Umbrellas Are Overall Better Than Raincoats

To clarify...When I said we would be debating on how well the items keep you dry, I meant that we would not be saying things like "An umbrella can be used as a boat" or "A raincoat can be used to keep your bike dry". We were debating the intended purpose of these items only, not that we were only debating the dryness of the two. I apologize if that was not clear. This was merely put into the first round to discourage jokesters and trolls from derailing the debate. Affordability My opponent claims raincoats are more cost effective. But is that really true? They claim a good umbrella can last a year while a good raincoat can last five. However, a good raincoat can cost you over $120 while a good umbrella can be purchased for $20. If a $20 umbrella lasts a year, and you buy one every year for five years you're still spending less than you would on a "sturdy" raincoat. My opponent also claims that umbrellas are less durable. Sure, this is true but if you are careful with your umbrella, like anything, if you take care of it, it will last. Umbrellas are different from raincoats in that they're lighter, easier to handle and easier to keep with you than raincoats and therefore are a little less durable. But the trade off is clearly worth it given how unruly raincoats can be. I am skeptical about how a raincoat really saves you money in the long run. And, how often are raincoats and umbrellas truly used? In most cases (say a light rain) people are content running to their cars or just bearing the rain rather than deal with an umbrella or raincoat. Is it not better to just buy a decent umbrella for $20 for the amount of use rather than invest a lot of money into something that might not even get consistent use? Dryness My opponent believes that a raincoat has enough bulk to shield you from running water. This simply isn't true. Since the water is literally on you, movement will send the water spilling onto your shoes, hands, etc. Movement, since the water is on your body, will cause the water to move as well enlarging the potential for getting wet. Umbrellas do not have this problem. Another plus for umbrellas is that you can carry a purse, backpack or shopping bags with you. With a raincoat, unless you want to try and pull the coat over your backpack, you cannot protect anything being held in your hand. Even though an umbrella requires a hand to use, the other hand can carry a wide variety of items that will also be kept dry. Raincoats do not have this capability.The point about the wind my opponent makes is a simple one to refute. Tilt your umbrella towards the wind. If the wind is coming at you from the front it is a matter of tilting the umbrella forward to maintain the same protection. It's actually quite efficient. You don't have this ability in a raincoat and if you're walking into the rain your unprotected face will be blasted with water regardless of a hood which goes over your head not your face. Ease of Use I covered the point about the arm in the previous section. Umbrellas allow you to carry items and keep them try while raincoats do not. As you can see, this woman is able to drink coffee and talk on her phone. Neither of which would be possible if she was in a raincoat.Also, umbrellas, when closed, are also easy to shake off and store. They fit conveniently in a car, backpack, purse, you can slide them under your desk at work or school quite easily. These points, plus the fact that umbrellas are cheaper, dryer, easier to use and are more versatile in their ability to block wind and rain make them far superior to raincoats.Thank you.