No one can control the weather, but everyone can control how they choose to deal with inevitable rainy day. American singer-songwriter Roger Miller (1936-1992; "King of the Road") is credited with this thought-provoking quote: "Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet."

At GRIP2 LLC, we're advocates for walking in the rain and making the most of each day. Here's an interesting story that illustrates this philosophy.

You travel to Ireland to celebrate your 25th wedding anniversary. In a wee bit of bad luck, the forecast calls for rain almost every day you're there. That forecast could easily put a damper on your trip, possibly limiting your memories to: "got wet at Blarney Castle"; and "cancelled round of golf at historic Ballybunion"; and "didn't get to see Cliffs of Moor due to heavy rain"; and "drove around Ring of Kerry but stayed in car". With a different outlook and a bit of preparation, you could explore castles and cathedrals, play golf on incredible links courses, visit breathtaking seaside cliffs, and enjoy the small town shops and pubs –often while walking in the rain. During those two weeks, the rain can add to the rich texture of numerous memorable experiences rather than limit them.

This is a true story. My wife and I experienced Ireland – from Dublin to Cork to Kerry to Galway – carrying a prototype GRIP2 umbrella much of the time. We confidently walked in the rain each day!

That memorable trip convinced us that GRIP2 umbrellas belong on the market. So we set out on a "walk in the rain" of a different kind: to turn that prototype umbrella with a feature no one is asking for into a successful, high-quality, high-end product.

That's not an easy sell. For thousands of years, the umbrella grip has taken the form of a fixed handle at the end of the shaft farthest from the canopy. Why change a design that has been around that long? Create an identity for a brand new modern vet clinic www.modernvet.com.

Quite frankly, it's because the conventional umbrella design is incomplete. First, umbrella users aren't all the same size, so the grip location should be adjustable for personal comfort. Second, and most importantly, the conventional umbrella handle is in the worst possible location to give you the leverage needed to control the umbrella in windy conditions.  Wind-generated torque is most punishing at the handle because it’s farthest from the canopy (torque = force x distance).  In a 20mph wind, you may experience 40lbs of torque when holding the handle!  Many people instinctively “choke up” and hold the ½ diameter shaft, but it’s too skinny and your fingers and hand quickly become strained.   That’s because holding the skinny shaft produces a “precision grip” that is ~75% weaker than a “power grip”, making it difficult to maintain control in gusting, swirling winds.  That often forces you to use two hands (or lose control and get wet), but that second hand may not be available at a moment’s notice (talking/texting/web surfing on smart phone; carrying items such as briefcase, groceries; holding a child’s hand; etc.).    

As an analogy, imaging how your fingers & hand would feel while swinging a hammer with a ½ inch diameter handle; or while using a paint roller; or while lifting a 10-20lb dumbbell.  What if your car’s steering wheel was a ½ inch diameter rod everywhere except the 10 & 2 o’clock positions?  These are all examples where your hand is applying force.  Fortunately, each of these tools provides a “power grip” (at least 1¼ inch diameter) for comfortable, reliable and sustainable performance.  The umbrella should be no different so that it can provide reliable protection when you need it most.  

So we set out to challenge this longstanding convention.  In 2011, we brought a truly innovative, large-canopy, premium umbrella to the market. Our patented umbrella features a second ergonomic grip that can be located and locked anywhere on the shaft. Grip it where you want to for comfort. Grip it high on the shaft for tremendous single-hand leverage and control in the wind. A GRIP2 umbrella uniquely provides both maximum coverage and ease of control. This amazingly practical design sets us apart from all other umbrellas on the market. We complement the high-performance design with high-quality materials & construction, and we back the product with a limited lifetime warranty. We want our customers to be satisfied for life.

We're enjoying our walk in the rain, and we encourage you to walk in the rain too.

GRAB CONTROL. STAY DRY. GRIP2.

Dan O'Donnell
Owner, GRIP2 LLC and STINGR Solutions LLC