Gear: GoLite Chrome Dome Umbrella

When I still lived in Edmonton and got outdoors with the Grant MacEwan Mountain Club, several other club members would forgo rain gear for umbrellas when it began to rain. I have found most umbrellas less than favourable for this task as mostly too small or too wimpy or too heavy to be of much use. That changed when I started looking at GoLite outdoor gear.

The GoLite Chrome Dome Umbrella was the answer to the umbrella option. The umbrella is quite light at 8 ounces, is almost two feet wide, has carbon fiber (looks like it to me anyway) full stick handle and spars that hold up in the wind, and a metallized finish that does a great job of deflecting the suns rays. (You can get it regular colours too.) The handle is easy to grip, and it's not tiring to carry either. Overall it did a great job with the wet weather when we hiked into Forks CG last Friday night.

Why an umbrella you might ask? And, "Stuart, if you are such a ligthweight fan, why add more weight with an umbrella?" Well those questions have a multi-part answer. First of all, unless it's a vertible sidewise downpour, the umbrella keeps you drier than a GoreTex shell, for example. Since I am not likely to be moving at a pace to keep be from perspiring, I don't end up with really damp clothes from the moisture trapped inside my shell. In light rain conditions, or showers, it's easier and faster to have the umbrella on hand rather than worrying about getting in and out of a shell - the umbrella is only there when you need it. And finally, the reflective finish does a great job as mobile shade on a sunny day when you don't have any shade from trees or mountains. And probably the best reason, the last time I went backcountry in Jasper National Park they had these green outdoor toilets without any overhead cover on them. 'Nuff said.

I'm not entirely sure about the availability of these things (or any other GoLite product for that matter) in Canada these days, so I had to order mine from the US. But if you want a solid performing umbrella for the backcountry or the commute, this is a great choice.

Movies: Hellboy II

Last weekend Aerin and I headed out to see Hellboy II with my friend Mike.

I really enjoyed the first one, and have been looking forward to the new movie for some time. The movie looked fantastic! A real visual treat that one has come to expect from director Guillermo del Toro. (Which also makes the expectations for The Hobbit very high.) The creatures effects looked great, and the stunts were pretty cool too. If they used CGI to replace some of the actors in the action, I couldn't tell the difference (unlike more than a few movies).

On the down side they went for the predictable and done-to-death-already on several of the plot elements. I won't go into any spoilers, but the filmmakers have gotten me to suspend my disbelief for this movie already. So why go and remind me it's a movie by using the same plot elements in the same predictable way as everyone else? I know that it's very hard to come of up with something original all the time, but if you're going to use familiar elements, try not to use them in the tired, old, familiar ways please.