood for my dinner fire and my camping woodstove, I actually found myself removing layers to avoid breaking a sweat. The daytime temperature was hovering around 20 degrees.
My Winter Camping Setup
My very thin One Tigris tent was set in the center of a tiny clearing in the woods surrounded by small trees. It was enough of a windbreak to make a difference. This tent was designed for a metal flue from a camping stove. The flue fed through one side of the tarp and straight up.
My small ground trap, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag were on the opposite side of the tent from the wood stove. It was going to drop below zero by morning so I even brought a small stack of wood into the tent so I could feed the stove while huddling by it and not having to leave.
This small cast iron tent stove fed from a swinging door on the front and even had a couple of shelves that folded out on either side. It also featured a removable circle at the top of the stove that could be removed to cook over the open flame.
With my camping bag pulled inside the tent I at some strip steak from inside the tent while the fire was burning in the stove and watched the sun fall and break up in the distant pine trees.
Small Camping Stoves Need Attention
This was not my first trip out with my little camping stove, and I knew that it was an attention-hungry stove. In other words, you heat the tent up really good before you fall asleep and then your fire is going to burn out at some point and the air around you will get very cold.
There are two ways I have learned to combat this.
- Set up about 4-5 tiny fire lays around the wood pile. These should contain some twigs/kindling, a fire extender, and some larger fuel. If you find yourself waking up cold, then you can stick one of these little packs into your stove and light it up.
The right fire extender will take care of the rest. Sleep on till you get too cold again. Then, stuff in another fire lay. These are also great when you wake up in the morning.
- If you get the tent nice and warm and go to sleep all bundled up in a coat, hat, and gloves, it can make a big difference. A hot water bottle wrapped in a tee shirt can also keep you toasty in the sleeping bag.
What to Look for in a Winter Camping Stove
There are some attributes that I look for in my winter camping stoves. These are things that I have come to rely on during a winter campout. At the very least your stove should have these four things.
Cast Iron Body
Cast iron is durable and can handle high heat. It also holds onto your heat well which makes the stove produce a more radiant heat.
Large Flue
The only trouble I ever have with a wood stove in my tent is if the smoke starts to back out and fill the tent. Burning poor quality wood can do it but so can a plugged-up flue. I like a nice wide flue on my stove, so the smoke has a lot of room to get out.
Sturdy Legs
Your stove should be up off the ground. Alot of these stoves have folding legs. These legs can be thick and sturdy or weak to save on cost. Spend the money a unit with some sturdy legs.
Lightweight
No matter where your campsite is you gotta carry this thing there. If it’s 2 miles in or 100, you have to carry the stove there and back. So, make sure you have a sturdy stove, but it shouldn’t be 100lbs.
Maintaining Your Camp Stove
After each camping session, your stove is going to have ash and soot built up inside of it. You must take the time to remove all of this. Dump what you can out of the stove and use a damp towel to remove the rest.
Dry the stove out thoroughly and store it in a dry place when you return home.
Some camp stoves are large enough for you to store your flue sections inside of it. This is very convenient. Just make sure the flue sections are clean and dry before you store them inside the stove.
The cast iron can also be coated with flaxseed or grapeseed oil. This will protect it from moisture and oxidation during storage.
Conclusion
Fall camping can be exquisite but for most campers, it marks the end of camping season. Winter is coming and whether you are a solo camper or if you bring a family, people wanna be warm. No one wants to shiver all weekend.
A canvas hot tent with cots and a stove can make winter camping something that is not only endurable but enjoyable.
Choosing the right tent stove is not complex but having one can make a world of difference. The good news is these things last for years. If you maintain the stove after camping these stoves can last for decades!
