Make Any Tent a Hot Tent and Stay Toasty All Night

As an avid backpacking tent on-sale shopper and winter camper, I’m always seeking ways to make my shelters warmer.

After many frigid nights spent shivering in my summer tent, I finally woke up and transformed it into a hot tent using a few simple modifications.

If you want to comfortably camp during cold weather without breaking the bank on expensive gear, learning how to create your hot tent is a game changer.

Creating My Own Hot Tent — Easier Than Expected

On my next outing, I brought along my trusty 3-season tent, a small wood-burning stove, and stainless steel chimney piping.

My friends thought I was crazy as I sauntered into the woods loaded down with gear. A few even made bets on whether my contraption would burn down the tent!

I’ll admit that installing the stove and chimney did take some trial and error. The hardest part was cutting a customized opening in the tent ceiling for the chimney.

I ended up using a hot knife to melt through the fabric. I also reinforced the edges with fire-resistant silicone.

Enjoying the Fruits of My Labor

That night as the mercury dipped below 20°F, everyone was shivering in their tents as usual.

Meanwhile, I was snug as a bug in my new creation, enjoying the glorious dry heat. As I stoked the fire, temperatures inside soared up to 70°F! For the first time winter camping, I was comfortable — no more uncontrollable shivering or tortured sleepless nights.

Over the years since, I’ve successfully turned all sorts of tents into hot tents — dome tents, cabin-style tents, and even larger family-sized tents.

The amazing thing is that the modifications are quite basic and affordable. As long as your tent material can withstand heat, you too can transform it!

If making your hot tent sounds intimidating, don’t worry! In this article, I’ll walk you through the full process step-by-step.

I’ll also share plenty of tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way to help you avoid frustrating mistakes. Let’s get started!

Things You’ll Need

● Tent

● Wood burning/multi-fuel stove

● Stove pipe/chimney system

● Heat-resistant silicone sealant

● Knife or hot knife/soldering iron

Step 1: Select a Suitable Tent

The most critical component is choosing an appropriate tent. Key things to evaluate:

● Material — The tent fabric must be able to withstand prolonged heat exposure. Look for materials like canvas, cotton, or synthetic blends. Avoid cheaper polyester.

● Size — Dimension matters. Too small and there won’t be enough space for a stove plus you. Too big and you’ll struggle to warm up the interior. For 1–2 people, go with a 3–4 person tent.

● Style — Dome tents with lots of mesh won’t retain heat well. Seek a cabin-style tent with more solid fabric panels.

Ideally, test out heating a small swatch of your tent fabric before modifying your whole shelter.

Step 2: Obtain Stove and Chimney

Key factors in selecting a wood stove:

● Output — Choose a stove appropriately sized for your tent’s dimensions. Too much BTU output can make it dangerously hot.

● Weight — Important if packing it into a remote campsite. Titanium stoves weigh less than steel.

● Pipe diameter — Match the stove pipe diameter — usually 1.5–3 inches. Too narrow will restrict airflow.

For chimney piping, ensure it is stainless steel, not galvanized steel which can release toxic fumes when heated.

Step 3: Install Stove Jack

Cutting a customized hole for your chimney is the trickiest part. Options:

● Pre-fabricated stove jack fitting

● Hot knife/soldering iron

● Titanium fabric scissors (for canvas tents)

Reinforce the edges around the hole using high-temp silicone caulk applied liberally in between the hot tent fabric and chimney. This seals any gaps.

Be sure to leave adequate clearance between the chimney and tent ceiling, at least an 8-inch gap so the fabric doesn’t melt.

Step 4: Fire It Up!

Once your hot tent is ready, time for a test run! Gradually build up the fire intensity and monitor temperatures closely inside the tent. Ensure fabrics and seals aren’t burning or melting. Enjoy your warm sanctum!

And there you have it — with a few supplies and some DIY spirit, now you can successfully create your hot tent.

No more freezing nights! Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy winter camping!