One of the joys of camping with the family is being able to sleep-in past my regular 5:00AM wakeup time, and sometimes even through the kid’s regular 7:00AM revelry. It did not take us long to realize, though, that the 14-inch vent over each bed in the RV did much more than just let in the cool morning air! Vent shades come in all shapes (but only one size – 14 inches, square) and all seem to do an admiral job of keeping out the morning sunshine. I like these Lights Out vent shades, from Camco, because they still let some air in, even when they are closed. They do not provide as much insulation as the popular vent pillows, however.
Vent pillows are foam or inflatable cushions that you literally stuff into the vent cavity. They do a great job of blocking the light but, of course, they don’t allow any airflow through the vent. They are thick, though, so they provide a good amount of insulation against heat and even cold – something the Lights Out and the Solar Shield don’t do.
The Solar Shield is like a small, reflective solar blanket for the vent. It is held in place with hook-and-loop tape (think Velcro™), which some people think detracts from the interior décor when the Solar Shield is not in place. Solar Shields do a great job of blocking sunlight, and also provide decent insulation against the sun’s rays during the heat of the afternoon. Like the vent pillows, Solar Shields do not allow any ventilation when in-use.
If you enjoy your morning sleep-ins when camping, be sure to put one of these vent covers near the top of your accessory shopping list. For the craftier RV’rs, you can get creative and make your own vent covers to match the existing color-scheme. Just be sure to use some heavy backing on the material, because the sun is coming up earlier every day!
