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

This is an update to the previous review for their excellent customer service. The manufacturers approached me to check on the issue and offered to either refund or replace the umbrella with a single canopy model. I opted to get the single canopy model. Excellent customer service and like I mentioned before, the umbrella itself seems solidly made so I do not have any doubts that the single canopy model will be good. ================================================= The umbrella seems to be of solid build quality, however, it does not seem to be able to keep the water out efficiently. The issue may stem from the vent provided for air flow. I used the umbrella to walk along a trail on a hike and there was light rain. The walk was mostly through the canopy of the foliage, however, I found that If I held the umbrella at an angle (such as resting over the shoulder), droplets of water would actually roll in through the vent and splash on my head. Maybe the fabric needs to be more taut near the vent that it is? The umbrella seems to work fine when held upright at a 90 degree angle, however, in a practical scenario with wind and such, often you would have to hold it at an angle. Wanted to very much like it, but, the splashy bits on my head told me otherwise. I would probably lean towards a non vented model.

Im leaving a five star review because the first umbrella I received had a few issues but amazon sent me another one that seems just fine. However the 5 stars largely goes to the customer service. The company doesnt want you to have any faulty products and if there ever is any issue, they will solve the problem to ensure that you are satisfied. Im glad that they are very responsive to customer feedback and are happy to make things right! Below was my initial reviews of the product before I got my replacement, which works as expected. I just got this umbrella in the mail and it looks great! I love the craftsmanship and wooden handle. However, after checking out the product, I went to place it back inside the included sleeve and as Im zipping it closed the zipper broke RIGHT off! I didnt even pull that hard. I was surprised that this happened on my first time packing it away. Amazon isnt able to send me a replacement sleeve by itself Im going to have to get a whole new set and send back the one with the broken zipper. Other than that issue, it seems to be a quality umbrella, I havent had a chance to use it and get a sense of its sturdiness since I just got it. But the sleeve quality is not so good. Maybe mine was just a bad make, hopefully the manufacturers can improve on the sleeve quality. UPDATE: I added the third photo after playing around with it a bit more. Its already broken on me. Initially I thought the zipper itself on the sleeve was the only issue. But now the umbrella has already shown a big sign of unreliability.

Update 1/29/19 Customer service followed through and provided a refund and replacement at no charge. However, it didnt arrive overnight. I will reiterate that this an attractive looking umbrella. Im also optimistic that it will perform a better endurance test. Am I allowed to share my opinion on any non-umbrella topics here? New rating: From 2 stars to 4 ---------------------------- I was initially pleased with this umbrella. Its attractive, feels good in the hands, and seems to be well-constructed. As compared to umbrellas in a comparable price range, it did not handle as well in high winds with strong gusts. It inverted on numerous occasions, and ultimately could not bear the abuse. The lock and release mechanism failed after a month of my purchase. Maybe I was unlucky or it was a particularly gusty storm, but as compared to previous umbrellas under similar conditions, this attractive little guy came up short.

I am so happy that I chose this travel umbrella! The quality is outstanding, seriously.... outstanding! I needed a size that collapses small, but still has normal coverage and this is exactly that. The actual umbrella itself is a very high quality thick waterproof material and it has the double canopy for those extra windy days. It also has a gorgeous wooden handle with grip. There is a button near the handle that releases and expands with a spring loaded mechanism, so opening and closing is a breeze. There is also a waterproof case with handle that comes with the purchase and to my surprise it was actually easy to get it back into the case after use! This is one of those purchases that I am patting myself on the back for buying because I know this umbrella is going to stand the test of time!

Ive used this umbrella for just over a month, and I couldnt be happier with it. This is one of the best umbrellas Ive purchased! Not only does it look great with the wooden handle, but the automatic open/close feature also works really well. The vented canopy is great for windy conditions, and my canopy has never flipped. The canopy size is perfect for me. Large enough even to share with another person in light rain. For those who commented that its difficult to put the umbrella back into its storage sleeve...Im not sure what youre doing wrong, but Im able to put mine back in the sleeve with ease. The wooden grip is surprisingly comfortable! I have slightly larger hands, and the handle still fits my grip really well. That said, the only (minor) downside about this model is that it does not have a strap on the umbrella. Although the umbrella handles higher winds nicely, I still felt as though the umbrella could fly out of my grip if a strong gust hit it. I cant take off stars for that because I knew the umbrella didnt have an attached strap when I purchased it. For those who think this is a dealbreaker, check out the other Balios models with strap.

A spoke broke after a couple of months of use. I had to manually fix by hand upon every use.

I have used this umbrella a couple of times and took it with me on a couple of vacations. It works as advertised and I really like the design. My only issue with this umbrella is that it can only fit one person but thats the sacrifice you have to make when getting a sturdy umbrella. I do recommend this umbrella.

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.

UPDATE: Balios customer service is fantastic, leading to a revision of my review and increase in the product rating. They reached out the day after I posted this review, offering an apology, a full refund, and a heavily-discounted replacement -- far more than most companies would consider providing. I have not yet had the occasion to test the replacement umbrella under gusty conditions and will update again if it fails the challenge, but for the moment Im hopeful that it is more robust than the first unit. At the very least, with first-class customer service and return policies, the Balios is worth serious consideration as a low-risk purchase with polished design upside. ============================================== ORIGINAL REVIEW: An elegant umbrella at a surprisingly affordable price, the Balios largely lives up to expectations, albeit with one very fatal flaw. The quick-drying canopy snaps to attention at the press of a button and closes just as readily, while the fiberglass and steel construction seems to be an asset to prolonged durability. The sleeve adds to the convenience, offering a rare zipped side that makes it significantly easier to reinsert the umbrella after use. And although I would definitely prefer an option for a golf-size canopy to accommodate two people and/or shield packages being carried, its still perfect for the stated purpose of shielding a single person from the elements. Design-wise, its suitable for a quick run to the pharmacy or a trip to the board room. The classic navy/black canopy remains taut, with clean lines and an opaque canvas that easily surpasses that of other umbrellas in this price range. Moving to the signature element of the Balios, the handle is well-crafted, with a comfortable grip and a rich, wood grain finish that gives it a truly refined look. However, the fatal flaw present in the unit I received is its failure to withstand even moderate winds. Despite being described as windproof and possessing a vented design for just such occasions, it immediately and repeatedly inverted in 15mph winds with 30mph gusts, leaving me out in the rain without a usable umbrella. Others have reported better experiences in similar conditions, so Im being generous with my two-star rating in the hopes that I simply received a defective unit. No amount of design and longevity can overcome the inability of an umbrella to function should a rain storm present more than just precipitation. Unfortunately, I am just past Amazons 30-day return window to request a refund.

No complaints, exactly as described. Very well made, looks polished, nice (navy) color. I wouldnt call this lightweight exactly, compared to other travel umbrellas. Its certainly not heavy, but it has a bit of heft. Very pleased with this purchase. I had it shipped to Hawaii as I didnt want to use precious suitcase space for an umbrella, and so far have mostly used it at the beach. It makes a nice sun shade and the handle is very comfortable to hold for long periods. No trouble with beach winds, either. The sand brushes right off when its dry.