Freedom Express Windshield blackout shade

[dmfields]

Hi all,

I'm looking at getting a 2021 Coachmen Liberty Edition Freedom Express. I love the rig except have some concern about the front windshield, and whether the bedroom gets dark enough. The rest of the coach has blackout roller shades that let in zero light, but the shade over the windshield (2020/2021 versions) only has a light diminishing black shade, but not as blackout as the rest of the shades. Anyone own a freedom express from the last two years, and have you found it gets dark enough at night? Any work-arounds if you've found the built in shade not dark enough?

Thanks!
David

[Marc J]

I’m in a similar position. I have a Coachmen Apex 265 on order. I’m not crazy about that front window at all. I have seen on a forum where someone used a shade like on a vehicle windshield. Try to find the measurements, if you have to cut to fit, use some duck tape on the edge you cut. I am considering the insulation board that goes under vinyl siding. I won’t be able to do anything with that until I actually get the camper. My other suggestion is to consider getting the black Maxx Air cover for the vent over the bed. Hope this helps, good luck

[WanderMore]

I used some vinyl material from a fabric store that I cut to shape and then used some snap fasteners to hang it but you could use velcro. Did this on a boat.

Check Amazon for a vent shade.

[dmfields]

Thank you so much for input, great advice, hadn’t even considered the fan above. Do you have photos of the vinyl snap cover you made that I could see what it looks like?

[WanderMore]

Regrettably no. It was on an old 1982 32’ Bayliner Explorer cockpit/salon sliding door but it was easy to make.

Look for Maxxshade or Maxxshade plus

[Oops]

Hi David
We have a 2021 Freedom Express. We had the same concerns but it turns out that the shade does a pretty good job. I assumed I would be putting black out window film on it but we aren’t bothered by it.
Maybe a campground light at the wrong angle at night may change my mind sometime but so far no issues...
Enjoy the new rig!

[arthager]

We have a 2020 freedom Express 259 FKDS. We never had an issue with installed shades. We always felt it was dark enough and never even thought about it till we seen this posting. The overhead bedroom ceiling vent Max Fan might be an issue to some. If you got the smoked colored it helps.

[Snickers.1957]

I have a 2020 197RBS and when we were in one of the campgrounds that we visited last summer, I was out taking a walk after dark, and upon returning, I noticed that while my wife was laying in bed reading with the shade pulled down, and one of the ceiling lights on, I could see into the TT. This was after we had been using it for a couple of other trips before. Needless to say, after it warms up here in Michigan enough to get it out of storage, we are going to be fabricating some kind of curtain to get it darker.