[NAGDU] Need an umbrella?

[Julie Johnson]

I wonder if this would work for shade? I'm guessing so. I don't do them 
anymore, but I used to do these outdoor, all day sales events.  I have 
very fair skin and serious sun burn was frequently a problem.

Julie
http://www.guide-and-service-dogs.com


On 5/5/2017 7:52 AM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU wrote:
> That's interesting.  I usually just wear a hat with a wide brim.
> One disadvantage of the newbrella would be that I couldn't hold it over my
> dog, which I usually attempt to do. Otherwise, it sounds useful.
> Tracy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan via
> NAGDU
> Sent: Friday, May 05, 2017 8:26 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Cc: Buddy Brannan
> Subject: [NAGDU] Need an umbrella?
>
> And since I'm talking about potentially useful gadgets, here's another one
> that, while expensive for an umbrella, is a lot less expensive than the Walk
> Pro.
>
> I hate umbrellas. They're a lot of bother for not much benefit. So you have
> this thing you have to hold in your hand, a hand you really don't have free
> because you're already down a hand because you have to hold onto a dog. Or a
> cane. Rain blows in under them anyway, from all directions. They blow around
> in the breeze. They're just a huge bother. Putting up with being wet is less
> of a bother, because you don't stay much dryer with the umbrella, at least
> not enough dryer to justify the bother.
>
> Melanie, however, is still somehow convinced of the umbrella's utility. So
> when I saw a post on Facebook about a hands-free umbrella, I had a look.
>
> Nope, this isn't one of those dorky umbrella hats that, I dunno, I've never
> tried one, but how well can they really work?
>
> It's called Nubrella, and their website is here:
> http://www.nubrella.com
>
> They're another small company somewhere around Boston. I may or may not have
> talked to the CEO of Nubrella when he called me to follow up on my call
> because of a weird ordering glitch.
>
> So, OK, the Youtube videos are fairly clear about what this is, but I'll
> describe it anyway. It's like an umbrella, but pretty much rethought. You
> wear it like a backpack. Exactly like a backpack, as it turns out, complete
> with a waist belt for support and a strap that clips across your chest. It
> folds down the back when not in use. When you want to open it, pull down on
> the shoulder-height handles, and a canopy flips up over your head and locks
> into place. So when deployed, you've got your back, head, and sides
> protected, and a little in front, but the front is of course still
> completely open. You've got 180 degrees protection, however from the rain.
> Since your whole body stabilizes it, it won't turn inside out or blow away,
> and rain can only blow in on you from one direction (in front). It's only
> shoulder width, so it will fit through any human-sized door, even while
> deployed. You're kind of in a little bubble when the Nubrella is in use.
> When you come in out of the rain and want t  o get the Nubrella out of the
> way, push in on the spring-loaded buttons on either side, again at shoulder
> height, and the bubble collapses and folds back behind you again.
>
> I only tried it out taking Leno out to park this morning, and it seems to
> work as advertised. I didn't do an extensive road test with it. However, it
> does seem to work as advertised, and I did stay relatively dry.
>
> I'd make a small design change in the deployment and stowage though. The
> shoulder-height handles and buttons may be a bit awkward. I could operate
> them, but Melanie, who has limited arm movement, could not. I may try
> attaching some ropes or something that she could pull on to accomplish the
> same effect for pulling the Nubrella open. Closing it would be another
> matter, and I'm not sure how that could be improved, but surely there's a
> way.
>
> The website says it retails for $79, but they were selling it for $59 when I
> bought it.
>
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: 814-860-3194
> Mobile: 814-431-0962
> Email: buddy at brannan.name
>
>
>
>
>
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