Umbrellas

[pauly_j]

I use a euroschirm liteflex. It's incredible. It's the same as the 'Chrome Dome (they used to make them before they went bust) but a little heavier duty and a little heavier. I have the same hands-free setup mentioned above. I have an elastic loop and toggle on each strap. I only need one as it has it's own elastic toggle loop on the bottom of the handle.

It pings up and down super easy when you need it to and, because none of it is metal, you don't have the nightmare of it breaking or going inside out.

I would say to take a rain shell on top though. If you're exposed you might not want to have an umbrella up. When you're doing something practical like pitching a tent, hanging a bear bag, etc. you can't do it while holding an umbrella. It will also keep you from getting super cold if it's windy.

[sbhikes]

I like umbrellas. It feels so sensible when you're hiking in one. However, your lower arms and your legs don't get much coverage if it's raining hard. I tried to make do with plastic baggies on my lower arms but it didn't work that well. An umbrella doesn't work that well if there's a lot of wet brush encroaching the trail or it's very windy. It's a good idea to have a rain jacket for cold rain, but for warm rain, it's not a huge problem to get a little bit wet. You're going to be wet inside a rain jacket in warm rain anyway.

I actually prefer umbrellas for sun and will use it for sun more often than for rain. On hot days I soak my hair with a wet bandana, take my hat off (because the hat ruins the effect) and wear the wet bandana on my head. If it's really hot I will soak my shirt, too. With the umbrella shading me and a slight breeze, I'm so cool and comfortable it should be a crime.

[10-K]

Since hiking the PCT I take my umbrella every time. It's quite handy...

I hiked the Sheltowee Trace Trail again in January and it was a cold, rainy January day and morale was a bit low so I found a nice place to sit by a rock, took out my umbrella and brewed a cup of coffee and sat there and drank it in the rain covered by my umbrella. It was quite nice.

Works good with my tarp as well, I can position it around my head to block wind and rain.

It's far from a necessity but worth it IMO, even on the AT or hiking in the east.

[Deadeye]

I love the comments from folks who hate umbrellas - but haven't tried one. I use an umbrella and a light rain jacket. Works great for me, YMMV, don't knock it until you try it. It's standard equipment for my kit.

[10-K]

I have never tried wearing an umbrella in a laundromat while I wash all my clothes.

I suspect that it would not end well.

Frogg Toggs, on the other hand, suffice for the task.

I wear my rain pants when I'm doing laundry.

An umbrella isn't a total 100% replacement for proper rain gear on a long hike (for me anyway). It's just another multi-use item I carry and happens to be useful in certain kinds (not all kinds) of precipitation.

p.s. Great shade maker when the sun is beating down too.

[RockDoc]

Longtime brolly user here, in Nepal trekking, Iceland Laugavegur, AT, even a few ultramarathons.
We've used the Raines Skinny Mini (5 oz) for over 10 years. It allows us to keep moving without wearing restrictive and poorly ventilated rain wear. Of course wind has to be light (otherwise we wear a Frogg Toggs suit). But even in pouring rain we can usually get by with the brolly and just the unzipped rain top. Light, versatile, effective, and cheap.

I laugh when I see people in rain storms wearing Patagucci jackets with the water all over them, dripping down their noses.
It's much smarter to avoid 'getting any on you'.

[MuddyWaters]

I also dont consider at replacement for raingear. It simply makes it way cooler and more enjoyable in extended or heavy rain. If someone uses an A frame tarp pitch, it can also block rain at the opening. Especially good for camp too

[Singto]

"Patagucci"......nice. I like that one.

[Robert Alexander]

I carried an umbrella modified per Ray Jardine for the second half of my AT thru hike in 1996. I liked it. That said, no one on the web is better suited to tell me what I like or don't like than my own self. Just like in life, keeping an open mind is key. The Jardine umbrella cost me some ten dollars as I recall. I'm fairly sure his quote in the PCT hiker's book that I picked up said something like, " it doesn't keep me perfectly dry but it keeps me perfectly happy."

I'm just getting back into backpacking since my son has become interested, so I'm about to purchase the Birdiepal Liteflex Chrome Dome. Who knows? Maybe I won't like it. That's ok. I'm hiking my own hike.

[Casey & Gina]

Alright, this thread inspired me to read up a lot on Umbrella use on the trail (something I had never thought of), and after much thought and discussion, we decided to order two EuroSCHIRM Swing Handsfree Trekking Umbrellas! They should be here in time for our 9-day shakedown starting this weekend - I am excited and hope we get some rain!

[ChrisJackson]

:-) me too. just ordered a EuroSCHIRM Swing. Should be here today or tomorrow.

[Heliotrope]

I have thought of saving 8 oz and leaving mine behind. But the benefits outweigh the 8 oz for me. It's easier just to grab it than to remove pack to don jacket. It's great when nature calls in the middle of a rainy night. Or you want to stop to eat on a rainy day it's great fur closing off the end of my tarp. It's terrible on steep climbs or on exposed, windy ridges. I have also had miserable days with rain getting through my waterproof jacket and running down my back. I prefer to have both the umbrella and rain jacket.


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[ChrisJackson]

My Swing Liteflex came in and was able to test it this weekend. Got a good ~hour long thunderstorm in Georgia Saturday. Walking in the rain with it was a great experience. Stood in the rain for about 10 minutes at Justus Creek Campsite waiting for it to stop to set up camp. Got tired of standing so walked on to Gooch Gap shelter...planning to sit in the shelter until the rain stopped. It finished before I got there, but I really enjoyed the protection the umbrella offered while walking. I think it just made my essentials list.

[Heliotrope]

My Swing Liteflex came in and was able to test it this weekend. Got a good ~hour long thunderstorm in Georgia Saturday. Walking in the rain with it was a great experience. Stood in the rain for about 10 minutes at Justus Creek Campsite waiting for it to stop to set up camp. Got tired of standing so walked on to Gooch Gap shelter...planning to sit in the shelter until the rain stopped. It finished before I got there, but I really enjoyed the protection the umbrella offered while walking. I think it just made my essentials list.

Sweet! Funny how we hope for adverse conditions test our gear.


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[Casey & Gina]

Enjoyed using the Swing yesterday and this morning on the AT in light rain, it was great! However did not enjoy the handfree setup at all, preferred to just attach one of my poles to my pack and dedicate a hand to it instead. One really useful thing I discovered you can do is attach the umbrella to a trekking pole rather than your pack. The added weight on the pole is hardly noticable, and this way the umbrella can be quickly accessed when needed without needing to take off your pack. This worked out great as the rain was intermittent!

I love the umbrella, but am thinking Liteflexes are the better way to go.

[hobby]

always take my go-lite, works great.....and it fits in my golf bag!!

[Deadeye]

"Patagucci"......nice. I like that one.

It's right next door to the Eddie Bean store.

[scrabbler]

Dont forget the statistic that carrying an umbrella reduces the chance of rain by at least 50%.