- A beach umbrella is essential for protecting you from damaging UVA and UVB sun rays during beach outings.
- The best should be able to hold up in the wind, be made of durable materials, and be easy to carry.
- Our top pick, Tommy Bahama’s Sand Anchor 7-Foot Beach Umbrella is easy to carry and set up and has a helpful tilt function.
Any regular beachgoer knows the classic beach umbrella struggle. There are days when the umbrella simply refuses to stand no matter how much you dig, twist, and turn it – not to mention the many times when the umbrella simply flops over or takes flight and bounces across the beach like a dangerous missile.
Despite their frustrations, I’d still never spend a day on the beach without an umbrella. The dangers of sun exposure – from skin cancer to premature aging – are well-documented. And besides, it’s just much more pleasant to sit on a chair shaded by a sturdy umbrella than in the baking sun all day.
When picking one out for yourself, you want an umbrella that’s not only sturdy but easy to carry, easy to set up, and stays in the sand even amidst the typical beachy gusts. You’ll also want to make sure it offers excellent protection from the sun’s UV rays, even if you’re wearing sunscreen or sun-protective clothing.
Below are five of my favorite beach umbrellas from brands like Tommy Bahama, Frankford, and Coolibar. No matter if you want a big canopy umbrella or are just looking for a cost-effective option to use every now and then, I have you covered.
Here are the best beach umbrellas:
- Best overall: Tommy Bahama Sand Anchor 7-Foot Beach Umbrella
- Best canopy umbrella: Sport-Brella All-Weather Umbrella Canopy
- Best high-end umbrella: Frankford Steel Commercial Grade Beach Umbrella
- Best for windy days: beachBUB All-In-One Beach Umbrella System
- Best reflective umbrella: Coolibar Titanium Beach Umbrella
The Tommy Bahama Sand Anchor 7-Foot Beach Umbrella is colorful, easy to set up, light enough to carry, and provides excellent protection from the sun.
Pros: Lightweight, special tilt function, nearly 100% UVA and UVB ray coverage
Cons: Extreme wind can damage this umbrella
Tommy Bahama makes a wide range of products designed to help you celebrate your leisure time in style. This colorful 7-foot umbrella is no exception.
The Tommy Bahama 7-Foot Beach Umbrella is easy to set up. It comes with an integrated corkscrew sand anchor that will have your umbrella standing at attention in less than a minute. A special aluminum undercoating on the heavy polyester fabric offers a 50+ UPF rating — that’s over 98 percent protection from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.
The aluminum umbrella pole can be easily adjusted and a special tilt mechanism adds to the umbrella’s versatility. A wind vent, located on the top of the canopy, increases the umbrella’s stability.
The umbrella comes with a convenient polyester carrying case which helps ensure you won’t drag sand into your car or house after a long beach day.
The best canopy umbrella
Sport-Brella
The lightweight and versatile Sport-Brella offers the coverage of an umbrella, with the extra room and coziness of a tent.
Pros: Unique design offers combined benefits of a tent and an umbrella, lightweight, easy to set up, roomy
Cons: Small vents mean it doesn’t stand up well to wind
Is it a beach umbrella or is it a tent? The one-of-a-kind Sport-Brella is both. It offers portable protection from the elements regardless of whether you are at the beach, a sporting event, or even in the backyard.
Weighing in at 11 pounds, the XL Sport-Brella is lightweight and easy to transport. All parts, including the eight steel ground stakes and three tie-down cords, can be toted in the convenient carry bag. The XL Sport-Brella has a 9-foot canopy that is made of 210 D Polyester for all-weather protection. It is supported by thick steel ribs and a thick steel stretcher.
The water-repellant XL Sport-Brella has a UPF coating of 50+ that protects users from more than 99.5 percent of UVA and UVB rays. For extra comfort and cross-ventilation, the Sport-Brella also offers top wind vents and side zippered windows.
The Sport-Brella is easy to set up, too. The telescoping pole has a plastic tip that is held in place by a lever. Once open, internal side pockets help you stay organized.
The best high-end beach umbrella
Frankford
The super sturdy Frankford Steel Commercial Grade Beach Umbrella uses marine-grade fabric and is beloved for its ability to stand up to strong winds.
Pros: Incredibly durable, easy to set up, fade resistant
Cons: Expensive, heavy at 15 pounds
Do you consider yourself a professional beach bum? Or do you sit on the beach looking longingly at the sturdy umbrellas that water-front hotels and restaurants proudly display? Then you may want to invest in an umbrella that the pros love. Frankford Steel’s super 7.5-foot commercial grade umbrella is designed to last for years.
It’s durably constructed with zinc-plated steel ribs, stainless steel springs, and an attractive, 8-foot ash wood pole. In addition, the extra heavy, marine-grade acrylic fabric — with a 50+ UPF rating — is specially engineered to provide optimal shade.
The Frankford Steel Commercial Grade Beach Umbrella comes with a three-year warranty, and the fabric is guaranteed against fading for five years. A nylon carry bag is included. The umbrella is available in 19 different color combinations, including single colors, stripes, and other designs like the American flag.
New York Magazine provided a fascinating history of the umbrellas, which was first made for beach concessionaires after World War II before being redesigned for public use a few years ago.
According to that article, the Frankford is the official umbrella for the cities of North Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, and Chicago. Keep in mind that Chicago is dubbed the windy city — enough said.
It’s a bit of an investment, but if you’re spending much of your summer with your toes in the sand, it will be worth it in the long run.
The best for windy days
Bed Bath & Beyond
A sand-filled base keeps the lightweight beachBub All-In-One Beach Umbrella System firmly anchored in the sand.
Pros: Stands up to 35 mph winds, easy to set up, lightweight, 3-year replacement plan
Cons: The wind won’t pull it out of the sand, but it may break the umbrella canopy itself
The sturdy beachBub umbrella was endorsed by the American Life Guard Association. The group is concerned about the dangers of fly-away umbrellas and found that “beachBUB offers a unique and easy solution that will prevent many injuries and even save lives in the long run.”
The secret? Perhaps it’s the patented, pyramid-shaped base. The company claims that it is the only base that attaches itself to the bottom pole using an anchor collar. You fill the base with sand to keep the umbrella firmly anchored. While the base folds up neatly to the size of a paperback book, when filled with sand, it weighs 120 pounds.
The umbrella has been tested and found to stand up to winds up to 35 mph. Thick fiberglass ribs mean that the umbrella does not easily break or lose its structure.
The umbrella comes with a carry bag, the umbrella, the base, two rings (one is for the base, the other to hang things on), a shovel, and a wrench. The beachBUB comes with a unique three-year replacement protection plan.
For the first year, you may return the umbrella for any reason for a full refund. After one year, you can replace a damaged umbrella for $40. After two years, the replacement cost rises to $60, and after three years, the cost is $80.
The best reflective beach umbrella
Coolibar/Business Insider
The Coolibar Titanium Beach Umbrella is chic, lightweight, and reflects the sun so you’ll feel even cooler.
Pros: Creates a cool respite from the sun, lightweight
Cons: Won’t stand up to the wind as well as our other picks, no tilt feature
The Minneapolis-based company Coolibar has a fun tagline: Sun Protection You Wear. The company sells a wide range of clothes and accessories, including this metallic beach umbrella.
The water-repellent nylon umbrella has a 50+ UPF rating and a patented double-canopy design with a mesh insert. This umbrella stands 7 feet tall, with a 6-foot arc. It is lightweight— it collapses to 45 inches and weighs just 4 pounds — but with a coated, non-corroding aluminum frame, it is also sturdy.
The purpose of the silver color goes beyond being stylish. It reflects UV rays. The green on the underside of the umbrella absorbs UV rays. The company says this results in keeping you 15 degrees cooler — even in bright sunshine.
At 6 feet in diameter, his is a smaller umbrella than some of our other picks so it’s best used for an individual or a couple.
Check out our great beach guides
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The best coolers
The best water bottles
The best beach toys
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