The best? I don't know if it's the absolute best but a good one is the REI travel umbrella, $34.50. Yeah, that's on the high side but it's better constructed than most. Also collapses down to a very short size.
I never carry one hiking, depending on a hat, jacket and sometimes rain pants instead. However if you want to take a bumbershoot along on your hike, that's up to you. Just be careful that vegetation doesn't make mince-meat of it.
The best ones for travel are the ones that pack really small. However, they tend to be more prone to wind damage and don't cover up so well. You choose, you lose...
If you're expecting wind then the Senz umbrella probably deals it with it better than most. I haven't had a chance to use mine in real anger yet, but I bought it on the recommendation of guidebook writer, hiker and umbrella user Paddy Dillon. He's also said fairly nice things about the Senz Mini which packs smaller but is unsurprisingly not so tough.
Paddy was also quite complimentary about the GoLite, as long as it wasn't too windy.
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net p.j.cli...@dundee.ac.uk http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
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