What's your tent, by the way?

Louise and I camp in Death Valley occasionally over Thanksgiving weekend; temps in the high teens, low 20s overnight. We use our sleeping bag plus a down comforter in the tent. We also have a space blanket and have needed it, too. Our bag is a 3-season one, so we need the extra insulation overnight.

The tent we use, is a 4-season tent from Mountain Research that's no longer made. I have an REI thermometer, and it shows about 10 degrees warmer in the tent than outside with only the heat our bodies provide.

Heating anything by flame may cause a problem unless you have special ducting. The hot air rises, of course, but this brings in cold air from outside as the hot air escapes out the top of your tent unless you have the flame ducted so that it brings the air into the combustion chamber, not the tent. There are some who say that having an unducted stove or fireplace actually makes a house colder than not burning a fire.

You may have a warm area at the top of your tent, and a puddle of cold air in the bottom brought in by the candle or other heater. Next time use a thermometer and check this out.