This fall once we get to Hoody weather I'd like to do a few weekends of Tent camping (might even go by myself).
Just myself, my dog, Glock and my radios, food/water, basic needs.

Somewhere I have a cheapo sleeping bag, nothing Tier 1. But in the fall and early winter, some nights get downright cold.
I'm on a pretty tight budget, so just doing a lil pre-planning in case I need to save up for anything.

Tent size, maybe 4-6 man, two occupants at most.

Never used one in a tent (supposedly safe to do so), but have used Mr Buddy heaters for years.

When did men get so soft that they need to heat a tent in autumn?

Bring some extra blankets, put them above AND below your sleeping bag. Make sure you have a good insulated closed cell foam ground pad - the ground will suck heat much faster out of you than the air will. You can get a foam pad for $15-20 at an outdoor store if you don't have one.

Wear a fleece or wool beanie to bed. Make sure your t shirt is clean and dry. Right before you bed down, boil water and fill a Nalgene bottle. Wrap it in a t shirt and put it down at your feet for heat all night long. If your bag is not a mummy bag, fill the gap around your shoulders where warm air leaks out with a rolled up hoodie or light blanket

Simple tips like these will let you stay comfortable down into the 20s with a just a shitty walmart sleeping bag. If you have a mid-tier mummy bag these additional tips will take you down into the single digits. The coldest night I've ever slept out was -13 in the Adirondacks in January. Had a 0 degree bag. Wasn't even terribly uncomfortable.

A propane infrared heater, a cot to get you off the ground, or a good thermarest pad might be a good start.

I should have been more specific.

This will likely be one of those tents that sets up in the bed of my F150, not a ground setup.
So no cots, just a air mattress or pad that will fit between the wheel wells of the truck bed as of now.

I'll look into those Thermarest pads...

An air mattress would be more comfortable and negate the need for a foam pad or Thermarest (although they are good gear).
A wool blanket over the exterior of the tent or used as additional insulation inside, will also help.

I used to have a canvas tent that set up in the bed of my F150.  It has some advantages and some drawbacks.

Advantages are you can camp wherever you can park, and it's off the ground.  It's pretty nice if you are camping in public land, and you don't have to worry about critters and rain so much.





Disadvantages is you have to camp where you can park, and it's off the ground.  A lot of primitive camping spots don't have vehicle access if you are camping in established camp grounds (around Texas), so if you want to use those you end up getting an RV site.  Most of which have electric so you could get a small plug-in heater.  Plus it's hard to go grab extra ice or beer if you run out without breaking down the tent.  As to why it sucks when it's off the ground, get drunk and then have to crawl in and out of the tent when it's three feet off the ground to go piss several times a night gets old...





Also, if your F150 is 15 or newer, the aluminum bed conducts cold very well.  I used a cot, a small air pad, and cheap sleeping bag, and an extra blanket.  Also, the dog generates a bit of heat, so there is that...





I actually ditched my truck tent and got one of those Gazelle instant tents so I could do more primitive camping.  Going to test it out sometime in the next few months.

But to answer your OG question, I have a Mr. Buddy and a 1'x1' ceramic tile (like you would use in a kitchen floor) as a base to put it on if I need additional heat.

Even those cheap hand-warmers can help get you through a cold night.

Put 'em in your socks, pockets - even your underwear. Anywhere there's circulation.

1.  Big Buddy Heater with Bulk Tank (Big Buddy) Hose.  Tank Outside.  Warm Sleeping Bag. That will get you down to Zero Fahrenheit. Better if you pick up thermal operated fan. The fans are expensive.  

2. You can install small stove jack and use small wood stove, like those used for hot tent camping. If you have not purchased your tent consider: OneTigris TEGIMEN Hammock Hot Tent.

With TEGIMEN, Hot tent use as wall tent. You can cook inside and the tent is plenty large enough for cots and a table and chair. Much better than living on the ground.

@smullen

An air mattress has no insulation value (okay the old Army 'insulated' ones had 'some' but they sucked - leaks).

You're basically sleeping in a heat sink.  That metal saps heat away in the cold worse than being on the ground.  Closed cell foam, thermarest, multiple blankets.  You need to insulate.

Yea, my F150 is a 2004 and the Newer Body Style/mid year change.
I bought the tent middle of the summer and just haven't slept in it.
You make many good points though.  Also, I dunno if its the tires or a small lift by the previous owner, but the truck actually sits 2-3 inches higher than others I have seen of the same body style. The wife bought me a small step stool for getting in and out of the bed/tent.. LOL..

Most of the places I want to camp with this are super basic. Just a drive way, Fire Pit and Trash Pole to hang your trash bags on, so I can park/tent, wherever.   Some of them get a bit fancier!!!

Not a bad idea, I get a bunch of them from work and I buy my own too!!!  I dunno why I did not think of those.
You make a good point too, I'll get two wool blankies to put above and below the mattress to help hold heat in.  I think we already have a few in our hall closet.

By the time I get to go, we're likely to be in Winter, I'm just preparing.  

Put mylar reflective material on the ceiling. Use some clothespins.

Hot air always goes up, trap the heat.

Buddy Heaters work great

If you're setting up in the bed of a truck, I wouldn't mess around with a ground pad.  Get a big foam mattress topper, fold it in half, sleep like a king.

Queen-size 4" memory foam mattress pad works like a champ in the back of my F150. Never had a need for supplemental heat down to 15*.

Get one of those $5 fleece blankets from Big 5 and put it inside your sleeping bag.
Use a cot to get you off the ground
Put a wool blanket on the cot under your sleeping bag
Put hand warmers down by your feet.

I do the above in sub freezing temperatures and never get cold. My old bag was only rated for 25 degrees F. New one is -25 and is a bit too warm. I hate being cold.

A diesel fueled parking heater has kept me toasty warm on more than a few very cold nights. On low a gallon of diesel should last a couple of days, just need an appropriately sized battery to run it.
The heater stays outside the tent and heat is blown in through a simple bit of ducting.

If I have an electric hookup I use a space heater. If no hookup I use a Mr. Buddy heater with the tank outside the tent. I have never had a problem with the propane heater but if it makes you nervous open a vent in the tent. I do use a carbon monoxide detector but I think tents are so drafty that you won’t have a problem. I don’t run the heater all night though. I usually wake up predawn and start the heater up, use the bathroom and lay back down while the tent warms up. I use an insulated cookie baking sheet to set the heater on but I’ve never noticed the base of it getting hot.