Most camping equipment are optimized for a lightweight build, as you’ll want every piece of gear to add as little heft to your pack as possible. From tents and beds to camping stoves and chairs, outdoor enthusiasts almost always want the most lightweight option available. As such, when you’re hitting the trails during the rainy days of shoulder season, you’ll also want a similarly lightweight umbrella. That’s exactly what the Six Moon Designs Rain Walker SUL Umbrella brings.
We know, an umbrella is not the first thing people think about when gathering gear for a hike. That’s why many don’t bother bringing one and just opt to pack a raincoat instead. The problem with raincoats? They can get hot. With an umbrella, you can dress up for the temperature, rather than the prevailing weather.
The Six Moon Designs Rain Walker SUL Umbrella is a full-size umbrella designed for the trail, coming in at just 5.5 ounces, making it the lightest in the full-size category. That full-size design means maximum protection with a coverage area of 7.5 square feet whether you’re trying to shield out rain or sun, while the lightweight build means you can strap it down to your pack without adding meaningful weight. According to the outfit, it’s been tested to handle itself in high winds up to 30 mph, hail, and other extreme conditions, although being ultralight also means it’s not the most rugged (ribs are very thin, for instance), so you’ll want to exercise some care when putting it to use during inclement weather.
It achieves the weight by using lightweight components all throughout. That includes carbon fiber for the frame, which also means it won’t attract lightning during a storm, as well as an EVA foam handle and a 10-denier silnylon canopy. To the unfamiliar, silnylon is a blend of silicone and nylon that’s made by injecting liquid silicone into a woven nylon fabric on both sides. This combo is particularly strong, highly waterproof, and highly tear-resistant, while maintaining very lightweight characteristics. This makes it an excellent canopy material for rainy weather, although we’re not quite sure how it performs when it comes to shielding from the sun. According to the outfit, it should work just as well for the job.
The Six Moon Designs Rain Walker SUL Umbrella has an ergonomically-shaped grip that should secure it comfortably in hand even when you’re facing high wind situations. It collapses into a normal-looking full-size umbrella, by the way, so it’s a little unwieldy to transport the same way most umbrellas are. Suffice to say, you won’t want to put this inside your backpack, as the length just complicates things (it’s not one of those folding umbrellas). It does, however, fit into the bottle pockets of almost any backpack, so it’s still pretty easy to integrate into your stash, all while also being conducive for strapping down to your pack.
The Six Moon Designs Rain Walker SUL Umbrella is available now, priced at $60.