Digital Brainwaves

The wiper blades on my car had been in bad shape for a while, and I finally decided today they needed to be replaced. Knowing I could get good brands inexpensively at Wal Mart, off I went.

I was just about set to pick up a pair of Anco Winter Blades (the metal frame is encased in a thin rubber boot to keep the snow and ice out) when I spotted a model I hadn’t seen before from Michelin, called Radius.

The Radius wiper blade doesn’t have the metal frame with multiple joints that most blades have. Instead, it’s a single long, curved rubber beam that keeps the blade against the windshield. The blade is also supposed to last longer, as Michelin uses what they call “M-Guard Advanced Rubber Technology” in building the rubber compound to make the blade. I didn’t happen to see it on the packaging, but the website also indicates the top of the blade is designed to act as a spoiler, allowing wind resistance to help force the blade down onto the windshield.

It’s early in the season yet, so who knows what it’s going to do against snow and ice on my windshield. But I can definitely say that it’s the quietest wiper blade I’ve ever had on that car. If I didn’t see it moving and wiping while I was driving, I’d never know the wipers were on.

To be fair, these blades are a smidge under twice the price of the ones I was about to pick up instead. But running quieter, longer, with no way to clog from ice, I’m predicting it’ll be a good investment. I’ll be sure to report back continued good news and bad news on these blades as I come across it.