Buddy of mine calls me the other day.....says he got paired up with a guy at a local club shoot (last weekend) who had an umbrella caddy walking with him. He'd be at the stake and "call" for the umbrella to be held over him while he shot.

Man....this brings up a few questions:

1. Have you ever done the umbrella thingy?
2. Have you ever been paired with anyone who did?
3. Does it help (not that I'd ever do this....see next question)
4. Wher ein the world do you find someone who posesses so little self-worth that they would subject themselves to such......being an umbrella caddy?

I know it's easy to make fun of things we know little about. But come on......we were in Forsyth Co., NC at a local club shoot. This wasn't the IBO Worlds!

Slap me around if need be......[8D]

Maybe he is a just better then everyone else in the Archery world.....But really that is just plain NUTS.......

Umbrellas are standard carry item at big shoots.........offer to hold it for other shooters and they'll return the favor.
It helps with really bad lighting conditions where you have sun in your eyes trying to see targets in shadows, glare on your peep etc. A small travel umbrella will work
We had one person who brough one in our group at the 2nd Leg of the IBO Triple Crown 2 years ago and it got quite a bit of use.
You won't have a "Caddy" at these shoots as it's just the guys you are shooting with but generally an agreement can be made of "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine"
It's a big help under certain circumstances.

Really heavy wind is another time you'll see them. In that case you should plan ahaead and bring the full sized golf umbrella. You can use it likea walking stick while you stroll around or rig something up on your shooting chair.

Trust me, at the big shoots you will kill yourself for bringing a hip quiver and not a shooting chair. I've sat for 1/2hr at some targets during a back up. They are great for toting all your crap, food, water, arrows, umbrella, tools etc.....and taking a load of your legs 15 targets in on a really hot day is worth it's weight in gold.

Hey Matt....Got the stool! Love it. I aminly like it so I don't have to deal with the darn arrows slapping around while retrieving arrows.

Let me ask a dumb question, though.......

WHY wouldn't the governing bodies just outlaw ANY assistance while at the stake? That would be fair for all participants....and really speed things up it would seem. Why even allow an umbrella man?

I just see this being abused a LOT!

Because technically you have an allotted amount of time at the stake anyway........and you'd just have people standing there hoping for the wind to lay down, or keep letting down during gustsslowing things up anyway. The umbrellas in theory actually speed the shooting up a bit because you are creating the best possible conditions at the stake without having to hope for a cloud or a break in the wind.
It's one of those things like Black nocks......some like it, some don't care, some hate it and the "spirit" of it.

In that case Matt (see I started this jokingly)....I'd hold your damned umbrella while you prima- donna'd your stake time.

Honestly.....I can see how it would help......but let's look at golf. You can hold the umbrella over (caddy can) the golfer until he gets ready to make a stroke. Then.....he's at the mercy of the elements.

I dunno......just something to talk about, I guess.

I believe the ASA went to a 1 umbrella rule after there would be 5 umbrellas at a stake to completely shield the shooter from the wind and sun and anything else they thought bothered them.


We could usually shield any problem sun with a hat but in high winds,the umbrellas defiantely got a work out.

I haven't used one in quite a while though.

OK, I'll admit it. I carry one. I have a stool setup too, but mainly only use it for the larger shoots. I'll likely use the umbrella more and more this year due to shooting open with a lens, a lens is more likely to glare in less than ideal lighting conditions.

I know I'm going to catch heck for this one.......by my umbrella actually matches my chair/stool. [:-]

I don't use the umbrella often, but when you need it........it's a truly awesome tool. I've used it for other peoplemore than I've used it for myself, but it's really a great tool when the sun is glaring, in your eyes, etc. I've also been caught on the course in a downpour more than once and it's handy for that as well.

The umbrella I have folds out to the size of almost a golf umbrella, but packs into a package maybe 13" long, and 2" diameter. It was rather expensive when I bought it, but I've never seen one so compact that folded out so large, and it seems to of quality build as well.......I've gotten 3 years out of it. The pack/stool I use has a pocket on the side of it that works perfect for the umbrella so that the umbrella goes up the side of the stool leg, and I can wrap the bungee on the umbrella around the leg to hold it there secure.

On a side note, the Aurora backpack w/ stool from Lancaster Archery for $29.99 is IMHO the best thing I've seen yet for a stool/pack. I can fit 4-6 drinks in there, a seperate pouch for all sorts of tools, and I've zip tied the plastic arrow tubes to the legs as well so it works perfect, and it's much easier to carry than a traditional stool.

Jeff my stool is working out pretty darn well

Never carried an umberella but have used them on the course and it's just exactly that, for shade on scopes, peeps, etc... Never for wind tho.

We've even stood behind our fellow hunters with hats held up to shade a certain part of the bow or eyes etc...what ever it takes.