SnoozeShade Reviews written by our wonderful testers...
"I was quite excited to trial the SnoozeShade, the product is such a good idea to help your baby sleep when out and about and I could not wait to give it a try! The packaging is small and can be used to store the shade when not in use with handy poppers to close the case – though the shade does come with a mesh bag, the shade is shown in use and the main uses/benefits are listed clearly. The product itself feels well made and is a mesh material which helps with ventilation but I did worry the black colour would attract the sun and it would become quite hot inside. I was soon to be reassured, the black mesh material actually soaks up the ray and makes the inside of the buggy a little cooler (only by 1-2 degrees at the most) on the inside – further details can be found regarding this on the SnoozeShade website. Just to remind parents that parasols we use to also protect our children are black in colour! The edging is elasticated which helps grip to the buggy/carseat and both the edging along with the Velcro straps are a bright florescent yellow colour.
The zip on the front of the shade is great for being able to check on the baby as you don't need to lift the shade and disturb them if they have gone to sleep. The UPF50+ protection is an added benefit but in its safety notes it is advised to take care in hot sunny days which I think is an essential piece of information so the user can take other precautions against the sun/heat. It can be machine washed (on a low heat) so any spillages can be dealt with easily.
When out and about in the car I use the car seat on the buggy frame with the seat facing me, unfortunately in this configuration with my buggy system the top straps cannot attached anywhere so over time the shade slips down and I had to keep pulling it back up over the top of the seat. With the car seat in the forward facing position or with the buggy seat in any position the straps are able to be secured.
As my daughter is only 4 months old generally she goes to sleep quite easily when on the move and at first the shade was more of a hindrance as she was more interested in what the shade was, trying to kick and grab it but after a while as she was tired she went off to sleep. I was hoping that with the shade she would stay asleep once we had returned home but as usual once we stopped she was awake and being in virtual darkness it gave her a bit of a shock. Even when using the buggy I still have it facing me, when she is a bit older and facing out it will be more useful to limit the distractions when I want her to sleep.
If you have a child that does need a cover over the buggy I would say give it a go as it is easier than using a blanket and it is a good, well made product. I would definitely recommend to my friends and one has even borrowed the SnoozeShade and was surprised at how well her son slept in his buggy whilst they were out!"
"The SnoozeShade, a product that we all think about and wish it was an actually product but now it is, yes it is real and is a complete lifesaver!
For parents who still like to keep active and stray outside this is the perfect product to accompany the buggy. The SnoozeShade is compatible with nearly all buggies – except tandems that do not have a single hood. Further details can be viewed on the SnoozeShade website.
Over the life of the trial we used the SnoozeShade quite a lot as we walk our dog everyday and with the wonderful weather recently it has been too light for my daughter to sleep in her pram. Though with it’s easy to strap on bright yellow Velcro straps it was very quick and easy to attach to my Mamas & Papas Nuna buggy. I would normally use a blanket to cover the buggy but this retains too much heat and in already sweltering temperatures I found the black mesh material kept it nice and cool. The shade does have UPF50+ though it is advised on the packaging and noted on the website that the blackout blind is not to be used as a sun shade – its primary usage is to help your child sleep and that it does!
I was surprised at how compact the SnoozeShade was – it arrived in a small plastic pouch and the shade itself was in a little mesh bag which can easily be stored in a buggy basket when not in use. There is a zip opening on the SnoozeShade which makes it easy for me to peep in on my daughter and make sure she is comfy whilst she is sleeping in order to not disturb her. At 18 months my daughter has her usual routine and I did not want this to be disturbed whilst we were out and I found that she quickly adapted to the cover being placed on her buggy. The shade is washable and is therefore easy to keep clean and can also be used over carry cots and rear-facing infant carriers, so is multi use also.
This product is an absolute must for every parent – I honestly wish I had have known about the SnoozeShade last year when we were on holiday and had to make do with blankets. I will definitely be packing the shade in my suitcase this year and due to it being so compact I am not worried about the space it will take up in my suitcase!! This product gets a full 5/5 from me and I will definitely be showing all my mummy friends who I know will love the SnoozeShade just as much as we did!!"