Sea To Summit Ultra Sil Trekking Umbrella (Black)

These umbrella's really hold up to wind and rain. We got our first one in Canada at Lake Louise on a vacation trip. We took it to Athabasca Glacier and the wind and rain was strong but so was the umbrella. The reason for my purchase is we wanted a second one for my wife. I adopted the first one and haven't turned loose of it. Also good for keeping the sun off.Great Product!

I tested this out over a rainy weekend hiking in the Accursed Mountains, and I can't believe I didn't start using a trekking umbrella sooner. Obviously it doesn't work in anything more than a light wind, but in the forest and wind-sheltered areas It's a game-changer. It allows me to stay comfortably dry from the rain, but more importantly it let's me work hard on those uphills without overheating (like I would in a rain jacket). Another huge benefit is that it's collapsible. A fixed length umbrella would just be too inconvenient to carry, but this one fits nicely in the side water bottle pocket of my pack. While it does add a little extra weight, I think it's worth it, and it's now a essential part of my hiking kit. Note: the canopy isn't large enough to cover both ... MoreI tested this out over a rainy weekend hiking in the Accursed Mountains, and I can't believe I didn't start using a trekking umbrella sooner. Obviously it doesn't work in anything more than a light wind, but in the forest and wind-sheltered areas It's a game-changer. It allows me to stay comfortably dry from the rain, but more importantly it let's me work hard on those uphills without overheating (like I would in a rain jacket). Another huge benefit is that it's collapsible. A fixed length umbrella would just be too inconvenient to carry, but this one fits nicely in the side water bottle pocket of my pack. While it does add a little extra weight, I think it's worth it, and it's now a essential part of my hiking kit. Note: the canopy isn't large enough to cover both you and your pack, and the rain will run off the top directly onto your pack, so use a raincover too.

I have not hiked with an umbrella before. Never even considered it. As I started to consider what really matters to me in practical application, an umbrella made more and more sense. I like to shelter from the sun more than a hat will provide (overheat easily regardless of apparel), and as much as I love the rain, I also like to stay mostly dry.Researching options, there were a good four that were on the short list. The more I considered the feature sets, the more the Sea to Summit trekking umbrella moved up the list. I purchased it, wanted to test it out in live application. Happy to report that it has been excellent so far.First, it does an excellent job in shedding rain. I went on an extended walk this past weekend with the rain coming down in a steady pour. ... MoreI have not hiked with an umbrella before. Never even considered it. As I started to consider what really matters to me in practical application, an umbrella made more and more sense. I like to shelter from the sun more than a hat will provide (overheat easily regardless of apparel), and as much as I love the rain, I also like to stay mostly dry.Researching options, there were a good four that were on the short list. The more I considered the feature sets, the more the Sea to Summit trekking umbrella moved up the list. I purchased it, wanted to test it out in live application. Happy to report that it has been excellent so far.First, it does an excellent job in shedding rain. I went on an extended walk this past weekend with the rain coming down in a steady pour. No leaks, no wet through, just water rolling off as I hoped. Perfect!Second, it functions very well in cutting down on the amount of sun on my head, neck, and torso. I feel much cooler, and noticed it today on a 2 hour walk in the direct sunshine. Worth noting, this is not reflective on the outside surface, so temperatures will be overall higher than some other hike/trek umbrellas.The one gotcha that took me longer to figure out than I like to admit... When extending the umbrella fully, I ended up with a shallow "bowl" in the center where the armature of the canopy is. That made no sense, and I kept wondering why my umbrella did not look like the product photos. Finally (after many, many minutes looking at it), I gave the terminus of one of the armature arms a tug. Boom! The whole shaped popped into a... well, umbrella shape. Lesson learned.This is a great buy, and I expect it to last for a long time to come. As I get out further afield, and keep testing it, I will revise the review.