#HTE

Personal Protective Pods are Here

Under the Weather is a company that makes personal tents, originally designed for parents watching children’s sporting events in poor weather. I (kind of) ridiculed the designs in 2017.

But now it’s 2020, and the company has taken off. COVID-19 has provided needs that Under the Weather has met, as with their IntubationPod, which protects healthcare workers from airborne germs.

Their WalkingPod provides protection from both germs and rain. As for applications, think of the folks who stand outside all day at a drive-thru testing facility.

And their newest offering, the ShieldPod, is meant to protect people in office, school and transportation settings.

When I first saw those back in February, I questioned whether they would catch on or not. Now that it’s July and I’ve got plenty of face mask hours in, I can say I’d definitely rather wear a ShieldPod on a long flight than a face mask.

Lastly, my initial doubts about these products are moot; the market has spoken. Under the Weather’s pods are now carried by Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods, in addition to on UTW’s website. If you haven’t seen these in person yet, I’d say it’s just a matter of time.