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

Appearance is great. Feels to be of better quality than most umbrellas you buy in-store. -2 stars because despite the compact size, ease of use, and attractive design - durability is lacking. Mine broke within 7 months of regular use. Kind of disappointing. Company says they guarantee 1 year warranty for breaks. Staying within that warranty, I tried several times to send an invoice via Amazon. Either Amazons system had a seizure all 3 times I sent an invoice or the umbrella company doesnt actually abide to their policy. Now that its Spring and Im without a compact umbrella again, I broke down and bought another of the exact same model. Except, this time, I bought a $3 third-party warranty on top of the product. We shall see how long this one stays intact. Hope others have better luck with contacting the company for replacements.

I picked this up after my sister stole my other ones. It came just in time for some rain that we had here the past week. I really like how it expands and collapses at a bush of a button, leaving you to only have to push it back together and wrap it up. As far as cons there arent a ton, a little longer strap would be nice, its a tight fit sometimes if the umbrella bunches up in certain ways, another half inch would be wonderful so you can always button it back up with ease. The only other thing was that it was shipped in a black fabric case that was torn when I received it; I was concerned my umbrella might be torn too, but I pulled it out and it was protected by another little carrying case that was just fine, and the umbrella was too. Not worth taking stars off for those minor things, still the best umbrella Ive ever used!

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 have owned many umbrellas over the years. Usually I buy the cheapest one, and my kids ruin it before it ever rains. This Balios umbrella doesnt even compare to those others. Its very high quality and design. Ive only had it about a week and used once, but I can tell this will last many years. Its a nice thick material that is well attached to the metal arms. Push button open AND close makes it very easy to use while staying dry. It has a beautiful sturdy wood handle, and a great cover that fits snug with a loop hanger. It is big enough that 2 people could walk comfortably under it. I think this Balios umbrella with hold up well in the wind. I wish I had just got this one instead of the last 5 cheap ones. Defiantly recommended!

Ive purchased this model umbrella twice now, the first one lasted me 5 years before I finally decided to retire it.

It needs a strap to hang to dry ON the umbrella handle itself. There is a strap on the case, but when youre hanging it to try, you dont want it in a case; you want it hanging loose and free. Its also very heavy, so not ideal for lightweight travel. I keep mine in the driver door of my car.

I purchased this umbrella in the gray, and I find it to be a quality product. So far, it performs well in the Seattle rains, has a comfortable grip, easy to pop open and close. Its a little longer and heavier than other collapsible umbrellas Ive owned, but worth it since it closes so neatly! Others close and you get a floppy mess of folds, but this one folds down rather nicely, making it easy to snap it close without any wonky bits of stray fabric poking out! Makes it easy to slide it into its convenient sleeve (which has a very nice zipper to aid in removing and putting away). I shorted it one star only because the main stem feels a little loose, a little giggly when given a shake. Otherwise, its a great umbrella!

If you live in Houston, TX, you just need to own an umbrella. I always preferred umbrellas that can fit in my laptop bag, and nearly all the ones I bought before rusted quite easily and broke just as easily. Not so with this one. I have had it for almost two years now. and its as strong as day one. Best thing about it though: opens AND CLOSES with a push of a button.

I ordered this for my mother, who has mobility issues. She uses a walker at all times and uses a mobility scooter to get to the dining hall at her senior apartment complex. I was looking for something that she could hold in one hand while she operated the scooter with the other hand, and was easy to open and close. The handle on this model is great. It is big and has a high-quality feel to it. The auto-open and close is great for her. In order for the auto-open to work, the umbrella needs the spring to be compressed by closing the umbrella all the way, so it does not auto-close all the way, but it does fold down with a press of the button. Compressing the spring is a little difficult, but she can do it just fine.