Buddy vs Big Buddy heater

  • tindall
    Minneapolis MN
    Posts: 1104
    January 10, 2012 at 11:02 pm #1303364

    Anyone have any strong opionions about a Buddy vs Big Buddy heater?

    I bought a Buddy as a backup for deer hunting if my new to me pickup camper furnace crapped out, and I still haven’t taken it out of the box. As I think about breaking out the budddy for fishing, I am wondering if I will regret not getting the big buddy. I suppose the only perk of the buddy so far is that it fits nice in a storage nook of my camper, but I am not sure that a big buddy wont fit too. Am I going to miss the extra btu’s and fan?

    I’m pretty sure that Fleet farm will let me swap it and spend more $ even though I got it in November.

    Thoughts or opionions?

    fieds
    ottertail county
    Posts: 128
    January 10, 2012 at 11:33 pm #1026532

    bigbuddy is the way to go unless your a fair weather fisherman. in an uninsulated 2 man flip over, some nights the bigbuddy has trouble keeping up. i like to fish with may coat off, but dressed well. the fan is just a gimmick in my opinion.

    johnksully
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 678
    January 10, 2012 at 11:39 pm #1026534

    I had a buddy in my smaller yukon flip over. I upgraded to the the big buddy and now have the voyager insulated flip over. It heats it up very nicely. I would never go back to the smaller buddy.

    big_g
    Isle, MN
    Posts: 22456
    January 10, 2012 at 11:40 pm #1026535

    My buddy keeps my X2 toasty and I have been out on the Big lake in near 0 temps and wind and have stayed warm. Now if your throwing the top up every 5 minutes, get the big one

    washburn
    Aitkin Mn
    Posts: 185
    January 10, 2012 at 11:51 pm #1026539

    I have the big buddy I use in my otter 2man and only use medium occasionally to get it warm then it goes on low, nice to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. I also like the quick coupler and a 10 or 20 lb tank

    fishon111
    Winnipeg,Mb
    Posts: 54
    January 11, 2012 at 12:02 am #1026543

    Living in Manitoba I am faced with fishing in some pretty cold weather (this year being an exception) -30 or a touch colder on many outings. The Big Buddy keeps us comfortable in my Otter Ice Lodge, and I think the fan does help. As said in an earlier post, nice to have and not need the extra btu’s.

    packingheat
    Reads Landing Mn
    Posts: 696
    January 11, 2012 at 12:34 am #1026560

    Go with the Big Buddy.

    tenchi
    Posts: 57
    January 11, 2012 at 1:56 am #1026585

    Sometime the big buddy isn’t enough….its still cold… but for the most of the time big buddy with the 20# works great

    kurt-turner
    Southeast MN
    Posts: 691
    January 11, 2012 at 2:03 am #1026590

    What’s that saying? Go big or go home? Yep, pretty much sums it up… Getg both and then you have many different temps covered… just an idea.

    skeeterbite
    illinois
    Posts: 348
    January 11, 2012 at 4:25 am #1026625

    Go with the big buddy, it keeps you warm and the blower on it blows pretty well. BIGGER IS BETTER

    tindall
    Minneapolis MN
    Posts: 1104
    January 11, 2012 at 8:11 pm #1026910

    Ok then. I did exchange it for the Big buddy (Fleet Farm was great even though my “return widow” expired 12/15) even though it is a bit bulkier. I also went with the quick release hose/regulator so that I wouldn’t have to keep buying filters each year (or risk not buying them). This thing cranks out some heat!

    I will say though that Mr. Heater gets an F minus minus for thier documentation. The instructions are terrible and the packaging explaining the differing hose options is cryptic and awful (and these are the official Mr. Heater branded hoses). Because of this the misinformation on the net is rampant. I found one guy saying you needed the batteries in to make the igniter work. And is it really that hard to say “either buy our hose with the regulator and quick release and snap it to the special quick release fitting, or buy the straight hose with the filter and attatch it to where the small bottles go – do this so the unit doesn’t crap out by getting filled with oil from bulk tanks.”

    At any rate, I hope it serves me well. Has anyone found a convenient way to package or protect it, or do they seem to hold up well on thier own? The box it comes in is pretty huge.

    jim-c
    Minot, ND
    Posts: 146
    January 12, 2012 at 12:55 am #1027044

    I’d get a bag for it to keep the snow, dirt, and bugs out.

    Google – Heater bag for Big Buddy

    Jim Carroll NPAA #13

    washburn
    Aitkin Mn
    Posts: 185
    January 12, 2012 at 2:27 pm #1027232

    I suppose a bag would be nice, I broke a door on mine after 3 years of banging around in the Otter. Other than that I havent had any troubles with mine

    kurt-turner
    Southeast MN
    Posts: 691
    January 12, 2012 at 11:23 pm #1027420

    Picked up a Cabela’s brand nylon bag and it’s super quick to put on and off…

    I took some thin tin and made a small 3/4 inch wind shield to help prevent the pilot blowing out in low wind. Just make a 3 sided 3/4 inch tall piece and leave wings on boat ends. Fold them down and rivet into the buddy… No more wind blow outs….

    Quote:

    I’d get a bag for it to keep the snow, dirt, and bugs out.

    Google – Heater bag for Big Buddy

    Jim Carroll NPAA #13

    thomas_keehr
    Sauk Rapids, MN
    Posts: 14
    January 15, 2012 at 8:17 pm #1028119

    I also did the same for the wind sheild works good to block the wing. I also don’t like the fan waist of space and weight.

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