Yahoo Lifestyle These Gift-Worthy Umbrellas Are Nicer Than Anything They’d Buy for Themselves
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These Gift-Worthy Umbrellas Are Nicer Than Anything They’d Buy for Themselves
When the weather is beautiful enough to break out the lawn games, having a high-quality umbrella on standby may be the furthest thing from one's mind. We say it's always smart to plan for less-than-favorable conditions to prevent any mad dashes for cover when the rain starts pouring down.
The umbrellas in this guide aren't just nicer than the bargain-bin brollies that you can find at the convenience store, they also make ingenious gifts for outdoorsy types and people who like to be prepared for whatever the day throws at them.
What to Consider
Size
Naturally, an umbrella's size is an important factor: You'll want to check the canopy diameter and the length of the umbrella's pole to get a sense of how much coverage your recipient will get from this gift.
However, checking the umbrella's length when closed may be the most important determing factor in how useful the gift is. A frequent traveler may prefer a more compact model they can stash in their bag rather than lugging around a giant golf umbrella. Consider the storage needs (and daily commuting routine) of your recipient to determine whether a 7-inch-long retracted travel umbrella, a 3-foot-long golf umbrella, or something in between would be the best fit for them.
Opening Ease
One key benefit of getting a higher-end umbrella as a gift is that its opening mechanism may be a little more sophisticated than cheaper options. Instead of sliding the canopy into its extended position, almost all of these umbrellas have a push-button opening function. While we've found this to be a convenient feature for quickly snapping the umbrella into position before dashing into the rain, those with limited hand mobility may find the slide-to-open feature to be less fussy.
Style
Why gift an umbrella if you're not going to swing for the fences with style? Our picks in this guide range from quirky-cute to quite sophisticated, and they're available in a range of colors and funky patterns. After all, when the forecast calls for a week of rain, do you want their umbrella to look just as dreary?
How We Chose
For this guide to the most giftable umbrellas, we’re presenting a range of sizes to accommodate for various users’ needs. We’ve had the chance to test out three of our five picks in rainy weather and have been impressed with their ease of opening, high-quality build, and resiliency in gusty wind conditions. We’ve leaned on user reviews touting these same features for those we haven’t had the chance to test in person.
Read on to check out the five most gift-worthy umbrellas you can buy.
Melanie Yates - 2/6
1) Metro Travel Umbrella
Blunt
amazon.com
$77.93
The Blunt Metro Travel Umbrella is one of our all-time favorite umbrellas. The near-40-inch canopy's characteristic blunted corners add stylish flair and help prevent passersby from suffering a wayward poke.
It's equipped with push-button operation, a grippy handle for easier holding, and a canopy that provides UV protection and spins 360 degrees to avoid being bent out of shape. When closed, this model measures a little over 14 inches long.
We've used this umbrella for more than 4 years in all types of inclement weather, and it's never let us down. Its over-$70 price tag makes it a little pricier than the norm, but the quality of its construction makes it really enjoyable to use — which is why we're naming it the best umbrella overall.
More: The Best Allergy-Relief Products to Ward Off Springtime Sniffles
Melanie Yates - 3/6
2) Travel Umbrella
Weatherman
weathermanumbrella.com
$69.00
The brand behind the Weatherman Travel Umbrella was founded by a meteorologist, which is why this one delivers in terms of form and function. Available in numerous colors, we particularly like this model's new neon collection.
The bright color and reflective border aren't just fun to look at, they also help travelers safely stay more visible in foggy, snowy, or dark conditions.
Equipped with reinforced fiberglass plastic ribs and a push-button mechanism that opens the canopy with a forceful “whoosh,” this umbrella is tested to withstand winds up to 45 miles per hour and is designed to prevent inversions. We’re also really impressed with how lightweight it is — we never felt wrist fatigue after holding this one on our rainy and windy walks to work.
Melanie Yates - 4/6
3) Peanut Butter Checkers Eco-Friendly Umbrella
Original Duckhead
originalduckhead.com
£42.00
The Original Duckhead umbrella is an instant conversation piece for your gift recipient. While the design is unbelievably cute, it's also built for resiliency, equipped with a high-strength steel frame that automatically corrects the canopy in case it gets inverted from wind gusts.
This is also a great gift for someone who's eco-conscious — the easy-to-hold, duck-shaped head of this umbrella is made from FSC-certified birch wood, and its canopy material is made from recycled water bottles and treated with PFC-free waterproof coating. Facing rainy days will now be like water off a duck's back!
Melanie Yates - 5/6
4) Windproof Large Umbrella
Royal Walk
amazon.com
$29.99
For many, the compact size of an umbrella may be its biggest selling point. However, this may not work for everyone. If a golf-style umbrella with a large canopy and a long, curved handle would make for a more comfortable raindrop-dodging experience, get the Royal Walk Windproof Large Umbrella for them.
This model has a 47-inch-wide canopy, an aluminum frame, and 16 fiberglass ribs, which is about twice as many as a travel-sized umbrella. Although the umbrella is a sizable 38 inches in length, when it's retracted, they can sling it over their shoulder with its included carrying bag for hands-free convenience.
Reviewers repeatedly tout its sturdiness and say that its size is a great asset for keeping taller people covered.
amazon.com - 6/6
5) Mini Umbrella with Case
Yoobure
amazon.com
$13.99
The Yoobure Mini Umbrella is the most affordable pick on this list, but it still makes an excellent gift — particularly for those who are always on the go but prefer to travel light.
This umbrella retracts to an impressively compact 7 inches long, and it even comes with a carrying case for easy storage. It opens manually, so although it's not equipped with the swift push-button mechanism, the umbrella's canopy still offers 35.5 inches of coverage. While the other picks on this list may be stronger and easier to open, this one is the most travel-friendly and makes a good secondary umbrella to stash in a work bag or suitcase.
amazon.com
