Zpacks Lotus UL Umbrella

The Lotus UL is Zpacks' ultralight hiking umbrella, weighing 193 g (6.8 oz) — light enough to carry as sun and rain protection without treating it as dead weight on a pack. The Lotus frame is built to flex under gusts rather than snap the way a rigid umbrella frame does, the main advantage over a standard travel umbrella on exposed trail. As a standard hiking umbrella rather than a chest-mount or trekking-pole-integrated design, it's held in hand, which frees the other hand for a trekking pole but ties up one hand that would otherwise be free. It suits open, sun-exposed trails and light-to-moderate rain more than sustained storms with strong sideways wind, where any umbrella struggles regardless of frame design.