There’s a version of the BLUNT Neo that almost launched in 2018. It passed most of the tests. It delivered on most of what makes BLUNT umbrellas feel like BLUNT. But “most” wasn’t the standard, and the product was shelved.
The decision to go back to the drawing board reflects high standards of design engineering and product development embedded in BLUNT values. And so, after a decade of trial and error, Neo was born.
The finished product weighs just 305g, folds to 26cm, and opens to a 98-centimetre canopy. It’s more than 30% smaller than the Metro when collapsed.
Neo is available five colourways: Citrus Yellow, Sage Green, Forest Green, Midnight Navy and Ink Black.
The problem with making things smaller
Most compact umbrellas are compact because a key feature was traded away. They fold smaller because the canopy is smaller, or the frame is lighter in ways that mean lighter in the bad sense. BLUNT Founder Greig Brebner had wanted to solve this differently from the start.
“The smaller the package, the more these constraints seem to increase exponentially.”
Quote by|Greig Brebner
“Since the beginning, it has always been a desire to make a compact BLUNT that could fit into a small bag or jacket pocket,” he says.
“The only issue has always been: how do we fit everything that makes BLUNT what it is into such a small package?”
The challenge, it turned out, wasn’t just engineering. It was that the engineering constraints multiplied as the size reduced. A compact frame has more moving parts than a full-sized one. Each component is more delicate. Each joint between them is a potential failure point. The closer you push toward the size limit, the less margin you have for everything else.
What it actually took
Ten years is a long time to work on a single product. The 2018 prototype resolved most of the brief but failed on bulk. It couldn’t collapse small enough to justify its existence as a genuinely compact option alongside the Metro. It was shelved and the work continued.
The solution that eventually emerged is a composite rib structure with a specific geometry in its mechanism. The frame components nest inside each other to maximise compactness without sacrificing the stiffness and dynamic strength the canopy tensioning system requires.
“The sound of the canopy tensioning up as you open Neo is something that seems quite out of place in an umbrella of this size. Literally, it is protection in your pocket.”
Quote by|Greig Brebner
That tensioning system is the feature that makes a BLUNT canopy hold its shape under load rather than inverting. It’s also what had to survive the miniaturisation. It did.
What the engineering team created wasn’t a smaller umbrella. It was a smaller version of the same umbrella.
“it was light enough to just keep in their bag at all times and kind of forget it’s there.”
Quote by|Avalon Martin
What users noticed first
Before the public launch, prototypes went to a group of existing BLUNT customers for testing. Avalon, who has been part of the BLUNT product development team since her final year of study, was involved in gathering that feedback.
“A lot of it was about how easily Neo fits into everyday life,” she says. “People mentioned slipping it into a jacket pocket or keeping one in the glove box. For most testers, it was light enough to just keep in their bag at all times and kind of forget it’s there. We had people come to work with two umbrellas because they’d forgotten the Neo was already in their bag.”
There was also a consistent surprise around coverage. Testers frequently reported that Neo’s canopy felt larger than the Metro’s. In reality, the Metro is 2cm bigger. Avalon’s read on why: “I think that speaks to how light and compact Neo is. It’s a genuine surprise how much coverage it provides for its collapsed size.”
Keeping the design simple was fundamental
Built the BLUNT way
Neo is repairable. Just like every umbrella in the BLUNT range, it’s designed to be modular. That means if something goes wrong, the response is to fix it, not replace it. The packaging is plastic-free, recyclable, and FSC-certified. BLUNT's commitment to sustainability is further reflected in their B Corp certification, signifying high standards of social and environmental performance and practice.
Simplicity in design was a deliberate priority. As Avalon puts it: “Keeping the design simple was fundamental, especially to lean into the repairability that BLUNT is constantly working to improve upon.”
Launching in 5 colourways, BLUNT Neo also carries a two-year manufacturer’s warranty and 50+ UPF protection.
