We have a ton of windshields available for a Polaris Ranger. You can get anything from a dark-tinted, polycarbonate half windshield to a full glass windshield with a wiper kit. With so many options, how do you know which windshield is best for a Polaris Ranger?
While you’re scoping out windshields for your side-by-side, you’ll want to consider both the design and the material it’s made of. Glass windshields are the most scratch-resistant option and are often paired with a handy windshield wiper kit. But they are easier to crack than polycarbonate and can come in fewer varieties.
On the other hand, polycarbonate windshields are extremely impact-resistant, tend to be lighter, and come in many different varieties like full, half, and flip windshields. SuperATV offers a large variety of windshields for the Polaris Ranger.
Let’s take a look at everything you have to choose from.
Glass windshields have a couple of things going for them over polycarbonate. Namely, they’re incredibly scratch- and abrasion-resistant. Much more so than even hard-coated polycarbonate.
With scratch resistance comes the ability to run a windshield wiper kit. This is a huge advantage for snow, rain, and even dust.
Polycarbonate windshields are stronger and lighter than glass. In fact, their incredible impact strength makes them almost 250 times more impact-resistant than glass. At SuperATV, we use a proprietary hard coating called XR Optic to greatly improve scratch resistance.
So, basically, polycarbonate is really tough. It’ll take hits from rocks, branches, and other debris and be less likely to crack than glass.
The big advantage of that toughness is that you can make a greater variety of windshields, including stuff like half windshields, that would be extremely tough to make with glass.
The classic choice is the full windshield. It helps protect your cab from debris and the elements.
You can get full windshields in either polycarbonate or glass material, so you have to ask yourself whether you value scratch resistance or impact strength more.
One thing to consider is that full windshields create a suction effect in your cab. When you ride with just a full windshield and nothing else installed on your cab, air gets sucked in from the sides. Normally that’s no big deal, but it can be a pain on dusty trails, especially.
Half windshields are designed to divert air without totally sealing off your cab. The outward tilting lip at the top of the windshield curves air up and over the riders’ heads for a more comfortable ride.
The effect is more pronounced the faster you go. They tend to be very popular in the hotter regions of the country. Getting continuously buffeted by dry air is super uncomfortable, but sealing up your cab makes riding unbearably hot in these regions.
A flip windshield is a great option to keep on your vehicle year-round. That’s because it can be opened fully to allow maximum airflow on a hot day, and closed fully when the wind gets a little too chilly.
Many SuperATV flip windshields have the added feature of being able to be opened partially to help keep out bugs, rain, or debris, but let the air flow in on a hot day. They can also be easily opened and closed from inside the cab.
It’s a utility-focused windshield for a utility-focused UTV.
A Polaris Ranger flip-down windshield is our most popular flip windshield design. Instead of flipping up, you just stop your Ranger safely, undo the straps holding it to the cage, and tip it out. It rests on your hood, and you can fasten it down to make sure it doesn’t bounce around.
The polycarbonate is XR Optic hard-coated for long-lasting clarity and scratch resistance. We designed it for off-road use, so it can take some abuse.
It gives you another versatile option for when you’re not sure what the weather’s going to do. And you can leave it on through every season.
Get a Glass Windshield!
If you use your Polaris Ranger for work and chores, the choice is clear (no pun intended). A glass windshield gives you the reliability and durability to match the hard work that your Ranger puts in. The glass itself is the most scratch-resistant windshield material you can get—it keeps your view clearer for longer.
When you combine its durability with included quality-of-life features like the hand wiper and the sliding vents, you get a windshield that can handle it all. Use the wiper in the rain and snow to keep your view clear, then slide the vent open when the weather gets warm.
You can even upgrade to a MaxDrive Power Flip Windshield for your Polaris Ranger to let you open it, close it, and set it to any position in between using the dash-mounted rocker switch. It’s great for keeping up with changing weather year-round and on long days.
The point is: a glass windshield is the best for your Polaris Ranger because it’s built for all the same work as your Ranger!
But…
If that’s not how you use your Ranger, if you’re more of a trail rider who likes to put the pedal down with your buddies on the weekend, you’ll probably get better use out of a polycarbonate windshield for your Polaris Ranger. Polycarbonate is much more impact-resistant than glass, so hits from rooster tails and low-hanging branches are less likely to crack it.
On top of that, our XR Optic Hard Coating is one of the best coatings you can get, and it helps bring poly scratch resistance much closer to glass’s scratch resistance.
Whatever Ranger windshield you go with, it’s a heck of a lot better than riding without one! Check out all our Polaris Ranger windshields.
Disclaimer: This article was written by an employee of SuperATV. The views, opinions, and recommendations expressed in this blog are the writer’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of SuperATV. This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as safety advice or official technical guidance. Modifying vehicles and using aftermarket parts can impact performance and safety. Readers are responsible for ensuring proper installation, compatibility, and safe operation. SuperATV makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information and assumes no liability for any actions taken based on it.
2 Comments
Would a manual wiper scratch the polycarbonate windshield ?
Hey Tom. It did in our testing. If you want a wiper, you’re gonna need a glass windshield. Nothing else is hard enough for it, not even hard-coated poly. Thanks for reading!