Let me know if you try a candle lantern on your camps and how you find conditions change. There has also been some comments on safety especially regarding carbon monoxide. Carbon Monoxide is dangerous and a candle will put out a small amount, however chemists say these levels will rise if oxygen levels are low, as it produces mainly CO2 before then. The answer is, ensure the tent is ventilated. Certainly on camps where I have used a wood burning stove with a chimney, I have also used a CO detector., but personally i feel that there is no danger from candle CO in a tent that has some degree of ventilation. The bigger risk is from fire or injury ( or equiment damage). I have done some deliberate knocking over ovf a UCO candle lantern to see what the fire risk is and have found the candle either goes out or burns on its side with tehflame covered. i would be possible to smash the glass in a spill and then have a naked flame. I've read that paraffin candles give off more volatile chemicals than beeswax. There is certainly less soot from beeswax, so in my tent, especially with my kids , I only use beeswax. Its a personal choice and the risk depend on type of candle, additives they may use, frequency and volume of exposure plus ventilation. Interesting stuff here : www.explainthatstuff.com/candles.html advice from UCO here: www.ucogear.com/candle-lantern-faq
From brief experience, having safe light is invaluable, and a flame boosts morale. Our largest problem in winter hikes was the tent thawing during the day in packs- then being like cardboard when pitching for the night. Plus washing up was no fun as we couldn’t get tins dry as the water from the stream just froze on the pans before we could dry them.
Very excellent experiment. I was happy to see you use the UCO candle lantern. I have utilized my UCO candle lantern in winter conditions for exactly the same reasons of your study. On one trip to the upper peninsula of Michigan, USA, my son and I spent the night in a snow trench with a nylon tarp overhead. The temperature outside was -4F or -20C. We used two UCOs which raised the inside temperature to about 10 to 15 F / -12 to -9 C. On other trips, where I have used a four season tent, I have noticed greater warmth, even with a single candle lantern. It also seemed to help reduce condensation. I paid particular attention to venting, to avoid air quality problems.
@John Conner Great question -- I prefer to vent my tent in most conditions to reduce the inside humidity caused by exhaled breath. In sub-freezing temps I have woken up to frost build up on the inside of the tent, only for the frost crystals to fall all over everything - including down my shirt :) Venting usually helps with condensation build up - depending upon the humidity level of the air. It doesn't take much to add a little ventilation to a tent. In cold temps, when I use the candle lantern, the temp is usually raised somewhat by the candle lantern. I also enjoy the warm glow of the candle. When I use the candle lantern, I always hang it so it won't get knocked over. I also hang it away from any fabric (side walls, sleeping bags, and tent ceiling). I test with my hand the rising hot air above the lantern to avoid any problems. As with any heat source, use pre-cautions and be safe.
Thank-you. That was brilliant. I've always loved my UCO candle lantern, if for nothing else for it's placebo effect. but I swear it makes the inside of my tent more comfortable.
What it does do is help keep the condensation down a little therefore keeps that clinging cold dampness in the air down. I use this in my VE-25 tent a wool American Indian rug on the floor in the winter. Of course the smaller the tent the more efficient it is I use my SD Nightwatch convertible 2 person tent motorcycle camping and this works spot on.
Hi bud, I have the tea light lantern version. Don't really do anything but make the evening more cosy in the tent. Great channel buddy and great content. Will check more out
Most of your problems would go away with using a canvas tent, canvas tents are warmer, I had one 12x14 feet with 4 ft side walls, I used heat buddy propane heater and after warming it up vented I switched to two kerosene lamps burning low, in the morning I used alcohol wick heaters vented. OK, they are heavy, but very comfortable and capable of being heated. Just getting of the ground and sleeping on a cot makes a big difference, a pup tent, military style can be kept comfortable with two UCO lanterns, or a small hurricane lantern. Alcohol wick stoves can heat a tent very well, just vent it. All tents benefit from having a windbreak to reduce windchill. Adding moving pads as extra insulation protected by tarps . Camping jn cold weather requires planning and equipment
Don’t use that propane sunflower heater in a tent or other small non-ventilated quarters. Because of the much larger open flame area of combustion the oxygen level will drop and you’ll give yourself a headache in a relatively short time period at best. At worst you’ll fall asleep and not wake up. Take something you can put hot water in that can be sealed and take and put a sock Over it. Then take that in your sleeping bag to warm up.
I had a mate who went back packing and took one of those lamps up on the pass of Cirith Ungol. He said it's quite a steep climb and at the top was a pretty manky old cave that a load of Glaswegians had been hanging out in. Anyway he reckoned it was quite good at scaring off large spiders and he also said that he knew an old bloke who had one on the end of his staff. But he fell off an underground bridge whilst caving in a midget commune. Great review. I've got a brass one.
Also I'm off cycle touring for a few months and did the Kickstarter for the Sierra madre hotpocket as my "cycle touring companion" is prone to the cold. She's been testing it out in her tent before we head off and she loves it.
@@Fellmandave1 you name it we've got it. Hot water bottle. Silk liners. Gloves, hats, tinfoil emergency blankets.... If "someone" suffers from the cold..... We all suffer. And then have to do all the camp chores whilst they "warm up" The instant heat from the hot pocket is brilliant for the early morning start or at 3am when the hot water bottle has stopped working. Weight is not as much of an issue on cycle touring. We usually do 6 hours max. Find a campsite then cycle without panniers for a few days checking out the local area.... Of course with the corony..... Boris has ruined campsites until Monday. So I think we have 3 nights of wild camping.
I wonder if one could design a lantern that had dessicant packets further up that would be dried by the candle and then would subsequently absorb humidity after the candle was extinguished. This would be an interesting experiment.
On being longwinded: Good! I've seen so many "reviews" where the reviewer doesn't actually test and verify how they got to their results and whether they've introduced any error. Your testing is excellent, well documented, clearly explained.
Very interesting Dave thank you 😊 Just out of curiosity, is that a Nemo tensor sleeping mat ? I'm looking at buying a new mat and wondered what your thoughts were on that one ? Cheers, Andy
Hi Andy. That is a sea to summit comfort plus. Heavy though and I have had problems with them going down. The first one I returned, the second one I Just repaired. I now use the sea to summit comfort lite insulated, I find it more comfortable than the comfort plus and a lot lighter. Never tried the Nemo mats or the upper end thermarests though I do have a thermarest neoair trekker that the kids use in summer. The first neoair I had was my go to for a few years but recently on the sydvang wild camp the cells inside exploded quite dramatically. Thermarest replaced it under warranty with no fuss. Now I would only ever buy something with an r rating of 3 plus, everything else feels cold. With a 3 you can add a thin foil lined closed cell or a thermarest solite for really cold and you're golden. Hope that helps!
@@Fellmandave1 Thanks so much Dave. I'm currently using a Sea to summit insulated lite but am looking for more comfort, I'm seriously considering the new ether xt insulated as I like to support a west Australian business (local for me). Thanks again for taking the time to share your experiences. Cheers
Hi Alan, this is a good point. Carbon Monoxide is dangerous and a candle will put out a small amount, however chemists say these levels will rise if oxygen levels are low, as it produces mainly CO2 before then. The answer is, ensure the tent is ventilated. Certainly on camps where I have used a wood burning stove with a chimney, i have also used a CO detector., but personally i feel that there is no danger from candle CO in a tent that has some degree of ventilation. The bigger risk is from fire or injury ( or equiment damage). I've read that paraffin candles give off more volatile chemicals than beeswax. There is certainly less soot from beeswax, so in my tent, especially with my kids , I only use beeswax. Its a personal choice and the risk depend on type of candle, additives they may use, frequency and volume of exposure plus ventilation. Interesting stuff here : www.explainthatstuff.com/candles.html
Let me know if you try a candle lantern on your camps and how you find conditions change.
There has also been some comments on safety especially regarding carbon monoxide. Carbon Monoxide is dangerous and a candle will put out a small amount, however chemists say these levels will rise if oxygen levels are low, as it produces mainly CO2 before then. The answer is, ensure the tent is ventilated. Certainly on camps where I have used a wood burning stove with a chimney, I have also used a CO detector., but personally i feel that there is no danger from candle CO in a tent that has some degree of ventilation. The bigger risk is from fire or injury ( or equiment damage).
I have done some deliberate knocking over ovf a UCO candle lantern to see what the fire risk is and have found the candle either goes out or burns on its side with tehflame covered. i would be possible to smash the glass in a spill and then have a naked flame.
I've read that paraffin candles give off more volatile chemicals than beeswax. There is certainly less soot from beeswax, so in my tent, especially with my kids , I only use beeswax. Its a personal choice and the risk depend on type of candle, additives they may use, frequency and volume of exposure plus ventilation.
Interesting stuff here : www.explainthatstuff.com/candles.html
advice from UCO here: www.ucogear.com/candle-lantern-faq
From brief experience, having safe light is invaluable, and a flame boosts morale. Our largest problem in winter hikes was the tent thawing during the day in packs- then being like cardboard when pitching for the night. Plus washing up was no fun as we couldn’t get tins dry as the water from the stream just froze on the pans before we could dry them.
Very excellent experiment. I was happy to see you use the UCO candle lantern. I have utilized my UCO candle lantern in winter conditions for exactly the same reasons of your study. On one trip to the upper peninsula of Michigan, USA, my son and I spent the night in a snow trench with a nylon tarp overhead. The temperature outside was -4F or -20C. We used two UCOs which raised the inside temperature to about 10 to 15 F / -12 to -9 C. On other trips, where I have used a four season tent, I have noticed greater warmth, even with a single candle lantern. It also seemed to help reduce condensation. I paid particular attention to venting, to avoid air quality problems.
Hi Steve, thanks for the affirmation and sharing your experience. Hope things are cool for camping where you are.
@John Conner Great question -- I prefer to vent my tent in most conditions to reduce the inside humidity caused by exhaled breath. In sub-freezing temps I have woken up to frost build up on the inside of the tent, only for the frost crystals to fall all over everything - including down my shirt :) Venting usually helps with condensation build up - depending upon the humidity level of the air. It doesn't take much to add a little ventilation to a tent. In cold temps, when I use the candle lantern, the temp is usually raised somewhat by the candle lantern. I also enjoy the warm glow of the candle. When I use the candle lantern, I always hang it so it won't get knocked over. I also hang it away from any fabric (side walls, sleeping bags, and tent ceiling). I test with my hand the rising hot air above the lantern to avoid any problems. As with any heat source, use pre-cautions and be safe.
Thank-you. That was brilliant. I've always loved my UCO candle lantern, if for nothing else for it's placebo effect. but I swear it makes the inside of my tent more comfortable.
Something about a candle eh?
I have no idea what you were talking about but it was all very thorough!
Hahahaha
What it does do is help keep the condensation down a little therefore
keeps that clinging cold dampness in the air down. I use this in my
VE-25 tent a wool American Indian rug on the floor in the winter. Of
course the smaller the tent the more efficient it is I use my SD
Nightwatch convertible 2 person tent motorcycle camping and this works
spot on.
excellent tips
Hi bud, I have the tea light lantern version. Don't really do anything but make the evening more cosy in the tent. Great channel buddy and great content. Will check more out
Thanks! It's a journey for all of us eh.
Most of your problems would go away with using a canvas tent, canvas tents are warmer, I had one 12x14 feet with 4 ft side walls, I used heat buddy propane heater and after warming it up vented I switched to two kerosene lamps burning low, in the morning I used alcohol wick heaters vented.
OK, they are heavy, but very comfortable and capable of being heated. Just getting of the ground and sleeping on a cot makes a big difference, a pup tent, military style can be kept comfortable with two UCO lanterns, or a small hurricane lantern. Alcohol wick stoves can heat a tent very well, just vent it. All tents benefit from having a windbreak to reduce windchill. Adding moving pads as extra insulation protected by tarps . Camping jn cold weather requires planning and equipment
Thanks, quality experiment! Good to know.
Don’t use that propane sunflower heater in a tent or other small non-ventilated quarters. Because of the much larger open flame area of combustion the oxygen level will drop and you’ll give yourself a headache in a relatively short time period at best. At worst you’ll fall asleep and not wake up. Take something you can put hot water in that can be sealed and take and put a sock Over it. Then take that in your sleeping bag to warm up.
Thanks for commenting and the safety note. Just of interest, do you have any testing data on this? CO is of more concern.
Great experiment very interesting video thanks
I had a mate who went back packing and took one of those lamps up on the pass of Cirith Ungol. He said it's quite a steep climb and at the top was a pretty manky old cave that a load of Glaswegians had been hanging out in. Anyway he reckoned it was quite good at scaring off large spiders and he also said that he knew an old bloke who had one on the end of his staff. But he fell off an underground bridge whilst caving in a midget commune.
Great review. I've got a brass one.
Also I'm off cycle touring for a few months and did the Kickstarter for the Sierra madre hotpocket as my "cycle touring companion" is prone to the cold. She's been testing it out in her tent before we head off and she loves it.
Hahaha Brilliant Damian. Still trying to figure out if the second comment is cryptic, or runish
Ok Damian, have seen the hotpocket, though suspect a thermolite liner might give better weight for heat.
@@Fellmandave1 you name it we've got it. Hot water bottle. Silk liners. Gloves, hats, tinfoil emergency blankets.... If "someone" suffers from the cold..... We all suffer. And then have to do all the camp chores whilst they "warm up"
The instant heat from the hot pocket is brilliant for the early morning start or at 3am when the hot water bottle has stopped working.
Weight is not as much of an issue on cycle touring. We usually do 6 hours max. Find a campsite then cycle without panniers for a few days checking out the local area.... Of course with the corony..... Boris has ruined campsites until Monday. So I think we have 3 nights of wild camping.
Loved it!!! Twas like watching a wildcamping version of tomorrows world on Le BBC!! Ownned it 👍👍 like a boss...... boosh!!!💥💥
Hahaha, thanks Fraser, I will have to get a smart jacket on next time.
I wonder if one could design a lantern that had dessicant packets further up that would be dried by the candle and then would subsequently absorb humidity after the candle was extinguished. This would be an interesting experiment.
Good idea Karl.
Great video! I’ll stay tuned for part 2!
Admire your staying power! Thanks for the sub.
On being longwinded: Good! I've seen so many "reviews" where the reviewer doesn't actually test and verify how they got to their results and whether they've introduced any error. Your testing is excellent, well documented, clearly explained.
Thank you so much!
Thought this was about the candle heater? Got a lecture on dew point and condensation?????
Opportunities for learning are great aren't they.
Very interesting Dave thank you 😊
Just out of curiosity, is that a Nemo tensor sleeping mat ?
I'm looking at buying a new mat and wondered what your thoughts were on that one ?
Cheers, Andy
Hi Andy. That is a sea to summit comfort plus. Heavy though and I have had problems with them going down. The first one I returned, the second one I Just repaired. I now use the sea to summit comfort lite insulated, I find it more comfortable than the comfort plus and a lot lighter. Never tried the Nemo mats or the upper end thermarests though I do have a thermarest neoair trekker that the kids use in summer. The first neoair I had was my go to for a few years but recently on the sydvang wild camp the cells inside exploded quite dramatically. Thermarest replaced it under warranty with no fuss. Now I would only ever buy something with an r rating of 3 plus, everything else feels cold. With a 3 you can add a thin foil lined closed cell or a thermarest solite for really cold and you're golden. Hope that helps!
@@Fellmandave1 Thanks so much Dave. I'm currently using a Sea to summit insulated lite but am looking for more comfort, I'm seriously considering the new ether xt insulated as I like to support a west Australian business (local for me).
Thanks again for taking the time to share your experiences.
Cheers
Own and enjoy a UCO candle.. any thoughts on carbon monoxide
Hi Alan, this is a good point. Carbon Monoxide is dangerous and a candle will put out a small amount, however chemists say these levels will rise if oxygen levels are low, as it produces mainly CO2 before then. The answer is, ensure the tent is ventilated. Certainly on camps where I have used a wood burning stove with a chimney, i have also used a CO detector., but personally i feel that there is no danger from candle CO in a tent that has some degree of ventilation. The bigger risk is from fire or injury ( or equiment damage).
I've read that paraffin candles give off more volatile chemicals than beeswax. There is certainly less soot from beeswax, so in my tent, especially with my kids , I only use beeswax. Its a personal choice and the risk depend on type of candle, additives they may use, frequency and volume of exposure plus ventilation.
Interesting stuff here : www.explainthatstuff.com/candles.html
Got any of that volume? ⬆️
Hi Chris. The mars Il extreme is 3m². Large 2 man tent. Hope that helps.