Hiking with an Umbrella

[Gippsmick]

I was thinking of trading out a walking pole for an umbrella. Does anyone do this? My theory is that an umbrella as a walking pole would negate the need to continually stop, put on/take off a jacket in conditions with intermittent rain/showers. Also trying to kill two birds with one stone. I know there are some umbrellas marketed at hikers but I haven't quite found one that meets my need. Any experience out there?

A suitable type for me would be long enough/equal to walking pole height; big enough surface area to cover the head and pack; and sturdy enough to provide the support of walking pole. Obviously there may be a weight compromise here.

[photohiker]

Like this:



Have never seen one, but interesting idea. Manufacturer link

[roysta]

I know lots of people that walk with an umbrella on open tracks.
More like the STS lightweight ones, and not just for rain, but for sun also.

[Lindsay]

Seems to me that bushwalking with an umbrella is rather impractical. OK for a fire trail but for most tracks and in high wind it would end up shredded or turned inside out.

[slparker]

I remember being highly amused when many years ago I saw radio operators in the army carrying umbrellas and they'd pop them open when they had to crouch down and write down an incoming message( to stop the paper getting wet). Made perfect sense though. I could see carrying an umbrella might be useful in certain circumstances, especially when stopping for lunch o a break on a rainy or extremely hot day. As Lindsay has stated, impractical for blustery weather and close country but fine assuming you have a rain jacket, sorry-hardshell, as a backup.

[Mark F]

Umbrellas are also useful to protect a camera when shooting in the rain or shading it in sunny conditions.

[sim1oz]

After walking 6 hours in the pouring rain, I would have given anything to have an umbrella for 5 minutes so I could stop and eat my scroggin without it getting wet. My rain gear kept me dry and warm, but a few moments 'out of the rain' would have been precious. I didn't take one with me because of all the previously stated arguments against (wind, close country), but it's pretty lightweight at 160g. I'd definitely consider taking it for shade to give my head a chance to cool down without a hat on it.