Tailgating is one of America’s greatest pastimes (no disrespect to baseball). Unfortunately, not everyone spends football season in Florida, Texas or California. For the rest of us, we need to figure out how to stay warm at a tailgate once December rolls around. That’s assuming October and November decide to play nice.
So, how do you stay warm at a tailgate? Preparation is a huge part of staying warm at a tailgate. It starts with dressing correctly, for guys that might mean putting your pride away. Bringing extra equipment like hand warmers and even portable heaters will help immensely.
Wear a Warm Jacket
Wearing a warm jacket might sound like an obvious tip, but it really isn’t. If you take a look around at a tailgate, you’ll find plenty of fans prioritizing showing off their team spirit over dressing for the climate. If it’s 55 degrees out, you can get away with the jersey over the sweatshirt look. However, if we are talking about December in Foxborough, you NEED a heavy jacket.
Hand Warmers
Hand warmers were a godsend back in high school for us junior varsity football players (not to brag). If you don’t know, hand warmers are small packets that you shake up to create heat. They can last up to ten hours and are quite valuable when braving the cold outdoors.
Here are the Hand warmers I get from Amazon.
Hand warmers are very small and form fitting. This allows consumers to place the product wherever they like. Most people put hand warmers in their gloves and shoes, as both areas lack circulation in the cold weather. If you plan on tailgating through tough conditions, hand warmers will make your experience more enjoyable.
Portable Heaters
Trying to stay warm at a tailgate? Why not bring a portable source of heat with you? A portable heater is the best product you can get to improve your tailgate in the winter. A lot of them are extremely affordable yet still get the job done. I also included a heater capable of increasing the temperature of your entire tailgate section if you want to really step up your tailgating game. Here are my top recommendations to stay warm at your tailgate:
Mr. Heater F271380 MH85QFAV Forced Air Propane Heater (4.3 Stars)
We are going to start with the heater that packs a punch. This Mr. Heater product is made for jobsites in the cold. This device was built to not only drastically increase the heat, but to cover some ground as well. If you tailgate on a semi-frequent basis in the cold weather, Mr. Heater is the way to go. The Mr. Heater portable heater is Improve Your Gameday’s top choice for portable heaters because quality is the number one factor. This is a more expensive product than those handheld heaters, but MUCH more effective. Click here to check out the current price on Amazon.
| Criteria | Comments |
| Price | At the moment, this portable heater is listed at $174.72. While that seems expensive, it purely depends on use. If you live in an area with harsh winters, I would suggest investing in the product. If you tailgate even once a year in a place like New England, this heater will return it’s value. |
| Effectiveness | The F271380 heater is at the top of it’s class as far as quality goes. The heater can produce 50,000-85,000 BTU’s. For reference, the best fire pits usually produce about 100,000 BTU’s. Some fire pits only have about 30,000. This product can heat up 2,125 square feet, which is plenty of room for your tailgate. |
| Convenience | Somehow this heater is only listed at two pounds. The heater is less than two feet long and 16 inches wide. It should be extremely easy to get into the tailgate. |
| Set Up | The F271380 heater is super easy to put together. It comes with a 10 foot hose and regulator. All you need to do is buy a 20 pound propane tank for up to 8.5 hours of use. The heater can also use bigger tanks if you choose to do so. |
| Reviews | This heater had received 4.3 stars on Amazon. The people that already own the product are quite satisfied with it’s capabilities. People have noted the sound as still quite noisy despite the new quiet burner technology. |
Mr. Heater 38,000 BTU Forced Air Propane Heater F271350 (4.1 Stars)
Mr. Heater is the leading retailer in portable heaters. Mr. Heater makes various heaters with different BTU outputs. This heater is for a smaller group of people. At 38,000 BTU’s this heater is equivalent to a small pit fire.
| Criteria | Comments |
| Price | You can find this heater $72 cheaper than the first product on our list. This will not put a massive dent into your bank account while still getting the job done. |
| Effectiveness | The F271350 can produce 38,000 BTU’s. This product can heat up 950 square feet, which is plenty of coverage for a small tailgate group. |
| Convenience | This heater is only listed at ten pounds. The heater is less than two feet long and 12 inches wide. It should be extremely easy to get into the tailgate. |
| Set Up | The F271350 heater is super easy to put together. It comes with a 10 foot hose and regulator. All you need to do is buy a 20 pound propane tank for up to 12 hours of use. The heater can also use bigger tanks if you choose to do so. |
| Reviews | This heater had received 4.1 stars on Amazon. The people that already own the product are quite satisfied with it’s capabilities. People have noted the sound as still quite noisy despite the new quiet burner technology. |
Mr. Heater Corporation MH18B Portable Propane Heater (4.4 Stars)
This heater made the list because it was listed as Amazon’s Choice for portable heaters. It is also the most popular portable propane heater in North America. This device will help you stay warm on the go. Unlike the previous options, this heater only uses two one-pound tanks. In other words, this heater is the best option regarding convenience and set up.
| Criteria | Comments |
| Price | This heater is more expensive than the second option on the list, and does not provide as much heat. The reason you would choose this option is because of the convenience. If the heater is for one to three people, I would recommend this product. |
| Effectiveness | The MH18B can produce 18,000 BTU’s. This product can heat up 450 square feet, which is plenty of coverage for a family. This heater has three settings. |
| Convenience | This heater is only listed at 16 pounds. The heater is less than a foot long and 19 inches wide. It should be extremely easy to get into the tailgate. |
| Set Up | The MH18B heater is super easy to put together. All you need to do is buy a couple of one pound propane tanks. |
| Reviews | This heater had received 4.4 stars on Amazon. It is Amazon’s Choice and extremely popular in North America. |
Grilling
Grillings is a huge part of tailgating. However, grilling is not just for the food, at least not in the winter. When tailgating in the cold, use the grill as a fire pit to keep everyone warm. Slap that portable grill right in the center of the crowd and increase the temperature of your tailgate immediately. A lot of people will complain about the smoke blowing in their face at a tailgate. That will not be the case if your grill is making them feel 10 degrees warmer.
Stay Warm In Your Car
This is a last resort because you never want to leave the festivities. That said, if it gets really bad, you can always jump in the car. Shut all the doors turn the car on and heat up for 5-10 minutes. A lot of people forget that they are standing right next to a phenomenal source of heat all day. If you follow all or even most of the other steps I’ve included, it shouldn’t get to this point. However, creating a heat box in your car is a great failsafe.
Wrap Up
Tailgating can be a daunting task when winter rolls around. However, if you apply these tips to your next frigid tailgate, you will overcome the cold. There is no excuse to not have a blast at a tailgate. Preparation is going to be the key to overcoming the cold. Next time you ask how to stay warm at a tailgate, remember these tips.
Remember:
- Dress accordingly, even if that means wearing a winter jacket
- Hand warmers keep the blood flowing to extremities
- Portable heaters are the most essential part of tailgating in the cold
- Stay by the grill, it is a source of actual fire
- If all else fails, take a timeout and head to the car
If you found this article helpful, check out the rest of our advice on the tailgating page.