Author: Gloria Recio

When I bought my Bronco, I definitely didn’t buy it just to keep it clean and drive it around town.

I wanted something I could actually use. Something I could take off-road, load up for a road trip, get dirty, and take places where you’re probably going to come home with a few new stories and maybe a few new scratches.

But preparing my Bronco for the Rebelle Rally was a completely different level of preparation.

The Rebelle Rally is an eight-day, off-road navigation rally covering more than 1,500 miles through the deserts of Nevada and California. And for me, getting to the starting line was an adventure in itself. I was driving my Bronco all the way from Texas to California, competing in the rally, and then driving it all the way back home to Texas afterward.

So I wasn’t just preparing my Bronco for eight days in the desert. I was preparing it for thousands of miles of highway driving on top of everything the rally was going to throw at it.

Preparing for More Than Just a Road Trip

When you’re preparing for something like the Rebelle, you start thinking about every part of your vehicle.

Tires. Recovery gear. Suspension. Tools. What happens if something breaks. What you absolutely need to bring and what you can leave behind.

And somewhere in that process, I started thinking about my windshield.

If you own a Bronco, you probably already know why.

That big, upright windshield seems to have a special talent for catching rocks. Add thousands of highway miles and more than 1,500 miles of rally terrain, and I knew my windshield was going to get plenty of opportunities to meet something flying through the air.

The last thing I wanted was to spend all this time preparing my Bronco only to end up dealing with a cracked or damaged windshield somewhere along the journey.

That’s when ExoShield became part of my Rebelle prep.

Installing ExoShield Myself

One thing I liked about ExoShield was that I could install it myself.

I’ll admit, anytime you’re applying something to your windshield, there’s a little bit of that “please don’t let me screw this up feeling”.

But I took my time, followed the process, and made sure the windshield was properly prepped before starting. Like most DIY projects, patience makes a difference.

I installed the kit myself without any help and I want to say it took me about 2 hours because I needed to make sure to not make any mistakes! If you can, have a buddy help. It would make a HUGE difference!!

Once it was installed, though, I really didn’t want to think about it anymore.

I wasn’t going to the Rebelle to test windshield protection. I was going there to navigate across the desert, challenge myself, and see what my Bronco and I could handle.

ExoShield was just there to do its job.

Texas to California and Then Into the Desert

Before I even reached the starting line, ExoShield was already being put to work.

I drove my Bronco from Texas all the way to California. That’s a lot of highway miles, a lot of trucks, and a lot of opportunities for rocks and road debris to get kicked up.

Then came the Rebelle.

Long days behind the wheel. Dirt roads. Rocks. Dust everywhere and I mean everywhere. The kind of terrain where your Bronco isn’t exactly being treated gently.

And my windshield definitely took some hits.

I had a few pretty significant rock impacts during the journey. When I looked at the windshield afterward, I could actually see where the ExoShield film itself had taken damage from the impacts.

But underneath it?

My windshield was fine. Even though I didn’t have time to stop and clean the wipers throughout the day, visibility was still perfect. In a controlled environment, I highly recommend keeping your wipers clean to prevent scratches on the film. I got a few because there was just not time but I’m still running the same film and I have no issues!!

That was probably the moment when windshield protection went from something I was hoping would help to something I was genuinely glad I had installed.

The film took the damage instead of the glass.

And when you’re hundreds of miles from home and depending on your Bronco every single day, that’s exactly what you want it to do.

One Less Thing to Worry About

The Rebelle Rally gives you plenty to think about already.

You’re navigating without GPS, dealing with constantly changing terrain, spending long days behind the wheel, and trying to make smart decisions while you’re tired, dusty, and pushing yourself.

Every little thing you can take off your mental checklist helps.

Once I saw that ExoShield was doing its job, my windshield became one less thing I needed to worry about. If I heard something hit the glass, I didn’t immediately have that sinking feeling of wondering whether I had just chipped or cracked my windshield.

I could keep driving and focus on what I was there to do.

And Then I Had to Drive Home

Finishing the Rebelle wasn’t the end of the journey for my Bronco.

I still had to turn around and drive it from California all the way back to Texas.

By the time I finally pulled back into Texas, my Bronco had gone from highway miles to desert terrain, through the entire Rebelle Rally, and then right back onto the highway for the long trip home.

That’s a pretty good real-world test for any piece of equipment.

Looking at my Bronco afterward, the dirt, dust, and little marks told the story of where we’d been. And yes, the ExoShield film had some battle scars of its own.

I actually liked seeing them.

Because every mark on that film was damaged that wasn’t on my windshield.

What I’d Tell Another Bronco Owner

Even if you’re building a Bronco that’s mostly going to see pavement, windshield protection should be one of the first things on your modification list.

If you’re planning to off-road, overland, take long road trips, or do something as demanding as the Rebelle Rally, I’d seriously consider protecting your windshield before the adventure instead of thinking about it after that first rock hits.

For me, ExoShield wasn’t about keeping my Bronco perfect.

My Bronco is meant to be used, and I’m completely okay with it coming home dirty and carrying a few reminders of the places we’ve been.

It was about protecting one vulnerable and potentially expensive part of a vehicle that I was asking a lot from.

I drove my Bronco from Texas to California, competed in more than 1,500 miles of the Rebelle Rally, and then drove it all the way back to Texas. Along the way, my windshield took some real hits.

The ExoShield film shows evidence of those hits.

My windshield doesn’t.

And after an adventure like that, I think that pretty much tells the story.

Prepare for the things you can control, protect what makes sense to protect, and then get out there and actually use your Bronco.

Because that’s where the good stories come from.