Interstate Front Window Covers

[camlivy]

We have the 2015 Interstate Ext. We find the front windshield window cover very stiff and awkward to insert, and the side window covers with nothing but a couple of little cloth straps to hang out the window and then power the window up quickly, just to see them slip down, a very unsatisfactory solution.

Does anyone have suggestions, or modifications?

I'm thinking of just hanging a curtain up instead, but don't want to lose the space that the drivers/passengers cabin adds to our unit when camping. Husband likes how insulated the window covers are compared to what my curtain would be.

[Protagonist]

I have aftermarket covers by Outside Van, very similar to the covers you describe. Back when I bought my Interstate in December 2011, all they had was a curtain that wrapped around and attached to the visors and the coathooks behind the doors, which I felt was a very unsatisfactory solution because it did nothing to block heat from that big greenhouse windshield in the summer. The aftermarket covers were a godsend!

I don't find the cloth tabs on the side window covers to be a problem. I lower the window a couple of inches, press the cover against the glass with the top edge of the cover aligned with the top edge of the glass and flip the cloth tabs out, then raise the window while still pressing the cover to the glass, raising the cover at the same time to keep the top edge of the cover level with the top edge of the glass. Doing it this way I never have a problem with the covers slipping down before the window is closed. It sounds more complicated to describe than to do.

If you have a problem doing it this way, you could always try a bit of tape on each cloth tab, and tape the tabs to the outside of the window before raising the glass. Blue painter's masking tape (like car washes use to tape down your wipers) doesn't leave much residue on the glass, and once the windows are fully raised you can always pull off the tape from outside.

I only use the inside covers when I'm placing my van into storage, or when I'm just stopping for overnight. For camping I generally use a wraparound white canvas cover that goes on the outside of the glass. Though if the weather is especially hot or especially cold I'll use both outside and inside covers for the insulation value.

[73shark]

I got a set of these. They're easy to put in. The side windows are held by suction cups and the turned down visors hold the one for the W/S.

[Ron_CA]

The front windshield cover works great and although a little stiff will become easier to install with practice. After install put down your visors and raise your center compartment lid to hold in place.

The side curtains too will get easier with practice. I didn't like that they slipped down either so had my Wife sew black felt around each strap to make it thicker. Just wrap the felt around, hand stitch to itself not the strap and the tabs will keep the felt from coming off. Took her maybe 5 minutes. No more slipping down.

I don't think the gap at the top was too much of an issue though really as you would have to be 7' tall to peak in.

[InterBlog]

What I'm finding more and more is that you can never have too many window cover options because different situations call for different configurations. We have the OEM interior hanging curtain but I also bought the Sprinter custom INterior shade AND the Sprinter custom EXterior reflective window cover.

Case in point. This past Friday night I did my first solo boondock, this one being in east Texas in prep for teaching a class early Saturday morning. It was bloody cold - everyone is soooo sick of this interminable winter. Furthermore I did not have husband and dog with me to provide some extra heat sources inside the Interstate. That night, I used both the exterior reflective cover (which has a felt-like lining on the back) and the interior curtain for added insulation (our older Interstate has only one coach battery and we have to be careful with draw-down so the furnace use is kept to a minimum). Those two measures plus the fact that we had recently insulated the cab roof (scope creep during backup and side camera installation) really changed my perception of where the offensive cold was coming from. Previously I'd been very conscious of the fact that the cold was mostly seeping in from nose of the vehicle. On Friday night, I was instead most conscious of the floor as being the main offender.

Moral of the story - it might not hurt to buy all the different covers, especially if you plan to boondock.

[Lily&Me]

Sleeping/living in micro-fleece goes a very long way toward keeping one warm.

I had a couple of nights in the teens while boondocking this trip, and lived to tell the tale.

The more you have to carry......


Maggie

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Sleeping/living in micro-fleece goes a very long way toward keeping one warm.

I had a couple of nights in the teens while boondocking this trip, and lived to tell the tale.

The more you have to carry......

Maggie

A great deal of cold resistance depends on physical configuration, age, and metabolism. And genetics, if I'm to believe 23andme (it told me that I'm a particular genetic variant that generates more body heat, but the downside of that seems to be that I lose more heat, which perhaps explains the need to generate it in the first place... believe it or not, the genetic difference was supposedly of large enough magnitude to have been evolutionarily selected for in colder climates). I'm a few inches taller than average, old, thin-skinned (literally), and only 130 pounds. My surface area to volume ratio is significantly different from the average American woman my age. All the fleece in the world won't get the job done for me - gosh knows I've tried. Thus my other, non-fleece engineering controls such as heroic insulation measures in the Interstate.

[Lily&Me]

Ahhhhh, that makes sense, IB.

As my body has stabilized in many ways, post-retirement, , I do not experience the extreme heat issues I used to, which is such an improvement in the quality of my life.

There was a time when I couldn't have slept in microfleece, regardless of outside temps.

I do highly recommend them. Stash easily, too.


Maggie

[Lineolated]

Camlivy,
We found the supplied window covers kinda annoying also. We took them out and use reflectix, cut to fit the windows. For the side windows, we added Velcro patches in the corners. The windshield cover stays in place with the visors down.

We roll them and store in the cabinet over the cab.
DJ

[camlivy]

Thanks to all who replied. I was concentrating more on the "privacy" issue I guess, but this winter and during heat of summer the heavier insulation would be a plus.

Guess I'll try a couple of the suggestions, and maybe get something easier if all we need is privacy.

Since we live in the country where privacy is not a consideration, I'm having to relearn having other people around.

[Interstate14]

Side window shades.2015 model . After a few tries of raising and lowering windows only to have the nylon slip figured out the solution. It's ok if it slips, go out side pull them down and into place. They stay secure.

[k9jackie]

Not ideal to go outside and adjust them when it is raining... Something I learned last weekend. I'm thinking about finding another side shade option.

[Bikerbill]

We bought the HeatSheild units for our past Airatream and now use them in our Roadtrek. My wife prefers them over the cloth ones supplied by both Airstream and Roadtrek. In fact on both units she added slip hooks and we sometimes just use the cloth one supplied by the RV company and hang them over the 2 plastic coat hooks on the side behind each door. Quick and simple for fast privacy.

As far as privacy looking in from the outside. Try it sometime. Leave some light on inside and try to see in from the outside. Not the easiest thing to do even when it is very dark outside and you have some kind of cover on the front windows.

[k9jackie]

I am looking at these two options

Interior shades with suction cups
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Windshield SunShade Set 2003-2015

Exterior cover
Basic Windshield Cover (white) 2007 - 2015 Sprinter

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by k9jackie

Interior shades with suction cups
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Windshield SunShade Set 2003-2015

My first aftermarket interior shades used suction cups. I didn't care for them, because the suction cups didn't always "suct" and the shade would fall off. Which kind of sucked. Plus they left round marks on the glass unless I washed the windows after every time I removed the shades.

The exterior shades are good for blocking sunlight. Not so good for privacy— at least when the van is in storage. Being on the outside, anyone who wants to peek inside and see if the van contains any goodies worth stealing can just move the cover out of the way. But fine for camping; a peeping Tom peeling back an exterior windshield cover to see inside is going to be noticed, either by you or your neighbors.

And a caveat, if you normally use a canvas exterior windshield cover, expect to sometimes have to put it away wet if you get rain overnight before you're due to break camp. And expect it to shrink over time if you put it away wet. If it dries while stretched out over the glass it won't shrink nearly as much as it will if it dries while rolled up in your wet bath.

[UKDUDE]

If I was doing it all over again....
I currently have a set of reflective and insulating shades from Outside Van. I believe Airstream has copied them on their newest models. They work very well in keeping out light and heat, but they are tricky to put up, and my wife always insists I align them perfectly to avoid any chance of peepers from outside. This is pretty inconvenient when we're stopping for the night at a truck stop or Walmart and just want to close up quickly.
So, if I was doing it all over again, I would go with a set of Remis from Eurocampers. These appear to need a time-consuming install that may be tricky, but in the end you have shades that can be closed and opened as easily as the coach shades. And in addition, if I wanted extra sun and heat protection, then I would attach an external shade such as used by Protag.
Best of both worlds.