Window Film: Bekaert Solar Gard

Mar 31 2007 by Emily Hansen

Cool It!

By: Emily Hansen

Tested: 8/4/2006 to 10/30/2006

Call me dull, but I have never understood the appeal of window tinting. The whole “I am so cool, and most-likely famous, that I don’t want you to see me through the windows of my car” thing has never thrilled me. Well, things have changed. No, I did not become famous or even change my aversion to super-dark tinted windows. I simply learned about the benefits of window tinting.

Let me set the stage: I live in Colorado where we enjoy 300-plus days of sunshine and, call me crazy, I drive a black car with black leather interior. In midsummer, when the temperature reaches the century mark, the inside temperature of my car reaches about a billion degrees. Yes, a billion. So, with some hesitation, I have Bekaert Solar Gard Window film installed on my own personal vehicle in heat of the summer and the results have been impressive. Because of my aversion to being “too cool” I opt for a nearly clear film for all of the windows in my car (except on the windshield, of course).

Solar Gard window tints do much more than just make me incognito. The most important thing they provide is true UV protection for me and my passengers. I put sunscreen on my kids every time they play outside. Why wouldn’t I want them to be protected in the car, where we seem to spend a good portion of our time? Nearly 100 percent of UV rays are rejected by the Solar Gard Film. Previous to this installation, I thought the slight tinting that came standard on my car (from the manufacturer) was protecting me and my family. That is not true. Manufacturer’s tinting is simply colored glass, which offers little or no protection from UV light.

The inside of my car could not be called cool, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is so much cooler that I can actually sit on the driver’s seat in shorts. My kids even notice a difference. My daughter says, “Mom, my buckle isn’t burning hot anymore”.

Another benefit of the window film is that it basically binds the window together, so in the case of an accident it will actually hold most of the glass intact, even if the window shatters. Imagine a big, very sticky, sticker on a piece of glass. Now imagine how that sticker would hold all the little chards of glass together after your 5-year-old dropped the glass from his second-story window. Get it? No shattered glass flying around your car in an accident. That is a very valuable feature for my peace of mind.

Finally, I must say that my skepticism is gone. The windows look fabulous, the film comes in a variety of shades so I can go nearly clear or “famous” (please check with your local traffic laws before going to the super-secret-spy level) and the color can match your personal style, from smoke to bronze. There is no peeling or bubbling like the iridescent tinting on my neighbor’s 1985 Yugo. Bekaert’s lifetime warranty gives me confidence that the tinting on my car will be in good shape for years to come.

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