Best Beach Umbrella

Summer is always an exciting time. I can barely wait to get the warm sand between my toes and the salty ocean water on my skin. It makes me forget about work and I can just zone out for a while. I never go to the beach without multiple forms of sun protection.

Now the minimum amount of sun protection for most people may be just sunscreen, but for me it’s a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, clothing and a beach umbrella.

That’s right… a beach umbrella.

Not only is it great for sun protection but the extra shade also helps keep me cool in between dips. So today we are going on the hunt for the best umbrella for the beach.

Buyer’s Guide

 

Now before you head out on your search for the best beach umbrella, check out this buyer’s guide for things you should take into consideration when making your purchase. The best rated beach umbrella is going to have a variation of the following features:

Size

So this will vary depending on how much coverage you are after. Personal use for yourself or wider coverage for your whole gang of family or friends.

A small personal umbrella will be somewhere in the 40 inch range, providing just enough shade for you to sit under. Some of the larger styles I check out today measure up to 8 feet wide so will have you, your friend, and their friend covered!

Whatever size you choose don’t forget to also check it how big it measures when folded. You don’t want to need an army of people to carry it to and from the beach and you will want to ensure that it will easily fit into your car along with the rest of your gear.

Style

This will be directly related to the size you prefer. I know you might just be thinking how can there be different styles of umbrellas? Are they not all the same. Well no! Today you are going to see:

• Personal umbrellas – these handy ones keep your hands free by attaching to your favorite beach chair so you are free to apply sunscreen or read a book!
• Super-Brella – this umbrella is a large umbrella that acts like a beach tent would. Providing shade for multiple people it can be set up either as a canopy or a dome.
• Standard beach umbrellas – this is what you probably think of when you hear beach umbrella. Usually tall with an oversized canopy that you secure either into the ground or an umbrella stand.

UPF Rating

All beach umbrellas are going to provide sun protection however some may have an official UPF rating.

This rating gives you information on how much of the sun’s ultraviolet rays are blocked out by the fabric. The canopy must go through a testing process to obtain this rating so you know you’re covered if you purchase with UPF in mind.

Check out the table below to see what ratings you should look for:

UPF Rating	Protection Category	Percentage of UV Blocked
15-20	Good	93.3 – 95.9%
25-35	Very good protection	96.0 – 97.4%
40 and over	Excellent protection	97.5% or more

I try to always recommend umbrellas rated UPF 50. This ensures fantastic protection (98%) that will prevent sun damage no matter how long your beach day.

Weight

We all know that beach conditions can get pretty savage so look for an umbrella that has a sturdy weight. This will help with wild weather conditions and coastal winds.

However, keep in mind that you do need to carry your umbrella to and from the sand so make sure it’s not too heavy to carry.

Ventilation

This will also assist in less favorable weather conditions. If you live in an area known for its wind the best windproof beach umbrella will come with vented canopies or sides with windows.

These features will allow wind to pass through which helps make your umbrella stand up to strong winds.

Opening/Closing

Now I have had beach umbrellas or tents that were like a rubix cube to get open and closed.

There is nothing more annoying than deciding to head home only to waste your time attempting to fit the umbrella back into its carry case only to find that somehow the carry case seems like it’s shrunk!

I will make sure that I list easy options only in this list because nobody has time for this sort of nonsense!

Price

Beach umbrellas can be more expensive depending on the style you are after so you may want to keep this in mind before beginning your search. The best quality beach umbrella is a long term investment in your health and skin.

Best Beach Umbrella Comparison

 

5 Best Beach Umbrellas

 

After comprehensive research that included discussing issues with customers, reviewing customer feedback, examining manufacturer specifications, participating in beach and holiday forums, and SimplySunSafe has chosen the 5 best beach umbrellas for sun protection.

All of these beach umbrellas provide all of the great features you should look out for from the buyers guide.

1. Sport-Brella Super-Brella Portable Sun Shelter

Last update on 2023-10-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

This is not just a beach umbrella. This is a Super-Brella! It’s next level sun protection from an every day umbrella. It’s a larger option so it’s great for you and your friends and family. You’re able to sit under it and sip a cocktail or enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Not just for sun this one will also keep you dry if there are any unexpected sun showers. The canopy is rated a huge UPF 50. A silver lining will assist keep you cool in sunny conditions.

Even if it’s super windy this unbrella will stand up strong. It has two side panels that protect you from the wind and two zippered windows will let the wind flow through without billowing your umbrella over.

There are also additional wind vents in the top of the umbrella also help make it wind resistant. This is my pick for the best beach umbrella for windy conditions.

You can use this umbrella two ways:

• Standard beach umbrella – this is the usual style you’ll see at the beach. Standing up proud and tall. It is able to be secured into the ground and additional tethers are able to be attached for extra help!
• Beach tent style – this umbrella can also be used as a beach canopy.

So versatile compared to the humble umbrella! For sizing… this one is big! Once up it reaches 8 feet wide, but don’t stress it still folds now to 54×4 inches, making it easy to transport.

You have two colors to choose from a blue or pink! Baby gender reveal by beach umbrella color anyone?

This umbrella is at the higher end of the price range but because of its size and versatile uses it’s definitely worth a look.

2. Sunphio Heavy Duty Portable Beach Umbrella

Last update on 2023-10-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

So much thought has gone into the design and engineering of the humble beach umbrella that you will be amazed. Sunphio care about their customer and are continuously looking at ways to make their products better. This umbrella is a great option for those looking for both sun and rain protection.

The carbon fibre ribs provide an incredibly sturdy and strong design creating one of the best beach umbrellas for wind. The 3 layers of carbon fibre ribs ensures that this umbrella will not blow inside out or snap in heavy winds. To assist with wind protection there are multiple tether points to secure it to the ground at additional locations and a ventilated 2 layer canopy. This umbrella is also one of the best wind resistant beach umbrellas.

The canopy has 4 layers including two black layers to assist with keeping you cool, a colored canopy and a silver UV protective layer complete the set to give you some great shade. This canopy is not UPF rated which is why this umbrella did not finish higher in our list. The canopy won’t slip off the end of the ribs either thanks to their genius design.

If you are into fishing this is the perfect option for you as the canopy features a U-Shape design meaning that you are able cast a line from right under the shade!

The height of this one is adjustable and the top part of the pole is able to be adjusted to ensure that you can move the shade where you need it to. The max height this umbrella will reach is 93.4 inches with a minimum height of 72.6 inches.

The Sunphio Portable Beach Umbrella comes with so many accessories including:

• Carry bag
• Additional carry case
• Umbrella support pole
• One end sand anchor
• Three end sand anchor
• Three wind proof pins
• Instruction manual

Even the carry case is a well thought out design with an adjustable carry handle, a 3 holed bottom cap to allow the umbrella to stand up and drain if it’s wet, and a convenient pocket to store all of the above accessories.

You’ve got 4 colors to choose from – my favorite is the sky blue!

Now you probably have already figured this one may be at the higher end of the price scale given its high quality and innovative design but it’s definitely worth it if you are making a long term umbrella investment.

3. Sport-Brella Versa-Brella All Position Umbrella With Universal Clamp

Last update on 2023-10-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

A super cool option for those looking for some solo protection. If you’re someone who uses beach chairs but doesn’t want to be stuck out in the sun, Sport-Brella have bought out an innovative designed umbrella just for you.

This Versa-Brella umbrella clips straight onto your favorite beach chair using a universal clamp. It has a 4 way, 360 degree swivel so you can manipulate this umbrella to keep you covered from an angle. When the sun moves simply move the umbrella to continue casting the shade where you need it!

Knowing not everyone needs the same amount of coverage there are two sizes to choose from, regular and extra large. Regular size will reach a span of 40 inches by 42 inches and the larger option is 44 by 44 inches.

You’ve got a few color options to choose from too! To open this one has a manual opening mechanism, giving you full control.

Now this one probably isn’t going to be great for rain due to its design but for sun, you’re covered! A UPF 50 canopy will have those ultraviolet rays on their way.

This is a fantastic option if you want to sit and watch the kids on the beach, your view isn’t restricted like it would be with a beach tent and it’s really easy to erect. This one is definitely the best portable beach umbrella.

It’s also wallet friendly so more change for ice cream at the end of the day!

4. ezShade Steel Beach Umbrella & Sun Shield

Last update on 2023-10-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

So at first glance you might think what’s so special about this beach umbrella? But on closer inspection, you’ll see it has attachable sun shields that can maneuvered to ensure that you are provided the best sun protection!

Firstly let’s look at the make of this one. It’s lightweight fibreglass spikes and pole mean it’s sturdy but also not too heavy to pack up and carry with you. The canopy is made from durable Oxford fabric and is rated UPF 50 for super sun protection factor.

Weighing in at 5 pounds and standing at 7 feet tall it has plenty of room for the whole family to sit under and enjoy the heat without the sunburn.

Now the sunshields! These attach anywhere along the bottom of the umbrella allowing you to block out the sun. You can attach multiple shields to create a wind barrier or ensure you have a more private setting. These sunshields have a pocket at the bottom that can be filled with sand or other objects if you’re not at the beach to keep it from flapping about! The umbrella comes with one sunshield so you will have to purchase additional ones separately if you want more protection.

The ezShade Beach Umbrella is endorsed by the Melanoma International Foundation so you know you are in safe hands.

It only has one color option available 🙁 but a modest price point that will allow you to keep the whole family covered for a reasonable price.

5. Coolibar UPF 50+ Titanium Beach Umbrella

Last update on 2023-10-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Of course Coolibar have a top 5 rated umbrella. They are leaders in sun protection and their their Titanium Beach Umbrella shows it.

The canopy is rated UPF 50 which is the best sun protection you can get. Measuring 6 foot across the arc with a 65 inch diameter gives you enough shade for you and a few friends. You have two color choices for the Coolibar Titanium, silver or blue. Both will be great for keeping you cool as well as protected from the sun.

For windy conditions Coolibar have a double canopy design with a mesh insert. This provides great ventilation and stability.

The ribs are made of lightweight fibreglass and the pole is crafted from heavy duty 1.25 inch white powder coated non-corroding aluminium frame. The pole is also two pieces so the top part is able to be manually adjusted, ensuring you get the shade where you need it. A corkscrew style tip means you can anchor this one in both sand and grass!

The Coolibar name is famous among sun protection so this umbrella is higher in price range but is best for those looking for a simple and easy to use beach umbrella.

Conclusion

So that sums up my guide on the ultimate beach umbrellas. I hope it’s provided you some good starting points for when you begin your search and hopefully you pick one of our top rated beach umbrellas. Remember prevention is always better when it comes to sun protection.

SimplySunSafe recommends the Sport-Brella Super-Brella Portable Sun Shelter, but this one was a very close call as the other umbrellas were all great. This one is great for sun, rain and the best beach umbrella that is also windproof.

Come and have a chat with me, leave a comment below. Tell me if you bought one of these or found another one you liked better. I’ll check it out and might even add it onto the list.

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