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.

Sturdy with great rain protection! Great quality and feels heavy duty but yet compact. Fits easily in my backpack and doesn’t take up a lot of space. Has not turned inside out during some very strong winds. If the time ever comes that I need another one, I will absolutely purchase this brand again.

I bought this umbrella at full price after doing a lot of research, seeing as I wanted something high quality and sturdy with a curved handle (although after using fake spot, I got a little disheartened as to the authenticity of other reviews). Having received it today, I have decided that I like it very much and hope it'll last me many years. I plan to edit this after a few rainstorms to provide general feedback on its function. Here are some of its qualities. - This umbrella is very nice looking and sleek with a shiny black shaft and a comfortable, but not rubbery handle. Everything feels sturdy except the secondary umbrella struts, which reside between the shaft and the primary support struts as seen in the product picture. These are made of plastic, although it does not feel cheap. It also seems to be able to bear some weight, but probably not too much. - There is a hole in the shaft, as many people complained about. This is a downside, but not worthy of a star detraction. It is located two inches above the opening button so it seems to be necessary for the mechanism, as though it protruded through. Otherwise it looks like an extremely well-put-together umbrella. It seems every umbrella has this hole, so I can't really be bothered to call about it, although if there are versions without it I would really like one. - It's heavy. I like that. You might not. - The opening motion is very forceful and causes a small gust of wind. It gives off a very pleasant muted thud as it does this, almost like a car door being shut. Similarly, it can be difficult to close if you don't grab the mechanism with your entire hand. One swift motion does the trick, but it takes some muscle. I would not get this umbrella for a frail elderly parent or grandparent. - There is NOT a wind-resistant double canopy. This and the shaft hole are the only two things keeping it from being perfect, although the double canopy is a matter of taste. - After a few days of twirling it around and walking with it, the choice of the rubber-esque material on the tip means it scratches relatively easily. Still cosmetic, and does not hinder function. - The LifeTek logo is NOWHERE to be found on the umbrella. I love this. Overall this is a pretty solid product and seems worth the money for the quality manufacturing. I'd recommend it to any friends who wanted a higher-end umbrella.

So far pleased with umbrella. Opens and closes easily and reliably. Is light weight and very compact, when folded up. Can fit into just about any bag. Feels very sturdy, but I don't know how it would do in a real storm. Potential buyers should be aware that measurements of the breadth of umbrellas are apparently provided as the distance across the convex (i.e., upper) surface of the umbrella canopy, not the flat, left-to-right, distance across the bottom of the canopy. I suppose that is what they call the "arc", which was stated as being 42.5 inches. So, I found that the umbrella was actually smaller than desired. It measures about 37 inches wide using the flat measurement, and as such it is definitely a 1-person umbrella. I'm not sure I would have bought this umbrella if I had known in advance how wide it actually is. Regardless, I already have several umbrellas, but wanted something that could better protect my face and eyes from ultraviolet (UV) light while outdoors. This all black umbrella, with a tightly-woven fabric cuts out 90-95 percent of the UV light streaming directly down from above, and above 80 percent of light coming head on or from the sides. I measured this using a General Tools UV513AB Digital light meter, also purchased here on Amazon. So, in that regard, the umbrella is doing a great job of protecting my face and eyes. More people should consider an umbrella as an alternative to a wide-brimmed hat, though using an umbrella on a sunny day seems odd. I feel that it is much better than any wide-brimmed hat. Sunscreen is still necessary for times when outside light is very strong. Post-script: I've been using this compact, sturdy umbrella almost daily since purchased 3-1/2 months ago. Hasn't malfunctioned or turned inside out. However, it is definitely not much use in a heavy downpour, which occurred here three days ago. There was no wind or lightning, but the rain was very heavy. This umbrella didn't protect me well from the downpour. Because the umbrella is so small, I felt as if I had nowhere to hide. My legs were soaked from knees downward, and my back was completely wet. Only my head a chest were dry. I decided to buy and use a larger umbrella. The Lifetek Traveler is in my opinion useful only as a parasol.

Very well made umbrella.

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.

Very good products.

Wow, what a cool, compact umbrella. It opens quite large (45") and the opening/closing with a twist of the handle/shank is very novel, and fast. The vented roof would make it windproof as any wind caught in the underside would vent right out.

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Size is still acceptable, was expecting it to be lighter then my old Repel umbrella but it a tad heavier. I am looking forward to newer lighter innovations on such umbrellas, it is important to people like me as I carry a few personal gadgets around for work. All in all, it’s a great product and I hope it lasts at least 3years. The case like most reviews, is convenient to slip the umbrella back in due to the unique opening design. 👍

One of few umbrellas that have a good size and built up quality, this has it all. Love it

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Very sturdy umbrella that is compact for travel.