Balios Travel Folding Umbrella with Real Wood Handle Auto Open Close Vented Windproof Canopy - Designed in UK

I currently own this umbrella in gray after previously purchasing one a few years before in green. The green umbrella was great, stood up against strong winds, was reasonably waterproof, and felt like great quality and was perfect for travel. Unfortunately I lost said umbrella on a plane, and the airline unfortunately never located it. I decided to buy a new one, and realized that the green color was discontinued, but went with gray instead. There was a definite drop off in quality. While the umbrella does work reasonably well, I find that it is more easily bent and sways quite a bit when it gets windy. Its a shame because it was the biggest reason I purchased this umbrella to begin with, as Im sure like many other people I was sick of dealing with umbrellas that would crumple the second it got windy. Other than that no real complaints, it is still a great travel size and repels water really well.

Great umbrella. Compact and stylish. Seems very sturdy in the weather I have used it in.

Sturdy & really holds up in wind swept rain

Easy to open but VERY difficult to fully collapse. It’s very awkward and embarrassing esp in public.

Its a sturdy and compact umbrella that fits easily inside my bag. The fiberglass/steel frame is strong. Ive had the umbrella for a month now, and weve had a couple of strong thunderstorms since. Ive yet to experience a break in windy Mid Atlantic conditions. When its very windy, the umbrella flips inside out, but its very easy to flip it back the correct way. I actually prefer that it flips because it lessens the chances of the umbrella breaking. The case for the umbrella is not flimsy and does quite a good job of keeping the inside of my bag dry. The size of the umbrella is a bit smaller than I expected but that has nothing to do with the quality and construction of the umbrella itself and more to do with the fact that I expected a bigger umbrella without really taking into account the stated measurements. Overall, a very good purchase for the money. Works better than a more expensive Shedrain umbrella I had.

This is what people call an umbrella. It looks great and functions well, a glorified stick with a waterproofed tarp around it meant to keep our heads dry as we rush scurry and scamper like rats in a sewer to stay dry from the inescapable deluge falling around us. But you know what else is inescapable? US. WE ARE THE NEXT DEGENERATION. WE ARE PXN.

I was so surprised when I opened this package. It was packed so securely and safely to avoid damage, and upon taking it out of the sleeve it was very clear that the umbrella was very good quality. I got it in black, which I think is complemented well by the wooden handle. It folds out to be quite large, but still packs away to a compact size, which is perfect for keeping in my backpack. I especially like that it has slits for the wind to pass through, as part of my daily commute includes walking between two very tall buildings that form a wind tunnel, and I have broken a lot of umbrellas in that tunnel. I usually pick up umbrellas for 15-20 dollars from the department store but they never hold up over time, so I decided to spend just 5 dollars more to get something higher quality, and I am so glad I did! Not only does it feel more sturdy in my hand, but it also survived the wind tunnel! I would recommend this umbrella to anyone looking to make a purchase of something high quality that lasts them a long time.

So when it comes to umbrellas, I always thought you had to make a choice: either a big golf umbrella for quality (but a lack of portability, plus its expensive), or a smaller one for an on-the-go lifestyle (cheap, and cheaply made). So color me pleasantly shocked with this umbrella from Balios. For starters, when I opened the box, I was happy to see that it was a decent weight... you could tell it had a bit of a rugged feel that made me feel this thing, before trying, felt well-made. Then I saw the handle. Yes, the style is nice (though style doesnt really make me purchase an umbrella, per se), but the ergonomic grip was fabulous. My hand felt like it belonged there, and that it would be easier to hold should conditions be more blustery than an average rain shower. The first time I pushed the button, it opened effortlessly, and I was really surprised to see a vented canopy, like youd see in much bigger (and much more expensive) umbrellas. I havent seen too many like that in this size, and I have to say it was really impressive. But the real clincher for me happened this past Saturday. Sadly, weve had a TON of rain in the area where I live this year, with flooding at near-historic levels. It seems like every other day were getting rain, and not just the wetness, but lots of wind, as well. We had a ridiculous soaker the other night, with a good 15-20 MPH wind. I dont care how well this thing feels like its built... its not going to stand up to the weather. Or so I thought. This umbrella not only kept the top third of my body dry (not a whole lot you can do with blowing rain), but it held its shape and didnt fly up like many I saw that evening. I was absolutely shocked. And it fits two people surprisingly well, though adding a third means that one of you is getting at least half-soaked. I seriously cannot recommend this umbrella enough, and I will absolutely be buying a few more to keep in our cars, as well as by the front door. It really is remarkable.

Has the double canopy so you don’t fly away like Mary Poppins in a heavy wind nor have your umbrella flip up. (That’s just wrong). Press One button and umbrella pops open fully. Press Same button again and it closes the umbrella automatically, then you just push it down to the handle. Really cool. Very well made. Looks well made too. I was Feeling a little like James Bond working it, so my wife took it away, hit me with it and it didn’t even break...LOL Not gigantic but certainly not tiny. Wife and I can both get coverage from rain at same time. This is the one you want when you want convenience, quality and ease of dealing with. No struggling with closing it up when getting in the car. One button handles that.

I was initially concerned when I saw that the umbrella was made in China, but when I opened the case I saw that the handle was carefully wrapped in brown paper. When I unwrapped it I noticed a beautiful, polished, engraved handle. This is the nicest thing Ive seen come out of China. The material looks to be of the highest quality. A great deal of thought has gone into the design, (designed in Britain), it is elegant...and the product is lacking the distinct acrid stench of plastic chemicals found in many Chinese products. There was no new product odor. I see only two issues that I may have. One, it takes a great deal of strength to retract the umbrella. Second, it is somewhat cumbersome to fit it back into the original case. I look forward to using this umbrella for many years, and will find excuses to take it out and show my co-workers.