Shoppers 'ditching' umbrellas for 'brilliant' £22 gadget that keeps you dry in torrential rain and wind

It might be quintessentially British, but there's also no doubt that a full-sized umbrella can be a bit of a nuisance to carry around. These massive rain-blockers might have large canopies to keep the weather off you, but they're really bulky and annoying to travel with.

By comparison, a smaller and more modern umbrella can be a perfect pick - easy to fit in a bag and with some clever design touches to make it more useful. Take a look at the Repel Umbrella Windproof Travel Umbrella - which is just £21.99 on Amazon, reduced from £24.99. It's available in a fair few colours, too, although not every single version has that discount applied.

This handy little umbrella folds down to just 29cm long, making it simple to fit into a backpack or day bag, and is brilliant for blocking the rain when showers come. It has a button not just to open the canopy but to close it, too, making folding it up really simple, and vents in its fabric ensure that it shouldn't become a wind-trap if a gust blows through. Reinforced ribs and a sturdy shaft also mean that it's really durable and should last a long time.

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Don't just take it from us, though - the best way to see the Repel umbrella's quality is to check out its user reviews. From over 83,000 customer ratings it has an average score of 4.4 stars, with one happy user writing: "These umbrellas are really sturdy, do very well in windy conditions, are excellent quality... and definitely do the best job possible in British weather!"

Another customer said: "This windproof travel umbrella is fantastic! Compact,