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Rainpal: A USB-charging windshield wiper for your helmet

While the premise is simple, the final product is anything but.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
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Andrew Krok

Ask anyone who's done it: Riding in the rain can be a major pain in the tuchus. One British company aims to solve that by doing something that we're surprised hasn't been done sooner -- attaching a windshield wiper to your helmet.

Rainpal's premise is as straightforward as its name -- it'll let you ride better when the going gets wet. It attaches to your helmet via an adhesive strip, and the wiper itself can be removed with just a click. It packs everything you'd expect of a windshield-wiper system, including varying speeds and an internal fluid reservoir. A simple piece of rubber and a small motor, this ain't.

Its battery is swappable, but you probably won't need to carry more than one, because that battery will last approximately 90 minutes with continuous wiping -- and twice as long with a 2.0-second delay. You can also charge Rainpal with a USB cord either on your bike or inside your home.

Gizmag pointed out that Rainpal's 5.3-ounce weight makes your helmet about 8 percent heavier, but if you happen to get caught in the rain more often than you'd like, this could be a good solution. One Rainpal will set you back about $70. You can control it via a switch on the system, or you can buy an optional wireless controller for about $15.