The best umbrella for a UK commute
A commuting umbrella has a harder job than a nice one. It has to live in a bag for weeks unused, come out one-handed on a windy platform, and go away wet without soaking a laptop.
Packed size decides whether you carry it
The umbrella that keeps you dry is the one in your bag, not the one by the door. A three-fold compact closing to around 30cm slips into a work bag, rucksack or coat pocket and stops being a decision you have to make each morning.
Check the closed length against the smallest bag you use, not the largest.
One-handed opening matters more than you expect
On a commute you are usually holding something: a phone, a coffee, a season ticket, a child's hand. An automatic open-and-close umbrella needs one hand and about two seconds, which is the difference between using it and getting wet at a crossing.
Platforms and station exits are wind tunnels
Open ground beside buildings and tunnels produces exactly the sort of turbulent gusts that invert cheap umbrellas. Look for a vented double-layer canopy and fibreglass ribs so the frame flexes with the gust and recovers.
- Vented, double-layer canopy
- Fibreglass or fibreglass-composite ribs
- Automatic open and close
- Closed length that fits your everyday bag
Dealing with a wet umbrella at your desk
A quick-dry coated canopy shakes almost dry in a couple of flicks. A reverse-folding canopy goes one better by closing wet-side-in, which is the single most useful feature if you get in and out of a car or sit on a train with a bag on your lap.
Whatever you carry, open it out to dry when you arrive rather than leaving it folded and damp all day.
Dark evenings
From October onwards much of the commute happens in the dark. Reflective canopy trim sits at exactly the height a car's headlights sweep, and an illuminated shaft helps on unlit paths where there are no headlights at all.
Common questions
What size umbrella is best for commuting?
A three-fold compact that closes to about 30cm and opens to roughly 100cm — small enough to live in a bag, big enough to cover you and the bag.
Should a commuting umbrella be automatic?
It helps a great deal. Automatic open and close works one-handed, which is how you almost always use an umbrella on a commute.
How do I stop a wet umbrella soaking my bag?
Shake it out point-down, then use a quick-dry coated or reverse-folding canopy so the wet surface ends up inside rather than against your bag.