Sleeping in a tent in the middle of winter
Sleeping in a tent in the middle of winter might not sound like something for everyone. But with a so-called hot tent – a tent where you can install a wood stove – the experience becomes something else entirely.
Hot tent camping has become increasingly popular among outdoor enthusiasts, since you can combine tent life with the warmth of a wood-burning stove.
On our page about outdoor gear we use on our adventures we gather more reviews of tents, stoves and other gear used outdoors.
I decided to test a cheap hot tent from Temu to see if it actually works in practice. The result was both surprising and impressive.
During the test I slept outside at around 1 degree, with snow still on the ground and ice on the lake, and used the tent together with a small wood stove.
Check price & availability for the tent →What is a hot tent?
A hot tent is a tent designed to be used together with a wood-burning stove. The tent has a special opening in the roof or wall where the stove pipe can be routed out, making it possible to heat the tent even in cold weather.
If you want to understand exactly how it works in practice, read our guide to what a hot tent is.
This type of tent is often used in winter camping, bushcraft and outdoor life in cold climates. When the stove is running, the temperature inside the tent can become significantly higher than outside, making it possible to sleep comfortably even in sub-zero temperatures.
Hot tents are usually made of durable but relatively light materials, and they're often designed to be set up quickly outdoors. They're used both by solo campers and by people who want to be able to cook food, dry clothes and warm up during longer trips in forest and mountain terrain.
For many outdoor enthusiasts, hot tent camping is a way to combine traditional tent life with the comfort of a wood-burning stove, making winter trips much more pleasant.
Our review of the hot tent from Temu
The test was carried out during a cold night in nature where the temperature was around 1°C. The ground was still partly frozen and there was snow left in some places.
I slept in the tent from midnight to 7 am, so a full night under realistic winter conditions.
The tent was used together with a wood stove, which is the whole point of a hot tent system. I go through the stove in more detail in our review of tent stove for hot tent, where I take a closer look at its construction, heat output and how it performs in practice.
Once the stove got up to temperature, it quickly became very warm inside the tent – almost sauna-warm. I could sit in a t-shirt without any problem despite it being around 1 degree outside.
Just like in most hot tents, condensation formed during the night, which is completely normal when heating a small tent in cold air.
How easy is the tent to set up?
Setting up the tent itself is one of its biggest strengths.
For me it took about 5 minutes to set up the tent, although it took longer when I was filming the process.
The construction is very simple:
- Two tent poles at the gable ends
- Guy lines for stability
- Tent stakes around the tent
There are no complicated sleeves to thread poles through. The poles go straight up into the gable ends, which makes setup quick and intuitive.
The guy lines also have a smart solution where you:
- put down the tent stake
- tighten the line
This lets you quickly tension the tent.
The instructions looked clear, but I didn't need to use them since the construction is pretty self-explanatory.
How stable does the tent feel?
What surprised me the most was how stable the tent actually felt.
The fabric is fairly thin, which is common in lighter tents. The groundsheet felt a bit thin at first and I wasn't sure how it would hold up over a night outdoors.
But during the evening I went in and out of the tent with shoes on, over ground covered in blueberry shrubs, heather and small twigs. Despite that, the groundsheet held up without any problems.
That's a clear plus for durability.
That said, I still recommend using an extra groundsheet under the tent, especially if the ground is wet, since moisture can seep through.
The seams also appear to be taped, which is good for weather protection.
The stove outlet in the tent
The tent has a special opening in the roof for the stove pipe, which is an important detail in a hot tent.
I chose not to cut a cross-slit in the fabric like many people do. Instead I traced a ring from the stove pipe and cut out a slightly smaller circle so the pipe fit tightly against the opening.
Throughout the night the pipe got very hot – hot enough to get the classic blue, purple and pink heat discoloration on the metal – but the tent fabric wasn't damaged.
So the stove opening worked very well.
That said, I strongly recommend using a protective mat under the stove, since you shouldn't place a hot stove directly on the tent's groundsheet. When making a fire outdoors, it's also important to think about safety, something we cover in more detail in the guide on making fire in nature and responsibility.
How much space is there in the tent?
The tent's size is roughly:
- 225 cm long
- 160 cm wide
- 130 cm high
With a stove in the tent, it's in practice a one-person tent with gear.
There's room for:
- stove
- sleeping spot
- a bit of gear
During the test I also brought along other simple camping gear, including a compact table that makes cooking and organizing gear much easier. I go through that in more detail in the review of small camping table for outdoor life.
I could even sit in my camping chair inside the tent, as long as the sleeping bag and sleeping pad weren't rolled out.
Two people could sleep in the tent in summer, but with a stove it gets cramped and potentially risky.
Benefits of the tent
There are several things that make this tent really interesting.
Smooth construction
The tent is very easy to set up and requires minimal hassle.
Good tent stakes
The tent stakes are made of thick aluminum and feel significantly more rugged than many other budget tents.
Smart design
There are:
- hooks at the gable ends where you can hang a lamp
- a small pocket by the door for small items
Good value
For around 1,000 SEK, this is a really good way to try out hot tent camping.
Cons
The biggest downside is that the stove sits inside the tent.
This means you have to bring in:
- firewood
- bark
- wood chips
which quickly makes the tent fairly messy after a night.
There's a similar model where the stove sits in a vestibule, which means the firewood can be kept outside the actual sleeping space.
That would have been a better solution for longer trips.
Who is the tent suited for?
This tent is especially well suited for:
- people who want to try hot tent camping for the first time
- bushcraft enthusiasts
- solo camping in winter
- shorter trips in nature
It's a really good entry point into the world of hot tents without having to spend several thousand kronor on gear.
Would I buy it again?
Yes – but with one clarification.
If the goal is to try hot tent camping cheaply, then this tent is absolutely worth the money.
But if I were buying a new tent today, I'd probably choose a with a vestibule, so the stove can sit outside the actual sleeping area.
That reduces mess from the firewood and makes the tent a bit more practical.
Final rating after our review
After using the tent for a cold night outdoors, my impression is that it's a surprisingly good entry point into the world of hot tents.
For around 1,000 SEK you get a tent that is:
- quick to set up
- stable despite thin fabric
- fully usable together with a tent stove
There are of course more advanced hot tents on the market, but for anyone who wants to try hot tent camping without investing several thousand kronor, this is a very interesting option.
Final rating: 4 out of 5
Quick facts about the hot tent
To give a quick overview of the tent and how the test was carried out, we've summarized the key details below.
- Product type
- Hot tent (tent for a wood stove)
- Test location
- Forest setting by a lake
- Temperature during the test
- approx. 1 °C
- Test duration
- about 7 hours
- People in the tent
- 1 person
- Length
- approx. 225 cm
- Width
- approx. 160 cm
- Height
- approx. 130 cm
- Heating
- Wood-burning tent stove
- Price level
- approx. 1,000 SEK
Frequently asked questions about hot tents
Does it get warm in a hot tent?
Yes. With a wood-burning stove, the temperature in a hot tent can quickly become very high even when it's cold outside. During our test, when the temperature outside the tent was around 1°C, it became warm enough inside the tent to sit in a t-shirt once the stove was burning properly.
Is a hot tent safe to use?
Yes, but it requires the right gear and caution. A wood stove in a tent must always be used with good ventilation and the right distance to the tent fabric. It's also important to use a protective mat under the stove and to think about fire safety when making a fire outdoors.
Can two people sleep in the tent?
The tent can be used for two people if you don't use the stove. However, once a wood stove is installed in the tent, it takes up a lot of the floor space, which means the tent in practice works best as a one-person tent during winter camping.
What is a hot tent?
A hot tent is a tent designed to be used together with a wood-burning stove. The tent has a special opening for the stove pipe and is common in winter camping, bushcraft and outdoor life in cold climates.
Where can you buy the tent?
During the test I used the following gear. The links below may be so-called affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to buy through the link – at no extra cost to you. It helps me keep testing and reviewing gear.
The hot tent I tested
I tested a compact beige hot tent from Temu, which turned out to be a surprisingly stable option if you want to try hot tent camping without spending several thousand kronor on gear right away.
See price, delivery time & stock status →Tent stove
During the test I also used a folding tent stove for hot tent camping.
I go through it in more detail here:
Read the full review of the tent stove →Protective mat for tent stove
If your tent has a floor, I also recommend using a heat-protective mat under the stove, since the legs can be fairly sharp and the stove gets very hot.
See the protective mat I recommend →See our full review in video
Here you can see our full review where we sleep in the tent during a cold night in nature.
(YouTube video goes here)
Related reviews & guides
A foldable tent stove can make a huge difference on cold nights in a tent. In the review I go through construction, heat, safety and how it actually performs in practice out in nature.
A compact camping table can make cooking and organising gear considerably easier on outdoor adventures. Here I test a light, portable table that works well for camping and outdoor life.
Adventures where the gear is put to use
Hot tent – tested on a cold night in the forest
How does a hot tent actually work in practice on a cold night in nature? Here I test the tent together with a tent stove and show how the gear performs in real conditions.
Here I've gathered all the outdoor gear I use and test on my adventures – from tents and stoves to small practical items.
All the gear we use
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