I Thought Hiking Umbrellas Were a Gimmick. Then I Tested One in 99-Degree Heat.

Umbrellas are not typically a piece of gear I reach for when I hit the trail. I don’t have anything against them. I’ve just always been more of a rain jacket guy, and I wear hats when I need sun protection. But more and more often, I’m seeing people with umbrellas backpacking or hiking. Many ultralight brands manufacture backpacking-specific umbrellas made with lightweight, reflective materials and wind-resistant designs. Umbrellas aren’t anything new, but they seem to be having a moment among hikers.

I’d never tried using one for hiking or backpacking. That’s why I got in touch with some umbrella experts (yes, they exist) who made the case that the umbrella is one of the most versatile tools a backpacker can carry. They explained the diverse uses for an umbrella — from protecting a cookspace, to acting as a make-shift emergency shelter, and even shielding hikers from volcanic discharge.

I was still skeptical, though. How often do backpackers encounter volcanic eruptions on the trail? So I went ahead and got an ultralight umbrella for myself to see what the hype is all about.

The “Ultimate Hiker Hack”?

In addition to offering rain protection, an umbrella allows you to carry your shade. Gossamer Gear claims that its Lightweight Hiking Umbrella can reduce the sun’s heat by 15°F.

It’s exactly that dual function that makes it such a versatile tool, according to Whitney La Ruffa, head of sales at Gossamer Gear. La Ruffa is an active hiker and backpacker, and is the “self-proclaimed Umbrella King.”

“To me, it’s kind of like the ultimate hiker hack,” La Ruffa told Backpacker. “It’s just so multifunctional.”

La Ruffa said that he camps mostly with tarps, and under a full moon, it can get really bright out.

“I’ll often tuck my head into my umbrella at night,” he explained. “I attach it to my pack by my head and just put my head underneath to block the light.”

He said he’s also used it as a door for tarp tents, to block wind or add more privacy. If it’s raining and he wakes up in the middle of the night to pee, he said using an umbrella is a treat compared to fussing with a rain jacket. He even uses his umbrella as a cook-space cover, after learning the hard way that tents and stoves don’t mix.

“I was on the [Continental Divide Trail] and melted a giant hole in my Dyneema tent trying to avoid the rain,” he said. “Now I just use the umbrella, set it out in the rain, and heat my water up.”

He pointed out that if you were injured while hiking in the desert, an umbrella would be a welcome source of shade until you were rescued.

By far, though, the most creative use for an umbrella we heard had to do with volcanic rock. Brandon Moak, the executive vice president of operations at Six Moons Designs, said one of their customers used hers while watching an active volcano. She was using one of the brand’s Silver Shadow Ultralight Umbrellas when an eruption occurred, and it started raining sharp, hot fragments of rock and glass-like volcanic foam.

“She had the umbrella up and was able to watch and take photographs from a distance while it protected her a little bit … obviously, it’s not a normal use case,” Moak said.

While “falling volcanic discharge” isn’t explicitly covered by the Six Moons warranty, Moak said they replaced the umbrella for her anyway.

My Experience

I tested a sample of the Gossamer Gear Lightweight Hiking Umbrella in 99°F heat with no cloud cover on several Colorado hikes. As someone who hasn’t used an umbrella for hiking before, it took some getting used to. I had to recalibrate my spatial awareness so I didn’t get caught on branches as I passed.

Gossamer Gear offers a neat little accessory called the “Handsfree Clamp.” It allows you to attach any umbrella to the shoulder strap of a pack. Freeing that hand up allows you to balance better. You can hold two trekking poles, manage a map app on your phone, take photos, and more. Without the Handsfree Clamp, hiking with an umbrella would be a lot less appealing to me.

Instead, I carried it effortlessly. It was like wearing an extra-big sombrero, or having a little cloud following me, shading me from the sun as I hiked. In exposed desert environments, that would be a godsend. Was it exactly 15°F cooler under my umbrella as claimed? It’s hard to say. But I did run a backyard ice test to see how much of a difference the umbrella made. After just 30 minutes, the unshaded cup of ice had clearly melted faster than the one protected under my umbrella.

While using the umbrella, I noticed that I could feel even the slightest breeze. The umbrella catches air movement and enhances it. If you’re hiking in windy conditions, this might give you trouble. Both Gossamer Gear and Six Moons designed their umbrellas to hold up in the wind. But a powerful enough gust will turn any umbrella inside out. (

I didn’t use my hiking umbrella in the rain, but that’s where I think I’d be most grateful for it. Especially with a Handsfree Clamp, La Ruffa said, walking in the rain with an umbrella is far more effective than wearing a rain jacket alone. It keeps you much drier from head to toe, and even offers some protection for your pack.

I’ll always feel like Mary Poppins when I’m using an umbrella, but the functionality is hard to ignore. This is a backpacking hack—a multifunction tool that can make life on the trail easier, and even safer. At just 5.8 ounces, I’ll definitely be packing mine for future trips.