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

This is a nice and well made travel umbrella. All the materials used from the very good and dense fabric, steel and fiberglass ribs, and handle are of good quality, and the umbrella is light to carry. It is designed with a vented canopy to help relieve the pressure wind gusts produce and can be a useful feature on the windy days. The handle has a very nice and comfortable shape to hold and is available in either wood or black rubberized material. I have the black rubberized handle which has a nice grippy soft touch feel. Travel umbrella canopies are usually small and so is this one at about only 36 inches in diameter across the flat sections, so it is small in diameter and that is why I did not give it 5 stars. If this came in a 46 inch diameter I would have rated it at 5 stars. This umbrella is a very good value for the price.

This is a nice looking umbrella for sure, but it is missing an important feature which is the wrist strap. There is one on the case but not one on the umbrella itself. This makes the umbrella prone to flying away in windy rain conditions as well as not being able to let it hang on your wrist if you are commuting on a subway train without having to put it back in its case.

Wobbly umbrella upon opening the package. The pole of the umbrella that connects to the handle is looser than a drunk college freshman girl at a frat party. Also, it’s only big enough for one person. I read a lot of reviews on this specific umbrella and I’m upset I bought this. There are better umbrellas out there for a similar price point. EDIT: Changed from 1 star based on product (possible lemon) to 5 stars simply to customer service. Diane was very accommodating and dedicated to fixing the problem, and offered another umbrella at a 99% discount, as amazon doesnt allow free items. I opted for the Walking Stick umbrella https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075TCW4LV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 instead of the folding travel umbrella, and the craftsmanship is excellent! Happy to give Balios another try, especially after their superior customer service.

Best umbrella ever!

This British-made unbrella is far better than what I see in the US marketplace. It is exremely well made, with an nicely shaped curved wooden grip that is easy to hold on to. Opened, it is a ample size that is not too big nor too small, jus right (its not one of those mini travel umbrella nor is ait a huge “golf” type - it is in the middle , big enough to protect you , but small enough to handle in the wind. Unlike many other umbrella it folds back into place very well, and it has a very useful button snap closure to hold it togeether. instead of the velcro closure that eventually fails. PLus a zippered case. It’s well worth the higher price because it will last longer. It easuly opens automatically at the push of a button, but you need to close it manually. Excellent.

Somehow, I lived my entire adult life up to very recently without owning an umbrella. That changed when I moved to Bogotá, Colombia. Compared to what you might imagine about Colombia, this mountain city is cold and the only thing tropical is the rain. It rains just about every day, although usually only for an hour or so. The reason for that weather change is the wind coming off the mountains that the city butts up against. My first ever umbrella was hastily purchased in the street and needless to say, it was not the most sturdy piece of equipment. It seemed to have a confused identity, thinking it was some kind of reversable jacket or something. It took every gust of wind as an opportunity to show off its perceived abilities, however its frame was not quite up to these acrobatic feats. As my first umbrella was slowly dying, having flipped inside out more times than a contortionist at Cirque du Soleil, I decided it was time to order a replacement. This, my second ever umbrella has been a much drier experience. It feels solid in hand and the wooden handle looks great. The wood is a stained a little darker than in the pictures, but I dont mind. Im not sure what kind of three-fingered being the handle was designed for (I guess a British one), I would have preferred a plain round handle, but its still comfortable enough to hold. Ive owned this umbrella for about three months now, I wanted to wait before writing a review. It holds out in both light & heavy rain & whenever Ive felt that familiar tug from a gust of wind, its never flipped inside out. It doesnt have a huge diameter, so any sideways rain might still be a problem & its probably not a two-person umbrella unless you really want to cuddle. That said, its very portable & easily fits in my backpack, along with everything else. When holding the umbrella at an angle, I sometimes get a few drips coming through due to the nature of the double canopy, however that definitely beats having it turned inside out. The button to launch the umbrella open is kinda fun, I could maybe distract a potential robber for a couple of seconds, giving me an opportunity to run if I had to. Pulling it back in is no easy task though. I can bicep curl 70 lbs for 4 sets of 10 and this is still a challenge. Definitely dont give this to kids. Its really just the last bit, locking it back in, if you try to grab the small metal part that comes in close to the handle, it can be difficult & your fingers can get pinched, however if you push from each end, its not actually that hard. Overall, a really good umbrella. I think its good value for money and should last a long time.

So Extremely Nice!

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.

Its exactly what I wanted. A simple, easy to use and compact umbrella. The wooden finished handle is a nice touch. The canopy is truley water proof unlike the earlier umbrella I used to have. After I got indoors from a walk in pouring rain with the earlier one, I would collapse the canopy and shake it vigorously to dry it. Yet it would have water droplets that would spill everywhere till it dried. This one though, you get indoors, you collapse the canopy, give it one shake and the water is gone. Completely. My last umbrella lasted me a year and without warning one day it went kaput. Balios has offered to give me a 2 year unconditional warranty. I am not exactly sure what that means but I am taking the offer. Also I am not entirely sure what purpose the vented double canopy serves. I believe it is heat dissipation on a hot day. Havent had a chance to experience it yet.

I really like this umbrella, and the handle is a big part of that. It has finger indentations, making it easier to keep a good grip. The button to open is easily reachable for even smaller hand sizes. As a dog walker, I carry an umbrella rain or shine to scare off loose dogs, which needs quick reaction. It is also very sturdy and holds up well in rainstorms.