Companion AeroHeat Lithium Tent Heater

[@fatmanoverlanding]

Another informative product showcase Ben.👍 It looks like for tents, this is a great alternative to the various diesel heaters currently taking the market by storm. With all these new "nice to have" and "nice to bring" gear, I'll be needing to upgrade my 80 Series Landcruiser with a Unimog soon. 😁

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Haha, yeah, you might need a trailer on your Unimog too with all the stuff available nowadays. ~ Ben

[@HammerRocks]

AeroHeat or Propane Heater vs Portable Diesel Heater, now that's a comparison I'd like to watch.

[@fatmanoverlanding]

Ditto

[@SnowysOutdoors]

We are interested in this too, Hammer Rocks. We don't have diesel heaters in our range at the moment so we can't provide any first hand opinions, but if we ever start selling them we'll be sure to do some comparisons. ~ Ben

[@paulelliott682]

@@SnowysOutdoors Yeah, that's what happens when you live on an island, Oops I mean continent LOL

[@dtomic17]

Diesel heater is far superior for heat, running cost and price.

[@Here_is_Waldo]

@@dtomic17 That does seem to be what I'm thinking as well, having watched some of these videos.

[@SGTBUCK]

My partner will love this! I’ll look after the fire pit at night, she can go out and start this at 0430 so I can get dressed in comfort. Think I’m going to love this beast too!😂

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Love it, everyone is happy. ~ Ben

[@spacecoyote6646]

Think again. It only runs for 4 hours, how are you going to recharge it?

[@paulelliott682]

@@spacecoyote6646 Jackery, Eco Flow, Maxoak's Bluetti all come to mind in about a second

[@reallyskeptical]

@@paulelliott682 jesus you hope you got 2grand to heat your tent. Instead of a cup of concrete in ya lattee

[@OH8STN]

Would definitely be more interesting if the demo was done in a tent. Question though, why does it need a battery if it burns gas?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

It needs a battery to run the fan and electronics. ~ Ben

[@tonytony9142]

Because it’s clearly a piece of junk. Only the smart will stay away from this product

[@Theaveragepunter1]

I have one and love it. It will not produce nursing home heat as a diesel will but great for warming up our camper trailer from about 4 to 17 degrees. Very clever product. Battery will last about 4 hours without top up and canister will last about 9 hours. Also runs off house gas with optional lead.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Thanks for your feedback, Chris, great to know it works for you. ~ Ben

[@BioRuss-qr5il]

how does this setup exhaust the used propane?

[@Theaveragepunter1]

@BioRuss-qr5il You set it up outside your structure and the heat is piped in via an insulated flexible hose.

[@79series]

I could have used this with the 2 degree nights camping in the Pilbara. Another great video full of information Snowys. Thanks

[@SnowysOutdoors]

You're welcome, Derbarl. ~ Ben

[@iliadisjohn]

Hi!! Thank you so much for sharing the very informative video that you prepared! I would like to ask a question: You said in the video that I can't use the device completely inside a tent (as I would with a Buddy Heater). Why is that? I would like to use it inside a roof top tent, so I have to have the whole unit inside the tent. Thank you so much for your time!

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Buddy Heaters also cant be used inside a tent. Running a combustion unit inside an enclosed space can result in carbon monoxide poisoning, and death. This unit has a ducting tube so heating can occur inside the tent, but the combustion unit must be outside ~ Lauren

[@Intentionallyhomeless]

The fact that you can operate the unit remotely sells it to me without question and totally kills gasmates version of this unit. Ive got a Navara single tub with canopy Camper so remote operation is a must or ide just lose the heat everytime I open the tailgate.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

It's a handy feature for sure. ~ Ben

[@MrMasterSpam]

Will these be available is the US?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I'm not sure if Companion is distributed in the US sorry. ~ Ben

[@AstroBananna]

Can it run all night if connected to external battery?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

As long as the external battery is large enough then this should be fine, Crypto Yummy. ~ Ben

[@spacecoyote6646]

That is not the anawer. 4 hours runtime then a recharge? So, in the middle of the night, i wake up cold. How do I recharge it? If my campsite has electricity, i will use an electric heater.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I'd suggest that you use this to take the chill out of the air whilst going to bed, then again when you get up in the morning, Space Coyote. If you are waking up freezing at night you'd be better off assessing your sleeping gear. Once you are warm, a good mat and sleeping bag should keep you warm throughout the night without the need for a heater. ~ Ben

[@farmingthewild]

You can connect it to a Rover 40 Powerpack for example and it would run for 10 hours on one bottle

[@melbrown3755]

Another great review, thank you very much. I noticed, on your demonstration unit, a circular vent below the output shoot yet other images of the heater, for example on the box, do not show any vent. Is the vent hidden behind a cover or is this a different model? In antici........pation, thanks for your help.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Nice pickup, Mel! I have a feeling the images Companion supplied might have been from from a pre-production sample, but the vent is definitely there on all models purchased. It needs this inlet, I'm not sure where it would get sucked in otherwise. I've let our graphics team know, we'll get some new images uploaded. ~ Ben

[@melbrown3755]

@@SnowysOutdoors Thanks Ben. Now I can put my order in for one. 👍🏽

[@sonictech1000]

Looks like a pretty nice unit to me. If it runs 10 hours on a 1lb propane cylinder that implies that it has about 2/3 the output of a Buddy heater on low which is something a lot of us have wished for since those put out too much heat in many situations and can't run all night.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Thats good feedback! ~ Lauren

[@mickromer6199]

I might have missed this but what's the run time on a bottle? Only reason I say this Is I bought an all in one chineseum diesel heater which I run on my rooftop tent and it uses .5amp at lowest operating temp and I have to sleep with the window open as it's ridiculously hot.. but fuel consumption on a 10hr runtime it uses around 1 litre of diesel

[@Grievous-]

4 hours battery life for the fan and 10 hours for the bottle.

[@mickromer6199]

@@Grievous- thanks mate 👍 so if you used the 12v lead you could run an all nighter.. still stick with the diesel heater on this one.. love the shower version tho

[@HammerRocks]

@@mickromer6199 Based on how Ben described the product features, it seems to suggest the 12V is only for charging, and not for operational use. I could be wrong,

[@SnowysOutdoors]

You can run the unit whilst charging/plugged in which will extend the runtime, otherwise as Grievous mentions you'll get about 4 hours form the battery and about 10 hours from the gas. ~ Ben

[@OutThereEquipped]

Great idea how it’s dual powered 👍

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Something a bit different, and a development on the original ducted heater we saw come onto the market from another brand. ~ Ben

[@AdventureMadnessUK]

Why cant we find something like this that has an exhaust ? My camper diesel heater has one its about the same size but needs way more battery power than that and cost me £100. I sit sit in me underwear in me van at -17 lolol and i wont get sick from CO2

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I haven't seen any portable LPG heaters like this with an exhaust, I think the guidelines are that they need to be on the outside anyway so don't need an exhaust. ~ Ben

[@rocketman702]

How much do the gas canisters cost?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Depends where you get them from, but you can find our current price here: www.snowys.com.au/resealable-propane-cartridge-468g#instoreAvailability ~ Lauren

[@Itsjrob_]

Is this a viable option for winter tent camping ?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Potentially. It wont function like a normal domestic heating system, its just designed to take the edge off the cold. Whether or not its right for you depends on the kind of environment & temperatures you're expecting to be in. ~ Lauren

[@Itsjrob_]

Do you have to worry about carbon monoxide?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

The actual combustion unit has to be placed outside of the tent @Justin, so there wont be any issues with full ventilation. ~ Lauren

[@d.collier_8280]

Be nice if we could get these here in the US.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

You could always try contacting Companion and see if they'll ship internationally? www.companionoutdoor.com/form/contact-us/ ~ Lauren

[@nhzcx123]

Can you plug in 12v battery source to make it run for whole night ?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

You cant, Zhao Chen...you're also limited by the gas running out aswell. ~ Lauren

[@subaruwithsteve202]

Can you use the unit while it’s charging?

[@AstroBananna]

Anything similar and better than this unit yet?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Not that we've come across at this stage. Check out a diesel heater as an alternative. Abit different, but the same premise. ~ Lauren

[@matthewnew13]

This looks great. How would it go heating a 1 man hiking tent?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

It won't really heat a tent, Matthew, but it will take the chill out of the air. The smaller the tent the more effective it will be, but you got to remember that on a cold night there is a lot of heat being lost through the walls of the tent, so it's a big ask to expect this heater to create a consistently warm environment inside any tent. ~ Ben

[@fatmanoverlanding]

Matthew, if you have a 1-man hiking tent, wouldn't a correctly rated sleeping bag be more suitable? Not only will it be more effective in keeping you warrm all night, it also weigh less, and cost less.

[@lucymooch5821]

Should warm a small space easily. Just tie it to top of your hiking backpack when on the trail. No worries.🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@vaskodimoski5690]

Can it run while connected to 12v

[@farmingthewild]

Yes - if connected to a Rover 40 for example, it can run all night

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Yep, it will run whilst charging. ~ Ben

[@dialafence]

So will the battery last longer than 4 hours if you leave it plugged into 12 volt.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@@dialafence yes, it will last along as the external 12V battery has power to deliver. Companion indicated teat it will still charge whilst running and plugged into an external power source, but the charge time for the battery will take 50% longer, which equates to around 8-10 hours. ~ Ben

[@gretavains8707]

Very good 🌹🇭🇲

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Cheers Greta! ~ Lauren

[@steveallen1340]

Can you connect to a larger gas bottle?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Theoretically, yes, with the right hose, like this one - www.snowys.com.au/cylinder-hose-kit-pol. There are some changes coming up in gas appliance legislation that may make it illegal to use anything other than the recommended gas cylinder for the appliance in question. We can't be sure but will update our customers as soon as we have confirmation, it has been years in development. ~ Ben

[@aliakbarnikfarjaam2909]

Do you have any idea if we can get it in Canada?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I don't think you can, Ali, but I'm not 100% certain of this. ~ Ben

[@aliakbarnikfarjaam2909]

@Snowys Outdoors I did a lot of search for this product in Canada or in the US, but no luck. Not even a similar product to this. I am wondering if there is any way for the company to ship the product to North America!

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@@aliakbarnikfarjaam2909 we only ship within Australia sorry, Ali, you could try going directly to Companion - www.companionoutdoor.com/. ~ Ben

[@craigwilson8615]

Would this be safe to use in a van.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

As long as the unit remains outside of the van with the warm air being ducted inside then it is fine, Craig. Under no circumstances should you run the actual unit in an enclosed space. ~ Ben

[@paulelliott682]

Does it need fans like the Mr. Heater Buddy heater ?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Not sure what you mean by needing a fan for the Mr Buddy heater, Paul, but this unit is fan driven. ~ Ben

[@paulelliott682]

@@SnowysOutdoors YOU did a fan video about it.

[@robertdippolito199]

Can I use this in a vinyl carport for winter?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I'm not sure what you men by a vinyl carport sorry, Robert, but as long as the area is adequately ventilated where the unit is placed then you should be fine. ~ Ben

[@robertdippolito199]

@@SnowysOutdoors vinyl carport is like a tent garage for cars. Its not airtight and has some openings at the bottom of the roll up panels. Winter storage for my car.

[@chemorgan8131]

What is the condensation like if it’s in a caravan

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Gas heaters will always put out a bit of moisture, Che, it's a characteristic of LPG rather than any specific heater, so it's likely you would get some condensation on cold nights in a caravan. ~ Ben

[@ALB2073]

@@SnowysOutdoors Sorry mate but I have seen you write this a few times in this thread and you are incorrect. There can be no condensation due to the burning of LPG as the air stream and combustion gases are completely separate.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@@ALB2073 good point, Adrian, I'm largely going off what I've learnt from conversations with suppliers. I guess that provided the by-products of burning the LGP are completely separate from the air flow then it should in theory be dry air. Condensation in a caravan is more likely to come from the breath of the occupants. ~ Ben

[@B.stewart156]

I just ordered one of these. It’s a bit concerning that’s it’s called a heater. But constantly hearing it won’t heat anything is starting to worry me. $500 is a fair amount I’m kind of expecting it to heat something.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Hi Brad, it does heat but we find that many people set unrealistic expectations for a heater of this size. At the end of the day it is pumping warm air into an uninsulated space (assuming you are heating a tent) so the warmth is constantly being lost to the outside. The smaller the space it is heating the more effective it will be, and this is the best tent heater we have seen to date. ~ Ben

[@michaelclarke7830]

hey... will look forward to seeing what you think...

[@swilbs]

@@SnowysOutdoors Better than the diesel ones?

[@AstroBananna]

It sucks that it only lasts 4 hours. Needs to run all night right?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@@AstroBananna it's not really designed to run all night, it's more so intended to take the chill out o the air as you go to bed and then again when you wake up in the morning. If you need a heater all night to keep warm then it might be worth having a closer look at your sleep system to ensure it is keeping you warm. ~ Ben

[@JohnFarnham-dn4fo]

Cumplió mis expectativas / did not disappoint

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I'm glad you liked it. ~ Ben

[@HLsab]

This product is a fantastic idea but it’s just not there yet , it doesn’t actually heat the tent and having to leave the unit outside when it’s not waterproof are 2 major hurdles that need to be addressed in my opinion. I’m thinking a tent stove or a diesel heater are still better options . Thanks for another great review Ben .

[@SnowysOutdoors]

It's a step ahead of the first ducted camping heater that we saw come onto the market, which was form another brand. Whilst I'd say this does what it claims it can do, it still has some shortcomings. Thanks for the kudos. ~ Ben

[@taztheambo]

I you did Luke, I bought it, you are right it doesn't heat a tent. The hype is good but it isn't true.

[@lanceulrich9570]

This product has two deal killers. First, you really need to add a duct hose to the inlet so the unit can recycle the air in a tent instead of having to heat up cold outside air, that's super inefficient and frankly, really dumb. Also, need to add a thermostat so the unit can shut itself on and off as needed to maintain a set temperature inside the tent, this can't be that difficult in 2024. I realize price is always a concern, but $400 for "Dumb and annoying" isn't better than $450 for "Smart, efficient and useful".

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Both would be great upgrades - you can shoot an email directly to Companion, they love hearing feedback direct from customers www.companionoutdoor.com/form/contact-us/ ~ Lauren

[@hectorlara2542]

Nice product, do you have a distributor in USA? please share contact information - Congratulations

[@SnowysOutdoors]

We only ship within Australia sorry, Héctor, you an try contacting the manufacturer directly, they might be able to help - www.companionoutdoor.com/form/contact-us/. ~ Ben

[@nealwright5630]

Hope you don't need heat all night. Four hours is it bro!

[@SnowysOutdoors]

It's only really meant to take the chill out of the air for short bursts, not to heat a space for long periods. ~ Ben

[@nealwright5630]

@@SnowysOutdoors So, not for serious cold-weather campers then.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

​@@nealwright5630 actual cold weather is quite rare in Australia anyway

[@BradGryphonn]

Probably wouldn't have a use for it. However, if I had a tent or van, and did weekends or a week away, this would be a clever option

[@fatmanoverlanding]

I can see this only being good for smaller tents or (if the hose was longer) RTTs. It doesn't seem like it's powerful enough to heat up a whole van. Plus a 4hr max running time, might not be a long enough time while winter camping in the colder regions. I'd most likely look into portable diesel heaters if I had a van or camping in much colder climates during winter.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I think you are right, Fatman Overlanding, it's ideal for smaller tents or rooftop tents, maybe small vans too. Users shouldn't expect this to make the inside of their shelter warm and cost, it will just take the chill out of the air to make things a little more comfortable. ~ Ben

[@cone6052]

LP gas are expensive now.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Yeah, just like petrol I guess. ~ Ben

[@tofugypsy2021]

i bought the gasmate version and was highly disappointed because it shut its self down every 20 mins, got full refunded

[@SnowysOutdoors]

The Gasmate version was the first of its type, and it had some shortcomings. This is an improvement on that model but it still won't suit everyone. ~ Ben

[@johnhubble5373]

CO2. ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

It needs to sit outside a tent or enclosed space, John, so the CO2 dissipates. The duct goes inside which only blows warmed air. ~ Ben

[@LightS_bRight]

Price(s) range?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Pricing is on our website, J V - www.snowys.com.au/aeroheat-lithium-tent-heater. ~ Ben

[@mozeca83]

Lol @ the blue polo old mate greynomad casual photobombing...

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Yeh, he didn't seemed too concerned about the camera. ~ Ben

[@SebasTian-od7oz]

9:36 This explanation should have been at the very start! It was infuriating to hear that rambling while wondering the entire time how this thing is supposed to work. The entire video I believed the unit was supposed to sit inside the tent, radiate the heat from it's body and the duct would transport the burned air outside.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Sorry to waste your time, Sebas. ~ Ben

[@jeffanschutz9550]

Won’t work at 16 degrees? Nope

[@SnowysOutdoors]

I think it's a safety thing. ~ Ben

[@muzza566]

Diesel heater better no condensation $ 169.00 EBay

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Diesel heaters are good, Murray, not something we have in our range at this stage.The simplicity of only needing 12V power and a gas bottle makes these LPG heaters attractive to many people. True that diesel heaters will reduce the instance of condensation as they provide drier air. There is still a chance of some condensation though on account of the moisture that is expelled by the occupants of a tent. ~ Ben

[@paulelliott682]

@@SnowysOutdoors Speaking of 12v, is Ford going to sell any F-150 Lightning ed. in OZ land ?

[@SnowysOutdoors]

@@paulelliott682 I can't answer that for you sorry, Paul. It looks pretty sweet though. ~ Ben

[@Southsidewheelsga]

That’s a lot of money for something that only runs for 4hrs on a charge. Better off with a diesel heater.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

A diesel heater will be a more effective albeit more expensive choice. ~ Ben

[@Southsidewheelsga]

@@SnowysOutdoors diesel heaters are $85.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

That's cheap, does it work very well or make much noise? ~ Ben

[@Southsidewheelsga]

@@SnowysOutdoors it’s fine. One tank will lay 12 hours on high and up to 30 hours on low. I hunt in 15 degree weather and the heater has to last all night which is about 12 hours.

[@tonytony9142]

What is the use of this? 😂 Flawed in so many ways, I would never consider this. Propane heater limited by lithium battery 😂😂😂

[@sonictech1000]

It can run off 12v so there are lots of ways to extend the run time.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Alot of people look for heaters just like this, depends on what meets your needs. ~ Lauren

[@jamessones4044]

Be better off with some 8hr tea lights. 6 of them on the go and your tent is warm. No need to charge anything and you don’t need to buy gas. THIS IS A POSH GLAMPERS SHOW OFF GADGET.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

There are certainly loads of alternatives, but these are popular. I think plenty of campers like the all in one simple solution this offers. ~ Ben

[@dodgesportsman772]

Speak American

[@SnowysOutdoors]

We are an Australian business, dodge sportsman. ~ Ben

[@timothygodfrey4950]

thank you but I will keep my diesel heater-It will be cheaper to run.

[@SnowysOutdoors]

Diesel heaters are a more efficient option no doubt, we have been on the lookout for a good option to fit our range. ~ Ben