The Nubrella is here to solve all your weather worries
By Susan Wilson
The nubrella is certainly a new design for umbrellas. The question is, is it a better one? It definitely manages to keep the rain off of your head and shoulders but it looks as if it would then funnel it right on down to the lower half of your body.
The nubrella is touted as being rain, hail, snow and wind proof. The shape is apparently "aerodynamic" which helps keep strong wind from being a problem. Because the front of this aerodynamic bubble is clear, you can see where you are going at all times. Paying attention, however, is not guaranteed.
Of course, in order to take advantage of the nubrella, it requires you to wear it. It encases you in your own little bubble like the "soundproof" bubble used on the old Get Smart television series. The video shows a street full of what can only be described as bubbleheads. Although walking into people with an umbrella can be embarrassing, this looks like a new way of playing "bumper bodies". I'm not sure what happens when the street gets truly crowded and people are nubrella to nubrella.
The most advertised feature is that it is hands free. The nubrella comes with shoulder straps and a handle that can be set to hold the nubrella away from the body so that you can continue all of those important cell phone calls with ease while carrying your other belongings carefree. It does not however dial your numbers for you or hold your briefcase for you.
The nubrella is obviously only for one person. More than likely duo nubrellas will be designed for use by couples or maybe even family size nubrellas. Well OK different heights would probably make either of these impossible. Just visualize for a moment an entire nubrellaed family walking down the street; mom, dad, and several little ones all encased in their own bubbles. Or picture couples walking hand in hand, nubrellaed in their separate casings while their lower sleeves and hands get soaked.
A better umbrella? Maybe, if you don't mind looking like a bad sci fi epic escapee. There are certain situations that the nubrella will never be able to handle - Parents needing to hold small children, couples wanting to share one umbrella for closeness, chivalry in sharing an umbrella with a stranger in need, or emulating Gene Kelly's Singing in the Rain dance.
Entry was posted
on Monday, May 5th, 2008 at 8:39 am under 
Print This Post
