My question for you guys is, has anyone else had good luck with Rain Eaters? I've heard that they're better than the Bosch Icon's. What kind of longevity have you guys gotten with the Icon's?

 

Raineater review

Hey -

We are looking forward to the review. Let us know if there is an issue with them and we will replace them for free.

- Raineater

 

UPDATE

I've had my Raineater wiper blades on for about 3 months now and I have to say I couldn't be happier with the performance. I can't wait for the winter months here in Illinois to really put them to the test. When I received them I was impressed with how well they were packaged and was really shocked to see a hand written card with a pen included. The install was super easy and you can be sure they are not going anywhere. The new ones went on just like how the factory blades came off. I have bragged about Raineater to everyone that I know. I will definitely be buying Raineater blades in the future. Thanks again Raineater for providing such a great product.

 

If you keep your windshield clean it really doesn't matter what blades you use. Put something like Optimum OptiGlass or even OptiSeal and you will rarely use your wipers anyways.

 

If you keep your windshield clean it really doesn't matter what blades you use.

This is might be true in warm weather climates, but a beam style blade without all the mechanical movements is much better in winter climates due to not getting froze with ice.

 

i usually stick with Bosch or trico neoform. down here in Florida if you wax your glass you hardly hardly need them but wipers are so crucial why cheap out on them? does waxing the glass help at any up north in cold and snow spacedout? i plan on moving to new Hampshire in two years so ill face that issue soon

 

Nope. I deal with rain/snow in Denver and it's not the stuff that's falling, it's the crud kicked up by tires that coats the windshield. New Hampshire is the same way.

 

Pandrad61, what do you use for wax on your glass?

 

I use a synthetic wax from mothers good stuff. Gotta be very meticulous with it though. After you wash it, and run a clay bar over it. Better than rainx every day.

 

I have had great luck with Wall Mart specials and RainX coating over the years. Cheap blades last 2 to 3 years easily since my vechicles are garaged and rarely see snow.

 

Il. hear. I use rain-X. I've had the same small bottle for years now and will never drive with out it. I use to use the rain-X windshield wiper fluid. That works good too, in rain and snow. Only stopped using it cuz I got to the dealer for oil changes now. For wipers... I can't recall if a certain pair was good or not.

 

Pandrad61, what do you use for wax on your glass?

i was always a fan of nu finish once a year wax because its a fantastic price and super easy to work. i wax every 2 months anyway so even not the most expensive wax wont matter. might be switching to kleen paint sealer that they use on airplanes. last way longer in Florida heat and sand. i wax the windshield because rain x after a week is all gone and 2 days of florida rain is no good. with wax on the glass and a great hand buff rain acts like rain x windshield but last way longer and the glass is so shiny you can see yourself in it

 

I have some NuFinish at home. I'll have to give that a shot this weekend. Mind if I pm you about this?

 

Anytime I got any type car wax on the glass the wipers skipped a bit. Hasn't happen with RainX and it usually lasts a month or so before it's useless.

 

I just bought a set online there's a special 17 bucks a set.

 

I've had them for a month and there best I've every had. Way better and cleaner then icons. I live in Vancouver and dam there clear. I'll probably order a back up set just I Case.

 

I've had my Rain X latitudes for 6 months, and still think they are better than the previous Bosch icons I had.

 

My car will be two years old on February 28th. Still running the factory original wipers

 

Do you park in a garage or shade 1/2 the time? Its the summer heat and sun that really destroys blades. My father goes south for the winter so his truck sees 80F+ days year round. He has to replace his wipers twice a year because of the environment they are in.

 

Nope. Used all winter, car stays outside because my nova takes up the garage. I do wipe the blade off with glass cleaner every couple months though as it starts to smear instead of wipe. Seems to make them like new again.

 

Well I ended up biting the bullet and got new wipers. Gf was complaining about the wipers and I obviously had gotten used to them because when I checked them they were streaky.

Bought bosch icons (24A and 18A) blades. First thing I noticed was how well they wiped and the second was how quiet they are. Cost $60 with taxes but I'd rather do them now than in the middle of a winter storm.

 

I put Icons on mine about a month ago too. They seem to be a step up from the Trico beams I had before, which were a big step up from the frame type blades. They do work really well in winter weather, but you may get some noise when the glass is very cold.

I also "wax" all my glass with Meguiar's D156 (ultimate quik wax in bulk). Same thing as Rain-X...creates a hydrophobic barrier, i.e. repels water. Light water is simply pushed off the glass by wind, while heavier amounts wipe away easier. I have never used the high wiper speed since I started doing this many years ago. I think it helps just as much at low speeds in city driving because the water beads up, and wipes away better even without wind. On glass that doesn't have wipers, same thing, beads up, blows off, or trickles down faster with wax.

It's also a good idea to wax your headlights so ice, and whatever else has a harder time sticking to them.

 

i just got the icons for my jeep that my girlfriend uses as well. i got them with buy one get one at 10$ off so i paid 34$ for the icons. what a world of difference then the semi cheap ones. my jeep has a bit of less then flat glass and these wipe with not a single smudge or streak. so far i give them Florida rain storm approval ( i wax the glass so i never need wiper but better to have and not need)

 

You use actual wax? Doesn't that cause blurring headlights at night?

 

yup the same wax i use on the cruze and the jeeps paint i use on the glass. go figure it is invisible when you know how to buff with a rag. for the windshield i use the cheap stuff, nuFinish and it buffs away crystal clear and even in our thunderstorms the water touches and beads off. its basically rain x but last longer. i also use it on my motorcycle helmet visor

 

I may try this. Get any build up on the windshield wipers?

 

Wax of rainX on the wind shield only work if your driving 60mph+, below that speed the bead action doesn't self clean with the help of aerodynamics.

We needed a mission critical part for work that was 4 states away, shipping it could be days for us to get it, so my boss send me in a truck to go get it. When I got to work my boss was waxing the windshield since I was gonna be hitting major storms along the way, at 75mph I needed no wipers when everyone else had to slow down and had their wipers on full speed.

 

Hmm. I don't do tons of 60+ driving but it's got to help a little

 

no build up on the blades, i also when washing the car soap and sponge the blades to get dirt off of them.
spacedout is right that more speed is a huge help, it also depends the type of windshield, my jeep is a much more hard angle so slower 45mph wind has more effect and drag and beads the water off, the cruse around 50 i found does a great job of wiping the water off. in all honesty even in lower speed i don't end up needing them

 

Normally I use Rain-X on my windshields and have for years. One thing I have noticed with Rain-X is that in heavier rainstorms, the water just beads off no problem. When you're in fog, the water does bead, but makes smaller beads and doesn't run off. That's just parked. When I'm driving, I have also noted that below about 50 mph, water doesn't blow off the windshield very easily. Once it does start, I almost never have to use the wipers. My previous car, a Saturn S-Series, had a windshield that was probably just an itch steeper angled than this one and water would start blowing off once I reached about 35, and definitely by 45 mph. When I used it on my pickup, that would all start about 30-32 mph and the windshield would be clearing of water by 35 mph.