[pct-l] Umbrellas for the 2010 PCT Campaign

[hiker97 at aol.com]

As you know, an umbrella, pays big dividends in keeping your dehydration down and protecting you from the sun's UV rays.? I use the 6 ounce Birdiepal Dainty Umbrella in silver.? It has a UV rating of 50+.? It is very easy to raise and lower as you walk.? This is a very important feature.? When you come to over hanging vegetation and wind on the trail, you want to quickly lower your umbrella.? I could not find it in silver on the Internet, but in other colors.

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As for as rain goes, a small umbrella is really just a big hat.? It covers the head and shoulders from getting wet.? That is about it, but I still like it better than a big rain hat.? It is kind of neat to be banging along the trail while it rains with an umbrella.

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With my world famous one ounce hands-free umbrella holder, you are set to cruise all the way to Canada.? Unfortunately, most hikers ditch their umbrellas at Kennedy Meadows before the Sierras.? I would not do that, but to each their own -- HYOH, etc., etc.

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As for the Dainty, I cannot find it in silver on the Internet, but the company homepage shows they still make it.? Another alternative is the Mont-Bell 6 ounce umbrella, but their website does not show that product anymore.? There are sites that still carry their umbrella, but I did not see any in silver.? So, I do not know what is going on with this product.



The GoLite Chrome Dome is nice, but not convenient to use with my hands-free holder.? You cannot put it up and down easily as you walk in the hands-free mode.? Plus, it weighs in at 8 ounces plus.



Another thing I find interesting is that at the big Meadow Ed Walker Pass Food Ruck in June, I only saw one hiker dressed for the heat of the trail.? By this time hikers coming from Campo are all business out there on the trail.? A young man came in dressed in white clothing.? Very smart.? Everyone else was dressed in the traditional clothes that you would see 40 years ago on the trail.? May be with some small differences in materials, but not much.



So, what do I conclude from this?? American marketing is alive and well.? I have been recommending for 10 years on this List that hikers go over to SunPrecautions.com and get some sun protection clothing for the trail.? But noooooooooooo.?? No one listens to Switchback.? I use their Super Ventilated shirt and pants, plus their hat with full drape and their hand protectors.? Absolutely great stuff for the trail.? Add the silver umbrella and you laugh at the heat.



Thank you for your attention.



Switchback the Trail Pirate