If my trail name, Seal Mom, had not already been bestowed upon me years ago, I’m pretty sure my hiker friends would insist I answer to Mary Poppins. I’ve received many a side glance from fellow hikers when they first notice the umbrella in my pack, but their skepticism quickly turns to envy on a hot, sunny day or during a rainy downpour.
If I had a nickel for the amount of people I’ve sent to Gossamer Gear’s website to buy their own Liteflex Umbrella after hiking with me, I could probably buy a case of Mountain House meals. Admittedly, it’s an unconventional item to bring on a hike, but it’s worth its 8 ounces in gold when the conditions call for it.
Photo compliments of Gossamer Gear’s Website
Of course the obvious reason I carry an umbrella is for rain. Since I live near one of the most beautiful temperate rain forests in the world, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, “forest bathing” takes on a whole new meaning on many of my hikes. On a sweltering, muggy summer day, however, my rain jacket is the last thing I want to pull out of my backpack in a downpour. While nothing is going to completely prevent every drop of rainwater from finding its way onto my body, my umbrella keeps me dry(ish), and any moisture that ends up on my body is through precipitation versus profusely sweating in a rain jacket.
Rainy conditions are only half the reason my umbrella is invaluable though. During a recent trip to Coyote Gulch in southern Utah, it provided shade cover to my family as we hiked in increasingly warmer temperatures throughout the week. The reflective surface of the Liteflex Umbrella is a huge benefit in sunny conditions, and its one of the primary reasons I carry this umbrella versus something I can buy less expensively at a big box retailer.
Our kids always seem to end up with our umbrellas. I think Santa has his work cut out for him this year. 🙂
My husband and I each have our own, but our kids would probably give up their sacred “screen time” to use one of ours on the trail sometimes. My umbrella has even come in handy for the folks my search and rescue team finds who are injured or scared, as we guide or carry them off the trail. Creature comforts go a long way if you’re in a compromising or uncomfortable situation, and it’s amazing what an umbrella will do for someone’s PMA (Positive Mental Attitude).
Gossamer Gear also sells a brilliant umbrella clamp system, which secures the umbrella to my pack with a weight penalty of a mere 0.5 ounces.
If you’re into DIY, two of my favorite fellow bloggers, Lady on a Rock and Rambling Hemlock, both outline their methods for securing their umbrellas to their packs.
Because no piece of gear is perfect and this umbrella is no exception, it’s important to note that it doesn’t have the same degree of durability as other items in my pack. The trade off for its light weight is that It’s fairly fragile, and moderately strong winds will surely turn it inside out and possibly even break the plastic spokes.
During my thru hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail, this very thing happened to me during a rainy morning as I was hiking on an exposed section of the trail. Thankfully, I was able to repair it on the trail with some duct tape, but it’s never been the same and even more caution is needed since it’s compromised now. If someone could invent a hiking umbrella with the same durability as a bear canister but still keep it lightweight, I do believe they’d find their Shark Tank success story!
Duct tape sufficed on the trail for my broken spoke and the tear it created in the fabric.
In summary, the pros of the umbrella far outweigh the cons of its limited durability:
- Great for use in rainy conditions, as long as it’s not too windy
- Its reflective material is the perfect shade cover in sunny, hot weather
- It can easily be used hands free, by securing it to your backpack with the umbrella clamp from Gossamer Gear (my preference) or any of number of DIY methods.
- It’s a great piece of gear for any hiker’s backpack, including kids, since it’s so lightweight (8 oz.)
I’m fairly judicious with what goes in my pack. If something is going to take up valuable real estate, I’d better use it enough to justify the weight and space penalty. The Gossamer Gear Liteflex Umbrella has been a mainstay of my hiking gear for many years, and I wouldn’t think of leaving home without it, on even the shortest of day hikes. I hope it finds its way into your hiking heart too and leaves you singin’ in the rain….or the sun!
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- Shade was hard to come by on the Teton Crest Trail so my umbrella was a popular item!
Happy Trails, y’all!
Nancy
P.S. When I find lightweight umbrellas like this one on sale, I post them on my Facebook group’s page as well as in in my “Daily Deals Roundup” page on this blog. Feel free to take a peek and see if one is currently a steal! And for what it’s worth, Gossamer Gear did not pay me or provide gear to write this post, but even if they had, I’d say the same things. This umbrella is simply a piece of gear I believe has a place in everyone’s pack, and I’m always excited to support cottage gear companies who invest in products I love.
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