# Safari room



## TM59 (Mar 11, 2008)

Is a Safari room a luxury or a necessity if you intend over wintering in Spain?


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

A lot of people who buy them only use them once. 

We have never used any sort during or time camping in Spain during the winter.

Most days it is okay to sit out. 

Take to day it is breezy but not cold we sat in the sun this afternoon, not had any rain during the day so far.

Some people use small kitchen tents for cooking and storing items.

Andy


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## sweetie (Nov 28, 2005)

We bought one and used it once in 5.5 years, to us it was a total waste of money, ended up leaving in van when we sold it.

Now the kitchen tent is a great idea we used one for most of our cooking in and for storage of chairs, bikes and other small bits that can go walkies.

Steve


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.

Wind biocker for us, 5 mins to put up and take down, weighs nothing and you can nearly put it in your pocket when folded, we have it on now in Portugal, makes another room outside, and it does what it says on the tin... Blocks the wind and you still get a feeling of being outdoors as you can see out all round through the material..

ray.


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

From our experience of the Almeria coast over the last 6 winters, a safari tent is unsafe when the weather blows up - which it can do unexpectedly during the night. An awning, supporting a safari tent, can do enormous damage if the wind gets it just the once.

The tent takes so long to put up and down that you only do it once. A kitchen tent, though, is worthwhile for cooking, bikes, sunchairs etc. It's smaller and you can tie it down effectively.


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

It rained just after I posted my post. It must have heard me.
Not enough to settle the dust.

Andy


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## cater_racer (May 1, 2005)

Used ours twice in seven years, to big & bulky, sold it with the last van.

+1 vote for Windblockers easy to use, store, cheap.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Another of the " waste of time and space" brigade here!!!

A cheap porch awning/ tent is what we changed to after flogging our Safari room


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

we have the blow up kela 

Haven't used it yet 

But the kids say its great  

If we stay a few days anywhere we will try it out

it's just that bit more space

Innit  

Aldra


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## wp1234 (Sep 29, 2009)

Wind blocker for us as well , cheapish and quick to put up .


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

we also have windblockers


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

Its a good idea to have something outside to sit in as it's not always warm enough. As we will be in the PVC this year we will use a drive away awning for daytime and cooking use although the awning will be a couple of feet away from the van so that we can get out in the van a bit easier.

Mike


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## Tezmcd (Aug 3, 2009)

We had one and gave it away - got it with the old van we bought and never even opened the bag it was in


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## SilverFox13 (Nov 20, 2007)

We used a safari room overwinter for 2 years but as previously posted the powerful Spanish winter winds gave us many an uncomfortable night followed a day of yet more jury rigging straps and supports. The problem with safari rooms is that you cannot ignore them as your awning is fully extended and it is not that easy to dismantle when things turn inclement. Soooo.. we stashed ours in the shed and now use a Kampa porch awning which is a peach. 

It is about half the weight for around the same size, it is light and airy (safari rooms are pretty dark) and ... it yeilds to strong winds .. a bit like a palm tree. When it does go pear shaped you can go to bed and leave it to fend for itself ... which is does amazingly well.

Hope this helps.


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## tessajoe (Sep 23, 2008)

windblockers for me as well.and now they have a clip on inner tent type,that you can use with your existing windlockers.but still very lighweight and very quick to put up and down.and are designed to keep the wind out.and a bit of heat in with more privacy
the only downfall with the windblockers that i have found is the poles are a bit weak.so i made some wedges to jam them in,and up until now have not let me down.


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## Friant (Feb 10, 2008)

Windblockers with the inner tent sections in them are excellent. We used them continually for our four months in Portugal over last winter. They make a very handy extra room and if the wind gets up enough for us to worry about the awning we just drop them down, wind the awning in and put them back up when the weather settles. Simples


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Friant said:


> Windblockers with the inner tent sections in them are excellent. We used them continually for our four months in Portugal over last winter. They make a very handy extra room and if the wind gets up enough for us to worry about the awning we just drop them down, wind the awning in and put them back up when the weather settles. Simples


And that's the thing that puts me off Windblockers. I presume Windblockers are there to "block" the wind out ( :roll: ) but if it's windy surely it's not wise to have the awning out in the first place, in which case you can't use the windblockers.

Doesn't seem much point in putting th wb's up if you not only have to wind the awning in but also take the wb's off.

What've I missed please you pro-blocker people? :lol:


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Telbell said:


> Friant said:
> 
> 
> > Windblockers with the inner tent sections in them are excellent. We used them continually for our four months in Portugal over last winter. They make a very handy extra room and if the wind gets up enough for us to worry about the awning we just drop them down, wind the awning in and put them back up when the weather settles. Simples
> ...


Any thoughts please. ?


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## Friant (Feb 10, 2008)

OK, IMHO
windblockers are supposed to create a room, shelter you from wind, create shade on a sunny day and give you protection from insects.
They do all of these things excellently for a reasonable cost and incredibly low weight and volume to store plus minutes to put up.

They attach to your awning when it is wound out. In breezes up to a moderate strength we happily leave our awning out (with or without windblockers). If the wind reaches a strength that we consider too much for our awning we wind it in therefore take the windblockers down.

Whilst we were away last winter we used them every day for four months, and had to bring our awning in half a dozen times. We consider this no problem at all.


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Telbell said:


> Friant said:
> 
> 
> > Windblockers with the inner tent sections in them are excellent. We used them continually for our four months in Portugal over last winter. They make a very handy extra room and if the wind gets up enough for us to worry about the awning we just drop them down, wind the awning in and put them back up when the weather settles. Simples
> ...


Hi you get tie down ratchet type straps that fit in the front groove, when these are in the awning does not move as it is strapped down along with the pegs around the windblocker.

They are not oak trees but willows that give with the wind.

ray.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

rayrecrok said:


> Telbell said:
> 
> 
> > Friant said:
> ...


Yes-got those...though I do know an mhf-er who left his awning out with tie down straps when in Spain- went out cycling in calm weather but came back to find the awning ripped to shreds after sudden storm :wink: Didn't have a windblocker I don't thinbk


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