If you love the fall, don’t let the cooler weather keep you from getting outside by getting a Mr. Heater for camping. The Mr. Heater Indoor-Safe Portable Radiant Heater allows me to enjoy the colder seasons to the fullest. I enjoy the extraordinary beauty of the colorful trees and bluebird skies. When recreating outside, the right gear can take your entire experience from miserable to exhilarating! 

Mr. Buddy Heater for Camping

As a heater for camping, this portable propane heater is well worth the money for the amount of heat it puts out. I’ve been using it for several years now, and it just keeps going. It’s kept me warm in some uncomfortably cold situations. 

Heater Uses

It warmed me up when I had to wake at 5:30 a.m. in below freezing temperatures in my truck/camper shell in a fire camp in Wisdom, Montana. Wisdom is one of the coldest places in the nation in fall and winter. 

It will warm a 225-square foot area indoors, but I’ve used it outdoors as well. This heater will heat the area in front of you while outdoors, just like sitting around a fire. I’ve used it while sitting around drinking coffee on a cold morning or under my tailgate as I make breakfast. However, it is meant to be used indoors.

As stated above, it works great in a truck camper shell. I would also recommend it for use in wall tents or regular tents. Just be careful not to get it too close to the side of the tent because it will melt the fabric. It even works in a small two-person tent in the vestibule, but again, be careful to keep it clear of the walls!!! My puffy coat met it, and it didn’t end well. 

How to Use Mr. Heater Outdoor Heater for Camping

This little propane heater operates using the 16-ounce green propane cylinders.

They easily screw into the side of the heater and are super simple to unscrew and remove. When they run out, the heater shuts off. Kicking it on for about 15 minutes in the morning and occasionally for a few minutes in the evening, one canister lasts about a week. 

It lights with a pilot light. Click it a few times to get it going, hold it down for about 30 seconds, then turn it to the high or low setting. I’ve found that inside my camper shell will heat the area up faster on high, then I turn it to the low setting as I get dressed. 

Safety Features

This portable propane heater has a safety shut-off if it tips over or the oxygen in the enclosed space gets too low. I’ve tested it both ways and it works. Turning it to the low setting after heating the area up seems to help keep it from kicking off due to lack of oxygen.

Packability

The other feature I like about this particular model is its shape and size. I’ve tried some of the other Mr. Heater products and did not find them as easy to store. The square(ish) shape allows me to stow it easily in my truck bed camping setup’s compartments or squeeze it between my water cube and cooler. It also has less exposed heat than the others, meaning it’s easier to not start things on fire! 

Final Thoughts

I would recommend the Mr. Heater for camping. It works great in a camper shell, camper, or RV. This heater is also great in a wall tent or even a nylon tent as long as you keep it away from the walls. This heater can also be used outdoors to take the chill out of the air around you in the morning.

At less than $100, plus the cost or propane, this heater has lasted me for five years and is still going strong. I recommend it to anyone looking for an easy to use, inexpensive outdoor heater for camping.

Check out other items I recommend for camping here.