LifeTek Premium Travel Umbrella - Windproof & Compact for Men & Women, Automatic Open Close, Fits in Purse Laptop Bag or Backpack, Strong Frame for Heavy Rain & Sun UV Protection

I'm not an umbrella connoisseur, mind you: I don't have a collection. In fact, quite the opposite--traditionally, I haven't been a big user of umbrellas, except when motivated by necessity, caught in a sudden downpour while out and about. And when I account for those situations, it feels like I consume umbrellas like most people consume paper towels or disposable cups. I've bought so many crappy $15 umbrellas from various tourist destinations or museum gift shops only to have them blown inside out within twenty minutes of purchase, and I've also bought a fair-share of decent $10 Walmart umbrellas that, while acceptable, were larger and more awkward to store than a small hot air balloon. So, I decided to get one that lasts and is compact, and that's how I stumbled onto the LifeTek Traveler.At first, I was worried about the price. However, taking into account all of those desperate, spur-of-the-moment, "crap, it's monsooning!" umbrella purchases, it's really easy to justify the purchase of a more expensive umbrella, like the LifeTek Traveler. And I really feel like I'm carrying a solid, premium umbrella. It's light and narrow (don't expect to fit more than one person under this umbrella), but not at all flimsy. This thing dries out very, *very* quickly, and that's due to two factors. One is the fabric: the material feels markedly different than any other umbrella I've owned (much lighter, "breathable" like high-end athletic clothes), and the Teflon coating keeps it from absorbing water (keeping it lighter in your hand, too). Second is the automatic closing action. When you hit the button to close the umbrella, it snaps closed violently, shaking off any of the water that remains on the fabric. I've gone from downpour to bone dry in my backpack in less than 5 minutes.The only downside that I find with this umbrella is in that automatic closure, and that's only a minor complaint. Once the umbrella close button has been pressed, there's no way to re-open the umbrella (that I've found, anyway) without compressing the umbrella stalk down to its locked state and hitting the automatic opening button again. It's not like cheaper umbrellas where you can just re-open the umbrella by pushing the assembly upward; you have to close it all the way and trigger the opening button. This is a minor, minor complaint, but it does make it a little inconvenient if you're, say, temporarily ducking under a bus stop overhang and want to be ready to re-open your umbrella in a moment's notice.The biggest advantage of this umbrella is the company that stands behind it. As I mentioned, I've gone through a lot of umbrellas, but I've also gone through a lot of umbrella *covers*. I lose them, frequently. And, of course, I lost the umbrella cover for the LifeTek, too. So, I contacted the manufacturer to ask about getting a replacement cover, and within 20 minutes, a representative told me he'd located my Amazon order and had sent me a free cover via Priority Mail! I suspect that if I ever find a defect in the umbrella (very unlikely), they'd be similarly committed to making sure I'm happy.The only disadvantage to purchasing this umbrella is that you won't have a cool Smithsonian sun or Union Jack on your tourist umbrella, but at least you'll look less tacky, and you'll be much drier.

This is a very good umbrella because it is strong and has survived windy weather. It's very compact and cute. Thank you.

Love these umbrellas. I’ve given several as gifts! I carry one with me daily and this far it has protected me from Florida storms. It’s a bit heavy but it’s very well made. Worth the price.

It's a decent umbrella. Doesn't feel cheap but it did start rusting within a few months of light use so I sprayed a little WD-40 on the spokes?

I've been walking to work for over 25 years. No matter what the weather is, I'm always on foot. During rainy days I absolutely depend on a quality umbrella, especially if it's windy. I used a Hammacher Schlemmer "wind defying umbrella" for most of those 25 years and it served me well. But as with all things, it finally bit the dust. Was going to purchase that again from them, but thought I would browse Amazon to see if there was anything comparable. Read good reviews of this umbrella by LifeTek, and with the great price, I decided to go for it.Coming up on the one year point and will say I'm very happy with the performance. I've used this in 30-40mph winds and it's held on strong. At first glance, you can see it's well made. In fact, it is quite heavy and sturdy - that's not a bad thing. To truly make it through high winds, those light-weight, flimsy umbrellas have no chance. So you need it to be sturdy. But it's not so heavy that it strains your arm. It has a push-button mechanism to open and it opens rather gently and smooth. Some umbrellas open abruptly and you wonder how many times it can handle that kind of abuse. The tie-around band to secure it is velcro - probably wouldn't be my first choice (buttons last longer) but it also comes with a sheath that fits over the umbrella snugly to keep it under control when not in use.In addition to being sturdy, you need decent coverage when walking distances in the rain. This product gives you more than enough coverage, especially if you wear a backpack. With a slight tilt backward, you can protect your backpack and still keep the rain off you. One thing (and this is true of all large umbrellas), you have to be mindful of other pedestrians. My experience is people usually get out of my way when they see a large umbrella. So, yeah, I like the intimidation factor. (haha)What really impressed me with this company was my first umbrella arrived with a slight gap in the ring near the tip. It didn't affect the operation of the umbrella and I was just going to live with it, but decided to ask the company about it. I was informed that it was in fact not normal and they immediately shipped me a replacement. From the things I've read about LifeTek, they seem to stand by their products and put thought into the quality of what they sell.