The raincoat and the umbrella have been the staples of rainwear for decades, probably even centuries, but Chinese designers are attempting to challenge that with a bizarre new product currently called an “umbrella raincoat”.

As the name suggests, this innovative rainwear accessory combines the raincoat and the umbrella with questionable results. For starters, it looks kind of ridiculous, and sellers on Chinese websites like Aliexpress actually list this fact as the only downside of the product. They actually phrase it a little differently – “You will get 100% rate of second glances” – but that’s just a fancy way of saying it looks weird. Also, like the good ol’ umbrella, it only shields your upper body from the rain, with the lower torso and legs being almost completely exposed. On the upside, it does free up both your hands, which is apparently the main advantage of wearing an umbrella raincoat.

Photo: Aliexpress

‘But isn’t the classic raincoat just better?’ I hear you asking. Well, not if you want to show off your wardrobe while still enjoying some protection from the rain. Even those clear nylon raincoats become blurry and foggy in the rain, making it hard for passers-by to admire your fancy attire, whereas with the umbrella coat, they still have a clear view.

Photo: Aliexpress

Other advantages listed by online sellers include a lightweight, foldable design, two straps that keep it from being blown away by strong winds (take that, umbrella!), and being made of PEVA, a biodegradable vinyl.

Photo: Aliexpress

The umbrella raincoat comes in various sizes and colors, and if the Chinese online stores selling it are to be believes, it “will soon replace the traditional umbrella, and go into the [houses of] hundreds of millions of families”. Time will tell, I guess.

Photo: Aliexpress

If this thing had been invented in Japan, I wouldn’t have bothered writing about it, those guys come up with something weird every day, but it turns out China has a taste for the bizarre too.