OMG, hailing from the east coast... I have used (and broken) a LOT of umbrellas. This looks 💯. I am extremely curious about what it's made from... and if it'll be coming in a more compact form in the future @greig_brebner@todd_anderson?
I think this'll make a perfect father's day gift too 🎁 since my dad golf in rain, sleet or snow (literally).
@jsneedles@todd_anderson Hey @jsneedles. These umbrellas are made from carbon ribs, aluminium shaft and high tension pongee polyester to tolerate the unique radial tension system that we have invented. This particular octobrella product in collaboration with GE only comes in our classic street umbrella size - the product we selected for best performance.
I've been lucky enough to spend the last 12 years at GE Global Research working on a wide variety of technologies that solve important problems for Aviation, Power, and Oil & Gas. In the Composites Design and Analysis Lab where I work, we focus primarily on delivering amazing new composite material technologies for aircraft engines and wind turbines which allow our customers to fly and generate power more efficiently and at lower cost. But I'm only one proud member of a much larger community who creates solutions for what the world needs.
So, why am I here talking about an Umbrella? I was inspired by the way Greig and Blunt approached the problem of terrible weather by using his engineering background and a splash of ingenuity to re-invent the umbrella. Though the applications of aircraft engine fan blades and umbrellas are quite different, it was amazing to see the similarities in the composite material design challenges. In either case, we pursue the lightest possible design that is capable of withstanding events like hail storms, high aerodynamic loads and even large impacts. So because of that shared ethos, we asked Blunt to craft the Octobrella, inspired by our latest video, as a symbol for how we build solutions to whatever the world calls for. To be clear, this isn’t a GE product, but something that allows us to apply our philosophical approach to any challenge.
We are so excited to partner with Product Hunt and help the world’s brightest makers, creators, and technologists--like Blunt--get their products out into the world as fast as they can.
First off congrats on launching PH shop! Just a bit of feedback, my first inclination was to try and find more information on this umbrella somewhere on the page, kind of like how amazon has some really fleshed out product pages. Clicking "website" just takes me to a checkout form. A little hesitant to drop 80 bones based off of a handful of pictures.
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@wuss Agreed, not a lot here to tell me why I should buy an $80 umbrella.
@soerenes@wuss Thanks for feedback guys! Very good points - will work on improving that.
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Awesome! I've been a proud owner of several Blunt umbrellas since October 2013. So technically I own "Octobrellas", right? I can personally attest to the high quality of this product. Best umbrella ever. Period. End of discussion. ☔
@craigstanford Indeed you do Craig! The Octobrella is a special edition Blunt umbrella with carbon ribs. It is the same high quality Blunt umbrella with added strength and lighter weight. The goal here is to offer a limited-edition product as a nod to shared dedication to constantly reinventing traditional products. Appreciate your continued support and hope your Blunts are serving you well!
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I purchased a Blunt umbrella on Fab.com (sort of hilarious to think about Fab now, they still around?) over five years ago and it's easily the best umbrella I've ever owned. Still works like it's brand new and I've put it through the ringer in Chicago with rain, strong winds, sleet. Outstanding durability and cool looking product. I'll buy one of these as I assume they've only improved over the past five years.
@scottewashburn thank you for the kind words sir. This Octobrella is a special edition Blunt umbrella with carbon ribs. It is the same high quality Blunt umbrella with added strength and lighter weight so could be a great addition to your Blunt collection!
Hi @corleyh, I love the opportunity that composite materials provide to enable elegant lightweight solutions for super strong structures - whether they be for next generation aircraft engine fan blades or incredibly long but robust wind turbine blades – and how that impacts overall energy efficiency and lower cost renewable power. My interest in composites actually began as a kid… where I was tinkering, modifying (and repairing!) my own wood/composite snowboards and bike parts. Aerospace composites were a logical next step as it provided a great opportunity to push the boundaries of composite design. Though those applications may all seem quite different, the design challenges are similar, where the focus is on finding a balance of strength, stiffness and weight to provide an ideal solution. The GE fan blade is a great example, with the details of that history here: http://www.gereports.com/the-art...
Any chance we could add reviews (not sure if in line with discussion or a separate section)? I instinctively scrolled down looking for reviews (like with Amazon!).
:)
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