New brand Shade Me have just released their first product, the Shade Me Baby Sun Shade. Meant to fit almost every pram, stroller, bassinet and car seat with an existing hood, we have been testing it out…
Quick Summary: It is difficult to fault the Shade Me Baby Sun Shade as it provides excellent sun protection from all angles, whilst being versatile enough to fit almost any pushchair, stroller or car seat. The pop-open design and self-contained storage make it an easy product to carry around with you whilst being quick and easy to fit when needed.
Whats good?
- Versatile to fit most prams
- Excellent sun protection from all angles
- Value for money
Whats not so good?
- Not waterproof
Introduction
Having recently won Gold at the Practical Parenting and Pregnancy Awards, Shade Me is a new joint brand from established sun protection experts Koolsun and Sunproof; the Shade Me Baby Sun Shade is their first jointly designed product and suggests great potential for further sun protection products to come.
The Shade Me Baby Sun Shade is a brilliantly versatile shade that will fit most strollers, carrycots and prams (including rear facing) plus car seats with an existing hood. The flexible wire frame enables the Shade Me to coil and fold away neatly into its own integral pocket. Once folded the Shade Me is essentially a flat disc shape that would fit into any change bag. Made from a light and stretchy fabric (part polyester, part spandex) the Shade Me has a pop open design and fastens via two sturdy elasticated straps and clips – the straps are fully adjustable, adding to its versatility of fit. The Shade Me provides extended shade over both the front and the sides, protecting your little one from harmful elements. With a UV protection of UPF50+ – the highest rating available for UV sun protection – you are assured of excellent sun protection.
Material
88% Polyester and 12% Spandex – (100% BPA Free)
Extremely soft to the touch, the Shade Me material is incredibly light and tactile, with the spandex element providing a beautifully stretching drape like quality without losing shape or fit – I love it!
The Fit
The unique curved design and fully adjustable elasticated straps enable you to clip the Shade Me to most 3 and 4 wheel pushchairs. I tried it on a number of pushchairs, strollers and car seat and cannot think of a model this product would not be suitable for. I had no difficulty fitting the Shade Me and, after a quick practice, the coiling method of tucking it back into its integral pocket when finished with was easy enough to do.
Features
Unlike some sunshades (such as the parasol designs) the Shade Me provides coverage from above and both sides, so no more juggling and adjusting to block out the sun each time you change direction. For me, this makes the Shade Me an absolute must-have accessory!
Conclusion
It is difficult to fault the Shade Me Baby Sun Shade as it provides excellent sun protection from all angles, whilst being versatile enough to fit almost any pushchair, stroller or car seat. The pop-open design and self-contained storage make it an easy product to carry around with you whilst being quick and easy to fit when needed.
Having the highest UV protection rating of UPF50+ provides you with peace of mind and the all around shade both from above and the sides is a definite plus point. Not only are you providing protection for your child, you are also providing a safehaven from distractions, enabling them to sleep peacefully and for longer if napping whilst you are out and about.
Bear in mind though the shade is not a waterproof fabric, so if you were to get caught out in the rain you would potentially need your raincover too.
There are clear fitting instructions included with the product, the photographs provide a good guide and fitting it first time didn’t prove to be difficult for me – the Shade Me seems designed to make life easy all round!
Overall, I would say that the Shade Me Baby Sun Shade is a definite must have accessory. It can be used all year round, representing great value for money; I’m convinced you’ll wonder what you did without one!
