I purchased Reflect Defense Clear after experiencing turf burn on my newly installed artificial turf in my south-facing side yard. I was already suspicious that the windows might cause turf burn, so before completing the turf installation, I laid down a few pieces as a test. Unfortunately, my concern was confirmed, and it became clear that I needed a solution to eliminate the magnifying-glass effect from the windows.
Choosing the Product
I ordered four samples from Reflect Defense and two samples from two other companies. After comparing them, I decided to go with Reflect Defense Clear. The overall quality of all the Reflect Defense samples was noticeably better than the products I received from the other companies.
Installation
The installation was fairly easy and straightforward. I found two different installation methods in videos online.
In one method, the installer unrolls the entire film over the window first and then starts attaching and smoothing it from the center toward the sides and from top to bottom. In my opinion, this method could get a little messy, especially for someone doing it for the first time.
I went with the second method. I first attached the film at the top of the window frame, unrolled about 6–8 inches, and then worked from top to bottom and from the center toward the sides. I continued unrolling another 6–8 inches at a time and repeated the process until reaching the bottom. This worked very well for me, and the final installation came out clean.
The film itself feels like a high-quality product. If something goes wrong during installation and you need to detach and reposition a section, you can safely do so. I had to reposition it in a couple of places, and it was completely manageable.
Results
Most importantly, the product is working as advertised. I have not observed any additional turf burn since installing the film.
I also measured the turf temperature at several locations after installation. Previously, the areas affected by the window reflection were significantly hotter. After installing the film, the temperatures are now almost the same across different areas of the turf. Based on my measurements and observations, the concentrated reflection/magnifying effect appears to be eliminated.
Suggestions for Installation
If this is your first time installing window film, I definitely recommend getting the installation kit. It is inexpensive compared with the cost of the film and makes the job much easier.
The film itself is expensive, so I also recommend watching several installation videos before you start. I installed everything by myself, and it is definitely doable, but having another pair of hands would make the installation considerably easier.
One other thing to keep in mind is the website's material calculator. In my case, it slightly overestimated the amount of film I needed. I recommend measuring your windows yourself and calculating the required length based on the width of the film you are ordering. In my case, the calculator suggested buying about one foot more than I actually needed.
Appearance and Packaging
The Clear version looks much better than I expected. It is actually clearer than it appeared in some customer photos and even in the photos on the official product page. I was concerned that the film might noticeably affect the appearance or clarity of my windows, but I am very happy with how it looks.
The packaging was also excellent. The film arrived very well protected, and the packaging gave me confidence that the product would not be damaged during shipping.
Price and Long-Term Expectations
I understand that the market for a specialized product like this probably isn't very large, so the relatively high price is somewhat understandable. However, I hope the price can come down over time as the product becomes more widely used.
I also hope the film lasts for the advertised five years. If it does, I think that will make the cost much easier to justify.
One area where I think Reflect Defense could improve is the pricing of the samples. It would be great if samples were provided free of charge, or at least at a significantly lower price. Since customers are already considering purchasing a relatively expensive product, making it easier and less expensive to test the different options would be helpful.
Conclusion
Overall, I confidently recommend Reflect Defense Clear. It solved the turf-burn problem in my yard, the film looks much clearer than I expected, and the quality is excellent.
If you are already seeing turf burn or are concerned that your windows may cause it, I would recommend addressing the problem as soon as possible rather than waiting for more damage. Based on my experience so far, I would buy this product with confidence.
Easy to apply. Keeps reflection of sun off turf.
I had a spot of grass that would not grow. It was always dry and the soil was hard. I had two windows that at different times during the day would reflect sunlight directly onto that same spot. I put up the reflect defense external and the grass immediately started to grow. I feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner.
Best customer experience I’ve ever had. They answered all my questions and concerns.
After replacing siding, and tinting my windows nothing has worked. This, does!
We live in an RV in Arizona right now, and needed something to reflect the son’s heat. This has been the perfect solution to reflect the sun and still be able to open the windows to get the sun inside our home.
My new artificial turf started to show signs of window-induced melting. I tracked the problem down to top left corner of a window over guest bathtub. The turf was already damaged badly enough that I had to replace it. But, the Reflect Defense Pro anti-reflection film solved the problem for the new turf. The 'wet' install took a couple of tries to get right, but I am happy with the results. In the picture, the window pane on left is covered with the Reflect Defense TF-Pro anti-reflective film. You can see outside from the bathroom, but you can't see inside from the lawn area,.
Received the rolled-up reflective film in a tube. Unpacked it and studied the installation video. My one problem is that the window I needed to install this on was on the second floor, and my ladder wouldn't reach it. Because the windows are vinyl double pane, the film liked to stick to the vinyl even though it was wet. That made adjustments a little difficult. All in all, we got the film installed and it looks great. My wife is pleased because it looks good on the window and most importantly, it has solved the laser beam effect the window was having on our patio furniture. An elegant solution to a serious problem.
Thanks team.
I recently installed astroturf and a putting green in the back yard and my landscaper recommended this product to protect the astroturf from burning from the sun reflecting off the windows. I got the black exterior dry application tint and am very pleased. Installation was simple - patience was the most important thing! I did not experience any stretching of the tinting and it was easy to remove and start again when necessary. I installed mine in the morning, probably around 70 degrees. Also after a couple hours of sunlight it was easy to smooth out any remaining air bubbles. Overall very pleased!
Pretty pricey but appears to be a good product. A fair amount of distortion is present looking through the window after install. Installation is pretty straight forward, YouTube is helpful in finding installation procedures. Fancy scrapers really aren't needed a credit card is adequate at least for medium sized windows.
Two things why I gave 4 stars instead of 5. First, I wish I had seen how the white looked from outside from a distance. If I had I would have went with black and not white. Second, applying to a large window solo was difficult. I was able to get it in place with just a couple of minor flaws that most people will never see but I know they are there. Removing excess was very simple with a razor knife.
Overall, I am happy with the product and no more birds are crashing into my big picture window. YAY!
The sun was reflecting off of a window in my attic CB and melting the covers of my side view mirrors when the car was in the driveway. Once I put the film on the window my problem vanished. Throughly happy with the results, not so much with what it cost.
Nice product. Paid 30 dollars for delivery and it took 10 days to arrive.
The material is too thin. Even with the instructional videos it’s hard to do. Hired someone to do it and he couldn’t even get it done right and he’s installed other similar products. The material is too thin and you have to keep it taught to keep bubbles out but then it rips. I feel like I wasted a bunch of money. It’s up, sort of, with rips and bubble and looks bad but it will get the job done until I hire someone to install another product.
The window film seems to be working to protect my turf. But I had to install it on second floor windows. And that was a challenge, especially on the larger windows. Balancing on a tall ladder and getting the film smooth on the window was almost impossible. So, it doesn't look so good on a couple of windows. But it does get the job done.
This stuff is awesome! We searched for a product to help resolve the turf burn coming from our 2nd story windows. Reflect Defense had the solution! Absolutely the best customer service to back up the sale.
First application didn't go so well. Had creases. Second application on another window went better.
We have installed the film on one window and since I have never used a product like this before I had some issues. I have a neighbor who has installed similar products so I am going to have him help me. But the product and installation kit are great and I would not hesitate to buy it again
First window a little tough, next four much better. We no longer see the shade of window on our new turf. Doing its job.
We applied Reflect Defense externally to our south-facing windows to eliminate heat spots that were melting our neighbors siding. Excellent results! No more hot spots. Product was easy to apply and worth the price.
Delivery was great and installation easy! seems like it should work good,But it hasn't been long enough to find out if it will stop melting the siding till summer is over! sorry no pics
