Liteflex Trek Umbrella Silver

Update: 12-28-2017Still working at it did new for over a year now. I take it with me often when hiking if there is any chance of rain. Even in the snow, it's nice to have a small shelter for eating lunch.---------------------------------------------In heavy rain, you can hike without a rain shell on, which is vastly better for not getting sweaty. It doesn't matter how many much you spend on a rain jacket, they are all terrible when it comes to carrying a heavy load up a mountain. Even an umbrella this small can keep you more dry than any rain jacket as long as the rain isn't coming in sideways. Even then, you don't need to wear the jacket hood or upper zippers in driving rain. The same goes for extremely hot weather. You can hike with no shirt or something minimal without added risk of skin cancer or the need to grease on smelly sun screen all over your body. I've had many jealous hiking partners who laughed at me until it came time to eat lunch in the rain. I have a portable and instant shelter, and they have dripping wet hands and soggy sandwiches.Size:Sure, it's about as small as you could get away with for rain and sun, but if it were any larger, it would be heavier and less likely to get taken along for a trip. One thing to consider about the small size though, is that when backpacking with a large pack, the umbrella will dump a lot of water onto the pack, depending on how you are holding it. Your rain cover or pack fabric will get a heavier dousing of liquid in some cases. In the hot sun with no trees in sight, even a toothpick sized shadow is like finding a pot of gold. This umbrella won't cover your whole body when laying down, but getting your head and torso out of the heat goes a long way in saving water rations and keeping your core temp lower. I wonder if this umbrella results in a lower pack weight considering one would have to carry extra water without it. In the alpine during the peak of summer, the umbrella might pay for itself in terms of overall pack weight. Also need to consider the weight saving from not carrying a bottle of sunscreen.Functionality:The umbrella is easy to open and close. While it doesn't have a locking mechanism to keep it open, I haven't had it close on itself even in strong winds. The grip is adequate considering the weight, but a think a thinner, taller one would offer a bit more control over the umbrella in the wind. The wrist loop works, but may be a bit small for people with big hands and/or gloves. The silver coated top is brilliant for keeping the heat off and also works well to increase visibility during hunting season. I don't dare take a black umbrella out around my parts of the woods during hunting season. Everyone thinks I am a black bear at longer distances with a black umbrella. The underside of this umbrella is black, which keeps the reflections and light levels down. It is also critical when wearing a head lamp at night, not to have the inside reflect back and blind you. Very good design decision.Durability:Like most ultra-light gear, it is a little more flexible than standard umbrellas. I have to take care to not let it get caught in a gust of wind and folded inside out. Even if you manage to keep it pointed into the wind, it will fold down against your body in strong gusts. In this respect, you should always have regular rain gear and not rely on the umbrella to let you keep the rain pants and jacket at home. Even though it can bend around a lot, mine hasn't broken. The fabric looks like it is holding up very well to abrasions and normal use.Photography use:If you like doing back country photography with an expensive camera and tripod, this umbrella works great for keep rain, snow, and mist from getting onto your gear when taking a shot. Even if it isn't raining, there can still be dew drops falling off the trees. Work equally well for blocking the spray from a waterfall while you set up your camera. Just take the umbrella away for a second during the shot and then wipe down and moisture from the camera and lens afterwards. The silver coating on the outside also doubles a a light reflector. Say you are taking a shot of some flowers on an alpine peak and want some fill light for the foreground, Just set up the umbrella to cast a neutrally colored area of light where you need it.

I've been backpacking on the AT for the last 27 years and have been through my share of gear as a minimalist backpacker, weight is important and this umbrella meets just the right compromise of utility with a small weight sacrifice. It's now always with me and still holding up well after 2 years of use.This is pretty much the same Umbrella sold at GoLite now MyTrails. It weighs 8oz with the added case, which I never carry. So the overall weight of the umbrella is less than a canned drink.The dome shape is sturdy against strong winds and provides a spacious amount of cover from the rain. Another great thing about this umbrella is even though I use a cuben fiber interior pack liner from Zpacks. I don't need a pack cover (although my pack is pretty waterproof). The umbrella covers me and my pack I've used shock cords in the past to secure the handle of my umbrella to my pack's shoulder straps. I bought a clip that snaps on to the arm of the umbrella and secures it to my pack. Completely hands free protection from the rain without the hassle of jumping in to rain gear.Please note that I am 6"2 and at my height and length this umbrella gives me plenty of clearance and coverage.I've attached 3 pics of my first trip with this umbrella on a 11 day section on the AT. In one pic I am eating lunch on the side of the trail under my umbrella. in another a hiker I kept running in to and I found some trail magic (sodas), my umbrella is clipped to my pack, and the 3rd pic shows how compact my umbrella is an how I store it in my pack.

This is a quality European made in Germany. So, naturally, one has to be prepared to pay a significant difference, say for a similar item made in one of our favorite Asian countries. This review will be followed up after a months use on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Based on initial inspection of the build, the item appears prepared to hold up to wind while offering protection from rain and sun. We’ll see.