What a mistake!

[RumRiverRat]

I fished with a fellow HSOer last night we used a sunflower on a 20lb inside the portable.

No headaches and we are both still alive.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I have the smaller buddy heater doesn't go well with any temp around 0 and a wind! htr/ckr on low would even out do it!

When I first started out I had a sunflower on a small propane tank, it worked great but took up a lot of room and didn't heat the bottom of the shack all that well. So I though I'd try a Buddy Heater, that was way to small and a joke so I took it back and up graded to the Big Buddy Heater. Long story short the Buddy heaters are the biggest jokes period. They usually don't heat worth a $hit, and when they run a lot of times you have problems with them going out and [PoorWordUsage]. Bought a nice Heater/Cooker which is basicly a sunflower on a small stand that takes one lb propane tanks. Long storry short....THE HEATER/COOKER IS ABOUT THE BEST HEATER FOR YOU ICE SHACK. I've got a hose that I used to connect my big buddy to a propane tank, wondering if I could hook up the heater cooker to the propane tank like that.

[Esox_Magnum]

IMO only way to go is the heater/cooker on a hose. Mines going strong yet after 20+ years.

[PierBridge]

Mine too is over 20 years old they seem to be bullet proof for the most part.

Then again I only use it occasionally if at all since the Buddy line has so many added benefits over the Cooker.

[hamms-scooter]

Agronomist, I sometimes switch from the htr/ckr to my small buddy htr if im using my one man and i use the same hose with teflon tape on threads. I have the 5' black one... the longer one would be nice but 5' works good for me.

[SFC]

I do not agree. I have used both,as far as working for 20 plus years like the heater,cooker time will tell ,I personelly doubt the buddy heaters will be able to hold up. I am very satisfied with my buddy heater. I have a clam yukon, this week temps -16 no problem. Holes skimmed over & had to clean about every 20 min. I was able to go without a jacket in the house, I was dressed for the cold. For a portable & being mobile on the ice it works great. No problems with it shutting off unless bumped puts out the heat the same every time used. Every heater u use unless it is directly vented properly u need to make sure u keep fresh air coming in the house. I believe mr heater makes both check their site out for the hose connections.

[Zoob]

I used a Buddy (junior) all season in a Clam Expedition. After the first week of dealing with 1-lb tanks, I switched over to hijacking my 20lb from the grill and picked up the screw-in hose from Gander, so i could have the 20lb outside.

It worked great, kept me warm in that floor-less shelter all season. It'd fire up fine, and burn fine - I kept pretty good care of it, kept it off the floor about 4-6 inches the whole time, too.

Being floorless, my only problem was dealing with melt on the floor which turned to condensation inside the shack. That's a fault of the shack, though - not the heater. It always kept my holes clear, never had to skim them. Heck, it'd melt the floor into puddles. In the end, I'd be fishing without the jacket, just in my shirt - and sometimes wishing I'd left the snowpants at home, too. Oven hot.

I was definitely impressed with the Buddy - but with any of them - my recommendation would be to get the heck off 1-lb tanks - they're a huge waste.

[hamms-scooter]

one pound tanks are nice and portable but the cost is a waste for sure. I use a 5lb tank and think its paid for itself now and the hose

[Zoob]

one pound tanks are nice and portable but the cost is a waste for sure. I use a 5lb tank and think its paid for itself now and the hose

Yar -- a 20lb tank recharged is 20 of those little guys, at 1/5th the cost ($2.50 at gander, $4-5 most everywhere else). That's quite a bit of change for the 1-lbers, not to mention - what do you do with the tanks (you're not supposed to just chuck them in the trash - that causes nasty surprises for the garbage company) - it's just a whole bunch more hassle and waste than getting a larger tank vs how portable you need it.

I parked my shelter in one spot for most of the season, even though it was a pop-up. So dragging my 20lb out there and leaving it there was fine by me. The convenience of not having to swap bottles was nice. Plus, it was within eyeball-view of the bay windows, so I could keep an eye on it when I wasn't out there.