Product Review: Safety 1st Baby and Toddler Safe Window Shades

Our son was born in July and at the time we had a Chevy Malibu, the first time we put him in his car seat to come home, the sun went straight through the back window and right in his face. We decided then and there that we needed some window shades.

Now, for the first time, this is a mixed review for me because we loved the side window ones all summer, it was during the fall and winter months that they became problematic for us. The back window screen, on the other hand, never worked right for us.

The shades attaches to the inside of the back window with suction cups. The problem with the back window shade is that, while it is mesh, it is incredibly hard to see out of and the heat coming in the back window dried out the suctions cups so fast, that they never really stuck.

So, that shade went back to the store almost immediately, and we had to use his car seat hood to block his face. Our poor baby had nothing but the gray of his seat hood to stare at a lot of the time.

The side window shades were a little better, in fact, they lasted long enough to make it into our new vehicle (though they are getting ready to go into the yard sale soon). Unlike, the back window shade the side window shades are retractable. This offers the convenience of being able to put them up at night and days without sun, making for easier driving visibility.

Another feature that I really liked about the side window shades was the "HOT" button. There was little indicator on the top of the shade that turned white and read "HOT", when the temperature outside (as indicated by the heat of the window) was too hot to leave baby in the car.

The downside to all of the window shades mentioned is that once it gets a little colder outside the suction cups don't stick to the window. They would be fine during the warmer part of the day and then overnight they would fall off of the windows.

Eventually, we got tired of putting them back on and having them not stick for more than a few minutes and now they have been laying on the back seat floor for months. So, my recommendation is: They are a great idea and vital to the protection of your baby from the sun.