Look rain, no hands!

It happens every time it rains. Productivity on the street goes down 50 percent as one good hand, which could be used for texting, coffee-clutching, hand-holding or gesticulating, gets monopolized by an unwieldy umbrella.

What's a good multi-tasker to do? Enter Nubrella, an oversized space helmet-like apparatus billed by the company as the hands-free "Ultimate Weather Protector."

Available directly from the Nubrella company for $59.94 (including shipping and handling), the Nubrella is billed as capable of standing up to sleet, snow, extreme cold and wind, all without inverting. More than 500 were sold in its first few weeks, and it will be featured in Hammacher Schlemmer's Father's Day catalogue.

Looks, however, are not the Nubrella's forte: It's a bit like the lovechild of a space helmet and a baby carriage. A dome extends from the back, at about shoulder-level, to mid-chest in the front, with polyurethane stretched across aluminum alloy ribs.

Straps across the shoulders and under the arms keep the apparatus in place and allow you to make a cell phone call with one hand, eat a sandwich with the other.

Now I must pause for a bit of honesty: It was hard to find anyone in the office willing to wear the Nubrella in public, let alone invite a photographer for the journey. This did not seem to bode well for Nubrella's success.

Nubrella tester Liz Schultz, an Associated Press photo editor, got a number of glares as rain clouds gathered near the Empire State building. But there was curiosity, too. And then _ amazement.

A street vendor seemed particularly concerned that cheap imitations would quickly flood the market. A few people seemed to stare as if Schultz may have had a medical condition requiring isolation.

Those willing to actually try on the device predicted certain success.

"It feels all right, you know. You have a good range of vision on both sides," said Daniel Walker, 52, of New York City. Walker drew the attention of Anna Borja, 13, of Ecuador, who was anxious to model. Walker assisted Anna with the one-size-fits-all device.

"It's cool," Anna said, "especially for people who, like, work around here. So you don't have to really be like carrying anything, you can be like all busy."

When asked how she felt wearing the Nubrella Anna said: "I actually feel like, cool, because everybody's like 'oh look at that!'"

Schultz noted the closed-in Nubrella environment was definitely warmer than the outside temperature. But that might have been in part due to the warm tea she sipped with one hand under the Nubrella, while clutching a shopping bag with the other.

Nubrella inventor Alan Kaufman said some people will be apprehensive at first, but the device is designed for truly inclement weather. On those days, people are more likely to be concerned about getting from point A to point B than looking stylish.

"The benefits far outweigh the quick look you may get," he said.

Shirley Forbes, 56, was sold, calling the hassle of an umbrella in the wind and rain "outrageous."

"This is beautiful!" she said. "You can be under, enjoy your coffee, enjoy your tea, you can look around, you can see. It's gorgeous! I love it! It's going to be a smash."

On the Net:

www.nubrella.com