Reflectix vs. Prodex?? (The shipping will make you sick)

[PA BAMBI II]

So...I used Prodex in my Bambi II renovation back in 2012. It has performed well for us, and anything is better than 60-year-old fiberglass.


Shipping for two rolls of 2' wide Prodex in 2012 was about $38. Now shipping the same product is $193. I am having a very hard time stomaching that. The weight hasn't changed. The product price did, but not significantly. I know fuel prices are up...but $193???? This is ridiculous.


Meanwhile, I cannot find a local supplier. All I can find, quite readily, is Reflectix at both Home Depot and Lowes. I don't like the bubble layer as opposed to the insulation layer in Prodex. I have heard Reflectix delaminates.


So, I am looking for advice...opinions...options for a good (similar) product that won't break the shipping bank.


Spring is coming. It's time to get the '61 Tradewind insulated. Help!

[Bubba L]

That sounds awfully high. I did a simple fire test with Prodex and it held up well. Also, with the renovations going on, maybe someone has an abundance willing to sell. Good luck

[richard5933]

Are there any building supply houses near you that can order it in from their suppliers? I'm not talking about a Home Depot or Lowes, but rather a local building products supplier. They can usually order stuff like this from their warehouse or distribution centers, even if they themselves are not official dealers. If they can, then this could just come to them with their regular shipment.

If not, then if it were me and I wanted the Prodex I'd just swallow hard and pay the money for shipping. You're only going to insulate once (hopefully) so you might as well get it right. I'm not a big fan of Reflectix as the main insulation, so depending on how much better the Prodex is it might be worth the shipping expense.

For what it's worth, shipping in general is sky high right now for many things. One of the things which likely changed since your last order is the transition from a weight-based shipping charge to one which also incorporates the space the item(s) take on a truck. So, if you have a very large item, even if it has virtually no weight, it will cost nearly as much as an equivalent sized heavy item.

[Bubba L]

Richard makes a good point on local building material suppliers. You may even check area RV manufacturers, if any. I understand Oliver RVs use the Prodex.

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by Bubba L

Richard makes a good point on local building material suppliers. You may even check area RV manufacturers, if any. I understand Oliver RVs use the Prodex.

Good thoughts...I have reached out to a local insulation supply place via Marketplace. I already got a response that they have similar material, but he is unsure of the brand name. I just need to wait until tomorrow when he can get me specifics.

[mrdes8]

I like to use a product I think is very similar to Prodex, it is 1/4 inch HVAC insulation, 1/4 in. foam with foil on either side, 24" wide, buy it on eBay, free shipping.
Good luck, Mark D

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by mrdes8

I like to use a product I think is very similar to Prodex, it is 1/4 inch HVAC insulation, 1/4 in. foam with foil on either side, 24" wide, buy it on eBay, free shipping.
Good luck, Mark D

Great, sir! Such as this?:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/23433088975...QAAOSwnvdc1EhI

And they can somehow ship it free. Amazing.

[jondrew55]

Originally Posted by PA BAMBI II

Great, sir! Such as this?:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/23433088975...QAAOSwnvdc1EhI

And they can somehow ship it free. Amazing.

I think those shipping costs are just their way of saying "don't bother us with small orders".

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by jondrew55

I think those shipping costs are just their way of saying "don't bother us with small orders".

You should see the email response I got from the company rep. They will never get another dime from me...even if my dime is not worth anything to them.

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by mrdes8

I like to use a product I think is very similar to Prodex, it is 1/4 inch HVAC insulation, 1/4 in. foam with foil on either side, 24" wide, buy it on eBay, free shipping.
Good luck, Mark D

Mark - as you saw, I found a similar product on eBay by typing in what you said. Can you share with me a link to exactly what you use? I would just like to compare, but I think I am going to pull the trigger this evening and get this stuff shipped FREE.


Thanks! Ben

[skyguyscott]

Insulation on AS trailers is a huge religion here. Ironically, after all the passionate discussions, there still isn't much you can do to make a huge difference within 2 inches between aluminum sheets.

My understanding, however, and correct me if I am mistaken, is that Prodex and Reflectix are pretty good at shading heat from the sun, but do practically nil for insulating in the cold.

The ideal substance would seem to be something miraculous called Aerogel, aka "frozen smoke" but it's impossible to source and crazy expensive.

Timeless Travel Trailers says the closed-cell foam boards with foil facing from the big box stores, scored and bent with spray foam in the gaps is their best practical solution.

But even with all that, you still have all the outrageous loss from the thermal bridging at all the ribs. You could spend lots of time and effort trying to insulate an aluminum trailer, and still not be as comfortable as a much cheaper Arctic Fox

[PA BAMBI II]

I will not correct you...your points are valid. It is difficult to insulate an Airstream. The wall thickness is thin. The ribs do transfer heat and cold.

I am mostly trying to insulate for heat, not cold. On my Bambi II, I used two layers of Prodex separated by blocks of rigid foam to form an air layer.

We have camped in 100 degrees and down to 40, and with AC or heat, depending on conditions, the trailer stays comfortable.

I am not looking to create a four season trailer. We don't like cold winters period, much less camping in frigid temps.

[Bubba L]

Ben, we insulated our 55 the same as you mentioned, two layers of Prodex separated by strips of rigid Foamular. In the hot Texas sun I can touch the ceiling and the heat transfer is minimal. So it does help. We also tried to minimize the heat transfer at the ribs using a ceramic paint. Don’t know if that contributes. With an 1.5” cavity, you can only do so much.

[NevadaGeo]

I've found that lining all my walls with Reflectix does wonders in the heat. It may not look that stylish, but when you're having heat stress issues, it doesn't matter. I think it helps in the cold too, but I don't get out much after I've blown the vodka into my water lines.
DON"T PAINT the Reflectix, for some reason it kills the insulation power.
You might invent a way to hang tapestry on the Reflectix, I haven't tried that.
It's your trailer, do what works for you. But $200 in shipping???? pffffft

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by NevadaGeo

It's your trailer, do what works for you. But $200 in shipping???? pffffft

I won't belabor the ethics or customer interest of the company beyond this...but after getting a nasty-gram response from a rep basically stating it is a free-market economy, so I should feel free to buy or not buy from them...search around...whatever, I ignored it.

Then, last evening, I got another response asking what they could do to help me order Prodex.

Ummmm....show some respect to your past/potential customers and lower your shipping costs.

And...DELETE.

[mrdes8]

Hey Ben, if that's not the guys I use it looks like the same product. I lightly glue it to the (obviously) inside skin with like 3M spray adhesive. Then comes 1 1/2 in. Fibreglass HVAC, also with reflective barrier (yep, you guessed it, eBay). I would also consider the thinsulate batting that van guys use but starts to get pricey. I've made a bunch of custom window coverings and it works great, glued to a layer of reflectix. Looking forward to my next project, '46 Spartan, straight interior walls ranging from 2 to about 3 1/2 inches deep, looking to go with 2" poly-iso board for about R15, maybe also a reflectix kind of thing in the ceiling.
Good luck, Mark D

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by mrdes8

I like to use a product I think is very similar to Prodex, it is 1/4 inch HVAC insulation, 1/4 in. foam with foil on either side, 24" wide, buy it on eBay, free shipping.
Good luck, Mark D

Mark - what tape are you using on the seams of this stuff? I have tried a few different types of aluminum foil insulation tape, and none of it is sticking well at all....it is very hot here in PA right now, but this is getting frustrating.


The PA heat should not matter. The stuff is rated to 350 degrees. The inside of the Airstream is not that hot!!

[mrdes8]

So yeah, I use the aluminum foil tape, try to get a good brand, I think it's especially important in the end caps. I don't get too critical between the ribs but I do try to make sure it fits snuggly.
Good luck, MarkD