I recommend the Olympian Wave 3. I have camped with it around 40F, and
we had to turn it on the low setting. It uses a lot less fuel than the
cheap heaters, so you don't have to worry about that. You're going to
pay at LEAST $215 for it new, so it's a good bit more expensive. It
doesn't get bright orange like the cheap heaters, so you won't get
burned by touching it. It doesn't use much oxygen either. I open the
window a bit, do it all the time and I'm still here to write these
posts.

One more thing: it installs permanently and mounts to the wall
somewhere (I used the vertical surface behind the passenger seat
pedestal), which is both good and bad. The bad is that you have to run
tubing and make your own connections or pay to have someone else do it.
The good: convenient and safer, not limited to 6 hours on a small
bottle. It uses 1/8 lb per hour, I seem to remember, and since it's not
on one of those little cylinders (which should never be brought into a
van or building by law, and by common sense) the installation to the
outside tank is a necessity. You won't miss the gas, you'll love the
heat.

It has two heat settings, one about 1000 btu and one about 3000.

Jim

On Nov 5, 2004, at 11:14 AM, Anonymous Digest wrote:

> Hi gang,
>
> I am not wanting to start yet another thread on how safe or unsafe
> portable
> heaters are, so I hope that POV can be avoided and save the archives
> another
> beating. <g>
>
> Through the discussions about catalytic heaters in our vans, I am not
> sure I
> ever read much on how well they actually warm up our interiors.
>
> I am considering getting one for a short camping trip, and am a bit
> incredulous about whether the smaller ones are of any value.
>
> I can get a SportCat for $25, but its only 1000 BTUs. To get more, you
> gotta
> pay more :-) but is 1000 BTUs too small to make a difference when its
> about 35
> degrees outside? I would think the bigger 3000 BTU jobs might work
> well, but
> of they use a lot more fuel, and cost more.
>
> I would like to avoid a big investment, as $$$ are in way short
> supply, so I
> am seeking the cheep route.
>
> Anyone who is using one of these kinds of heaters want to share their
> experience in about 35 degree conditions? I would rather not buy it
> and just
> be a bit cold, than throw away the cash at this point in time.
>
> Thanks for any comments and please, let us not go into the safety
> issue again.
> I promise never to sleep with it on, and to keep a window open a bit
> whenever
> it is lit.  :-)
>
> Much obliged for you time,
>
> John
>