Gear Reviews
Two Umbrellas and a Rain Poncho from Magellan's
By Kayte Deioma
I have been testing out a few rain products from Magellans.com, suppliers of all things travel-related. Their
Short Stuff
five-inch umbrella has become my everyday purse or backpack umbrella for the simple reason that it is so small I forget it's there. It also fits easily into the pocket of my rain jacket. It opens to a 42 inch arc, which is wider than most compact umbrellas and gives decent coverage for walking. My feet still get wet, but the rest of me stays dry to well below the knees. The construction feels a little flimsy with so many joints and it probably wouldn't put up a lot of resistance to wind, but for "just in case," it's the perfect size to keep handy.
At 11 inches, The WindPro® Flatwear™ Vented Auto Umbrella
is a little large for a purse or pocket, but fits easily in a briefcase, backpack or tote. It feels much sturdier when open than the Short Stuff. The vents do a pretty good job of allowing wind to blow through rather than lift the umbrella out of your hands or turn it inside out. It is still possible for it to be turned inside out by the wind, but it resists much better than a standard umbrella and flips back easily if it does get reversed. The WindPro is an automatic umbrella and it opens and closes easily at the push of a button, but it takes a firm hand to collapse the handle. I wasn't used to the auto-close feature, so it took me a few times to realize I didn't have to pull the umbrella closed manually. The 43 inch arc is an inch wider than the Short Stuff and fine for most purposes.
For when you need your hands for something besides carrying an umbrella, the
Waterproof Rain Poncho
did a pretty good job of keeping me dry all over. I didn't challenge it with gale-force winds, just a steady urban downpour. The peaked and adjustable hood did a good job of keeping the rain off my face unless I was walking directly into it. There are snaps under each arm that will help hold the poncho down if it does get windy. I found that if I snapped the snaps, then too much of my arms stuck out the sleeves and got wet, especially if I was using my hands for something, like holding my camera. When it's unsnapped, it will also fit over a backpack. The Waterproof Rain Poncho is made of sturdy rip-stop nylon and folds into its big front zipper pocket for packing. At 13.5 ounces, it's a little bulky to carry around if the weather forecast is clear, but if you're expecting rain, it's a pretty compact solution. If you're looking for something a little more high fashion, scroll down to Deborah Johnson's review of Magellan's Reversible Coat.
For all my walking around in the rain, I was regretting that I didn't also get Magellan's
Women's Overshoes
, since my feet were the only part of me getting wet.
RM Williams Raincoat
by Patricia Herbig
What do you wear in a place where the weather can go through four seasons 
in a day? The rain blows side-ways – or even up! Everyone has an opinion about the best rain coats, hats and umbrellas. Some pick Burberry rain coats with their distinctive designs. I love my RM Williams waxed raincoat with a hood. Imported from Australia, it’s long and warm; it has kept out the rain which has tried to blow sideways up my skirt and tried to get in down my neck. It has inside and outside pockets for the million things I seem to carry with me when I’m out for the day. The downside: Unless you are tall and thin (which I am unfortunately not), you may well look like a brown waxed moving rectangle. The compensation for this: You will be warm and dry no matter what the weather!! RM Williams has a shop on Regent’s Street, just south of Oxford Circus, or you can visit them online at www.rmwilliams.com.
A Rain Coat for your Camera
by Kayte Deioma
It rained on my recent visit to Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico with a group of photographers and writers. It was a perfect opportunity to try out my new Camera “Rain Coat” from FotoSharp in Seattle. Made of silicon-impregnated ripstop nylon, the camera cover is basically a tube that is open at both ends. An adjustable cord at each end allows you to fit one end around your lens hood and have the other at the back of the camera.
I used the camera cover with a Canon D20 digital SLR with both a 35 to 350 mm zoom lens and also a 16 to 35 mm zoom. The photo on the pamphlet shows hands holding the camera from outside the “rain coat.” I found it easier to have my hands holding the camera inside the cover with the top of the cover over the viewfinder. That way, my hands stayed dry too and I wasn’t struggling to keep a slippery wet grip through the cover.
I tested out the claim that the flash will work right through the cover, which it does. It works best if you have a rubber band to keep it tight around the flash. Then it works as a slight diffuser. The cover opening around the lens hood had a hard time staying on the hood and kept sliding off the curved surface of the hood, especially on the shorter lens, so in future I might consider a piece of gaffer’s tape to keep it from slipping.
Overall, the camera, lenses and my hands stayed pretty dry. I was even able to change lenses inside the cover, although it was like working with film in a dark bag. When not in use, it folds down to next to nothing to tuck back into a camera bag or pocket. The other photographers under their umbrellas were quite skeptical at first, but I think there were a few converts by the end of the day.
To see the photo results, check out the Shot in the Rain section of the Santa Fe issue.
The 15” Camera Cover which I used is available for $27.95 at www.FotoSharp.com. There is also a 10” version for $19.95.
Magellan Reversible Coat
from Deborah Johnson
After years of keeping a practical trench coat with a zip out lining in my closet, I finally started looking for new rain gear. Although the trench cost was a lovely lavender, it was busy and fussy and the wool lining itched. I never wore it. Rain wear has become particularly important as I had started traveling to the East Coast quite a bit for business. I needed something that would fit comfortably over a turtleneck and sweater and look rather stylish. No belts. And I’ve always liked a hood on a raincoat, as then I don’t need an umbrella. I find it difficult to juggle an umbrella, a briefcase and a purse at the same time.
My trip to Nordstrom’s put me in a foul mood. The cuts on the coats were tailored and there was no flow. The selection was poor. Then I remembered a coat I had seen in the Magellan's
travel catalogue. It was just what I wanted. Long and flowing, with a large hood and only a few buttons. Reversible, it was black on one side and bronze on the other. I ordered it and I am very happy. People comment on how stunning it is, with fabric that swings loosely and catches the light. It’s not inexpensive but I wear it all the time. I like the length as well. Packing is a piece of cake. Although it’s voluminous, the fabric is very lightweight and wrinkle free. It lays in the suitcase barely thicker than a piece of paper. When you pull it out, it’s ready to wear. No ironing needed. Now if only I can bring myself to throw out the trench coat….
The following reviews are from Gina B. Fairchild
The rainy day item I can't live without is the Totes brand automatic umbrella with the auto up AND down option. There is nothing worse than trying to quickly get into a car or through a doorway while you're struggling with a manual umbrella that takes two hands and still doesn't want to close. The ability of the umbrella to collapse at the touch of a button helps get into a dry area and stay dry without fighting to close your umbrella. This model comes in several sizes and colors to meet your individual needs. They are also small enough to carry easily in a purse or backpack.
I also travel with a Totes brand rain slicker. They come in several colors, but since I like to stand out, I chose the bright yellow with a hood and an acetate lining of lemons. This jacket is more for a spring or summer rain. There are ventilation holes in the armpit area to help ensure that you do not have the sauna effect that is common in some rain gear.
For the fall and winter I prefer my Columbia brand jacket with hood and fleece lining. The jacket is very weather resistant and stands up to snow as well as rain. The hood, wrist area and bottom seam all have adjustable pulls or Velcro to ensure that the wind and the rain remain on the outside of the jacket.
Product Reviews
If you have products that make traveling in the rain easier and you'd like to have your product reviewed by Rainy Day Traveler, contact us at rainygear@rainydaytraveler.com, or send samples to:
Rain Gear Review, Rainy Day Traveler, 430 Obispo Ave. Box 201, Long Beach, CA 90814