We made a few adjustments to the Starlet’s wiper arms and dialed it out. The Silblade Premium and its frame-type PIAA contender developed a slight squeak at the bottom right of the passenger side wiper arm sweep. The connector kept the wiper in the zone across the entire sweep with no deflection. No special break-in was required, and the Silblade delivered excellent performance minutes after installation. Hooking the Silblade up to the wiper arm was uneventful, and the pre-installed connector fit firmly on the bayonet arm with a positive click. SilBlade’s patented silicone rubber formula adds graphite and PTFE for improved performance from the same stuff that makes fried eggs slide out of the pan. The traditional steel chassis wears a powder-coated finish for durable good looks, and the six-point structure maintains even blade pressure on the windshield. The SilBlade Premium is the company’s conventional frame style product. Glossy finish and dual logos might not be for everybody.Slightly heavier than its conventional frame-style silicone wiper competitors.Premium powder-coat finish outshines the competition in style.Six-point frame design maintains even pressure across the length of the silicone blade.Check your local laws first if you want a flock of ducks. Their beaks likely shed water better than the wiper, but the Michelin duckbill design beat the low-speed waddlers in high-speed noise reduction. The spray testing rig was so appealing to the Pekin ducks next door that they came over for some water of their own. The duckbill-shaped aerodynamic leading edge was particularly effective against water in static and road tests. I’m not sure of the science involved in the procedure, but it worked. The instructions stated to run the new wipers on a dry windshield for at least five minutes to break in the Endurance XT QuadTech 4-layer coated silicone blade. Michelin recommended a clean windshield like any other manufacturer, but the break-in procedure was a little unusual. The well-designed connector made installation a snap. The advanced silicone compound blade can handle searing 195-degree heat and remains flexible down to minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Rounded leading edge shape can clash with some design languageĮxcellent performance, realistic durability claims, and ready availability earned the Michelin Endurance XT our overall Best Silicone Wiper pick.Unconventional break-in procedure required for peak performance.Duckbill-shaped leading edge deflects water and reduces wind noise.Improved durability across a broader range of temperature extremes.

Rain x wiper blades