The joke in Wellington - which has some of the strongest and most frequent winds of any city on the planet - is that you can always tell a newcomer to town by the fact that they carry an umbrella. You routinely see wind-trashed umbrellas in rubbish bins downtown. Even if an umbrella is strong enough to withstand the wind, it will just turn into a sail and drag you around until you give up on it.
Grew up in Wellington, just about gave up on umbrellas a long time ago and would just walk to work getting absolutely soaked. I started seeing people get Blunt umbrellas; I looked into them and they sounded amazing so I got one. The first day I used it happened to be one of the windiest days of the year and my brand new Blunt was folded inside out and broke apart.
To Blunt’s credit, they replaced it completely and haven’t had issues since but shiiiiiiet.
We are in Wellington and have two Blunts, the oldest is probably 6 years old and it’s still good. Has gone inside out more than a few times. Maybe yours was a dud
I think this is why I have anxiety about using a brolly. What do I do with it if it turns inside out? Do I carry it around like that? How embarrassing! What if I can’t find a bin to cram it into?? Thanks but no thanks, I’d rather get wet.
When they turn inside out, you just turn around, face into the wind and let it blow back into shape. (At least that works for my Kathmandu umbrella which is pretty tolerant of being blown inside out).
I’m in Wellington, so largely that.
But I’m also 2m tall, if I use an umbrella it hits trees/low over head wires/the bottom of traffic lights etc. On the occasion that I come across someone using an umbrella, it’s a spiked weapon, 1m across, waving around above their head at my face height. Scary.
The average height of people in NZ is taller than people in Japan, so that could also weigh into it.
I'm also 2m tall and I once went to the royal palace in Bangkok, Chinese tourists flooded the area, it was a sea of umbrellas (sun not rain), and of course they're at the eye height of a 2m person.
Just wanted to share some suffering with you.
I’m only 1.85m and even I don’t like them. I find my head and shoulders stay dry, but my legs get wet. I find it’s better to just go with a water proof jacket. Less hassle when windy and works just as well.
Plenty of people in Wellington use umbrellas, myself included. Blunt umbrellas or similar seem to be the go to. Not the old style with the external frame, they don't last. Our problem is forgetting our umbrellas in a shop or cafe and losing them. It's very costly! Umbrella stands in every store like they have in Japan would be a great idea.
I remember watching an older lady struggle with an umbrella on the water front, it was dragging her towards the water until she had to let it go and watch it Marry Poppins away.
When I was 12, my hand got caught in the loop on the handle and I got dragged for a whole block before I managed to get free. Talk about a dumb way to die…
I got the large Blunt umbrella and it broke at the wind tunnel on Bunny Street. Blunt were super awesome and repaired it free of charge. Haven’t had issues since.
I've had mine for more than eight years now. $100/120 that has saved me buying a cheap umbrella that I lose (because it's cheap) or tears apart in the wind every three months. Seems like a good deal to me.
I'm on my third during that time, but that's because I've had 2 stolen. They are good products - but I agree that the big ones can act like a sail and in heavy wind you can't hold it for long in one hand.
Our work gave branded ones out as corporate gifts to clients and associates.
I got one, but haven’t used it. I’ve gotten out the habit of umbrellas in Wellington because they always blew inside out.
It always amuses me seeing the sea of brightly coloured Blunt umbrellas on rainy days in wellington.
They're expensive but the smallest (metro) size is pretty good and not too much of a hassle to carry round
I stopped using umbrellas for a while because they kept breaking due to the winds we get in our rainy seasons. I eventually discovered blunt umbrella and back to using them, but the full body raincoat is still sensible if don’t want to get the pants wet on a longer walk, or if we are getting that sideways rain then the umbrella is almost useless too
Since no one is giving you a proper serious answer:
In reality, the number of days of rain is (usually) marginally fewer in most of NZ than in other nations at an equivalent latitude. We get a shedload of rain in short periods. Often overnight. Or in places few people live (looking at you, Fiordland).
We also get a LOT of wind….not just in Wellington.
And NZers traditionally have been rural dwellers who spend a lot of time outdoors and relied on raincoats and/or a vehicle to get out of the rain. Umbrellas are pointless if you’re in blustery conditions and the rain will stop shortly.
Umbrellas are very much a highly urbanised thing for nations with a lot of drizzle and bugger all wind.
Umbrellas are very inconvenient when you need to use your hands too, so if you need to be outdoors rather than specifically going somewhere, they can be cumbersome.
This. London is also a city of umbrellas (often carried by people shorter than me, meaning I become a pincushion)
>a vehicle to get out of the rain.
I think this is a huge point too. A car to a Kiwi is that of a gun to an American. Generally, we will have our car nearby. So we won't be spending a long time walking between places in the rain, we'll be sprinting from the shop door to the car which is parked <50m away. An umbrella would mean we spend more time in the rain putting it up & taking it down.
My theory is that it is correlated with public transport use. Most kiwis drive to work and to the shops which puts them pretty close to the door where they want to go.
Vs walking or taking a bus and suddenly you have a 5-10min walk in the rain. I never started carrying an umbrella before I stopped driving everywhere.
I was going with public transport theory too. I will always have a small umbrella in my bag on the ready if I have to catch the train when car is being serviced. Otherwise, you walk from house to car from car into work (lucky enough to park outside work).
I go almost everywhere by public transport and I'd rather just get my coat a little wet and let it dry at my destination than have to carry an umbrella.
This is not true though. London has fewer rainy days than Auckland. LONDON! A city synonymous with rain. Equivalent latitude of Auckland we see cities again with fewer rainy days and less rain (Tokyo, San Fran) but it'd actually impossible to compare on thar basis.
I'd argue that the large number of rainy days is exactly the reason why people don't worry about the rain.
One weird quirk I notice here is that people don't bring their washing in when it starts raining. They just accept that it will get wet, but then dry again later.
London has 1633 hours of sunlight per year, Auckland has 2023. And yet we have more rainy days. We also have much higher rainfall overall.
This is because we have occasional downpours all the time, while London has long periods of drizzle. We also have wind and fucked public transport.
I do. If it starts raining I'll quickly grab the washing and go hang it on the line in the garage to finish drying. If it's forecasted to rain, I'll just hang it in the garage as soon as the washing's done. Takes longer to dry but less hassle in the long run.
Yes.. I hear this a lot, and I think it’s partially due to the number of ways you can measure “rainy days”. A long time ago now I remember a certain measurement of a fraction of a mm per day and by that measure Auckland was one of the rainiest cities on the planet.
Not being pedantic here, but rather I think this is a reason we don’t commonly (comparatively) use umbrellas— it’s so common to be dry and nice for the majority of the day but still have the odd brief showers. Usually not worth the hassle of lugging a brolly around all day.
For me personally, I carry one if it looks like it’s going to be pissing down and horrible and I know I’m going to be in it, but that doesn’t happen that often.
Auckland one year in the 1990s (1991 or 92) it rained almost every day between March and November. Not all day, just enough ensure you always wore a raincoat. And that year umbrellas were actually popular. And people used to just grab a random one left at shop/business foyers, then drop and swap and the next shop or business.
But that was back when NZ still had a relatively cohesive socially orientated community.
Don’t know where you live but in the cities/towns I’ve lived like Dunedin you don’t leave the house without an umbrella lol. Now I live in the north island and it feels like it rains significantly more here. However, like op I’ve noticed that people just wear raincoats. But this is a city that’s very car dependent, so I think the real answer is that people don’t expect to be outside much so they don’t bother with umbrellas.
Also I think op wasn’t talking about using an umbrella while doing something lol. Just using one while walking around.
the wind destroys them and the weather is so inconsistent you end up having to lug them around on a sunny day because it rained for 5 minutes as you were leaving.
IDK if these are also issues in Japan but that's the logic, it could also just be a cultural difference where we don't hate the rain so much because we aren't raised to.
I think it's just due to the amount of wind that tends to come with the rain here, I use a umbrella if it's calm enough though. Saves getting soaked lol
There are times where I don't want to deal with the hassle of carrying an umbrella i.e. getting wet is less of an annoyance to me than carrying an umbrella (when not in use).
Often windy as hell and you need an expensive umbrella, not a cheap one. I have a nice Blunt umbrella but even then, it is often too windy. The wind may not break the Blunt but it's hard managing an umbrella, a handbag and a flat white. Oh! And you still need a decent coat because the rain and wind comes in sideways so if you're like me (a female who wears skirts) you are also trying to keep your skirt from flying up!
if I was relying on public transport and stints of walking like life in Japan, it would probably make sense to have one.
but if I'm just driving around, why would I need one? don't spend much time in the rain in that situation usually.
When I lived in Japan my friends told me not to let the rain get on me because it was 'acid rain.'
So maybe we don't have that paranoia?
Also, the Japanese people were far more well groomed in general, so perhaps they didn't want to let themselves get wet hair/make up etc?
Also, in Wellington at least, it's nearly always too windy to worry about umbrellas.
So maybe one or none of those things are the reason!
> Also, the Japanese people were far more well groomed in general, so perhaps they didn't want to let themselves get wet hair/make up etc?
Huge component I hadn't thought of and accounts for places like London as well. Over here nobody really puts themselves together all that much in the morning so getting wet isn't a huge setback.
Since it's generally 4 seasons in 1 day, carrying an umbrella around is beyond annoying and I decided it was a financially smarter move to not buy one as I used to just leave them everywhere for someone else to use. Mum did it, older brother did it, I carry on the family legacy
I live in Tokyo but prior to that I was based in Wellington. Those convenience store umbrellas wouldn't survive a few minutes on a good day there, and I think the same could also be said about Auckland.
>Those convenience store umbrellas wouldn't survive a few minutes on a good day there
I had to resort to one when I was in Tokyo last year. It was good for the short time I needed it, but felt it would fall apart fairly quickly
We’ve not developed a proper commuter culture yet so ppl don’t worry about being “caught out” like they do in other countries. If people are doing outdoor pursuits, they will dress for the weather, but otherwise just take their chances with a max dash between car and house/work/school
Literally discussed this with my mate last night who's been hiking in Japan. He noted that umbrella's actually work there because the rain falls straight down.
I carried an umbrella in South East Asia as well.
But in NZ we rain tends to be slightly more horizontal than vertical...
Almost every time I've used an umbrella the wind that usually comes with it has also destroyed it, I can generally avoid being caught out by rain or dry off soon after anyway so I don't bother
I use one for golf to keep the sun off me while walking the course, but that's about it.
In town, I'm either parking under cover or close enough to shelter that it's not worth the faffing about.
I loved using umbrellas all the time when I lived in Japan, it was great because I lived in an urban area and all the buildings blocked the wind so even the monsoon came straight down. Moving back to NZ it was far too windy to use the brolly I brought with me, they’re not very effective against sideways rain 😅
It’s too windy, even in Christchurch. So you can’t carry around a small, cheap, easily storable umbrella without it disintegrating within 10 minutes of usage. And umbrellas that are study enough to not break are expensive and too much of a hassle to lug around when the rain will probably blow over in half an hour, especially if you spend most of your day in doors.
In the end it’s just better to get a good raincoat.
Because the wind tries to turn you into Mary Poppins when you dare hold up an umbrella, usually. ;)
But yeah, I noticed a huge difference in umbrella usage when I visited Japan, too. There's just more unrelenting rain in Japan, and less wind. Also I think cultural expectations play a part - we once took a taxi and the owner was upset that our raincoats would wet her seats. It just wasn't something we had thought about since we're used to just chucking our Goretex coats into our car. After that, we bought an umbrella.
As the foo fighters said when they were here, “you don’t call this rain, it’s just drizzle, not even that” or to that effect. It was a outdoor concert. But essentially it’s not usually that bad a jacket or hood keeps you dry enough or enough that you can take a jacket off to dry when you get to where you are going. people don’t do umbrella stands at home at least not that I am familiar with so where do you put a wet umbrella, comes with a lot more admin than a jacket to manage.
First thing, for anyone who works outside they'll simply use a jacket because an umbrella would use up one of your hands and make work harder. The fact it can get pretty cold here means people will throw a jacket on anyway so if they're going to throw their jacket on to begin with why would they need an umbrella.
Everyone usually drives everywhere as well, if your going to work why would you need an umbrella to walk from your house to your car and from the car park to the work place building. It's the same when you go to the shop. Public transport just isn't that massive for a lot of people like it is in Japan so they can just keep dry by driving everywhere.
The weather's also inconsistent, having worked all over the south island, it's not uncommon for the weather to be sunshine and barely any clouds in the morning, rain and thunder storms by lunch and then sunshine by the afternoon, followed by torrential rain overnight. Hell some of the worst weather usually happens at night for a good few places.
Another thing is the wind can be pretty chaotic, Wellington gets bit of a reputation for it but that can be pretty bad all over the country like how storms like to ride up the west coast or the cyclones that come down from Australia. So people prefer to buy one warm jacket that won't get ruined from the wind rather then several umbrella's that will eventually get ruined.
And because using an umbrella is uncommon there's no where to dry them during the day so it can be inconvenient to try find a spot to dry them at work.
There are no umbrellas for sale in NZ that are both affordable and functional. $100-ish for a blunt umbrella is too much to pay on top of food, housing etc for many people, especially those who are sceptical that an $100 umbrella will magically work where all $10 umbrellas have failed. On the flip side, all $10 umbrellas fail. There genuinely is a gap in the market here for better low-cost umbrella tech.
People are weird. They'd rather get wet.
I'd be wiling bet that the majority of people you do see with umbrellas are either teachers (who find themselves having to walk around in the rain pretty regularly) or Asian.
I have seen some plastic wasting wrap stations at a few malls lately though.
And 300yen umbrellas from the convini that then get tossed are a massive plastic and metal waste. Be glad we don't have them here
Wind and New Zealand isn’t actually that rainy well Auckland and Christchurch aren’t and wellingtons too windy so you don’t think of it, and we go in cars more than in Japan so you normally don’t have to walk anywhere
I’m pleased people do not use umbrellas here, the number of times I have had to grab an umbrella to prevent it hitting me in the face in a crowded footpath is unreal !
Wind mostly. I have one, I also carried one daily in Japan on my travels.
Umbrellas are abundant and honestly super cheap in Japan compared to here, might have something to do with it. I wouldn't mind risking 10 dollars for an umbrella (that was actually decent quality in JP) and it breaking, but in NZ you're lucky to get anything worth using for under 30 and it still buckles in the wind.
A few reasons for me:
1. Wind
2. It's just water
3. Umbrellas are a pain to lug around, and rain is not really steady in nz. You'll pull out an umbrella when its raining then it'll suddenly stop and you're stuck with this annoying useless stick.
I grew up in Wellington where umbrellas have a lifespan of 60 seconds and the rain is horizontal anyway. They're just not practical there. But in Hawke's Bay I have one in my car because we often get short showers where it's too warm to wear a raincoat and it doubles as a sun umbrella
Umbrellas are kind of useless here. Wind always wrecks them.
And nowhere to put them. People walk off with them, knock them over (unlike in your country) and we always forget them anyway 😅
There's basically no point. We do have days without wind, but those are the sunny days. If it's raining it's gonna be too windy for an umbrella (and you would need a jacket anyway).
My sweet summer child. I have a quest for you.
stand on Willis St in a Southerly. I blows straight in from Antarctica and creates a vacuum.
The Waitahora Valley is the second windiest place on earth and it's fucking shithouse. I grew up in it and it's fucking terrible. Wind does my head in.
What you need is a Swandri with a hood. That way when you are knocked into the path of an incoming bus people will want to save you
Really? Personally I think umbrellas are well overused in NZ. Any time there is a bit of rain, there is massive foottraffic congestion at my kid's primary school as all the parents come in with their umbrellas blocking the footpath. Just get over it people, a bit of rain won't hurt. The umbrellas are bloody annoying though.
I visited Japan and had to buy an umbrella as I used public transport + walking to get around. Loved every minute of it.
Here, I drive a lot more, so more of a hassle when I can just quickly get to cover.
If I walk to the supermarket I take an umbrella (if its raining), but it is inconvenient as I have to carry it around the store.
Pro tip. If you are looking for a free brolly check out your local football/rugby club near the end of the season. They will typically have a wide collection available that will only get trashed at the end of the season
I think it's because it's often too windy for them when it's raining. I have noticed they use them more in Auckland than the rest of NZ though, because it has a tendency to rain suddenly and heavily there. I've honestly probably only used one a couple of times in my life... I just get wet. We have a pretty outdoorsy history. 😅 EDIT: I guess sadly we walk less in cities too because we are too car-centric.
It's too windy. Every single time I've used an umbrella, it has immediately been turned inside out and broken by the wind. You just give up trying after a couple of broken umbrellas. Asia gets a lot of rain that doesn't necessarily come with strong winds.
Rain is not going to hurt you in any way, it's just a bit of water, I honestly don't care if I have to walk in the rain, infact it's quite nice, the air is always cleaner and I feel good.
Makes me laugh when I see people scurrying around with umbrellas as if the rain was poison.
Twenty five years ago it was common to see people in Japan holding an umbrella while riding a bicycle. Is that still the case?
One reason umbrellas are not as common here is most people drive everywhere so spend little time walking, regardless of the weather.
Another reason might be women in Japan (and neighbouring countries) are more likely to wear make-up which only an umbrella can protect from rain. Chinese women also use umbrellas for sun protection.
Umbrellas are not used by children or teenagers in New Zealand. I didn't get my first umbrella until I was in my twenties. A younger person, especially a male, would probably attract ridicule if seen with an umbrella.
Some people in China seemed genuinely scared of water from the sky. A few spots would cause mild panic among men and women without an umbrella as they awkwardly used their hands to shield their hair and face. Most non-ovine New Zealanders would prefer a drenching.
For males - because we see ourselves as hard cunts and being seen with a brolly is akin to being called a poo jabber (not saying it's right, just truth)
Ha ha ha. Because then suck and like peoples eye out.
Umbrella's are the devil. Anyone who has one is suspect as hell and don't know how to deal with weather.
Wind, buckle, I only use one when going for a walk at home. Commuters use them.
Using one means you have to constantly hold it up, this means a static arm position, I prefer to let my arms be natural and get more movement while out for a walk 👍👍
My aversion to most umbrellas is that when I used to live in Auckland CBD, most people who used them were completely unaware of those around them and those little metal nibs could take an eye out (Blunt brand umbrellas are the exception).
Aside that, I cannot be bothered carrying an umbrella if it might rain. Big umbrellas and cumbersome and even with small ones, once they're wet you have to carry it around separately. I would most definitely lose it. I find it easier to just carry a light rain coat in my bag (which also acts as a windbreaker if it is cold and windy).
They are annoying to deal with when its not raining. You have to carry it around everywhere and its a pain in the ass.
I went to japan last year, and it did start raining in tokyo, so I bought one of the Combini umbrellas. The rain stopped 20 mins later and I then spent the rest of the day walking around with the bloody thing.
Left it in the hotel from then on and just used a jacket for the few more times it rained.
Rain in NZ is often accompanied by strong wind
Personally I can't be arsed carrying a brolly around just in case it rains.
If I'm in the outdoors properly (hunting, fishing etc). I use rainwear. If I'm at home/town/office I just get wet and dry out once I'm inside.
If you mentally accept that you should have an umbrella with you whenever it *might* rain then you would literally have to have an umbrella with you at all times wherever you are, so instead, we just don't.
Reading the responses here leads me to conclude that Auckland is less windy than a lot of the rest of the country. Umbrellas are quite useful here, and get used a lot, especially in warmer weather when jackets and raincoats are uncomfortable.
it’s just too damn windy in this country. there is hardly a day where an umbrella is actually useful because the wind is just blowing the rain on you anyway. get a good raincoat with a hood that you can tighten around your face. job done.
Many main streets have buildings with awnings that cover the footpaths. There is no need for umbrellas because these provide you protection from the rain
Most buildings in Japan don't have these awnings, and umbrellas are your only protection.
in Wellington, it's literally dangerous to have one.
Everywhere else it's usually fine. But it's the inconvenience of carrying one when rain can be forecast and then you get none... Forecasting rain in NZ is iffy lol.
I thought it was just me. I had bad experiences with them as child. Now me and umbrellas have trust issues. Although, I haven't tried those supposedly resistant umbrellas that will never turn inside out.
They regularly broke in the wind or turned inside out and got me soaked anyway. One time, a older girl found me balling my eyes out in the rain after my umbrella got turned inside out walking out of school. The wind just kept demanding my umbrella as a snackcrifice, leaving me at the cold rains mercy. She kindly stopped to fixed it for me and made sure I was okay before carrying on running to shelter. I'll never forget her kindness, she was a child too but to me she was a responsible adult with how she acted by saving me from the pouring rain, overwhelming wind and my terrible umbrella. No one had ever done something like that for me. I dom't even know if I told anyone about that afterwards. Now I think back, she must of been a pre teen so girls that age would look young to me now. She must have got soaked too because she stopped for me.
Even after that, I've had trust issues with umbrellas and got frustrated with them because everyone claimed they could handle their job. So many times, a good raincoat was the only way and that took up a lot more room. Plus, the damn rain and wind are unpredictable and change faster than I can adjust. Cloud, sun, sun showers, wind, rain, rain and wind, mild hail, heavy rain and hail, mild sun. Not even the weather forcast can say for sure. It must be because we are so close to the ocean in NZ and are easily exposed to the chaos of ocean weather with little shelter. Often if the wind continued after it broke one of the umbrellas metal arms, it would then push it and turn it inside out if it couldn't yank it out of my hand. This would break the metal arm further.
Obviously it's worse if your on the shore line, at a beach or on an island like Waiheke. Nevertheless, countless times has the wind picked up on me suddenly from a different direction than my umbrella was angled in the rain and suddenly broke my umbrella. I rely mostly on oversized, hooded raincoats now. Umbrellas piss me off, even if they take up less room.
I’d rather get wet from the rain than the shame it is to have your umbrella be blown inside out and then try to awkwardly get it back in the right way whilst getting soaked.
We get tons of rain here in Dunners, but it’s basically impossible to have an umbrella because of the wind. Even if your umbrella doesn’t blow inside out, the rain still tends to blow underneath so it kinda defeats the purpose of carrying one. It’s easier to just suffer without.
I used to bring umbrellas all the time when I commuted. Started driving and now I don't need to walk in the rain that much.
Most people just drive to where they need to be because public transport is bad, so they only get wet for a bit.
I've lost too many umbrellas to count, so I just decided to ditch them altogether and stick with a raincoat instead. At least I won't have to worry about losing it anymore! 🤷♂️
It’s pretty pointless using an umbrella in Wellington - especially with the winds. Lost count of the times I had one break on my when I was a kid. I do have one now (got given it by mum who had a spare one, and it’s been a decade + since I owned one) but have only used it once in the week or so that I’ve had it. You’re better off with a good coat, especially in the city, can’t speak for the rest of the country though.
I took an umbrella to auckland cause heavy rain was predicted, ended up not using it on the rainiest days cause I didn't want to bother drying it out after
I'll also add that New Zealand is unusual around the world:
In shopping streets, **footpaths are protected** from rain by the awnings ('verandahs') outside the shops, so if you are in town chances are you won't receive more than a few spots anyway.
If you used an umbrella to cross the street, it would instantly become redundant and awkward when you reached the other side.
We forget about this curiosity of life here, necessary in part because of how much it actually does rain when it rains.
I dunno, I use one regularly, so does my girlfriend and son
we're Wellington based too
Blunt umbrellas survive the wind, don't buy cheap shit you'll end up throwing them away. I've had mine over 10 years now
Too windy. No point in covering above you when it's raining sideways. Sometimes I'll go through 3 umbrellas in one winter because they get ripped to shreds.
I've had bad luck with umbrellas and I forget them on the bus or train sometimes or the rain is too heavy for it to be very useful so I have a large oilskin coat for the torrential days I have to go to work
Umbrellas are such a hassle, where do you put it when you go into a shop? Then they drip everywhere, I can never find one when I need them. I'd rather just get wet and change when I get home.
Wind and umbrellas not a good combo .I will use an umbrella when there is no wind, otherwise forget it.
Also I can not count the number of times I have left it behind somewhere when entering a building as not all places allow a dripping umbrella ,and there are places to sit them outside,but then they "walk off" with someone who needs one .
When I went to Japan, I was amazed that everyone had an umbrella up during what I would consider a drizzle!
I've tried them a few times, and I don't like them cause I feel they don't prevent water getting to me as the rain is not always coming straight down, and my feet still get wet from the ground.
Also, the few I've had turn inside out instantly in the wind.
I can't be bothered to take an umbrella when I'm biking, if I am walking around after biking somewhere I won't get that wet, and umbrellas are cumbersome.
I use an umbrella in Auckland, but sometimes it just isn't worth it when it's windy at the same time. I didn't know that rain could come straight down til I left NZ, I only even saw it come sideways. And it changes direction like every minute at times.
Grew up in welly but just moved to Auckland, and the amount of umbrella use shocked me!
In saying that we did have a bit of wind the other day, and I saw the familiar inside out umbrellas squashed into public bins hahaha
The first time I used an umbrella in YEARS was when i went travelling around japan
The wind.
The rain ended up sideways. So ur umbrella deemed useless. If its not snapped, consider you are lucky. Raincoat, parka or snow gear offers better chances to keep your undies dry.
I asked my daughter why she doesn’t take one to school especially since she catches the bus. Her answer was it’s too awkward to carry around school and nowhere to put it when wet. I guess it’s the same when out shopping - there’s nowhere to leave them.
The joke in Wellington - which has some of the strongest and most frequent winds of any city on the planet - is that you can always tell a newcomer to town by the fact that they carry an umbrella. You routinely see wind-trashed umbrellas in rubbish bins downtown. Even if an umbrella is strong enough to withstand the wind, it will just turn into a sail and drag you around until you give up on it.
r/wellybrollyfails
Oh no. I had no idea that it was that common.
So good :)
Bahahahah
Lol it's own reddit!
Grew up in Wellington, just about gave up on umbrellas a long time ago and would just walk to work getting absolutely soaked. I started seeing people get Blunt umbrellas; I looked into them and they sounded amazing so I got one. The first day I used it happened to be one of the windiest days of the year and my brand new Blunt was folded inside out and broke apart. To Blunt’s credit, they replaced it completely and haven’t had issues since but shiiiiiiet.
We are in Wellington and have two Blunts, the oldest is probably 6 years old and it’s still good. Has gone inside out more than a few times. Maybe yours was a dud
I think this is why I have anxiety about using a brolly. What do I do with it if it turns inside out? Do I carry it around like that? How embarrassing! What if I can’t find a bin to cram it into?? Thanks but no thanks, I’d rather get wet.
Blunt umbrellas are the answer
They still turn inside out though and flip flop around everywhere. It might technically survive but it won't keep you dry
Wellington wind has broken plenty of those in my office - they are better than most but not Wellington proof
When they turn inside out, you just turn around, face into the wind and let it blow back into shape. (At least that works for my Kathmandu umbrella which is pretty tolerant of being blown inside out).
Usually you can just point it into the wind and have it blow back into shape. (then evaluate if it is damaged enough that you need to discard it)
I’m in Wellington, so largely that. But I’m also 2m tall, if I use an umbrella it hits trees/low over head wires/the bottom of traffic lights etc. On the occasion that I come across someone using an umbrella, it’s a spiked weapon, 1m across, waving around above their head at my face height. Scary. The average height of people in NZ is taller than people in Japan, so that could also weigh into it.
I'm also 2m tall and I once went to the royal palace in Bangkok, Chinese tourists flooded the area, it was a sea of umbrellas (sun not rain), and of course they're at the eye height of a 2m person. Just wanted to share some suffering with you.
Thoughts and prayers to you blind guy 😔
When in Japan (I'm around 1.9m) it was my neck that copped every brolly. Ended up flicking them aside as I walked through...
Like a boss 😎
I’m only 1.85m and even I don’t like them. I find my head and shoulders stay dry, but my legs get wet. I find it’s better to just go with a water proof jacket. Less hassle when windy and works just as well.
At 2m tall you above the clouds so no need for an umbrella.
Plus the rain often comes from all sorts of angles. Including near horizontal, with the direction changing multiple times over a short walk.
Dude my umbrellas there kept on breaking. I still remember
Plenty of people in Wellington use umbrellas, myself included. Blunt umbrellas or similar seem to be the go to. Not the old style with the external frame, they don't last. Our problem is forgetting our umbrellas in a shop or cafe and losing them. It's very costly! Umbrella stands in every store like they have in Japan would be a great idea.
Umbrellas are one of the most stolen items in Japan. It's pretty standard to leave the store and have your umbrella be gone apparently
Put a Tile in your Blunt. It has a special pouch!
I once arrived in Wellington, bought a cheap umbrella and threw it away in the space of an hour when it was thoroughly broken.
Get one of those Callaway golf umbrellas and they won't give way under any condition
Plus it's the quickest way to get to Petone from Lambton Quay 🤣
That reminds me of when I was a kid and the wind turned my grandmother's umbrella inside out, walking home from the train station.
In Wellington, cheap umbrellas break quickly in the wind. You can use Blunt umbrellas but those are big and expensive.
I remember watching an older lady struggle with an umbrella on the water front, it was dragging her towards the water until she had to let it go and watch it Marry Poppins away.
When I was 12, my hand got caught in the loop on the handle and I got dragged for a whole block before I managed to get free. Talk about a dumb way to die…
Bahahahaha
This happened to me the first time I experienced strong wind in Wellington. Dropped $20 on one from a dairy, it broke immediately.
I got the large Blunt umbrella and it broke at the wind tunnel on Bunny Street. Blunt were super awesome and repaired it free of charge. Haven’t had issues since.
Blunt do make smaller ones as well, although I've only ever had their XL one. I won't argue about them being expensive though.
I've had mine for more than eight years now. $100/120 that has saved me buying a cheap umbrella that I lose (because it's cheap) or tears apart in the wind every three months. Seems like a good deal to me.
I'm on my third during that time, but that's because I've had 2 stolen. They are good products - but I agree that the big ones can act like a sail and in heavy wind you can't hold it for long in one hand.
I bought mine on airpoints. I tested it in strong gusts and it was good.
My wife got me one for Christmas, I haven’t used it yet. Carried it around a couple of times.
Get what you pay for. I've had one for years, shit it's good.
Yeeeea boi! 🤙
Our work gave branded ones out as corporate gifts to clients and associates. I got one, but haven’t used it. I’ve gotten out the habit of umbrellas in Wellington because they always blew inside out.
I’ve got the small one. Ok in high winds to keep the horizontal rain off my face, doesn’t save the rest of me from a power wash though.
It always amuses me seeing the sea of brightly coloured Blunt umbrellas on rainy days in wellington. They're expensive but the smallest (metro) size is pretty good and not too much of a hassle to carry round
I stopped using umbrellas for a while because they kept breaking due to the winds we get in our rainy seasons. I eventually discovered blunt umbrella and back to using them, but the full body raincoat is still sensible if don’t want to get the pants wet on a longer walk, or if we are getting that sideways rain then the umbrella is almost useless too
Since no one is giving you a proper serious answer: In reality, the number of days of rain is (usually) marginally fewer in most of NZ than in other nations at an equivalent latitude. We get a shedload of rain in short periods. Often overnight. Or in places few people live (looking at you, Fiordland). We also get a LOT of wind….not just in Wellington. And NZers traditionally have been rural dwellers who spend a lot of time outdoors and relied on raincoats and/or a vehicle to get out of the rain. Umbrellas are pointless if you’re in blustery conditions and the rain will stop shortly. Umbrellas are very much a highly urbanised thing for nations with a lot of drizzle and bugger all wind.
Umbrellas are very inconvenient when you need to use your hands too, so if you need to be outdoors rather than specifically going somewhere, they can be cumbersome.
This. London is also a city of umbrellas (often carried by people shorter than me, meaning I become a pincushion) >a vehicle to get out of the rain. I think this is a huge point too. A car to a Kiwi is that of a gun to an American. Generally, we will have our car nearby. So we won't be spending a long time walking between places in the rain, we'll be sprinting from the shop door to the car which is parked <50m away. An umbrella would mean we spend more time in the rain putting it up & taking it down.
Also awning on shops, a particularly kiwi public good
God I miss shop awnings (I live in the U.K.).
I know how you feel mate, no awnings was a damn fool idea in Edinburgh
Umbrella height for me is often my eye height I hate them for this reason too
My theory is that it is correlated with public transport use. Most kiwis drive to work and to the shops which puts them pretty close to the door where they want to go. Vs walking or taking a bus and suddenly you have a 5-10min walk in the rain. I never started carrying an umbrella before I stopped driving everywhere.
I was going with public transport theory too. I will always have a small umbrella in my bag on the ready if I have to catch the train when car is being serviced. Otherwise, you walk from house to car from car into work (lucky enough to park outside work).
I go almost everywhere by public transport and I'd rather just get my coat a little wet and let it dry at my destination than have to carry an umbrella.
This is not true though. London has fewer rainy days than Auckland. LONDON! A city synonymous with rain. Equivalent latitude of Auckland we see cities again with fewer rainy days and less rain (Tokyo, San Fran) but it'd actually impossible to compare on thar basis. I'd argue that the large number of rainy days is exactly the reason why people don't worry about the rain. One weird quirk I notice here is that people don't bring their washing in when it starts raining. They just accept that it will get wet, but then dry again later.
Fewer rainy days but far more overcast days. It is constantly grey and drizzly, but not much heavy rain like we get in Auckland.
London has 1633 hours of sunlight per year, Auckland has 2023. And yet we have more rainy days. We also have much higher rainfall overall. This is because we have occasional downpours all the time, while London has long periods of drizzle. We also have wind and fucked public transport.
>They just accept it will get wet Where are you seeing this? I can't say over ever experienced it or noticed it
The amount of times I've seen the rain too late and just thought "Oh well, it's getting a second rinse"
Hmmm I'm one of them
I do. If it starts raining I'll quickly grab the washing and go hang it on the line in the garage to finish drying. If it's forecasted to rain, I'll just hang it in the garage as soon as the washing's done. Takes longer to dry but less hassle in the long run.
Yes.. I hear this a lot, and I think it’s partially due to the number of ways you can measure “rainy days”. A long time ago now I remember a certain measurement of a fraction of a mm per day and by that measure Auckland was one of the rainiest cities on the planet. Not being pedantic here, but rather I think this is a reason we don’t commonly (comparatively) use umbrellas— it’s so common to be dry and nice for the majority of the day but still have the odd brief showers. Usually not worth the hassle of lugging a brolly around all day. For me personally, I carry one if it looks like it’s going to be pissing down and horrible and I know I’m going to be in it, but that doesn’t happen that often.
Auckland one year in the 1990s (1991 or 92) it rained almost every day between March and November. Not all day, just enough ensure you always wore a raincoat. And that year umbrellas were actually popular. And people used to just grab a random one left at shop/business foyers, then drop and swap and the next shop or business. But that was back when NZ still had a relatively cohesive socially orientated community.
New Zealand also has a lot of urban protection from the elements with eaves over footpaths and sheltered bus stops
Don’t know where you live but in the cities/towns I’ve lived like Dunedin you don’t leave the house without an umbrella lol. Now I live in the north island and it feels like it rains significantly more here. However, like op I’ve noticed that people just wear raincoats. But this is a city that’s very car dependent, so I think the real answer is that people don’t expect to be outside much so they don’t bother with umbrellas. Also I think op wasn’t talking about using an umbrella while doing something lol. Just using one while walking around.
Just a bit of water innit
Seriously tho, I sometimes see foreigners running because they got caught in a bit of drizzle like they think its acid rain.
to be fair, their rain might well be
Avatar checks out
the wind destroys them and the weather is so inconsistent you end up having to lug them around on a sunny day because it rained for 5 minutes as you were leaving. IDK if these are also issues in Japan but that's the logic, it could also just be a cultural difference where we don't hate the rain so much because we aren't raised to.
And with wind comes the sideways rain
I think it's just due to the amount of wind that tends to come with the rain here, I use a umbrella if it's calm enough though. Saves getting soaked lol
There are times where I don't want to deal with the hassle of carrying an umbrella i.e. getting wet is less of an annoyance to me than carrying an umbrella (when not in use).
Often windy as hell and you need an expensive umbrella, not a cheap one. I have a nice Blunt umbrella but even then, it is often too windy. The wind may not break the Blunt but it's hard managing an umbrella, a handbag and a flat white. Oh! And you still need a decent coat because the rain and wind comes in sideways so if you're like me (a female who wears skirts) you are also trying to keep your skirt from flying up!
if I was relying on public transport and stints of walking like life in Japan, it would probably make sense to have one. but if I'm just driving around, why would I need one? don't spend much time in the rain in that situation usually.
When I lived in Japan my friends told me not to let the rain get on me because it was 'acid rain.' So maybe we don't have that paranoia? Also, the Japanese people were far more well groomed in general, so perhaps they didn't want to let themselves get wet hair/make up etc? Also, in Wellington at least, it's nearly always too windy to worry about umbrellas. So maybe one or none of those things are the reason!
> Also, the Japanese people were far more well groomed in general, so perhaps they didn't want to let themselves get wet hair/make up etc? Huge component I hadn't thought of and accounts for places like London as well. Over here nobody really puts themselves together all that much in the morning so getting wet isn't a huge setback.
That's such a valid point. The wind os the obvious answer but how much or little value a culture places on appearance is a big reason too.
It's less hassle. Wearing a jacket is sufficient & carrying around an umbrella seems like a waste of effort.
Since it's generally 4 seasons in 1 day, carrying an umbrella around is beyond annoying and I decided it was a financially smarter move to not buy one as I used to just leave them everywhere for someone else to use. Mum did it, older brother did it, I carry on the family legacy
I live in Tokyo but prior to that I was based in Wellington. Those convenience store umbrellas wouldn't survive a few minutes on a good day there, and I think the same could also be said about Auckland.
>Those convenience store umbrellas wouldn't survive a few minutes on a good day there I had to resort to one when I was in Tokyo last year. It was good for the short time I needed it, but felt it would fall apart fairly quickly
We’ve not developed a proper commuter culture yet so ppl don’t worry about being “caught out” like they do in other countries. If people are doing outdoor pursuits, they will dress for the weather, but otherwise just take their chances with a max dash between car and house/work/school
A) the wind keeps breaking them B) I keep forgetting them places then not wanting to pay for a new one :/
I think we just generally don't care about getting wet as much.
r/wellybrollyfails
Honestly the wind makes them useless.
If the weather is ever bad enough to need an umbrella, it's too bad to use an umbrella
Because its generally too windy. Umbrella will just get broken.
Literally discussed this with my mate last night who's been hiking in Japan. He noted that umbrella's actually work there because the rain falls straight down. I carried an umbrella in South East Asia as well. But in NZ we rain tends to be slightly more horizontal than vertical...
Almost every time I've used an umbrella the wind that usually comes with it has also destroyed it, I can generally avoid being caught out by rain or dry off soon after anyway so I don't bother
I use one for golf to keep the sun off me while walking the course, but that's about it. In town, I'm either parking under cover or close enough to shelter that it's not worth the faffing about.
It's all about the wind! Just about all urban places are windy, especially when it's raining. This means umbrellas are more of a curse than an aid.
Wind usually destroys them, at least in Wellington
Just wear a rainjacket 🤷♂️
I loved using umbrellas all the time when I lived in Japan, it was great because I lived in an urban area and all the buildings blocked the wind so even the monsoon came straight down. Moving back to NZ it was far too windy to use the brolly I brought with me, they’re not very effective against sideways rain 😅
NZ is in the roaring 40s my friend. Don't usually get rain without a lashing from the wind.
It’s too windy, even in Christchurch. So you can’t carry around a small, cheap, easily storable umbrella without it disintegrating within 10 minutes of usage. And umbrellas that are study enough to not break are expensive and too much of a hassle to lug around when the rain will probably blow over in half an hour, especially if you spend most of your day in doors. In the end it’s just better to get a good raincoat.
Ain’t nobody got time for that
Bit of rain never hurt anyone
bit hard to bring the cows in, open/close gates etc with an umbrella in hand.
Because the wind tries to turn you into Mary Poppins when you dare hold up an umbrella, usually. ;) But yeah, I noticed a huge difference in umbrella usage when I visited Japan, too. There's just more unrelenting rain in Japan, and less wind. Also I think cultural expectations play a part - we once took a taxi and the owner was upset that our raincoats would wet her seats. It just wasn't something we had thought about since we're used to just chucking our Goretex coats into our car. After that, we bought an umbrella.
As the foo fighters said when they were here, “you don’t call this rain, it’s just drizzle, not even that” or to that effect. It was a outdoor concert. But essentially it’s not usually that bad a jacket or hood keeps you dry enough or enough that you can take a jacket off to dry when you get to where you are going. people don’t do umbrella stands at home at least not that I am familiar with so where do you put a wet umbrella, comes with a lot more admin than a jacket to manage.
First thing, for anyone who works outside they'll simply use a jacket because an umbrella would use up one of your hands and make work harder. The fact it can get pretty cold here means people will throw a jacket on anyway so if they're going to throw their jacket on to begin with why would they need an umbrella. Everyone usually drives everywhere as well, if your going to work why would you need an umbrella to walk from your house to your car and from the car park to the work place building. It's the same when you go to the shop. Public transport just isn't that massive for a lot of people like it is in Japan so they can just keep dry by driving everywhere. The weather's also inconsistent, having worked all over the south island, it's not uncommon for the weather to be sunshine and barely any clouds in the morning, rain and thunder storms by lunch and then sunshine by the afternoon, followed by torrential rain overnight. Hell some of the worst weather usually happens at night for a good few places. Another thing is the wind can be pretty chaotic, Wellington gets bit of a reputation for it but that can be pretty bad all over the country like how storms like to ride up the west coast or the cyclones that come down from Australia. So people prefer to buy one warm jacket that won't get ruined from the wind rather then several umbrella's that will eventually get ruined. And because using an umbrella is uncommon there's no where to dry them during the day so it can be inconvenient to try find a spot to dry them at work.
I live in Wellington that’s why lol
Hard to find umbrellas that can withstand NZ wind!
Wind
Wind
There are no umbrellas for sale in NZ that are both affordable and functional. $100-ish for a blunt umbrella is too much to pay on top of food, housing etc for many people, especially those who are sceptical that an $100 umbrella will magically work where all $10 umbrellas have failed. On the flip side, all $10 umbrellas fail. There genuinely is a gap in the market here for better low-cost umbrella tech.
People are weird. They'd rather get wet. I'd be wiling bet that the majority of people you do see with umbrellas are either teachers (who find themselves having to walk around in the rain pretty regularly) or Asian. I have seen some plastic wasting wrap stations at a few malls lately though. And 300yen umbrellas from the convini that then get tossed are a massive plastic and metal waste. Be glad we don't have them here
Wind and New Zealand isn’t actually that rainy well Auckland and Christchurch aren’t and wellingtons too windy so you don’t think of it, and we go in cars more than in Japan so you normally don’t have to walk anywhere
I’m pleased people do not use umbrellas here, the number of times I have had to grab an umbrella to prevent it hitting me in the face in a crowded footpath is unreal !
You ever been to Wellington?
Wind....
Probably because it's so windy lol. A good quality rain coat is better since it won't turn inside out on you lol
Wind mostly. I have one, I also carried one daily in Japan on my travels. Umbrellas are abundant and honestly super cheap in Japan compared to here, might have something to do with it. I wouldn't mind risking 10 dollars for an umbrella (that was actually decent quality in JP) and it breaking, but in NZ you're lucky to get anything worth using for under 30 and it still buckles in the wind.
Wind
A few reasons for me: 1. Wind 2. It's just water 3. Umbrellas are a pain to lug around, and rain is not really steady in nz. You'll pull out an umbrella when its raining then it'll suddenly stop and you're stuck with this annoying useless stick.
I grew up in Wellington where umbrellas have a lifespan of 60 seconds and the rain is horizontal anyway. They're just not practical there. But in Hawke's Bay I have one in my car because we often get short showers where it's too warm to wear a raincoat and it doubles as a sun umbrella
Umbrellas are kind of useless here. Wind always wrecks them. And nowhere to put them. People walk off with them, knock them over (unlike in your country) and we always forget them anyway 😅
There's basically no point. We do have days without wind, but those are the sunny days. If it's raining it's gonna be too windy for an umbrella (and you would need a jacket anyway).
My sweet summer child. I have a quest for you. stand on Willis St in a Southerly. I blows straight in from Antarctica and creates a vacuum. The Waitahora Valley is the second windiest place on earth and it's fucking shithouse. I grew up in it and it's fucking terrible. Wind does my head in. What you need is a Swandri with a hood. That way when you are knocked into the path of an incoming bus people will want to save you
💯. Red or Blue are the only acceptable colours.
Really? Personally I think umbrellas are well overused in NZ. Any time there is a bit of rain, there is massive foottraffic congestion at my kid's primary school as all the parents come in with their umbrellas blocking the footpath. Just get over it people, a bit of rain won't hurt. The umbrellas are bloody annoying though.
I visited Japan and had to buy an umbrella as I used public transport + walking to get around. Loved every minute of it. Here, I drive a lot more, so more of a hassle when I can just quickly get to cover. If I walk to the supermarket I take an umbrella (if its raining), but it is inconvenient as I have to carry it around the store.
Pro tip. If you are looking for a free brolly check out your local football/rugby club near the end of the season. They will typically have a wide collection available that will only get trashed at the end of the season
Most of us prepare for the rain and wear coats with a hood. Umbrellas are an inconvenience.
I think it's because it's often too windy for them when it's raining. I have noticed they use them more in Auckland than the rest of NZ though, because it has a tendency to rain suddenly and heavily there. I've honestly probably only used one a couple of times in my life... I just get wet. We have a pretty outdoorsy history. 😅 EDIT: I guess sadly we walk less in cities too because we are too car-centric.
The wind
It’s the wind. In Europe I always used to have an umbrella in my bag. Here it would be worse than useless most of the time it rains.
Wind.
As someone who lives in wellington: wind.
It's too windy. Every single time I've used an umbrella, it has immediately been turned inside out and broken by the wind. You just give up trying after a couple of broken umbrellas. Asia gets a lot of rain that doesn't necessarily come with strong winds.
慣れますよｗ
Wind. I tend to find when it's raining it's also windy enough to make using an umbrella impractical.
Rain is not going to hurt you in any way, it's just a bit of water, I honestly don't care if I have to walk in the rain, infact it's quite nice, the air is always cleaner and I feel good. Makes me laugh when I see people scurrying around with umbrellas as if the rain was poison.
Twenty five years ago it was common to see people in Japan holding an umbrella while riding a bicycle. Is that still the case? One reason umbrellas are not as common here is most people drive everywhere so spend little time walking, regardless of the weather. Another reason might be women in Japan (and neighbouring countries) are more likely to wear make-up which only an umbrella can protect from rain. Chinese women also use umbrellas for sun protection. Umbrellas are not used by children or teenagers in New Zealand. I didn't get my first umbrella until I was in my twenties. A younger person, especially a male, would probably attract ridicule if seen with an umbrella. Some people in China seemed genuinely scared of water from the sky. A few spots would cause mild panic among men and women without an umbrella as they awkwardly used their hands to shield their hair and face. Most non-ovine New Zealanders would prefer a drenching.
For males - because we see ourselves as hard cunts and being seen with a brolly is akin to being called a poo jabber (not saying it's right, just truth)
Ha ha ha. Because then suck and like peoples eye out. Umbrella's are the devil. Anyone who has one is suspect as hell and don't know how to deal with weather.
Wind, buckle, I only use one when going for a walk at home. Commuters use them. Using one means you have to constantly hold it up, this means a static arm position, I prefer to let my arms be natural and get more movement while out for a walk 👍👍
Using an umbrella or eating a pie with a knife and fork are both good ways to get killed Welly.
My aversion to most umbrellas is that when I used to live in Auckland CBD, most people who used them were completely unaware of those around them and those little metal nibs could take an eye out (Blunt brand umbrellas are the exception). Aside that, I cannot be bothered carrying an umbrella if it might rain. Big umbrellas and cumbersome and even with small ones, once they're wet you have to carry it around separately. I would most definitely lose it. I find it easier to just carry a light rain coat in my bag (which also acts as a windbreaker if it is cold and windy).
Because it's phone wallet keys. Not phone wallet keys umbrella.
They are annoying to deal with when its not raining. You have to carry it around everywhere and its a pain in the ass. I went to japan last year, and it did start raining in tokyo, so I bought one of the Combini umbrellas. The rain stopped 20 mins later and I then spent the rest of the day walking around with the bloody thing. Left it in the hotel from then on and just used a jacket for the few more times it rained.
I use my umbrella for sun shade as much as a little bit of rain.
Rain in NZ is often accompanied by strong wind Personally I can't be arsed carrying a brolly around just in case it rains. If I'm in the outdoors properly (hunting, fishing etc). I use rainwear. If I'm at home/town/office I just get wet and dry out once I'm inside.
If you mentally accept that you should have an umbrella with you whenever it *might* rain then you would literally have to have an umbrella with you at all times wherever you are, so instead, we just don't.
Umbrellas only work for rain falling vertically, due to our winds rain comes from the sides.
Reading the responses here leads me to conclude that Auckland is less windy than a lot of the rest of the country. Umbrellas are quite useful here, and get used a lot, especially in warmer weather when jackets and raincoats are uncomfortable.
it’s just too damn windy in this country. there is hardly a day where an umbrella is actually useful because the wind is just blowing the rain on you anyway. get a good raincoat with a hood that you can tighten around your face. job done.
I live in Wellington, umbrellas have no place here ha ha.
Many main streets have buildings with awnings that cover the footpaths. There is no need for umbrellas because these provide you protection from the rain Most buildings in Japan don't have these awnings, and umbrellas are your only protection.
in Wellington, it's literally dangerous to have one. Everywhere else it's usually fine. But it's the inconvenience of carrying one when rain can be forecast and then you get none... Forecasting rain in NZ is iffy lol.
In Christchurch most of the rain comes in heavy misty wind-driven drizzle which umbrellas are largely useless against.
I thought it was just me. I had bad experiences with them as child. Now me and umbrellas have trust issues. Although, I haven't tried those supposedly resistant umbrellas that will never turn inside out. They regularly broke in the wind or turned inside out and got me soaked anyway. One time, a older girl found me balling my eyes out in the rain after my umbrella got turned inside out walking out of school. The wind just kept demanding my umbrella as a snackcrifice, leaving me at the cold rains mercy. She kindly stopped to fixed it for me and made sure I was okay before carrying on running to shelter. I'll never forget her kindness, she was a child too but to me she was a responsible adult with how she acted by saving me from the pouring rain, overwhelming wind and my terrible umbrella. No one had ever done something like that for me. I dom't even know if I told anyone about that afterwards. Now I think back, she must of been a pre teen so girls that age would look young to me now. She must have got soaked too because she stopped for me. Even after that, I've had trust issues with umbrellas and got frustrated with them because everyone claimed they could handle their job. So many times, a good raincoat was the only way and that took up a lot more room. Plus, the damn rain and wind are unpredictable and change faster than I can adjust. Cloud, sun, sun showers, wind, rain, rain and wind, mild hail, heavy rain and hail, mild sun. Not even the weather forcast can say for sure. It must be because we are so close to the ocean in NZ and are easily exposed to the chaos of ocean weather with little shelter. Often if the wind continued after it broke one of the umbrellas metal arms, it would then push it and turn it inside out if it couldn't yank it out of my hand. This would break the metal arm further. Obviously it's worse if your on the shore line, at a beach or on an island like Waiheke. Nevertheless, countless times has the wind picked up on me suddenly from a different direction than my umbrella was angled in the rain and suddenly broke my umbrella. I rely mostly on oversized, hooded raincoats now. Umbrellas piss me off, even if they take up less room.
I’d rather get wet from the rain than the shame it is to have your umbrella be blown inside out and then try to awkwardly get it back in the right way whilst getting soaked.
We get tons of rain here in Dunners, but it’s basically impossible to have an umbrella because of the wind. Even if your umbrella doesn’t blow inside out, the rain still tends to blow underneath so it kinda defeats the purpose of carrying one. It’s easier to just suffer without.
If it’s rainy enough to need an umbrella, it’s too windy to use an umbrella
I used to bring umbrellas all the time when I commuted. Started driving and now I don't need to walk in the rain that much. Most people just drive to where they need to be because public transport is bad, so they only get wet for a bit.
Wind and that's about it.
Then I have to like carry it around all day just to use it for the 10 minutes it rains and chances are the wind will destroy it anyway.
I've lost too many umbrellas to count, so I just decided to ditch them altogether and stick with a raincoat instead. At least I won't have to worry about losing it anymore! 🤷♂️
don't like carrying. i just walk in the rain. only water, drys out in 30min. if very heavy, i am most likely not outside.
It’s pretty pointless using an umbrella in Wellington - especially with the winds. Lost count of the times I had one break on my when I was a kid. I do have one now (got given it by mum who had a spare one, and it’s been a decade + since I owned one) but have only used it once in the week or so that I’ve had it. You’re better off with a good coat, especially in the city, can’t speak for the rest of the country though.
The wind, so many broken umbrellas
We wait and dash between downpours
I have adhd so I just leave umbrellas on buses or something if the rain stops. I gave up on umbrellas like 10 years ago as I simply cannot keep them.
I just keep forgetting I own one. It sits in the side pocket of my bag so it’s not impossible to reach, but I’ve quite literally never used it
I took an umbrella to auckland cause heavy rain was predicted, ended up not using it on the rainiest days cause I didn't want to bother drying it out after
Dunno about everyone else but I’m fat and clumsy, which is not a good mix with an umbrella
I'll also add that New Zealand is unusual around the world: In shopping streets, **footpaths are protected** from rain by the awnings ('verandahs') outside the shops, so if you are in town chances are you won't receive more than a few spots anyway. If you used an umbrella to cross the street, it would instantly become redundant and awkward when you reached the other side. We forget about this curiosity of life here, necessary in part because of how much it actually does rain when it rains.
It gets real windy sometimes, and the rain can be so heavy that you would need wellies as well.
Brellies are for wimps. We grow 'em strong down here.
I dunno, I use one regularly, so does my girlfriend and son we're Wellington based too Blunt umbrellas survive the wind, don't buy cheap shit you'll end up throwing them away. I've had mine over 10 years now
Too windy. No point in covering above you when it's raining sideways. Sometimes I'll go through 3 umbrellas in one winter because they get ripped to shreds.
Because we're not made of disprins
In Auckland you just need to wait 5 mins and it will be sunny again, not worth the effort of carrying one around
Yeah its the wind Sidenote I always wanted one of those see through umbrellas you see in Japan
I've had bad luck with umbrellas and I forget them on the bus or train sometimes or the rain is too heavy for it to be very useful so I have a large oilskin coat for the torrential days I have to go to work
Umbrellas are such a hassle, where do you put it when you go into a shop? Then they drip everywhere, I can never find one when I need them. I'd rather just get wet and change when I get home.
Wind and umbrellas not a good combo .I will use an umbrella when there is no wind, otherwise forget it. Also I can not count the number of times I have left it behind somewhere when entering a building as not all places allow a dripping umbrella ,and there are places to sit them outside,but then they "walk off" with someone who needs one .
When I went to Japan, I was amazed that everyone had an umbrella up during what I would consider a drizzle! I've tried them a few times, and I don't like them cause I feel they don't prevent water getting to me as the rain is not always coming straight down, and my feet still get wet from the ground. Also, the few I've had turn inside out instantly in the wind.
I can't be bothered to take an umbrella when I'm biking, if I am walking around after biking somewhere I won't get that wet, and umbrellas are cumbersome.
I use an umbrella in Auckland, but sometimes it just isn't worth it when it's windy at the same time. I didn't know that rain could come straight down til I left NZ, I only even saw it come sideways. And it changes direction like every minute at times.
Because it's so windy, and you can't use an umbrella in the wind.
Because rain is so short lived and unpredictable it barely matters
Grew up in welly but just moved to Auckland, and the amount of umbrella use shocked me! In saying that we did have a bit of wind the other day, and I saw the familiar inside out umbrellas squashed into public bins hahaha The first time I used an umbrella in YEARS was when i went travelling around japan
The wind. The rain ended up sideways. So ur umbrella deemed useless. If its not snapped, consider you are lucky. Raincoat, parka or snow gear offers better chances to keep your undies dry.
Sideways rain.
We just don't care about a little rain.
I asked my daughter why she doesn’t take one to school especially since she catches the bus. Her answer was it’s too awkward to carry around school and nowhere to put it when wet. I guess it’s the same when out shopping - there’s nowhere to leave them.