I finally got a Senz umbrella

I finally bought the Senz umbrella I’d been covetting (ever since I took a look at one, courtesy of blog reader Flerdle).

senz was started by three Dutch industrial design students that were frustrated with traditional umbrellas. The design challenge was to design the ultimate umbrella and eliminate all of the well known umbrella struggles that mankind has suffered from since the invention of the umbrella 3400 years ago

The wonky-looking shape means it gives you better coverage of your back, and evidently is why it’s so strong. In this video (from some crazy Dutch TV show), they test one of them using a fire hose.

In Melbourne’s CBD Senz brollies are available from a little place called Ende Peedia, which is inside one of those ancient Paris-end Collins Street buildings — possibly the same one I used to go to as a kid to see an allergy specialist.

Rather than wait for the prehistoric lift to huff and puff its way up to the fourth floor, I used the stairs, then wandered down the corridor to find number 48.

The lady who runs Ende Peedia is terribly nice; she’s an architect and is selling a few boutique items such as mouse mats, coffee mugs and super-dooper umbrellas as a side business. Her display model Senz Mini is her personal umbrella – it was still a little damp from the rain earlier in the day.

I left (via the stairs again) out into the grey Melbourne day, a brand new Senz Mini under my arm, daring mother nature to throw a storm down on my way back to the tram stop. Alas, no rain, but I’m looking forward to testing it.

(Note: Ende Peedia doesn’t take cards, so make sure you have cash. If the door is locked, then knock — don’t just you give up and skulk away, umbrella-less, because you think nobody’s there.)