Safe Sun Shade?

jessicalynn11 · Feb 18, 2007

I am looking for a sun shade for the back windows of our Caravan. Seems like we can't go anywhere without one of the kids screaming about the sun being in their eyes! Any suggestions?
Jessica

southpawboston · Feb 18, 2007

the only kind i would get is the kind that is a film that just "sticks" on the window by static cling. i would not get any kind that roll up into a metal housing held on by suction cups. those can be projectiles in a crash. we had them long ago and the tech at the seat check said they were a no-no... but the static cling type are fine because it is just lightweight film, nothing hard.

you can also get the rear of the van professionally tinted. check your state's laws regarding how dark you can legally have the tint. you can get tints in many different levels of shading.

Patriot201 · Feb 18, 2007

I 100% agree with using the static cling (if you can... sometimes it won't stick to back windows because of the rear defroster) or getting the back window tinted (but sometimes the rear defroster interferes with good tinting too).

Good luck!

jessicalynn11 · Feb 18, 2007

I have never seen the static kind before...Can you buy them at the supermarket or do you have to order them online?
Jess

Amaris · Feb 18, 2007

Honestly the static kind didn't ever seem to stay up for us no matter what we did. My mom found some that are black and have suction cups on the back. The suction cups are the heaviest thing about them since they don't roll up. The material is a bit thicker than the static ones. When you twist them they kind of fold up on themselves for storage. With where she lives she probably got them at wal-mart of k-mart since they don't have a bru or even target near there!

Patriot201 · Feb 18, 2007

Amaris said:
Honestly the static kind didn't ever seem to stay up for us no matter what we did. My mom found some that are black and have suction cups on the back. The suction cups are the heaviest thing about them since they don't roll up. The material is a bit thicker than the static ones. When you twist them they kind of fold up on themselves for storage. With where she lives she probably got them at wal-mart of k-mart since they don't have a bru or even target near there!

I have one of those. It is a rear sunshade with suction cups. It is made out of a black mesh material, but there is nothing hard on it. It would be like putting up a piece of fabric in the back window (using suction cups, of course). I can't get that to stay up, either, but perhaps that is just my car.

southpawboston · Feb 18, 2007

Patriot20171 said:
I have one of those. It is a rear sunshade with suction cups. It is made out of a black mesh material, but there is nothing hard on it. It would be like putting up a piece of fabric in the back window (using suction cups, of course). I can't get that to stay up, either, but perhaps that is just my car.

we had one of those also. it was three pieces, two smaller ones for the side windows and a large one for the rear window. it's not just mesh, it had some type of metal/wire edging that keeps its shape. but that's not too big of a deal. but the one that we had barely did anything to keep the sun out; the mesh was so open that >90% of the light came right through. not only that, but the suction cups never held!

we had bought them from "one step ahead" (or as i call them, "two steps behind")

ended up throwing them away.

if you had bad luck with the static kinds, you can go to any automotive store and buy a small roll of window tinting film. just cut a piece, spray it with water, and squeegie it on. it will NOT come off unless you use a razor blade. it should only cost a few $$$.

Amaris · Feb 18, 2007

Ours stay up great, but they aren't safety 1st. The mesh is tight enough that hardly any light comes through. I will try to call mom today and see where she found them. There were only 2 in the package and they were the same size and pretty large. We use them on the sliding doors of our odyssey and they cover almost all of them!

Patriot201 · Feb 18, 2007

Mine was only one piece and didn't have any metal at all. Perhaps some metal would have helped keep it up!

Just kidding.

Michi · Feb 19, 2007

We have tinted windows and my kids still complain.
Honestly, the best thing we have found is to just get our kids some really nice wide-brimmed sun hats to keep in the car (we call them our 'car hats'.)

We got these ones (and we got them in the solar-weave fabric) to shield even more rays...http://www.gottahavahat.com/kids/index.html
The hats are comfortable enough that even our 2yr old doesn't mind wearing them (...and letting them pick out the fabric helps, too!)

We got the 'booney' styles...but I think the others would work fine, too.

jessicalynn11 · Feb 19, 2007

I never thought of sun hats before...My 13 month old won't keep them on though

Jess

Dillipop · Feb 19, 2007

Also, when you check to see what the law in your state says about aftermarket tinting, check to see if the cling is legal, too. It depends on the amount of tint in most states on whether it is legal or not. So, if the cling is too dark, it may not be legal, either. Just something to think about.

southpawboston · Feb 19, 2007

Dillipop said:
Also, when you check to see what the law in your state says about aftermarket tinting, check to see if the cling is legal, too. It depends on the amount of tint in most states on whether it is legal or not. So, if the cling is too dark, it may not be legal, either. Just something to think about.

yes, this is true! then again, also keep in mind that ANY OBJECT you place on your window may violate your state's laws. there is a law in MA that you may not have ANY object of any kind (including stickers) on any of your windows unless the car came with it (yet MA forces you to put the inspection sticker on the front windshield

what hypocricy!). so in some states, the suction-cup mesh thingies may be illegal as well. whether or not states will actually enforce such a seemingly trivial law is another thing... they may never ticket anyone for these things, but who knows...

o_mom · Feb 19, 2007

The only 'cling' ones I found to work are 'The First Years' brand. I got them at either Target or BRU, can't remember which. They have been stuck on our Subaru window for over three years now. I tried some from Walmart that wouldn't even stick the first time. (We were driving through middle of nowhere IL and that was the only place to stop - they were Pooh themed ones).

Also, Hancock Fabric sells the cling on stuff by the yard - no idea if it works, but might be good for larger windows. Also, Automotive sections of Target and Walmart have window tint film. Again, YMMV and check your local laws!

Patriot201 · Feb 19, 2007

southpawboston said:
yes, this is true! then again, also keep in mind that ANY OBJECT you place on your window may violate your state's laws. there is a law in MA that you may not have ANY object of any kind (including stickers) on any of your windows unless the car came with it (yet MA forces you to put the inspection sticker on the front windshield what hypocricy!). so in some states, the suction-cup mesh thingies may be illegal as well. whether or not states will actually enforce such a seemingly trivial law is another thing... they may never ticket anyone for these things, but who knows...

LOL! You are right!! It applies to more than just window "stuff" too...

I used to have a disabled parking permit (temporary-only for 6 months at a time) and always removed it from my rear-view mirror when the vehicle was in motion or when I was not needing it (yes, I was an honest person who didn't use it unless I needed it that day!). I was (and still am) SHOCKED to see the number of people who would drive with those placards in place.

My work parking permit hangs about .25"-.5" below the rearview mirror, so I am technically breaking the law by having that there, but it does not interfere with my ability to see. Those disabled parking permits do, though!!! THEY EVEN SAY TO REMOVE WHILE IN MOTION!!!

Judi · Feb 24, 2007

I work at Burlington Coat Factory and we have some nice cut to fit ones, I think they are from Fisher Price.

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