Rain Repellents Tested

Boost visibility in wet weather with a rain repellent. We take our pick from 10 of the best

Auto Express Car Reviews

August 2011

A good rain repellent does exactly what it says on the tin. Apply one to your screen or side windows, and water just runs off, making wipers pretty much redundant. Some drivers can’t live with the opaque mist that follows the blades when you use a repellent, but these products keep side and rear glass clearer for longer, and make shifting ice easier in winter.

Since our last test, reigning champion ProVision gel has been dropped from the Comma line-up. Plus, detailing specialist Dodo Juice has launched its own kit, while the Australian EnduroShield formula has been revamped. We applied 10 to pick a clear winner.

The Test

Some treatments claim to last up to a year, so we more than doubled our testing time to 10 weeks. Once again, we divided a car’s screen into sections and applied each product according to the maker’s instructions, under a wiper blade’s sweep.

We assessed water beading throughout the test, plus checked progress on the road during showers. Ease of application was also a factor, and we rated value for money, too. All the prices quoted exclude delivery.

Verdict

Revised EnduroShield formula takes the honours in this test as it delivers remarkable stamina. Throughout our assessment, this product showed absolutely no sign of flagging.

Diamondbrite secures the second spot on the podium, and bridges the gap between the super-durable sealants like our winner and the conventional products that need topping up every few weeks.

Rounding out our top three is Dodo Juice. While its Supernatural treatment is the most expensive and tricky to apply, it repels rain as well as our winner.

Our budget choice and pick of the conventional repellents is the brilliant-value Mer Rainaway.

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4 Comments

A good Aussie product takes the gong eh....wow. I dont know about the big glass areas on a car, but where is the product that will keep side mirrors clear? Usually out of any direct rain, they still get wet, and stay wet, and virtually render their use impossible, which seriously up the ante in the safety stakes. Youre left with your rearview mirror, through a wet back screen, which may or may not have a wiper. Cars have improved majorly in many areas, but in others they are still locked in the early 20th century.

By barina47 on 7 August, 2011, 3:30am

Did you test the products at twilight & at night in the wet against oncoming headlights?

My own experience is never to use repellents on windscreens, as they cause halos/light defractions, which actually worsen nightime vision, particularly in the wet!

Side & back windows only.

Mitre

By mikesec on 9 August, 2011, 3:25pm

@mikesec Check out Carlack's rain repellent kit. I haven't found it suffers from any of the issues you have found.

By Neil_Magill on 10 August, 2011, 12:31pm

Side mirrors

Hi barina47, the Police in Scotland are using EnduroShield on the side mirrors of their police cars - it's one of the reasons they love the product so much. They've noticed a huge difference in rear visibility by applying the product to side mirrors and rear windscreens, particularly in cars without rear wipers.

Mikesec - EnduroShield isn't prone to smearing so it's perfectly safe on front windscreens. I'vee never experienced a problem (or heard of) a problem in this regard.

By panman on 12 August, 2011, 1:23pm

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