Rain X Latitude Wiper Blades for my 2004 Prius

When your vehicle service guys warn you that your wipers are starting to come apart, it is always a challenge to figure out just what to replace them with. Do you go with the cheaper style that came on the car which is pretty much the older standard wiper that you can just thread into the existing mounts, or do you opt for a totally new style of blade and holder? Well, in this case I decided to go with a newer design and chose the Rain X Latitude. It remains to be seen how good these will be long term, but I have gotten a bit tired of the more standard blades and how they work in the rain. The longer one on the driver side does hop at times in lite rain. Increasing the delay helps a bit. The Rain X Latitude is a completely different appearing style of holder and blade. Here are the listed specs. They are available in many sizes. That is good for me since my car requires two different sizes; one 26 inches for the driver side, and one 18 inches for the passenger. I also have a shorter wiper on the back window, but I did not have to replace that one this time. Features Blended graphite coated rubber blade for (claimed) clean chatter free wipe Built in spoiler reduces drag, noise and wind lift Prevents buildup of ice and snow through elimination of exposed metal components Durable rubber encased substructure for increased wiper flexibility and adherence to windshield in harsh conditions Beam blade will fit all 8 wiper arm clips In use these wipers do seem to be much quieter than my previous blades. They do fit against the curves of my windshield as advertised. When you lift them away from the window, they bend down in a curve away from the center tab. Driving there is less wind noise, something you really can notice in a car that is as quiet as a Prius. I have not really used this present configuration in icy conditions yet, so I can’t say how they work in snow. But, looking at them as I have so far, I would feel better about these than the wipers they replaced. On the downside, I guess there is nothing really as perfect as some manufacturers claim. About the chatter free and clean wipe. . . In my car I can see two different size blades going at the same time. Both the 26” and the 18” can and do get things stuck under them that leave a streaky surface. Sure, it is clean but if you expect that to mean a total end to streaks, this blade is not perfect. Also, about the chatter free wipe. . . This may be a function of the length of your blades. The shorter 18” passenger side wiper appears to wipe smoothly as advertised. But the lower portion of the 26” blade tends to wiggle noticeably on its advertised "chatter free" wipe. I still do not notice any noise from this, but it is a bit of a distraction. I do recommend these, but you should be aware of the quirks as noted for the longer blades. The blade wiggle noted just be a function of the length of the blade or the type of windshield in the Prius. Your installation may differ.