Cheap Heating Options?

[BeachRVer]

a heating pad near/under your feet.  for me if the feet are warm I am warm all over and it is small, cranks out good heat, adjustable heat and just something that might help if needed.

That is a great idea! We actually made these bags of rice that we heat up in the microwave that really has made a big difference.

 

[Homeless in Canada]

I'm looking to get a wood stove for my trailer.

I thought about getting a portable tent stove but they are too small. You have to add wood often or the fire will go out. I wouldn't get much sleep on a cold night. 

Growing up we had a wood burning stove with a large fire box. Before going to bed my dad would fill it with logs and it would burn the whole night keeping the house warm.

You want a good solid stove with a door that seals tight. That's where cheap stoves fail the thin metal warps letting in too much air. The fire gets too hot and burns out faster. You have to regulate the airflow so you have a nice steady fire that burns through the night.

Getting wood is not that difficult especially in winter when there are fallen trees. People often give away firewood on craigslist because they had to remove a tree. I've also used construction debris and broken furniture as firewood. Many people say you shouldn't do this but we did it all the time. As long as the furnace is solid and doesn't leak smoke there is no danger.

The big problem is creosote buildup but this is more common with exterior chimneys where unburned wood gas condense against the cold  metal. Most chimney fires are because people had a chimney installed on the outside of their home to reduce cost and were too cheap to have the chimney cleaned. In a little trailer you can just take the stove pipe down and brush it.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

One of the best things for a boondocking RV is a bunk heater, like the tractor trailers use.
China has copied one of the very best designs and they are available for less than 250 dollars US now.
Several videos on them on youtube.
There is only one thing you have to know about them: They need to be run hot before shutting them off.
(Just for five minutes, so they come to full temperature.)
If you do not get them hot prior to shutoff, soot can build up and make them not work properly.
Since they use outside air for the firebox, they are one of the safest things you can have.
Power use is minute.

(Videos are reviews/examples of the heaters)

 

[Willy]

I have an old propane convective RV furnace (often called 'gravity fed') which is externally vented and produces a 'dry heat' though I tend to think that a wood stove might provide a 'drier heat' because it pulls out moisture laden air from the interior for combustion (I have seen some with exterior air intakes however). Supplementing that I have a bigass high quality down duvet w cover. I'll take THAT over a nasty ol' sleeping bag any day of the week.. tho I also have a subzero sleeping bag stashed away.

 

[Night_Sailor]

I like Biddeford Electric Blankets but none of them hold up well if you kneel on them.

I use a decent mattress with a 2” foam topper. Flannel sheets. I use tarp clips and bungees to hold blankets in place at the foot.
On top of the flannel I have an eblsnket and then a down comforter if it’s really cold. My top layer is a polyester blanket to protect everything under it from the dogs.