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Heavy rain this past weekend in Hong Kong may have damped the mood, but it posed a perfect opportunity to test the 595 Hong Kong dollar (US$78) Senz umbrella, which bills itself as 'the best umbrella in the world.'
The first thing you need to know about the Senz umbrella is that it looks odd. Shorter in the front and wider on the sides than a traditional umbrella, with an extended 'tail' in the back, it looks like a spare part of a bat costume left over from Halloween. From personal experience, we can say that many onlookers will stare when you take it out; a few will even point. (The color─a bright spacesuit-like silver─doesn't help.)
But according to the Dutch team (led by an industrial-design student) that spent two years developing the Senz umbrella─with some help from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands─this is the way an umbrella should look if it's to function properly. Apparently, the asymmetric shape is more aerodynamic and provides better coverage for couples sharing cover. And there's no arguing with the convenience of the sturdy handle, which pushes up to open the umbrella.
Once the Senz is open, there are instructions to follow: A small stamp on the underside of one of the front panels should be kept pointed against the wind; when used correctly, the instructions claim, the umbrella can withstand winds of up to 100 kilometers an hour. But this proved more troublesome than expected, as erratic shifts in winds meant constantly having to turn the umbrella. Still, take it for all in all, it did seem to provide more rain coverage than a standard umbrella.
When it was launched in 25 countries world-wide, all 10,000 Senz umbrellas sold out in just nine days. This year, the Dutch company is hoping Christmas holiday gifts will boost sales of the Senz in Hong Kong, where it is available in Lane Crawford and local retailer Oplus. But in a city full of sky-bridges and taxis that take you door-to-door, is there a need?
Oplus representatives suggest that since the umbrellas panels are also UV-resistant, it can be used as a sunshield during golf, too.
香港上周末的大雨可能让人们颇为扫兴，但这却是考验Senz雨伞的一个绝妙机会。这种雨伞每把售价595港元(合78美元)，自称是“世界上最棒的雨伞”。
首先要告诉你的是，Senz雨伞看起来很奇怪。相比一般雨伞，Senz前端较短，两侧较宽，后面还有一个“尾巴”，看起来就像是万圣节穿过的蝙蝠装的某个部分。根据我本人的使用体验，应当可以说，你在外面举着这把伞的时候，会有很多人盯着你看，甚至有人还会指指点点。(即使你打着一把有如宇航服般明亮的银色Senz雨伞也同样很惹眼。)
雨伞是荷兰的一个设计团队花了两年时间研制的，该团队负责人是一名学工业设计专业的学生，荷兰代尔夫特理工大学(Delft University of Technology)向他们提供了部分援助。该团队表示，如果一把雨伞要发挥其作为雨伞的正常功能，就应该是这个样子。显然，雨伞的非对称形状更符合空气动力学原理，也为合打一把伞的情侣提供了更好的遮挡。该雨伞有一个坚固的手柄，向上推动手柄就可以撑开雨伞，其方便性毋庸置疑。
打开伞后，要遵循几点说明。首先，前端几个伞面中有一块的底面有一个小印记，应将这个印记对准风向。说明书上表示，若使用正确，Senz雨伞可以承受每小时最多100公里的风速。但这一点的实用性没有预想的那么好，因为风向飘忽不定，你得不断转动雨伞才能使那个印记对准风向。尽管如此，还是拿着它吧，??它确实比一般的雨伞看起来遮雨的面积要更大一些。
Senz在全世界25个国家推出1万把雨伞后，仅九天时间就销售一空。生产该雨伞的荷兰公司希望今年香港人可以把Senz雨伞当作圣诞节礼物送给亲朋，从而增加Senz的销售。目前该雨伞在香港连卡佛百货(Lane Crawford)和香港本地的Oplus零售店有售。但在香港这个遍布过街天桥、出租车上门接送的城市里，有人会需要雨伞吗?
Oplus的代表建议，既然Senz雨伞还有抗紫外线功能，不妨也可以在打高尔夫的时候用它来遮阳。 (实习编辑：顾萍) |
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发表于 2016-7-10 17:35:04