Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsUn-usable towards the end of the roll because its wrapped on a tiny diameter cardboard roll.
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2023
FOR THE SELLER/MANUFACTURER: If you read this please consider shipping this on a larger diameter cardboard tube so that the actual product can be usable till the end of the roll. The film is great and I give it a good 4.5 stars, but the way it's rolled up so tight renders it nearly useless once you reach the last 5 feet or so of the roll and that's where the problem is. Since It's rolled so tightly on a tiny diameter cardboard tube, it's very challenging to work with at the end of the roll due to the curling. This material is much thicker than regular window tint so it's important that it is NOT tight-rolled. On regular window tint, this isn't such a big issue, but this stuff is thick and stiff so it matters.
(Note: I was installing this on a rather hot day at 95F or 35C so it should have been more flexible even after laying it flat on a table outside in the sun, yet it was still very curly and refused to lay flat.)
The film itself is quite good. I have no complaints there as what I was able to use performed as advertised and even exceeded my expectations on the heat reduction in my 5th wheel camper. For example, we had a few days of 95F with a heat index of 103 yet my camper stayed at a cool 74F all day in direct sun and no shade. This was unheard of before installing this stuff. Before installing this on all windows, my camper would barely maintain a 10-degree temperature differential and temps would climb to the upper 80s or low 90s on a day like this in full sun. So yes, it works very well and I'm very pleased with the actual product once it's installed.
However, it's packaged and rolled tight on a tiny cardboard tube a little larger than the diameter of a quarter. This means that by the time you reach the end of the roll, it curls up so badly that working with it is a nightmare. This material is quite thick and stiff in comparison to any other window tint that I've ever installed. It measures 0.2mm thick with the protective backing which is equal to two sheets of paper. When I first started installing it I was happy at how easy it was to install and with the results. However, by the time I was reaching the end of the roll, I was cursing the person who signed off on the decision to tight roll this and ship it on a small-diameter cardboard roll. It was curling up so badly towards the end of the roll that it was very challenging to work with. I don't consider myself to be an expert installer by any means, but I've installed my share of tint and this stuff had me cussing at the end of the roll.
A word of advice is to make sure you measure and cut your pieces square with precision and don't leave too much extra as trimming this stuff is not like regular tint. It is more difficult to cut as compared to regular window tint. Curved edges can be a challenge to trim and make pretty, but square windows aren't much of an issue as long as you use a straight edge while trimming. If you have silicone-sealed windows, don't try to go all of the way to the edges as it will just want to peel up. Leave a small gap of 1/16" to 1/8" to the very edge and it should work fine.
Again, this stuff works great for heat reduction and privacy during daylight hours but it can be tricky to install depending on your application.