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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



Trans Sahara Routes.

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  #1  
Old 6 Dec 2004
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desert camping
Am off trans-sahara on December 26th, with a convoy of others. It's my first proper desert trip, so I'm sure this is the first of many questions that will occur to me. To start with though, do any of you experienced desert rats have any advice on tents? I need to buy one, and would welcome any thoughts on which will best withstand wind/sand/massive temperature changes.
Thank you!
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  #2  
Old 6 Dec 2004
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Tents are very useful as they give you privacy and they enable you brain to un2wind. It it is a bit primevil but if you sleep in the open you dont rest as well that if you are in cover. They also provied prtection from the sun sand (to some degree) and wind.

Buy a cheap tent nothing fancy and if traveling by bike try tio get it reasonably light.

You proably need only pay £50 max for a reasonable own brand one.

Charlie
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  #3  
Old 6 Dec 2004
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It may be obvious but one thing I would advise it to get one that is self supporting - a dome on two crossed bendy sticks) - my one cost me 30 quid. I only ever use the inner tent.
Most tents are like that these days but I am amazed to see people still messing about with pegs and guy lines in the sand.

Ch
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  #4  
Old 6 Dec 2004
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hello out there,

chris is mostly right (as always), but in case of a harsh desert wild (not too rare)self-supportance of a tent can rapidly come to an end without "pegs and guy lines in the sand" ;-)
this is especially true if you use fibre glass rods (which are used in cheaper tents and tend to break very quick in windy conditions).

good luck to everyone
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  #5  
Old 6 Dec 2004
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It is true, I have tied the x-poles on the top to my bike/car on windy nights with a piece of cured camel intestine - and I usually have to put rocks in corners when I'm not in it or it blows away. But a guy line peg in the sand has to be the size of a shovel, to be useful, I find.

Ch
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Old 7 Dec 2004
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Try and get a self supporting tent with loops that hang from the bendy poles,rather than one that has a tubes across the tent top.Much easier to fit poles thro on a dark windy night. I presume you are doing the PDC? If so.Enjoy1
Dave
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Old 7 Dec 2004
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... or you can have a Khyam Quick Erect Dome Tent that unflods like an umbrella and can be set up 30 seconds.

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  #8  
Old 7 Dec 2004
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Those tents look good, I love the idea of "quick erect" (oo-err missus!)

http://www.khyam.co.uk/flexi-dome.asp?productID=0

but with fibreglass poles I bet there duty cycle isn't high.

Anyone got any real world experience?

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  #9  
Old 7 Dec 2004
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Airzone do inflatable tents (use a compressor). Anyone have any experience of these? £348 for 3 man job - don't know how that compares to others.

Andrew.
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  #10  
Old 7 Dec 2004
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Quote:
Originally posted by Andrew Baker:
Airzone do inflatable tents (use a compressor). Anyone have any experience of these? £348 for 3 man job - don't know how that compares to others.

Andrew.
At least everything will be OK when the rain comes down and oued goes up....
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  #11  
Old 7 Dec 2004
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Actually, I'm doing a new rally rather than the PD - we are headed down through Algeria via the Hoggar and through to Niger. It was founded by a bunch of guys who were on the first PD. Tent advice most useful, thank you everyone: am off to trawl ebay armed with your information.
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Old 7 Dec 2004
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Imogen wrote "Actually, I'm doing a new rally rather than the PD -"


what's the rally?
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  #13  
Old 7 Dec 2004
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I believe it may be Andy Pag's Rallye du Hoggar with the possible aim of flogging the cars in Agadez

-------------

"with loops that hang from the bendy poles,rather than one that has a tubes across the tent top."

V good point Dave . My previous one from Macro had hooks but my current one has 'tube/sleeves' which are a pain. Definitely go for clippy hooks - truly a pleasure to use

Ch
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  #14  
Old 8 Dec 2004
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yes, it's the Hoggar - tho I think we're concentrating on getting the cars to Niger before we think about flogging them. I think it's too late to sign up for this year (he's booked ferries etc) but for anyone interested, here's the website

http://www.hectagon.plus.com/hoggar
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  #15  
Old 8 Dec 2004
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Back to the tent issue: just to remind that leaving something more or less heavy in the tent is far more useful than pegs and guy lines, and in case you forgot to do this: never, never pack your bags and say "oh well, we'll break the tent up after breakfast"...

By the way, if someone finds a nice green tent somewhere in the Libyan desert... must be around Uweynat by now...

Raf (alias the stupid novice)
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