Kovea Cupid Gas Heater

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Located in Portland, Oregon, Nomadica sells lightweight, easy-to-use camping gear and other items that can be used with various RVs or while tent camping. Most of the items are intended for remote off-road or overlanding adventures, but they can be used for any type of low-impact camping. As noted above the pressure in a propane bottle is significantly higher, I would recommend staying with the 1 lb bottles. A larger tank works, I tested this am. perhaps a 1/4 turn or a bit more on the big tank valve and the same on the control valve.

I did a trial run at a cool mountain location about 6,000 feet in elevation. The outside temperature was about 50 degrees F, and it was about the same inside our trailer. At first, it took a few tries to get the heater lit. Though all tent heaters perform the same basic function, there are a variety of different sizes and types currently available. The two primary types are gas heaters and electric heaters. Gas heaters run off readily-accessible and affordable fuels like butane, kerosene, and the most popular: propane. This means carrying extra fuel is as easy as grabbing a spare canister or bottle. Electric heaters require an outlet which is an obvious downside as it requires a generator, though there are also batteries, though they’re often on the heavier side. Unlike their gas-powered counterparts, however, battery-operated heaters can be juiced-up via solar power, making them ideal for off-the-grid applications, especially for situations such as desert camping where the days are warm and sunny and the nights are absolutely frigid. Tent Heater Tips When using propane you turn the valve maybe a 1/10 of a turn it requires very little movement to get the gas flowing and the heater fired up. If you go to far you will have to turn the gas off and depress the pressure safety switch with a small screw driver and try again. It’s also recommended to use as small of a tent as possible when running a tent heater, as the smaller the square footage, the more effective the heater will be and the smaller the unit will be required. In addition to your intended application, another important factor to consider is your existing camping gear loadout. If you regularly drive into camp and already own a solid generator, you’re almost certainly better off investing in an electric unit (and an extension cord). If you already possess camping equipment such as a stove or light that run off of a particular type of gas, you’re likely better off going that same gas route for your heater. Safety Guidelines

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Within 10 minutes, the trailer was about 15 degrees warmer than the outside temperature. The heater does make a little hissing and bubbling noise, but it’s actually a pleasant sound and lets you know that the heater is on and working. Oh, yeah, directions in Korean... so MAYBE I was following directions. I'd rather have the unit than wait for a translation :) Thank you for subscribing to the Do It Yourself RV newsletter, keep your eye on your inbox for updates. Once you DO get a good panel, though, it's a great unit. It is NOwhere near as tippy as a Mr. Heater unit. The angle of the ceramic panel keeps heat on the floor low enough to not (usually) melt stuff.

Even with its metal exterior and low legs, the Cupid didn’t heat up on the outside and didn’t make our floor or the surface it was sitting on hot. Even though the carrying handle can’t be placed upright, it also stayed cool when the heater was in use. The heater can be carefully moved around when in use.

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What I initially liked about the Cupid is that it has a smaller profile than the Little Buddy and comes in a handy carrying case. The Cupid also runs on butane canisters rather than propane. While butane doesn’t run as efficiently in colder temperatures as propane, the eight-ounce canisters are much more compact than the typical 16-ounce propane canisters. Butane can be used for cooking, heating, and lighting. Photo by Wikimedia Commons