windshields,Aftermarket wiper blades just seem to smear water on my windshield

Aftermarket wiper inserts don't seem to wipe the windshield properly on my Altima. The driver's side is especially bad – they don't clear the rain once they're about 12 inches from the hood. The top part of the blade just seems to smear the water, and leave streaks near the top. I have tried three different sets of wiper inserts, all different brands. There's no dust or sand here, no temperature extremes, average humidity, etc. The climate is pretty moderate. When I say "inserts", I mean the metal and rubber that attaches to the wiper arms.