Friday, September 12, 2008

SENZ Umbrella Review. Marry Poppins Watch Out!

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/yankodesign/~3/389536445/

The SENZ Umbrella is the most unique umbrella I’ve ever seen and used and that’s saying a lot because how “designed” can an umbrella be? What makes the SENZ different is its aerodynamic shape which keeps rain off your back and withstands up to 70 mph winds. I tried it out and found a couple other unique features that make this umbrella a must have for any rain drenched area.

It’s solid but still lightweight - the first two things I look for in any umbrella. The handle is foamed and rubberized to keep your grip from slipping which leads me to the next unique feature. To open the umbrella, you pull down. Yes the mechanism is reversed but it makes sense. The mechanism you’re pulling on actually becomes a part of your grip. As long as you hold steadfast, the umbrella refuses to invert.

At first glance the shape looks odd but again makes so much sense; I’m amazed no one’s thought of it before. The cab forward aerodynamic shape does two things. Firstly it keeps rain off your back, an issue I find prevalent with traditional umbrellas. This shape also channels high winds across the surface and behind you. I’m almost positive the drag coefficient is significantly less which helps in resisting gale force winds.

At almost 3-4x the cost of a traditional umbrella, you better live in an area where rain is more than a seasonal visitor. Unlike me, conducting this review was difficult since I live in L.A. but I’m resourceful enough to see how well it holds up against a hose and beach winds. I’m happy to report it aced both events.

The SENZ Umbrella comes in 3 sizes. The one is the review is the XL.

[ Buy It Here ]

(Left to Right: Senz Mini, Original & XL)