If you’re planning to glamp in your backyard or go far away and you’re wondering how you can heat your tent without electricity, I’ve got you covered. Today I’ll teach you simple ways to keep warm even without electricity.
You don’t have to shake in cold at night or spend the whole glamping trip time in blankets when you could be doing other fun things inside your tent like playing glamping games, catching up with your friends or simply watching something fun on the TV.
Now, you may wonder are there really real ways to heat a tent a tent without electricity and are they effective. Well, while heating your tent without electricity can be much of an effort, it’s really worth it and especially if you don’t have other means to heat your tent.
With that said here are 20 ways to heat your tent without electricity.
How to Heat a Tent Without Electricity
Heat Your Tent with Hot Water
This may not be your first thought when trying to heat a tent but it’s an effective method. Heated water in a bottle has the capability to reduce cold air inside the tent and keep you warm.
To get started, you’ll need a water bottle. The bigger the bottle better. The bottle should also be of high quality. If you use low quality bottle, the water will burn the bottle and that’s something you don’t want.
After you have secured a bottle, go ahead and heat water and bring it to boiling. Fill the bottle with the hot water and seal the bottle.
Next, place the bottle somewhere within the tent preferably close to you. If you have more bottles, use as many as you can.
Use Heated Stones to Keep the Tent Warm
Using heated stones is another safe idea you would want to try out. Heated stones produce heat faster than heated bottled water but they also turn cold faster.
To use this method, look for stones around the glamping ground or if you’re glamping at home look for stones around your homestead.
Heat the stones before going to bed and wrap them in a cloth. Be careful not to burn yourself. Also choose a cloth that can’t burn easily.
Take the wrapped stones inside your tent and spread them. Choose corners where you won’t accidentally touch. The stones will warm your tent for a couple of hours, say 3-4 hours.
If you’ve wrapped the clothes well, you can place them on your bed for a few minutes to warm your bed before you sleep.
Insulate Your Tent
You can use the idea of using a material to prevent heat loss. That is insulating your tent.
There are several ways you can go about it. Here are a few of them.
Cover the Ground
Place a foam mat underneath your tent. This will help prevent cold air transferring from the ground up.
Cover Your Tent
Use a tarp or any other water proof material to cover your tent. During cold seasons, it’s very likely for precipitation to gather on top of your tent and could potentially leak.
Line the Inside of the Tent
Now that the ground and outside is insulate, move on to insulate the inside. Pile a few layers of air bubble reflective foil. A reflective insulation is used because it help reflect escaping heat back into the tent. It can actually block 95% of radiant heat.
Use Heaters for Tent
Consider using gas and propane heaters to keep your tent warm.
The best part about using heaters is they will not only emit heat, but they are also lightweight and portable meaning you can place them wherever you want. You can also turn them on and off conveniently unlike heated stones or water bottles.
Tent heaters are safe to use inside a tent. They come with an overheating protection and some will even shut off automatically if left untended.
Check out our review of the best tent heaters in the market.
Bring Candle Lanterns
Candle lanterns can be used to heat a tent without electricity, but they should be used with caution as they can pose a fire hazard. Here’s how you can use candle lanterns to heat a tent:
- Set up the candle lanterns in the tent according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure to leave enough space around the lanterns for air circulation.
- Light the candles and allow them to warm up the air inside the tent. The heat from the candles will be absorbed by the surfaces of the tent, including the walls, floor, and furniture.
- Adjust the position of the candle lanterns as needed to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the tent.
It’s important to use caution when using candle lanterns in a tent, as tents are not designed to be heated and can pose a fire hazard. Make sure to follow all safety instructions provided by the manufacturer and never leave the candle lanterns unattended.
Build a Campfire 
A campfire can be used to heat a tent without electricity, but it should be used with caution as it can pose a fire hazard. To make things even better for you, consider using a smokeless campfire.
Here’s how you can use a campfire to heat a tent:
- First, you’ll need to find a safe spot to set up your campfire. This should be a good distance from your tent and other flammable materials. Make sure to follow all local fire regulations and guidelines.
- Next, you’ll want to gather some materials to use as a heat shield. This could be a sheet of aluminum foil, a metal reflector, or a special heat shield designed for this purpose. The heat shield will help direct the campfire’s heat toward your tent.
- Now it’s time to start the campfire! Gather some dry firewood and kindling, and use a fire starter or matches to get the fire going.
- Once the campfire burns nicely, place the heat shield around it, facing towards your tent. This will help to direct the heat toward your tent and warm it up.
- As the campfire burns, the heat from the fire will be absorbed by the surfaces of your tent, including the walls, floor, and furniture. You can adjust the position of the heat shield as needed to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your tent.
Remember to always use caution when using a campfire to heat your tent. Tents are not designed to be heated and can pose a fire hazard, so follow all safety instructions and never leave the campfire unattended.
Use a Wood or Tent Stove
Using a wood stove or tent stove is definitely another great option to explore. If you have access to a heating stove, here’s how you can go about heating your tent:
You’ll need to choose a wood or tent stove that is appropriate for your needs. There are many different sizes and styles available, so make sure to choose one that is compatible with your tent and meets all safety requirements. Here’s our review on the top tent and wood stoves in the market today.
Next, you’ll need to set up the wood or tent stove according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This typically involves assembling the stove and attaching any necessary chimneys or flues.
Once the stove is set up, you’ll need to gather some dry firewood for fuel. Make sure to choose the wood that is dry and well-seasoned, as wet wood can be difficult to burn and may produce more smoke than dry wood.
Now it’s time to start the stove! Use a fire starter or matches to get the fire going, and add more firewood as needed to keep the stove burning.
As the stove burns, the heat from the fire will be distributed throughout your tent, warming the air and the surfaces of the tent. You can adjust the amount of firewood you use to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your tent.
Always use caution when using a wood stove or tent stove to heat your tent. Tents are not designed to be heated and can pose a fire hazard, so follow all safety instructions and never leave the stove unattended
- Underfloor heating carpets to use with your tent
- Choose the right tent
- Choose the right camping location
- Bring heating packs
- Use leftover coals
- Make a DIY candle