If you are anything like us, you enjoy having a day of relaxation on the beach. It’s the perfect location to spend time with friends and family while creating memorable moments. A shade umbrella for beach trips makes the time even better! But we’ve all had to deal with that pesky umbrella that always folds up in the wind.
A high-quality shade umbrella can be used at the beach and it will not fold under the wind gusts that are common for most days on the beach.
However, you must choose the right product to ensure it doesn’t get damaged and become useless. Let us discuss some essential considerations for choosing a high-quality shade umbrella for beach trips.
What are Beach Umbrellas?
People also refer to beach umbrellas as sunshades. They are large and mostly range from six to fourteen feet.
Like every umbrella, these provide you much-needed shade during excessively sunny days. This necessary boating accessory allows you to relax on the beach.
What makes these umbrellas different from traditional umbrellas as their relatively larger size, and their ability to fold, letting you carry them in the trunk of your vehicle with ease. Beach umbrellas also have anchors that help stabilize them in various spaces, especially in sand.
You will face no trouble unfolding these umbrellas at the beach. They are quite user-friendly, and all you need to do is place them at your preferred area and lay beneath them.
However, before you rush to stores to buy one, it would be best to look at the various sizes and types available.
Choosing the Right Fabric
The fabric used for shade umbrellas for the beach will determine its durability and the shade you will get from them. It will also have a massive impact on the umbrella’s capacity to block heat. Here is a list of some options you will come across:
Canvas
Canvas is a resilient material used for various products. It has a robust PVC coating, which makes it waterproof. The material used in most cases is linen, cotton, or hemp. Each of them is highly resilient and durable, making canvas shade umbrellas an excellent option.
Cotton
Most individuals prefer umbrellas made from cotton. Why? Because the material naturally repels heat. Furthermore, it is highly durable and affordable, making it the perfect choice as far as umbrella fabrics go.
Polyester
One of the best things about polyester is that it is heat and mold resistant. It is also a low-maintenance fabric because cleaning it is easy, and its durability is excellent. Moreover, polyester is quite flexible and does not form wrinkles, a significant reason why umbrellas made from this fabric have superb wind resistance.
Polyester also does not take much time to become dry, which is why it is a popular fabric used for shade umbrellas for beach trips.
Shade Umbrella for Beach Thickness
Apart from the fabric type, thickness also matters. It may vary from 70D to 350D. Remember, thicker materials mean that your umbrella’s weight will be heavier.
However, the thick fabrics will also provide you better sun protection. It would be best to obtain a balance between sun protection, thickness, and portability.
Getting optimum protection from the sun becomes effortless when you select the shade umbrella with the considerations mentioned above.
Are there UV Proof Shade Umbrellas for Beach?
For those who don’t know, UV rays (ultraviolet rays) are quite dangerous, especially when exposed to them for extended periods. It is a significant reason why more and more people are investing in UV proof products.
You might be wondering if there is such a thing as an ultraviolet proof umbrella, and the answer is yes.
As people gain more awareness about the harmful impact of UV rays, they opt for UV proof umbrella variants instead of normal ones. In most cases, these umbrellas have larger shades and sleek designs. They can shield you from the sun’s rays, wind, and heat.
Most of these umbrellas have UPF ratings of 40 plus. However, it would be an excellent idea to choose the product offering the highest rating (above 80 or 100.) Umbrellas with an ultraviolet protection factor rating of more than one hundred can block more than 95 percent of the UV rays. So, the higher the rating, the better you will be protected from the harmful rays.
Most shade umbrellas with high UV ratings are also tilt-able. They allow you to change the shade’s direction by angling your umbrella as you please. It is an excellent feature that adds a new dimension to the umbrellas.
If you are searching for an effective shade umbrella for the beach, you will not find a better option than UV proof versions. Their excellent features will offer protection to your skin while providing ample amounts of shade.
Be Mindful of the Construction
The first thing you should check on the shade umbrella is its pole. It is the accessory’s vertical spine located at its center, joining the umbrella and its anchor, ensuring it remains stable.
These umbrellas contain various materials like steel, wood, aluminum, and PVC. Some companies also use a powder coat on it to prevent rusting.
It also improves the umbrella’s aesthetics by adding a metallic finish. Furthermore, the pole generally weighs lower than two pounds. But can range well up above that depending on how heavy duty of an umbrella you are looking at getting!
In most cases, umbrellas have a detachable or a fold-able pole. This design enables you to make it smaller by dividing it into two parts.
The feature also makes the umbrella easily portable, letting you store it in your car’s trunk without hassle. Joining the pole is quite easy as all you need to do is use the threaded ends or clips.
Tips for buying the Best Shade Umbrella for Beach
With tons of different variants and options available, choosing the right shade umbrella for beach trips can become tricky. However, the tips discussed below will help you make the right decision.
Don’t Ignore the Size.
Size is a fundamental factor everyone should consider when buying a beach umbrella. You must look at the product’s diameter before finalizing it.
If you are planning to spend the entire day with your friends and family at the beach, it would be best to choose a large umbrella with a diameter of over nine feet. On the other hand, if you want a solo umbrella, a variant with six feet in diameter would be more than sufficient.
Ignoring the size could lead to the wrong choice and prove to be a waste of money. Shortlist your options by remembering the size, and you will choose the right shade umbrella.
UV Proof is the Way to go.
While you fill find tons of great choices, it would be best to choose an umbrella with a high UV proof rating. You can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that your umbrella is protecting your entire body from harmful UVB and UVA rays.
The Material Matters
Choosing the right fabric is essential. Ideally, selecting a long-lasting and heavy-duty option would be in your best interest. When the material can handle almost every aspect of the weather, relaxing on the beach becomes much more enjoyable.
Furthermore, it would be best to choose a quick-drying option to ensure you can use your umbrella again after rain without waiting for extended periods.
Choose the right Shade Umbrella Type.
Apart from selecting the UV proof option, you should also remember that there are clamp-on options for people wanting to attach their umbrellas to their tables or lounge seats. However, if you are going to utilize the umbrella commercially, consider choosing commercial grade options. Your particular application will be the ultimate determinant of which umbrella type suits you best.
Can You Use Shade Umbrellas on Patios?
Some umbrellas consist of spiked piles. They enter the sand to ensure the umbrella remains upright. You can easily pull them up and move them to a different area of the beach. However, most beach umbrellas are small and provide shade for limited spaces.
On the other hand, you can stabilize patio umbrellas with portable bases or permanent mounting in wood or cement. Some beach umbrella variants, especially the larger ones, may contain a weighted base, making them an excellent option for patios or decks.
Try searching for an option with built-in wheels, because dragging hundreds of pounds in the sun, through the hot sand can be quite exhausting.
Final Thoughts
Are you new to beach umbrellas? The chances are that you might choose the wrong one without adequate information. Luckily, this piece discusses everything you need to know about choosing the right shade umbrella for beach trips.
Remember the essential considerations discussed earlier and you will be able to choose the best option in no time!
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