totes Blue Line Golf-Size Vented Canopy Compact Umbrella, Black, One Size

Pretty standard here, it does what an umbrella should. I do like the handle having grip to it. Its big enough to keep my back from getting soaked or purse at your side. It doesnt fit in a purse but its not huge so its fine to hold. Does good, Im pleased. Not those cheap tiny things you get at the store that will fall apart soon as the wind comes.

If I could give this umbrella TEN STARS, I would. Its definitely the best Ive ever owned and Im writing this review several years after my purchase. This thing will endure all but the strongest gusts of wind with no problems. Even on the rare occasion that it flips, it has always gone right back into place with no visible or functional damage. Its very large, so it will work for two people or give full complete coverage to one in most conditions (obviously when the rain is coming down at a sharp angle your legs will get wet). You definitely have to sacrifice in terms of portability to get such a high quality umbrella, but I can actually fit this into some of my larger handbags. The only possible negative is that its too big for super crowded streets. However, I rarely have a problem in Philadelphia, so most people should be perfectly fine. I stand away from the crowd at the busiest bus stops or whatever, but I can still easily pass people on the sidewalk just by moving aside or tilting it slightly for a moment.

The umbrella comes off as a little big; I feel a little bit out of place when I open up my umbrella in the streets of Seattle and my umbrella could probably fit two or three rain-ridden folks, while other folks umbrellas are smaller, which sometimes makes me feel like Im overcompensating for my small car. When closed, the umbrella would definitely not fit in a small-to-medium-size purse, but it could partially fit in a backpack, a satchel, or other carries. In any case, I really like the blue colour. The handle is a bit on the heavier side; if it storms with much wind, a weak hand may not be able to hang on the heavy frame. But if it storms with much wind, you should not really be walking outside anyway. Unless you are in New York City, in which case you probably already own an umbrella or two.

I got sick and tired of cheap drugstore umbrellas getting broken and wind-reversed all the time. I wanted a reasonably priced yet well working umbrella. I read tons of reviews all over the internet, and I ended up with this one. So far, its done very well. It hasnt turned inside out. Last week, I had to be outside in the rain for 2.5 hours. This umbrella was great. Except for a couple of drips (and considering the nasty weather I was in, I expected a couple), I had no issues. I love that its a pretty big umbrella that folds to a nice size. Sure, its way bigger than the micro umbrellas, but if you need a mini, look elsewhere. About my only complaint is that it can be difficult to collapse it in inclement weather, with rain and wind beating down. I wish the auto open button would also auto close it. But I knew it didnt do that when I purchased it, so I cant fault anyone but myself for that issue. Otherwise, great umbrella.

Update: 11 years later, we are still together and going strong! I work at a California prison, which means walking miles outside daily, in the middle of a nowhere valley, where the wind whips in every different direction & rain blows diagonally, not vertically. When it rains, the wind is worse and the average life expectancy of an umbrella is one or two wind bursts. I have gone through dozens of umbrellas. I have bought guaranteed umbrellas in the past but they still turn inside out and break. I finally decided to try a vented umbrella but prison regulations do not allow an umbrella with the long tip, like most vented umbrellas have. I finally found this one on Amazon and so far so good. This umbrella is BIG but not cumbersome. It is very sturdy and when the wind was whipping in every which direction, it handled it well and I wasnt worried it would flip inside out like every other one I have used. The first day I used my umbrella, I had 5 compliments -thats a really nice umbrella! which is goofy but just exemplifies how desirable a sturdy, functional umbrella is in our work environment. I gave several people item specs so they could also order this umbrella. I dont like having to spend this type of money on an umbrella when so many have failed in the past but if it makes it through one or two rainy seasons, it is well worth the money. One drawback - it is a bit heavy.

*Unusual for such a compact umbrella: its high quality gust buster dual canopy holds up very well in strong winds. *Nice padded rubberized handle. *One-handed push-button operation opens reliably when youre holding stuff in other hand and rain is pouring down. *Broad coverage, yet folds compact for stowing in briefcase or backpack. *Red and Black is very visible in crosswalks on dark, rainy Boston days.

Great, HUGE umbrella for me. The umbrella has a premium and sturdy look. Its slightly heavier than I thought for a umbrella larger than 55. But Im happy with it. Only thing I noticed is you need to use a little more force to close it and you need to push it open after pressing THE button, lets say its semi-automatic action. Anyway, its a pretty good one Ill say.

Its a pretty large umbrella that still can fit (just barely) inside my backpack, and it appeared to be pretty sturdy. Ive had it for about two months now. Ive mostly used it in light rain, and it would keep me dry for the most part. However, I began having issues with the water seeping through it on extended walks, or when I would use it, go inside, and use it again in short succession. I suspect that when I shake it off upon entering a building that, because it is vented, the water shakes down into the interior. Then when I use it a few hours later, this trapped water might get stuck in creases and form a sort of water tension bridge that allows water to wick through the material. This theory is giving the benefit of the doubt to the manufacturer, because the alternative is that it is just of inferior quality and soaks through after 20 minutes or so. Ive also just noticed significant amounts of rust forming at the joints that are causing rust stains to appear on the fabric and creaking at the joints. I may try to oil the dozens of joints to reduce this problem, but of course then Ill have oil on the inside of an umbrella that also has a dripping problem. Id be wary of buying this again. Id suggest giving the outside some additional water proofing if you get it, and be careful not to invert the umbrella to shake excess water off like you might with a non-vented type.

Used this umbrella for the first time yesterday and one of the tiny brass rivets holding the upper and lower metal support pieces together broke, leaving a section of the nylon segments sagging a bit. Fixed it by aligning the metal pieces and inserting a small section of paper clip, twisting and trimming to lock it in place. Also, the handle of the umbrella is fairly short so if you have longer arms you will have them bent at all times when using the umbrella or the inner supports will be bouncing off your head. Otherwise, seems like it will work fine - it held up well on a fairly windy day even with a broken support.

I live in Chicago where it gets a bit windy. The umbrella will flip inside out if caught in some wind, but its overall a decent product and I would buy again. I did like the handle, good grip and easy to hold for long periods of time.