Add Rear Barn Door Windows or not?

[SussexT6]

Afternoon one and all,
After fitting side windows into the new build this weekend I’m at a cross road.
I bought rear windows for the barn doors but after offering them up I’m not sure.

What’s the general consensus on having them or not?
The more I look at them the less I want to install them.
This is going to keep me awake at night I can feel it

 

[JumpShip]

I need as much natural light in there as poss ,can't be doing with sitting in the dark .

 

[SussexT6]

Good point,

But no one want to see me having an afternoon nap
And at the moment the budget won’t stretch to van shades

 

[JumpShip]

We've got camping mats cut to size in at the mo , totally blackout and insulated

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Definitely fit the glass
Especially if you just have one window in the kitchen area that side.

 

[Adam H]

My rear quarters and rear windows are fakes. Prefer it personally, Keeps temps right all year round if insulated well and is more secure.

However, If i had a tailgate, then id opt for no window and keeping it a panel as that just looks the business

 

[Badjamin]

I have to say... In retrospect I am 50/50 about my barn door windows. I spent approx £150 on windows and curtains for the rear doors and the curtains are always shut.

When we start going away to more picturesque places instead of festivals perhaps we'll have them open. Milo likes them I guess

 

[Kind of Blue]

Xaximum light , maximum outward vision. Better for driving and camping over some where! Can always use a camera for rear vision but windows are still quite a good idea.

 

[SussexT6]

Ignoring the crap bumper protector (replacement inbound) and towbar to go shortly,
I am not convinced as the one I have are camper glass privacy and therefore I can’t insulate behind them. A 3/4 rusty lee bed is going in there so actually not much benefit
As @Adam H says I may even just put them on as fake glass…..

 

[Adam H]

Ignoring the crap bumper protector (replacement inbound) and towbar to go shortly,
I am not convinced as the one I have are camper glass privacy and therefore I can’t insulate behind them. A 3/4 rusty lee bed is going in there so actually not much benefit
As @Adam H says I may even just put them on as fake glass…..

View attachment 301626

I done mine purely for the cosmetics bud, I wanted it to look more like a camper at the time rather than a van but didnt want actual windows. I guess if you spend alot of time in the van windows may have a use, but if we are camping 90% of the time we are sitting outside around a fire or cooking on a table outside and sitting outside.

In the occations such as when its raining and we are in the van, we've never missed windows.

Unless you really want a rear view mirror, but I think a rear view mirror in a van is more of a distraction, wing mirrors and reversiing camera are more than enough and make you more aware of your surroundings ( imo ).

 

[Lubrown]

Mine came with windows so it was an easy (lack of) choice for me but I wouldn’t be without them.
Even with the rock and roll bed up they still let me see what’s going on behind plus as others have said it’d be dark otherwise and that gets miserable. Also nice to just crack the curtains back when you wake up (ooh, not half ) and have some daylight guide to to the coffee while enjoying the view.

Really no right or wrong answer, just whatever suits you. Maybe try camping in it without first?

 

[Badjamin]

Good point,

But no one want to see me having an afternoon nap
And at the moment the budget won’t stretch to van shades

It's absurdly easy to make temp blinds with magnets and some form of sheet media. Like @JumpShip in post #4 I just used some 3mm thick corrugated floor protector from wickes cut to just slightly bigger and it slots in to the recess nice and snug and pitch black inside

 

[nigelcro]

Just to present another side to this discussion... If you need to get DPV (Dual Purpose Vehicle) status, then fitting glass in the back helps - it is the main reason I did it. I have Vanshades blinds fitted which have never been raised since I fitted them.

"be lit on each side and at the rear by a window or windows of glass or other transparent material having an area or aggregate area of not less than 1850 square centimetres on each side and not less than 770 square centimetres at the rear;"

 

[Drive Wayne]

Wouldn't be without my rear windows, great for seeing out of when driving forwards or backwards, unless of course we are loaded up for a trip when the mattress topper blocks it all. Vanshades all round to keep Tom at bay...!