My backyard umbrella snapped in half during a storm last Tuesday

I had a cheap $40 umbrella from the hardware store that I thought would last a season or two. A thunderstorm rolled through around 3pm and the wind caught it just right, cracking the pole clean in two. Has anyone found a decent umbrella that actually holds up to real wind without costing a fortune?

3 comments

3 Comments

finley_smith11d ago

Wait, only $50 for fiberglass ribs AND a vented top?

sagejackson11d ago

I bought a $40 one from Lowes last year and it snapped on the second gust of wind, same deal. I grabbed a 50 dollar one from a place called Shade USA online, it's got fiberglass ribs instead of aluminum and a vented top so the wind goes through instead of catching it like a sail. Survived a full season of afternoon storms so far without a wobble. Just make sure you get one with a metal pole that's at least 1.5 inches thick, that's the weak spot on the cheap ones.

adam41411d ago

That "same deal" part really hits home... I got a $45 one from Target last month and the first good breeze turned it into a pretzel. The fiberglass ribs sound like a game changer though, my cheap one had those thin aluminum ones that bent before the pole even gave out. I might have to look into that Shade USA place, my wife is sick of me complaining every time I have to sweep up splintered umbrella parts from the yard.