A stove is an essential item for enjoying winter camping comfortably.
There are various types of stoves depending on the fuel and combustion method, but we will focus on oil and kerosene stoves, which can provide sufficient heat with simple operation.
Oil and kerosene stoves to get you through the cold winter
How does having a kerosene stove change winter camping?
Adding a kerosene or oil stove will help you cope with the cold during winter camping, allowing you to enjoy camping even more.
How to handle things when going to bed
Oil and kerosene stoves require oxygen for combustion, so using them inside a closed tent can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Make sure to digest your food before going to bed.
Required fuel
In the case of a kerosene heater, it does not use electricity unless it is set to automatically ignite.
In that case, you'll be using batteries, so you don't need a campsite with a power outlet.
For types without an automatic ignition system, you need to light the wick directly with a lighter such as a long-handled lighter.
5 liters should be enough if you keep burning it for 12 hours.
Depending on the stove you use, one red metal fuel can should suffice for an overnight trip.
Advantages and disadvantages compared to ceramic heaters
Advantages of oil/kerosene stoves compared to ceramic heaters
No power supply is used
Oil and kerosene stoves cannot maintain their heat retention without an enclosure, but they can be used without a power source.
The fact that you can use the site even if it's not a powered site means you have the freedom to set up your tent wherever you like in a free camping area.
Light cooking is possible on top of a kerosene stove.
While not as effective as a wood-burning stove, it can also warm and maintain the temperature of oil and kerosene stoves.
How about grilling dried squid while enjoying some warm sake? I like to line up aluminum foil and grill mochi (rice cakes) with soy sauce.
Points where oil/kerosene stoves are inferior to ceramic heaters
Transporting fuel is a hassle.
Transporting the kerosene heater with the fuel still inside can cause malfunctions, so you need to remove the fuel from the unit before transporting it.
The fact that the fuel is a liquid makes it difficult to handle, which is a drawback.
I once had a terrible experience spilling something in my car.
Risk of carbon monoxide poisoning
Since it burns, utmost care must be taken with ventilation. Always have a carbon monoxide detector ready when using it.
While ceramic heaters pose a fire risk if they tip over, they don't raise concerns about carbon monoxide, meaning the precautions are different.
Advantages and disadvantages compared to wood-burning stoves
Advantages of oil/kerosene stoves compared to wood-burning stoves
Easy to ignite and extinguish.
Simply light it with a single switch or directly on the wick. There's no need to go through the trouble of making small pieces of wood and creating a pilot light.
To extinguish the fire, simply flip the switch.
Easy to install
All you need to do is fill the tank with kerosene and you're ready to go. There's no need to erect a chimney or prepare a tent that can accommodate one.
Disadvantages of oil/kerosene stoves compared to wood-burning stoves
Wood-burning stoves are superior in terms of warmth.
While it provides sufficient warmth at its maximum setting, it cannot compare to the warmth provided by the far-infrared radiation emitted from a wood-burning stove.
The difference becomes particularly noticeable when using it outside a tent, especially with larger tents.
The atmosphere is better with a wood-burning stove.
There's a slight kerosene smell when igniting or extinguishing, so using a kerosene stove detracts from the camping atmosphere.
In contrast, a wood-burning stove offers a unique smell and crackling sound as the wood burns, creating a feeling of being outdoors.
For more details about the wood-burning stove, please see below.
A thorough comparison of oil and kerosene stoves.
| Heating capacity of wooden "tatami" | Tank capacity (liters) | Instagrammable (personal opinion) | |
| corona | 8 | 5 | △ |
| Toyotomi | 9 | 4.9 | 〇 |
| Aladdin | 7 | 4.1 | ◎ |
CORONA kerosene heater (suitable for wooden rooms up to 8 tatami mats/concrete rooms up to 10 tatami mats)
Width 61.8 x Depth 32.4 x Height 46.7 cm
Weight: 9.3kg
Tank capacity: 5L
Burning time: Approximately 18 hours
This is a reflective stove that generates heat only on the top and front.
This is useful when there isn't much space inside the tent. (Please do not attach it too tightly, as this is dangerous.)
Cooking rice is difficult, but boiling water is possible.
Toyotomi Convection Kerosene Heater, Lantern Style, Rainbow RL-250(R), Red
Height x Width x Depth: 48.6 x 38.8 x 38.8 cm
Weight approx. 6.2kg
Tank: 4.9L
This product has a cute red casing.
The cap at the top prevents heat from rising, allowing it to diffuse horizontally and warm the inside of the tent efficiently.
Weighing only 6.2 kg, it's easy to carry even if you're far from your car to the campsite.
Aladdin Blue Flame Kerosene Heater
Depth x Width x Height: 40.5 x 38.8 x 55.1 cm
Weight: 8.5kg
Tank capacity: 4.1 liters
Burning time: Approximately 15 hours
This traditional product, which began production in 1930, has undergone minor changes over the years, but its basic design has remained unchanged.
The term "blue flame" comes from the way the wick burns with a beautiful blue color during combustion.
This is evidence of extremely high combustion efficiency. Consequently, there is virtually no unpleasant odor during combustion, or even during ignition and extinguishing.
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