Gearhead Mom

Monday, May 19, 2008

Made in the Shade

Posted by Missy W. @ 1:38 PM

Jenny was taking her girls for a walk the other day and and passed by another couple taking their baby out for a stroll with the grandparents. Only they were pulling the stroller backwards to keep the sun out of the babe’s eyes. Clearly, they needed a Kiddopotamus Rayshade.

Here’s what I like about my Rayshade: You can easily pull it over the top of your sun canopy (have to have one to make it work), and attach it with the hook and loop velcro straps. Insta-shade. The thing is HUGE to give your kid all the shade they need, so it takes a few spins around the block to figure out how much shade they need and how to achieve that and still allow them some sort of view out of the stroller. The first time I used it, as usual, I did not read the directions so I had a hard time figuring out how to attach it. It has four straps and as long as you have the front curve of the hoop facing out, you’re golden. 

Apparently the thing has a hidden pocket for a sippy cup or tissues or something and then you can fold it right into said pocket for easy storage. Yeah. Never knew that. Watching me fold it up as like watching someone fight with one of those metallic colored car window covers. As soon as you think it’s all folded up, you let go and the thing flips up, hits you in the face and flies out of your hands like a pissed off octopus. I swear I could see the thing smirk at me the first couple of times I tried to store it. I’m going to try the pocket thing next time I use it. I currently have it shoved into the basket under Sy’s stroller (which I’ll review this week because I love it so much).

Now that Sy is bigger and can pull her stroller’s large canopy down all by herself, I don’t need it as much. Sy’s pal Max used to love to pull his Rayshade up and down and all around. It would stay put on the stroller for the most part and is no worse for the wear. How much sun protection he got, I’m not sure, but at least he stayed seated in the stroller. A major coup according to his mother. I think it’s more crucial to have one of these when your kiddo is under six months old and you are avoiding sunscreen but don’t want your babe to end up looking like an page out of the 1980’s Bain de Soleil ad campaign. Using the Rayshade is like using an SPF 50. The site says the product is water repellent, which is a far cry from water resistant in marketing speak. Basically if you get caught in a rain shower, you can make it home without getting the baby soaked, but I wouldn’t count solely on it for rain protection.

I actually used the shade more on the double jogging stroller we used to have when she was little since those canopies are always so lame. The Rayshade is so huge I could stretch it out over the top. It didn’t shade it perfectly, but it was better than the existing shade. They make double jogger shades too, but that would have been to easy. And to clarify, I don’t jog with my child and I don’t have two kids. I had a double jogger for our little play group to take the kids for walks. I think the fabric on the Rayshade would be too floppy to use running. A big gust of wind alone can knock it sideways.

Oh - and one last thing - remove this bad boy before you try to fold up your stroller, or at least move it out of the way. I learned the hard way.

Snapshot:
No product is perfect, but for under $20.00, I think this thing is great. Especially when your kiddo is younger and you are more vigilant about sun protection.
Looks like Kiddopotamus was purchased by Summer Infant. I hope they keep this product line going!
I think this is a super thoughtful shower gift. New parents will love you for it.
Easy to store (with practice) and small enough to take along with you wherever you go.

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