As far as wipers go, there is junk and the rest are about the same. Nothing really stands out over the longer term

 

Bosch ICON is my first choice

 

Valeo Ultimates. I'll never go back to anything else.

I like the Bosch ICO blades

I also use the Valeo Ultimate lines... HK series for most of the year and W series for the snow/ice/etc (which doesn't apply to you)

I get them from Rock Auto

VALEO 17HK $7.03
VALEO 26HK $8.82

VALEO W17 $6.61
VALEO W26 $7.38

For the rear I use this:
BOSCH H354 $4.61

I have 2 x 2017 Foresters and got tired of the paying $50 for a set of OE wipers. So I wanted checked in here and per your advise, purchased a set of Bosch ICONs for one of the Foresters and a set of VALEO HK for the other. Both vehicles are used in the same conditions so I will be able to compare the performance and longevity of both brands. The Bosch ICONs are more expansive so I will see if they are worth the extra expense.

A special thanks to ToddC for listing the exact part numbers from Rock Auto to make ordering the correct units real simple.

Thanks to all and I'll update in a while after so observations have been made.

 

I installed a set of Rain-X on both the wife and daughters car - seem to be holding up pretty good.

 

I used to use Rain-X. Then I had two sets in a row where the blade split away rom the body of the wiper and the blade itself would not remain locked in. Decided then no more Rain-X for me...only Bosch.

 

Valeo Ultimates. I'll never go back to anything else.

 

I like the Bosch ICO blades

 

Goodyear wipers from Costco $4.99 when on sale and they wipe efficiently and last.

 

If Costco's Goodyear wipers are near that price I'll buy them. For about 1/6th of the cost of "premium" blades it's more cost effective to replace them as needed, whether that's in 6 months or every few years.

I live along California's Central Coast where it rarely rains from early spring until late fall. We have no worries about snow, sleet or slush in the winter.

 

Trico NeoForm worked well for me as a beam-style blade. Just get them on Rock Auto for cheap. Don't forget to replace your rears too.

 

I buy the one from Costco, we have Michelin, dunno what brand yours have. Tried expensive ones and they don't last any longer.

OEM wiper arm is horrible for below freezing, the joints freeze very easily and impossible to clean out the ice so wiper never follows the windshield curve. If the rear blade attachment wasn't proprietary I would replace that too.

 

The way to make them last a long time is to wipe them down every six months or so with 303 Protectant. It really works.
We have very high levels if UV and heat here in the desert southwest and especially at 5000 feet elevation and rubber (along with everything else exposed to the elements) takes a beating.
-Charlie-

 

Checking the Trico website, Find Your Wiper Size | TRICO® Windshield Wipers, shows that my Forester needs 26" blades for the driver's side and 17" blades for the passenger side. They don't show the size needed for the rear wiper. I'll measure the rear wiper.

One of my first choices is whether to buy wiper blades that fit traditional/oem wiper blade arms. Or whether to buy new Beam style blades. I'd appreciate any helpful pro and con thoughts about this?

Trico offers 12 different wiper products, Windshield Wiper Products for Drivers | TRICO® Windshield Wipers. Bosch shows 14 different wiper products, https://www.boschautoparts.com/en/auto/wiper-blades, that fit my Forester. My initial urge is to choose one of the top rated wiper blades.

I've never bought/used premium quality wiper blades. I'm not convinced whether they will last (much) longer and perform (much) better. Based on prices from local auto parts stores replacing my front wiper blades with premium blades could cost nearly $60. Plus the cost for the rear wipers. Ouch!

Trying to figure out the benefits vs. the costs is challenging. Trico's website says to replace you wipers every 6 months. I've never needed to do that. It would be very costly for "premium" wipers.

For a comparison I'll go to Costco to see what they stock and how much they cost. Costco's web site shows they sell Goodyear Hybrid Wiper Blades. It does not provide prices.

 

They don't show the size needed for the rear wiper. I'll measure the rear wiper.

You won't find one, the rear blade attachment is proprietary and no one makes a replacement.

 

I’ve tried a few different types of blades over the years also. The more expensive, didn’t really do anything better IMO. Recently bought some traditional Rain-X for one of my vehicles. They were cheaper priced, and seem to flow smoothly and clean well. Blades for Subaru’s are under warranty for 36 months. I stopped into parts at a dealership to buy a rear blade refill recently. The parts guy asked about my mileage, then sent me to service and saved me $14.00. I would experiment with different brands, until you find someone you like. More money isn’t always better.


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I also use the Valeo Ultimate lines... HK series for most of the year and W series for the snow/ice/etc (which doesn't apply to you)

I get them from Rock Auto

VALEO 17HK $7.03
VALEO 26HK $8.82

VALEO W17 $6.61
VALEO W26 $7.38

For the rear I use this:
BOSCH H354 $4.61

 

@Steve B. you can't just measure a rear wiper. there's a few different clip styles. i got mine from rock auto. best to order for 2 cars than they only tack on a buck shipping for additionals. if you want the original style your foz came with that would be the hybrid frame.

 

I really don't know what replacement windshield wipers I need or want for my 2015 Forester. I'm very open to installing higher quality, more costly, wipers if they'll work better and last longer than the OEM ones. I've had the Forester longer than 36 months. So the cost and choice of what to buy is all up to me. My area has a moderate, Mediterranean, climate. I don't need wipers for severe wet, cold and icy conditions.

Thanks for the suggestions. It's helping me sort out the choices.

 

I run Bosch. Usually get 4 years or so from a set and that's through all sorts of garbage Canadian weather. Winter isn't nice to wipers. The Bosch are a low profile and work great.

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The rear wiper blade is 14" long and there are several OEM-style choices available on Amazon and RockAuto from companies like Bosch, Trico, and Anco. Here's one example: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1301962&cc=3438649&jsn=392

 

Several years ago Consumer Reports tested wiper blades. Their conclusion was buy inexpensive ones as none lasted more than 6 months. This has worked for me on 7 or 8 cars. Set yourself a reminder to change them every 6 months. Since I live in Houston one of my change dates is the beginning of hurricane season!

 

I think YMMV may vary significantly with climate and region. I can say that Subaru OEM's seem to last longer than others. I had factory wipers on my Nissan go south after 12-16 months. Meanwhile on my Subaru Crosstrek, the wipers went nearly 3 years without ever streaking or needing to be replaced.

 

Look in to PIAA super silicone, lasts years and only need inserts replaced and not the whole blade as majority other brands would like you to do.

 

Bosch ICON. NYT's Wirecutter column chose them as the best. My last pair lasted 22 months.

 

Wiper blades are covered by Subaru manufacturers warranty for the duration of the above.

 

Our local Walmart sells the Michelin blades which I've been using for the past couple of years; they're to be recommended. A little more expensive than the junk cheap ones but well worth it.

 

I have tried the Goodyear blades from Costco twice on my three vehicles and they work great around town, but on the freeways at speeds over 55 mph they start to float and are useless. If you never go over 50 mph, they're are great, but here in the SF Bay Area we live on the freeways and they are useless.

 

I've narrowed my most likely choices for replacement wiper blades for the front windshield down to: Bosch Icon, PIAA Super Silicone (they're refillable which may lower long term costs), TRICO Force or Rain-X Latitude.

For the rear window I'm considering using either a TRICO Exact Fit 14B or a Bosch Rear Wiper Blade H354.

 

I highly recommend Bosch ICON...I have tried all of the above mentioned over the last 20 years...and also Rain-X's top of the line blade. Nothing, to me, beats the BOSCH. I buy them on Amazon as they are far cheaper than the parts stores. However, with that being said, Subaru does offer replacement blades for 3/36 while its under warranty so why not just take the freebies until the warranty runs out??? That's what I'm doing as the Suby blades are actually pretty good.