Penny Pinching Parent: Product Review- RayShade® UV Protective Stroller Shade

As I mentioned earlier this week, I have been working on giving Penny Pinching Parent a "facelift." As part of the "facelift," to Penny Pinching Parent, I am adding some new features, including product reviews.

For one of my first reviews, I thought I would review the RayShade® UV Protective Stroller Shade...if you don't feel like reading the whole review... I love this product!

Product Reviewed: RayShade® UV Protective Stroller Shade by Kiddopotamus

Price: Ranges from $12.79 (KidSurplus) to $14.99 (Amazon)for the single shade

Product Can Be Purchased At: Amazon ($14.99), Baby Center Store ($14.95), KidSurplus ($12.79), One Step Ahead, (only saw double version $24.95), Target ($14.99) & other retailers.

Product Promises: Sun and Rain Protection for Strollers an Joggers, UPF Protection, Compact, Quick & Easy Adjustment.

Product Review:

Why I bought the RayShade®?

We are a pretty active family when the weather cooperates, so we recently we decided to buy a jogging stroller. I love the new stroller and all the places I am able to go with my daughter, there is only one drawback, the canopy. When we decided on a stroller, having a big adjustable canopy was one of my top considerations, but after using the new stroller for a few times, I realized that it just wasn't enough for the sun here in the south. This is also the case with our daughters compact, umbrella type stroller... I don't dare bring it out on sunny days.

Why the RayShade® over other shades?

I started looking online for some sort additional sun protection for strollers and I found all sorts of different types of sunshades available, ranging from about $15 to about $45. I will be honest, I decided to try the RayShade® based on it's price more than anything. It seemed to promise the same protection as other more expensive versions, but for much less. My thinking was that if it didn't work that well, I wouldn't be out that much, plus, we had just bought the stroller and I didn't want to spend almost half of what I had paid for the stroller on a sunshade.

Is is easy to use?

When it comes to ease of use and first impressions, I was pleasantly surprised by this product. When I took it out of the package the material was the first thing I noticed, it's a super soft, stretchy black fabric. It was folded sorta like one of those pop out window shades for your car- I thought I would never be able to get it back in the pocket once I opened it up, but later found that not to be the case... it's really flexible and easy to store away in it's own built in pocket.

There are four straps that you use to attach the shade to your stroller. They are long enough to accommodate different strollers and when I use it on a smaller stroller than the jogger, I just wrap the strap around the stroller frame twice to get a snug fit. Due to the shape of the shade, you get protection from the sun on the sides of the stroller, which most strollers do not seem to do too well on their own.

The shade has flexible hoops (I guess that's what they are called) that actually give it it's shape. You adjust these hoops based on how much protection you need or the angle of the sun. As I mentioned above, the fabric was something that I was impressed with... it's also very breathable and allows air to still flow into the stroller.

Does the product deliver what it promises?

I think this product offers exactly what it promises on it's packaging. The only thing I cannot be 100% certain of is the 50+UPF protection that it promises, you would need a lab to measure that. I can say that I was able to pull it way out over our jogger and give my daughter's legs some protection from the sun, which a standard stroller canopy alone cannot do. I always use sunscreen on her when we are out, but the shade gives me a little extra piece of mind.

Is it a fair value and would I recommend this product?

From looking at comparable products online, I think the RayShade® appears to be a very good value... it's less than half of what similar shades on the market cost.

I would definitely recommend (highly recommend) this product to anyone who is looking for additional sun protection. I would even recommend this shade as a baby shower gift, little one's under 6 months are even more vulnerable to the sun, so this would make a great gift for a mommy to be.

Pictures of the RayShade® on our strollers (I know, 3 strollers, but that's what we have since we bought the jogger.)

Chico Caddy with RayShade®