Rainwear Central Rainwear Forum

What do you prefer umbrellas or hoods?

Depends on situation:
- if slow change is fast enough or both hands free mandatory: hoods (may be also two ((or more if not in public)) )
- if fast change is mandatory: umbrella
- if unclear situation: hood(s)

Hoods, and I don't get why so many who wear raincoats don't seem to use them!

I prefer hoods, but use an umbrella much more often.

Downside of a hood is obviously that you need to wear a raincoat also, which requires you to wear rainpants to keep your pants dry with all the water running off (or you need a long raincoat), which requires rainboots again to not have your shoes soaked. Basically you need to go all in almost, or you end up wet at some points. Wait... why is that a downside?

For me its just much quicker to put on rainboots and grab an umbrella and go out. That often works better with the general climate also (hot and humid) as a raincoat with hood will be just too sweaty.

I don't have a brolly so no choice, not that I would want one. Hood every time. Shiny vinyl every time, and in winter with a big fur trim. Snuggly.

Depends on the weather.
if it's only a stray shower with no real heavy rain then a hood will suffice.
But if it's a heavy downpour or heaven forbid a tornadic squall like we had about a week or so ago
then full rainsuit with double sometimes triple hood protection and umbrella.

Definitely raincoat with the hood done up, no matter what.

Always a hood - unless it's a proper downpour then maybe a sou'wester.

Thanks for all the replies, I'm definitely a hood person, preferably large with a stud fastener or buckle as it is so nice to be enveloped in lovely rubber/PVC but I am not adverse to a nice shiny sou'wester. I just find umbrellas a hassle to control in any sort of wind and in the hands of some people a downright danger to the eyes
Heather

I love a nice bright brolly (but forget your Reject Shop junk or your boring-as-hell black) but hoods leave me stone cold - as I read on some FB post somewhere, most of them make you look like you're about to get hanged...I know that's not a popular view in here