Which size heater?

[arctic_scrap1]

I am looking to buy a Mr. Heater buddy heater but I cannot decide on whether I want the normal sized one or a big buddy. For now I'll just be using it in a 2 person fish trap flipover but I do plan on having a spear house or small permanent in the near future. Would the smaller heater be big enough as long as the house in insulated?

[walleye977]

Get the big buddy I just got one couple weeks ago, thought I'd try it out so I put it in the shack one night 20 mins wow on high she'll cook me out my shack is on 8x12. The big buddy has three settings for heat. Go Big some one had them for 99 bucks last week I got mine for 109 at northern tool

[eyesonly]

No question Big Buddy- I love mine and wouldnt trade it for anything - I hear some guys say here they think They are a piece of Junk But Ive never had a problen with mine and Its pleny of heat for that size space.

[merkman]

I am looking to buy a Mr. Heater buddy heater but I cannot decide on whether I want the normal sized one or a big buddy. For now I'll just be using it in a 2 person fish trap flipover but I do plan on having a spear house or small permanent in the near future. Would the smaller heater be big enough as long as the house in insulated?

2 person fish trap flipover - Go with the big buddy....

However, I would have to say it depends on the size of your future spear house...

I have an isulated 4' wide X 5' deep X 6' tall spearshack with a 4' x 2.5' hole.

I am a pretty big guy, but after putting a chair and my stuff in there, there is not alot of room for a big buddy heater. (especially to maintain proper clearance to combustables). The little buddy works much better in that instance. You could hang the big buddy from the wall but then you have to worry about lighting up the hole.

If you have 4' X 6' or larger spear shack then the big buddy would be the ticket.

I personaly have one small buddy and two big buddies.. I have used my big buddy heaters for much more than ice fishing... 2 big buddy heaters did a pretty good job of keeping my real house warm when the furnace went out. Plus I use them in the garage and outside from time to time.

As far as what is needed to heat a small insulated spearshack (assuming metal exterior with foam insulation), both those heaters are overkill (nothing wrong with overkill ); I could heat my spearshack with one or two candles... no joke, but the big buddy will get it hot in there VERY quick.

.

[arctic_scrap1]

Yeah I'm not sure what I'll do for a spear house. I might even make a 6 x 8 or something and just use it for spearing, too. I guess I'll go with the big buddy, or are there other comparable heaters available?

[MJ1657]

I heat my insulated 6x8 spear shack with a buddy heater and after its warmed up I normally just run it on pilot. I would like to get a big buddy for my portable on those cold windy days though.

I have had great luck with mine. Had it for several years and it has never failed me yet. I've got it on right now in my deer blind.

[gonehunting]

Don't short yourself. Spend the extra money and buy the Big Buddy. You can always turn the heat down. You will want the extra heat if you go to a bigger house.

[JigginIsLife]

I will second all the threads that support going big, remember you can always turn it down, but there are times when you have an ice fishing trip set, and the weather turns nasty... just cuz above the water is nasty does not mean the fish arnt biting. some of the best bites i have had are during legit blizzards.

[Random guy]

I love my Big Buddy. Granted I have wrecked two of them by beating them across the lake, but I beat acros the lake a 100 days a year as fast as I can go so that is not really a fair fight. I like the safety of them and the fact they can toss out a ton of heat for a small hardshack or uninsulated portable or just a trickle of heat on the warm days. We also use them in 5x5x5 uninsulated deer stands with the shooting windows open are they plenty warm enough.

Now once I started using the insulated Otter houses it is major overkill but still nice to take in the deer blind, camping and I have even had it in the boat to warm hands up. I say go big.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Big Buddy. If things get too warm you can always turn it down.

[eyehunter78]

I had the little buddy for my one man flip over and it worked just fine. The next year I upgraded to a otter lodge and it couldn't keep up so I went to the big buddy heater and it was OK! I have also used my big buddy for heating my 6'6"x14' wheelhouse when my heater in the house took a sh!t on a trip to RED and it performed awesome. Like the others are saying go big, you can always turn the heat down, but when you don't have that extra btu's you'll be kickin' your self in the a?? for not spending alittle extra $$$ for the bigger heater!

[walleye977]

What hose works best for the 20 lb tanks.

The quick connect with reg

Or

The 5 ft or 12 ft black hose with filter

Or

The green hose with no filter

[MJ1657]

I get 4 to 5 hours on a 1 pound cylinder on high with my buddy heater. Anyone know how much the big buddy use? Just curious

[Iambjm]

What hose works best for the 20 lb tanks.

The quick connect with reg

Or

The 5 ft or 12 ft black hose with filter

Or

The green hose with no filter

I went with the 12 ft with filter, works great

[choppermn27]

What hose works best for the 20 lb tanks.

The quick connect with reg

Or

The 5 ft or 12 ft black hose with filter

Or

The green hose with no filter

Bulk hose with quick connector no filters and no hose twist.

I always run the propane out of the hose by shutting off tank valve to turn it off.

Big Buddy is worth the extra money because you can always run it on low if you need to.

[hamms-scooter]

I have both and a htr/ckr. I bought the big buddy last year for 40 bucks . It was used a few times and came with storage bag and 2 bottles of propane and batteries. I use it in my fish trap yukon. The buddy htr I use in my FT Scout. It works well in there and most of the time I have to turn it down. Get the big heater imo.