Cool Shades – RV Quickshades Unboxing and Review

Our (new to us) 2008 Winnebago Journey has curtains on the interior of the front windshield, the pilot’s side and the co-pilot/door. While the curtains are good at blocking light and some heat, you can’t see out of them. Shades for your RV windshield are used to restrict viewing into the RV yet allow those inside to have a view outside. In addition UV rays get blocked either on the outside of the windshield or close to the surface of the windshield reducing heat inside the RV. This will help interior materials such as the dash last longer and reduce A/C costs.

RV Shades are either attached outside of the windshield or inside. Usually the shades that attach to the outside of the RV use snaps, Velcro, magnets or twist lock. Interior shades usually use suction cups.

We narrowed our choices to 3 brands – all seem to be excellent. QuickShades, Magna Shade and Sunguard.

Coach Window Shades
Company	Product Considered	Comments
RV Quick Shades	RV Pana Shade 108W x 46H	We ordered a set of samples and just a few days after our order we received 4 samples about 4″ x 2″so we could see the quality of the fabric and the colors offered. For our sized rig the shades were $84.99. Pros They hang inside the rig so they don’t get damp or dirty from the weather Initial setup is easy and installation is quick They offer good privacy during the day as well Good UV and heat protection (more on that as we use them) Quick Delivery US made Warranty – “Yes” Price Cons Pana Shade offers almost no privacy during the night (see our video review) Their sizing PDF chart is a real hassle to use. First of all there is only one header for the columns in a 14+ page file, leaving you to either guess at what the columns mean or scrolling up and down. Also please note that when they state “This chart is offered as a guide only; we have not, personally, measured all of he coaches listed in the Size Chart” they are correct. Our rig was in storage, so I went with the listing on the chart for our pilot side window and our side screen is about 2″ too small. It will still offer UV protection and daytime privacy though.
Magne Shade	Magne Shade system	The Windshield Shade package is $496 plus $29 shipping. To us it looks sleek and the reviews are very good. They offer a variety of fabric colors and styles. One concern that some people voiced was that they did not use the product as often as they would like because it fits on the outside of the coach – having to go outside to install the shades as well as challenges on storing them if they were damp or dirty. Because we have a concern about stowing damp shades away we opted not to buy Magne Shade, but they were are #2 choice. Pros Stylish sleek look Large variety of fabrics including photo patterns Installation available in North Carolina Claims easy setup to attach the shade to the magnets on the windshield with the supplied pole (about 30 seconds in the video) Easy to clean – just hose off Excellent UV/Heat protection Great setup videos on the web site Very good reviews Warranty – “Yes” Cons Price Exterior shade so it will can get damp/wet and dirty Ladder required (only for installation process aligning where magnets are placed) Concerns about staying on in high wind situations We’re curious to see the privacy offered at night with this product.
Sunguard	EZ RV Shades	Sunguard actually sells both external shades like Magne Shade and internal shades like RV Quick Shades. The external shade offers a variety of fastener options. Stainless Steel and Twist Lock snaps thatrequire drilling into the rig, and Velcro. Their web page does not offer any details on the internal shades nor any way to order online – you have to order through their dealer. Pros External or Internal shades available External shades look very sleek 6 year guarantee and 30 day return policy Cons Price – $350 for Class A exterior windshield cover, $200 for interior (but sale prices are less) No local dealers for us, challenge to find online

We purchased RV Quick Shades in October, and installed them in January. While we like the looks of the external shades we don’t like that we may have to store wet material in the RV. Once we use our new shades during the summer we’ll report the heat difference with and without the RV Quick Shades installed.

Here’s our unboxing and setup video for RV QuickShades – let us know what you have for your cool shades.

Cool Shades – RV Quickshades Unboxing and Review

Coach Window Shades