The first thing you need to know about the Senz umbrella is that it looks odd. Shorter in the front and wider on the sides than a traditional umbrella, with an extended 'tail' in the back, it looks like a spare part of a bat costume left over from Halloween. From personal experience, we can say that many onlookers will stare when you take it out; a few will even point.
But according to the Dutch team led by an industrial-design student that spent two years developing the Senz umbrella─with some help from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands─this is the way an umbrella should look if it's to function properly. Apparently, the asymmetric shape is more aerodynamic and provides better coverage for couples sharing cover. And there's no arguing with the convenience of the sturdy handle, which pushes up to open the umbrella.
Once the Senz is open, there are instructions to follow: A small stamp on the underside of one of the front panels should be kept pointed against the wind; when used correctly, the instructions claim, the umbrella can withstand winds of up to 100 kilometers an hour. But this proved more troublesome than expected, as erratic shifts in winds meant constantly having to turn the umbrella. Still, take it for all in all, it did seem to provide more rain coverage than a standard umbrella.
When it was launched in 25 countries world-wide, all 10,000 Senz umbrellas sold out in just nine days. This year, the Dutch company is hoping Christmas holiday gifts will boost sales of the Senz in Hong Kong, where it is available in Lane Crawford and local retailer Oplus. But in a city full of sky-bridges and taxis that take you door-to-door, is there a need?
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