Curtains and Screen Covers

[Lynne]

Hugo has curtains up every window except the front one. What do people usually do to cover the front screen? Is it best to get a thermal cover or would something else do?

[Nij]

personal preference. at the moment, we have a curtain that cuts off the living area from the cab, tho eventually, the curtains will run right around the cab.
thermo mats are great, just not in my budget at the moment

[Negativegravity]

I have a curtain rail that runs round the cab from either side and meets in the middle by the rear view mirror. Curtains obv can hang from that. You could buy a runner and put one up yourself? I recon the likes of B&Q sell them?!

[Lynne]

I think there must have been a rail at the front at some point as there are holes in the side cab window rails that suggest something must have once attached to them. Would like a thermal cover but huge money. Will have to do something before we sleep in it though!

[Nij]

Well you got two options for now whilst you save for the thermals

[putney]

If you wild camp,curtains that run from behind the fronts seats plus rear blacked out windows are a must,just remember not to put lights on with curtains open when its dark

[Nij]

If you wild camp,curtains that run from behind the fronts seats plus rear blacked out windows are a must,just remember not to put lights on with curtains open when its dark

I get the blacked out windows, but why curtains behind the seats mate? (mine currently do but was thinking about changing it and I do wild camp)

[Negativegravity]

I wild camp and run mine by the windscreen without any trouble

[Lynne]

I've bought some thermal covers off eBay this morning. Not having anything for the windows just delays our camping!

[LeeME3]

I did have curtains that went round the front cab but have just taken them out for 2 reasons - one they were tricky blighters to feed round the corner at the top of the A pillar and I was forever pulling them off their hooks and two they hang vertically (obviously - gravity being what it is) which meant access to the dash was a pain and light got in at the bottom - obviously an elasticated cord or something across the bottom would solve this but I didn't fancy having to rig that up every time I want to 'close up' for the night.

I now use an external thermal cover which works brilliantly - takes minutes to put up and is virtually totally light proof. Has the added bonus of keeping the interior cooler which in turn means my thermostatic coolbox (which I tend to leave on the front double seat during the day) doesn't have to work as hard. Packs down to about the size of a sleeping bag.

Don't know what they cost as mine came from a mate's LT35 that he's scrapping - although it fits the T25 perfectly well (now that I've 'pleated' the top in the middle - you can see in ythe pic where it 'gaped' a bit). The way it fits over the wing mirrors is really neat! You can still open the doors when it's fitted, probably best not to go for a drive though.

As an added bonus I have now re-used my original front curtains to separate the front cab from the main area which is handy for me as my 4 yr old sleeps in a bunk up the front and she loves having her own bedroom!

[shaky]

I'd go with saving up for thermal covers.... At the least it makes the van light proof and so you get longer sleeps...

[Lynne]

I've bought some from ebay - should be here in a couple of days! Am I the only one on here who actually likes waking up to the light?! I do not sleep with the curtains closed in the house, I like to see whatever the weather is outside.. have to have the window open too I know I can't do that in the van though so I've shelled out reluctantly for the thermals!!!