It is rainy season in Thailand now and I suppose it's time to retire my old umbrella, which has been faithfully served me for so many years. What I look for the most in a travel size umbrella is not about weight or durability but rather just the automatic open/close function. I found that to be very useful especially when get in and out of car. Totes usually did a good job on this. Although, sadly, the brand is not available in my country (at least not that I know of). Samsonite umbrella is one of the very few I can find that fits the need. The company is very well known for its durable and trustworthy luggage but gears may be a different story. I had a Samsonite umbrella that broke down on me during a big storm back in L.A. Well, I guess it's not fair to judge under such extreme weather so I decided to give it another try. I have to admit that this one looks a bit girly but you gotta love the wooden-style handle. Let's wait & see how well this one do on the field.
