What I Look For in an Umbrella – a guys POV

What I Look For in an Umbrella – guys POV

Long gone are the days where the idea of man + umbrella = golfer or city gent complete with pin stripe suit and bowler hat.  It wasn’t that long ago men would sometimes shun the use of an umbrella, preferring to use a hat, newspaper and/or get wet – brollies were for girls after all..

Nowadays, with more and more men taking pride in their appearance with moisturisers etc etc, it’s no longer unusual to see guys huddled under a brolly.  Even old school “mens men” can be found huddled under a brolly on wet evenings outside a bar or pub with the established UK smoking ban.

So what do I look for in an umbrella, what are the main criteria?

Strength, material, length, colour and coverage are the key points for me.

Strength - there is nothing worse than battling with an umbrella during high winds, mindful of it catching in the wind and turning inside out.  Nice strong ribs are a must for me.

Material – something that not just keeps me dry, but something that repels the water is vital.  Who wants to get to their destination and then leave huge pools of water indoors?

Length – As a typical guy, length is vital!!! For me it’s simple, full length brolly every time.  Even when the rain has stopped and the brolly fully folded away, there is something about swinging a brolly as you walk, using it as a walking aid if you like, that just feels right.  Much better than tucking a half size brolly under your arm.

Colour – With countless companies taking advantage of the wonderful UK weather and using brollies as a means of advertising, colours are being used more and more.  They are rapidly becoming not just a means to keep dry but also a fashion accessory!!  Nice solid and neutral colours for me every time.  Don’t be fooled by any man that says the colour doesn’t matter…it does, trust me.

Coverage – Again it must be the kid in me, but bigger the better!!  No point huddled under a small umbrella.  

So there we have it – what I think a guy (well, me anyway) looks for in a brolly.  It’s no longer just a means of keeping dry anymore, they really are becoming the next big fashion accessory.

Written for The Umbrella Shop Blog