Stealth Camping Window Blockers

When I am traveling I often park for the night in places where I do not want to call attention to the fact that I am there. It may be the parking lot of a truck stop or a big box store, or it may be a roadside pull-off in the middle of nowhere.

If I am sleeping in a well lighted parking lot, I do not want the light creeping into my Casita. If I have stopped in a lonely spot alongside the highway, I want to be able to cook, read, etc. with no light leaking out of the Casita to draw attention to the fact that I am there. Above all, I do not want anyone to be able to look into my Casita through the windows day or night.

The blinds that were in my Casita when I bought it did not appeal to me. At night, anyone passing by could tell that I was in the trailer and if they got close enough, they could peep around the edge of the blinds and see where and what I was doing. I wanted more privacy.

Also, I am not an aficionado of frilly decor - Everything in my Casita is plain and functional or it is not there. I thought about putting up curtains, but that would involve mounting curtain rods, and besides, curtains would still not block every bit of light into and out of the trailer.

The solution for me was a trip to Home Depot to buy a roll of 24" wide Reflectrix. Reflectix is essentially bubble wrap with a shiny coating on both sides. It is use by builders to insulate attics, crawl spaces, between wall studs, etc. It is not expensive, Home Depot sells a 25 foot roll of 24 inch wide Reflectrix for about $22. That is more than enough to make a full set of window blockers for a Castita - in fact, you will have enough to make a set for a couple of your friends!

To make the window blockers, using a pair of sissors, cut a piece of Reflectrix slightly larger than the window frame. Then trim it to the shape and size of the outside edges of the window frame.

On my Patriot, I have a front window, back window, escape window, door window and a curbside slider window. I have a window A/C mounted in the center of the rear window. Installing the blockers on the curbside window and door window is easy. Use velcro tape around the edges of the frame. Then put the hook side of the velcro on the Reflectrix that has been cut to fit the window.

On the front back and escape windows, it is even easier. Just tuck the edges of the Reflectrix into the channel of the window. No need for velcro or anything, it will stay in the window.

When you want to take the blockers down, they lift right off. They are flat so just store them under the mattress or seat cushions.

If you want a bit more "decor" than the shiny look, then you can choose your favorite fabric and mount it on the inside of the blocker. Just use spray adhesive and place the fabric on the Reflectrix.

After you have the blockers in place, you can turn on all of the lights in your trailer and from the outside they will not be visible. If you stay in a well lit parking lot at night, the inside of your Casita will be dark enough to sleep well.

Additionally, the Reflectrix adds an R-value of 4 to your windows. Your A/C will not have to work as hard in the summer. And in winter temperatures that reached the low teens, I have had to get up and turn down the Casita's furnace.