Although the rest of the country seems to be buried in a layer of snow right now,  in Houston we're just getting deluged with rain!  Being so close to the coast usually means that we receive quite a lot of rain at times, so a high-quality umbrella is very important to staying dry around here!

ShedRain has been designing top-notch umbrellas and rain gear for almost 63 years, so I was very excited to have the chance to review one of their WalkSafe Compact Umbrellas.  Keep reading to learn much more!

Here are some startling statistics regarding pedestrians:

• Nearly 5,000 pedestrians, 1 every 109 minutes, are KILLED in traffic crashes
• 71,000, 1 every 7 minutes, are injured in traffic crashes
• 65% of pedestrian fatalities occur between 6 pm and 6 am

With numbers as alarming as these, ShedRain decided to design highly reflective umbrellas which helps increase the visibility of pedestrians.

The ShedRain WalkSafe #2012 Compact Umbrella has a 42-inch arc and automatically opens and closes with the touch of a button.  When closed, this umbrella is very small, measuring only 12-inches long.  This WalkSafe umbrella is composed of a 3-section steel shaft and ribs and even has an ergonomic rubber coated handle with metallic trim.  I was really glad that I received the orange-colored one, for this will help to make me even more visible while carrying it.

I also liked the smart-looking one-snap sleeve that houses this umbrella.  It is so small and compact, that I can now carry this umbrella in my purse at all times.  Of course, the best feature of this umbrella has to be the unique 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material on every joint of it.  This 360-degree coverage will ensure that you are visible to cars at night, both coming and going.

I highly recommend the WalkSafe #2012 Compact Umbrella from ShedRain.  It is an extremely innovative umbrella which ensures you will be highly visible anywhere you go.  All ShedRain umbrellas are also backed by a lifetime warranty, so this will be the only umbrella you should ever need to buy, no matter the weather!

Disclosure:  I received the WalkSafe #2012 Compact Umbrella from ShedRain in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. This product review is based on my own personal experiences with this item and is completely honest and objective.