Balios Travel Folding Umbrella with Real Wood Handle Auto Open Close Vented Windproof Canopy - Designed in UK

I really like the canopy portion! Great fabric, very sturdy, no problems for about a year now! It is a bit hard to close it but with the canopy closing button at least you can get indoors before completely having to stand outside to close. The metal bar that connects the handle to the canopy is a bit flimsy — even from first use. But that doesn’t bother me too much, not to mention it’s lasted a while. It’s super compact which I love but it still looks elegant! As a uni student I wanted something simple and sturdy and this umbrella has been great! ALSO: my campus is EXTREMELY windy, umbrellas break left and right. MINE HAS NEVER FLIPPED INSIDE OUT!!! NOT EVEN ONCE!!! :) I’m happy with it!

So Extremely Nice!

I was initially concerned when I saw that the umbrella was made in China, but when I opened the case I saw that the handle was carefully wrapped in brown paper. When I unwrapped it I noticed a beautiful, polished, engraved handle. This is the nicest thing Ive seen come out of China. The material looks to be of the highest quality. A great deal of thought has gone into the design, (designed in Britain), it is elegant...and the product is lacking the distinct acrid stench of plastic chemicals found in many Chinese products. There was no new product odor. I see only two issues that I may have. One, it takes a great deal of strength to retract the umbrella. Second, it is somewhat cumbersome to fit it back into the original case. I look forward to using this umbrella for many years, and will find excuses to take it out and show my co-workers.

This is a nice looking umbrella for sure, but it is missing an important feature which is the wrist strap. There is one on the case but not one on the umbrella itself. This makes the umbrella prone to flying away in windy rain conditions as well as not being able to let it hang on your wrist if you are commuting on a subway train without having to put it back in its case.

Update 1/29/19 Customer service followed through and provided a refund and replacement at no charge. However, it didnt arrive overnight. I will reiterate that this an attractive looking umbrella. Im also optimistic that it will perform a better endurance test. Am I allowed to share my opinion on any non-umbrella topics here? New rating: From 2 stars to 4 ---------------------------- I was initially pleased with this umbrella. Its attractive, feels good in the hands, and seems to be well-constructed. As compared to umbrellas in a comparable price range, it did not handle as well in high winds with strong gusts. It inverted on numerous occasions, and ultimately could not bear the abuse. The lock and release mechanism failed after a month of my purchase. Maybe I was unlucky or it was a particularly gusty storm, but as compared to previous umbrellas under similar conditions, this attractive little guy came up short.

This is a fantastic product that has my 100% approval! We’ve had a good bit of rain lately in the Williamsburg, VA area and I have been able to put some miles (or raindrops) on this product over the past few days. I work at a Public-Ivy College, and I’ve always struggled to find an umbrella that is structurally sound, stylish, and a reasonable price. The Balios Prestige Travel Umbrella is exactly what I needed! Here’s a more thorough breakdown: Packaging: I was very impressed that the umbrella came with its own “zip-up” case. This will ensure that the umbrella is safe and secure. In addition to this, the case has a hanger loop so it’s super convenient for coat hangers and fits like a glove. Structure: The structural integrity of the umbrella is probably my favorite aspect of it. The “open and close” button work great and smoothly transition. With its packaging (when not in use) and strong structure, I am confident that this umbrella will last for years to come. Heavy rain and wind were not a factor for this umbrella. Style: I absolutely love the wood handle! It brings an eloquence to the umbrella and gives it a more professional feel. It follows its description in being an “Iconic British Design”. The cursive writing in the wood with the brand name was the perfect touch. I definitely recommend this product!

Really good umbrella. A little on the heavy side. Took away a star because no wristlet in umbrella. Only on the cover, which sometimes I put away! Difficult when having to carry several items in your hand.

I ordered this for my mother, who has mobility issues. She uses a walker at all times and uses a mobility scooter to get to the dining hall at her senior apartment complex. I was looking for something that she could hold in one hand while she operated the scooter with the other hand, and was easy to open and close. The handle on this model is great. It is big and has a high-quality feel to it. The auto-open and close is great for her. In order for the auto-open to work, the umbrella needs the spring to be compressed by closing the umbrella all the way, so it does not auto-close all the way, but it does fold down with a press of the button. Compressing the spring is a little difficult, but she can do it just fine.

Really nice quality. The auto-close/open is solid built and a great feature. The wood isnt as dense as I thought it would be, but its still smooth and nice to the touch. The handle is fantastic to hold. Im a big guy with large hands and hate the compact umbrellas with the handle smaller than the width of my palm because it makes holding on to the umbrella so awkward. This umbrella does not suffer from that at all. I can get a nice grip on it without feeling like Im awkwardly squeezing my hand too tightly and my pinky isnt dangling at the bottom with nothing to hold on to. If itll fit my hand, its probably going to fit just about anybodys hand. I picked this umbrella because I wanted something that could fit in my backpack, but bigger than your typical compact umbrella. I do wish the umbrella was a little wider, I feel a little rain coming in from the sides BUT ! this is because Im wearing a full backpack all the time, so Im taking up more space than usual. On top of that, I live in Florida and the rain this time of year is brutal. I think the umbrella is more than wide enough, its just my particular situation is extra tough to accommodate. I almost forgot to mention that water does not stick to this thing, at all. When I go to close it, its almost completely dry even after getting hit by these monstrous Florida downpours. The only thing I cant comment on is how it will hold up over time. My greatest concern is that the auto open/feature means moving parts, and moving parts means more potential points of failure. Ive used it quite a bit this past month and it shows no signs of degrading at all, I think it will hold up for the long run. If it doesnt, this review will definitely be edited to reflect anything I discover. But even assuming it holds up for just a year down here in windy/rainy South Florida, I still think itd be doing really great for the price.

So, this was a very nice umbrella. It was stylish and sleek. It worked amazingly in the wind and did its normal job of keeping the water off you perfectly. But, dont let your kids borrow it, because they will accidentally leave it at the park and since it is so stylish and amazing, you will never see it again. Ever. RIP umbrella.