Hiking with an umbrella is a thing. I once hiked with a parasol. Yes, a parasol! It was in the middle of summer, the temperature was in the high thirties and I was on an urban hike from Templestowe to Melbourne along the Yarra River where so much of the path was exposed to direct sun, the parasol was my only shade.
It is also the only time I’ve ever bailed on a hike. There were four of us hiking. We reached South Yarra near Chapel Street and I don’t remember who called it first, but someone suggested grabbing a taxi back to the car in Port Melbourne and we all shouted “Yes!” As it turned out, we were all hot and miserable but no one wanted to be the first to instigate quitting.
So I’ve been seeing a hiking umbrella repeatedly advertised in my Great Walks magazine and it got me thinking about getting past the dagginess of taking an umbrella hiking and seeing the benefits of one:
- Less sun and UV rays and the chance of getting sunburn
- Cooler than being in direct sun
- Stay dry (or drier) in the rain
- Maybe double as a hiking pole if it’s strong enough
- Keeping your hand up, like when holding a drink bottle, helps prevent hiker’s fat fingers
- Gives you somewhere to hide behind if you’re a girl and need to pee but there’s not much shelter.
I’m getting over the ‘dag factor’ and giving hiking with an umbrella a go, something all the cool kids will want to do! Check out my hiking umbrella review below.
Best umbrella for hiking
When it comes to choosing the best umbrella for hiking, you want one that’s going to protect you from the sun’s harsh UV rays, work well in a downpour, and not flip inside in a gale.
Euroschirm Birdiepal Outdoor Trekking Umbrella
The Euroschirm Birdiepal Outdoor Trekking Umbrella is one of the strongest (if not THE strongest) hiking umbrellas in the world. It’s pretty much unbreakable. It’s also really easy to open and use, even if you’re struggling with fat-gloved fingers in cold weather.
While not the lightest trekking umbrella on the market, at 372 grams, it’s still light and compact enough to not cause any grief while hiking or carrying in your pack (or outside, if you prefer).
Its UV rating is 50.
The Euroschirm Birdiepal hiking umbrella comes with a carry case for storing the umbrella while it’s wet so your gear won’t get wet.
This hiking umbrella also comes with an inbuilt compass. How cool is that? It comes in red or royal blue.
Watch the video for more product details.
Sea to Summit Trekking Compact Cordura Umbrella
This sturdy hiking umbrella from trusted brand Sea to Summit is lightweight, waterproof, UV resistant, shake dry and great value.
The Cordura is also one of the lighter trekking umbrellas available. It weighs in at 225gm, but is not an ultralight The Cordura’s design is gust-proof and won’t get damaged during a gust of wind. You might still find yourself doing a Mary Poppins though!
Like the Euroschirm Birdiepal, it’s easy to open the umbrella and slide it back into its protective cover and pack away when you’re no longer using it.
With a diameter of 90cm, you get great coverage for such a compact umbrella.
This umbrella is also great for travelling and makes an awesome gift for the outdoor-loving person in your life.
Euroschirm Light Trek Auto Umbrella with a flashlight
The Euroschirm Light Trek umbrella is designed specifically for hiking. It comes with an easy open and close feature. It also has a detachable LED torch built into the handle. How cool is that? It also has an inbuilt compass. Double yay.
It comes with a protective cover that’s easy to slide in and out of, keeping your other gear safe from water drops.
As expected, it’s a 100% waterproof hiking umbrella.
Last modified: April 22, 2022
