If you know anything about SuperATV, you know that we love polycarbonate windshields. But they’re not the only type of UTV windshield on the market. Obviously, glass windshields are great—that’s why we make those, too—but what about other materials? Like acrylic?
Choosing the best material for your windshield starts with looking at your options and pitting them against one another. And when you’re comparing, polycarbonate and acrylic might seem pretty similar.
It’s true that they’re both types of plastic that are used for a wide variety of applications. But depending on what you’re using the material for, one usually has some advantages over the other. And when it comes to windshields, poly comes out on top.
In the simplest terms, polycarbonate and acrylic are common types of transparent plastic. They go by many names, though. If poly and acrylic don’t sound familiar, maybe one of these other names rings a bell?
There are plenty of other trademarks and brand names floating around out there, but all are referring to the same two plastics: polycarbonate and acrylic.
Polycarbonate and acrylic are used in a variety of applications. And when we say variety, we mean it—these versatile materials are used in everything from aquariums to TV screens to bulletproof shields. There’s a good chance you’re within reach of some poly or acrylic right this second.
They’re two totally different materials, but polycarbonate and acrylic share several qualities and benefits, especially when compared to glass. For starters, they’re much more affordable. They’re also more lightweight by volume. If you’re on a budget or worried about weight savings, either poly or acrylic is a much better option than glass.
Polycarbonate and acrylic are both high-clarity materials with great light transmission. This makes them a great choice for windshields, light fixtures, or anything else where visibility and light are important.
There are some differences between the two plastics, though. And those differences are the reasons why we’ll choose polycarbonate windshields over acrylic windshields every time.
Acrylic is prone to shattering under pressure. When you’re on the trails, never quite sure of what’s around the next bend, an acrylic windshield isn’t the most assuring thing to have protecting your face.
That’s why polycarbonate windshields rock. Polycarbonate is 250 times stronger than glass. That much impact strength makes it virtually shatterproof and certainly strong enough to handle whatever the trails throw your way.
In fact, poly is so strong, it’s often used in conjunction with bulletproof glass or in riot gear. So if you want a windshield that won’t give when you roll your RZR, polycarbonate is the way to go.
Despite being durable against chips and cracks, we will note that polycarbonate is not scratch resistant. In fact, it collects scuffs pretty easily if not properly protected. That’s why our proprietary XR Optic Hard Coating is so important. This coating is an option on most of our polycarbonate windshields. It adds scratch resistance and UV protection to an already-shatterproof product.
In addition to being more impact resistant, polycarbonate is also more flexible than PMMA. This is important for a lot of reasons, but mostly during the production process. Polycarbonate is more easily shaped, which means it can be easily molded for a natural fit to your machine.
Polycarbonate can also be drilled and cut into without cracking. Our 1/4” polycarbonate sheets make it through the production process just as strong as when they began, unlike acrylic.
Acrylic is super rigid and more likely to crack when shaped or drilled.
Another benefit of of polycarbonate is that it’s highly resistant to heat. It has a working temperature of up to 240 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to only 190 for acrylic. Just like the flexibility aspect, this can be a huge benefit during the production process.
Polycarbonate is also chemically resistant, so substances like gasoline and acids don’t affect it the way they would acrylic. (With that being said, we still don’t recommend using just any chemicals on this material. There are specific guidelines to cleaning your polycarbonate windshield if you want to keep it in good, clear condition.)
While both materials are way lighter than glass, polycarbonate plastic is the least heavy of these materials, even despite being the most impact resistant.
Every part or accessory you add to your side-by-side weighs it down, which can affect your performance and ride quality. So the less weight you add to your machine, the better. That’s why we love how lightweight polycarbonate windshields are.
So there you have it—four reasons why polycarbonate windshields are superior to acrylic. From extreme impact resistance to being super lightweight, you really can’t go wrong with poly.
To find the right windshield for your side-by-side, you don’t need to do much more than jump on our website. We have multiple styles to suit any rider’s needs: full, half, flip down, flip, and rear.
Plastic windshields aren’t your thing? We’ve still got you covered—check out our selection of glass UTV windshields!
10 Comments
I was just wondering I have the flip up super ATV windshield I bought from you guys a couple years ago can you tell me what kind of cleaner I can put on the windshield and what kind of cloth to use on it so I don’t scratch it
Hey Adam! We’ve got just the guide for you. This will tell you what exactly you need to clean your poly windshield: https://www.superatv.com/offroad-atlas/how-to-clean-and-care-for-your-polycarbonate-windshield/ Thanks for the support!
Can rainx be used on them , or is there another repellent that can be used
Hey Tim! Check out our article on how to clean and care for your polycarbonate windshield: https://www.superatv.com/offroad-atlas/how-to-clean-and-care-for-your-polycarbonate-windshield/ Thanks for the support!
How to put windshield clamps on my windshield?
Hey Wendy! What machine and windshield style do you have? We have installation videos that help walk you through this. If you let me know, I can send you the link you need. Or you can search from the homepage. We’re happy to help either way!
Was really wondering if rainx can be used , or something different that works the same,to see in the rain
Rain-x isn’t something that we use on our windshields, but we have seen where a lot of people do on forums.
I need a replacement driver’s door window for a 1990 TVR 400SE (aka ‘Wedge’, formerly known as TVR ‘Tasmins’). I am thinking about using polycarbonate as a replacement since there are no window glasses available, new or recycled, anywhere on planet Earth. I am also considering replacing the windscreen with polycarbonate as this has a small crack across the lower RH corner (out of line of sight, so no a n MOT issue), but probably should be dealt with sooner rather than later. Glass windscreens also seem to be in short supply. I understand that a polycarbonate windscreen would also be road legal, the MOT requirement being that there is good visibility through the windscreen.
What are the differences, if any, between PC, Lexan, Makrolon and Makroclear. Lexan seems to be the preferred option for windscreens – is it laminated or some such thing?
Any comments regarding any of the above would be much appreciated.
Hey Howard, Lexan, Makrolon, and Makroclear are all brands of polycarbonate, and there are many more brands than that. They all give you the same, basic, ultra-tough polycarbonate that you need, but there are minor differences between them. For your use, you really can’t go wrong with any of them. But in our experience, we found that Lexan is a little easier to cut and bend than Makrolon, so that might help you shape it properly. None are laminated by default. I believe that’s an option on some, but I can’t seem to find the info to back that claim.
The real issue you’re going to run into running this as a windscreen on a road car is abrasion. You’ll need an abrasion resistant variant (Lexan Marguard or Markrolon AR, for example) but even then I’m not convinced it’ll stand up to the kind of debris your windshield typically faces on a roadway. And you can forget about using your windshield wipers too. They’ll scratch it up quickly. It could also be a challenge to match the curve of your frame.
So the short version: Lexan is a little easier to work with, make sure whatever you choose is scratch resistant, and I’d be exceedingly cautious using it for a windscreen on a road vehicle that you intent to use at high speed.
Hopefully that gets going in the right direction.