Choosing an umbrella — what you should pay attention to

When buying an umbrella, it is necessary to pay attention not only to the design of the product, but also to its type, folding mechanism, materials of the constituent structural elements, as well as the shape of the handle for a more comfortable grip in the hand. We will discuss all these nuances in detail below.

Umbrella type:

Cane — this name appeared due to the ability to use such umbrellas as a cane. This is facilitated by the design of their central rod, which has a constant length in both the folded and unfolded state.

The main advantages of cane umbrellas are the simplicity of design, its high reliability and, accordingly, durability. And the main drawback lies in the large dimensions — it is not always convenient to carry an umbrella with you, because. it takes up a lot of space.

Folding umbrella — the central rod of this kind of umbrellas has a telescopic folding type. When unfolded, the dimensions of the umbrella increase several times.

The advantage of this kind of construction is visible to the naked eye — folding umbrellas easily fit into a woman's handbag or car glove compartment and, due to their light weight, remain almost invisible to their owner when worn. Not without its drawbacks: numerous moving parts complicate the design of folding umbrellas, which affects the cost and makes them more vulnerable to breakage.

Fold type:

1) Mechanical — the opening and closing of the dome is carried out manually.

Products with a mechanical type of folding are distinguished by a high degree of reliability and simplicity of design. The probability of their breakdown is much lower than that of semi-automatic and automatic models. But folding and unfolding an umbrella requires both hands to be free. In addition, the need to frequently open and close an umbrella when moving through underground passages or traveling in transport can cause certain inconveniences.

2) Semi -automatic — opening the dome is carried out automatically, and closing manually.

The semi-automatic type is the most widespread among modern umbrella models. Such products are opened with just one click of a button, which has a positive effect on saving time. Folding them with your hands is also not difficult, especially since the procedure for closing the dome is often no longer carried out in the rain.

3) Automatic — opening and closing of the dome is carried out automatically.

The most convenient type of folding cannot boast of a high degree of reliability — the structural elements of automatic umbrellas are subject to a higher load, which increases the likelihood of their failure. But with the products of this system, you can save valuable seconds when opening and closing the canopy, thus minimizing the time the owner of the umbrella gets wet in the rain. In addition, automatic umbrellas are much more convenient to use when one hand is occupied with a bag or shopping bag.

Dome

The shape and size of the dome directly depend on the purpose of the umbrella and the number of spokes, which will be discussed in more detail below.

Regarding the purpose, it should be noted that men's models of umbrellas usually have a wider dome compared to women's and, especially, children's. But most models still do not have a clear "gender identity" and are equally well suited for both men and women.

In this case, the width of the umbrella in the open state depends on the volume of the dome. For example, compact models rarely exceed 100 cm, representatives of the "middle class" (100-120 cm) provide more reliable protection from the weather, and large canopy sizes(> 120 cm) will be useful for those who often have to share an umbrella with someone something else.

One of the most important characteristics to consider when choosing an umbrella is the material of the canopy. It depends on him how well the umbrella will cope with protection from the rain and how long it can serve its owner.

The dome of the umbrella can be made of the following materials:

• nylon is the thinnest fabric used in low-cost models; after drying, it may shrink or lose its colour; does not differ in high rates of durability and is especially sensitive to gusts of wind;
• polyester — the most common type of fabric, is highly durable and unpretentious, dries quickly;
• pongee(or polyester with an admixture of cotton) — has the property of repelling moisture, due to which raindrops roll off the dome themselves; dries quickly (about 5 minutes);
• satin — a derivative of silk fabric, which stands out for its exquisite appearance; has excellent strength characteristics and dries quickly; impermeability is achieved through special impregnations that lose their properties over time.
• cellophane — looks quite original, but in terms of strength and durability loses to all other materials.

Well, the variations of umbrella colours depend solely on the manufacturer's imagination — the market offers both classic black models (for example, Blunt XL or Doppler 74566) and a variety of colorful products (for example, Doppler 740157 or Zest 23846).

Frame and spokes

The frame plays a significant role in the overall weight of the structure and the level of reliability of the umbrella. In its manufacture, materials such as steel, aluminium alloys or carbon fibre are used. Folding umbrella models can have a combined frame (for example, the rod and the first links of the spokes are made of a metal alloy, and the tips are made of carbon fibre).

In folding umbrellas, you should pay attention to the shape of the stem. It can be both round and multifaceted. The edges allow you to protect the sections of the rod from accidental folding or unfolding.

An equally important role is played by the spokes, which are the basis of the umbrella dome. Their total number can vary from 5 to more than 30 pcs. The number of spokes affects not so much the strength as the appearance of the umbrella — the more there are, the more rounded the dome will be. Often the latter is supported with 8-10 spokes.

The material of the spokes can be as follows:

• fibreglass — provides the greatest elasticity of the structure, its high strength and durability;
• steel — it is highly durable and does not bend from the wind, the reverse side of the medal is the large weight of such knitting needles and rust that appears on them over time;
• aluminium — light, but unreliable knitting needles (bend with gusts of wind and fail faster).

Pen

Among the materials of the handle, plastic, wood and metal with a rubberized coating predominate.

There are also models with holders sheathed in leather. Such handles are the prerogative of fashion umbrellas, which are quite expensive and are designed to emphasize the status of their owner. It should also be borne in mind that the skin requires certain rules of care.

Of no small importance in the convenience of using an umbrella is also the shape of its handle. It can be represented by one of three main options:

• hook — the most practical form factor, which is firmly held in the hand and is convenient in that it can be easily hung on a hanger or hook;
• straight — is smaller in comparison with the hook and fits comfortably in the hand (although not so tight);
• round — often found in folding umbrellas, where the compactness of the entire product is extremely important; similar in shape to a ball or cylinder, less comfortable to grip.

Standing out from the crowd

Manufacturers are trying in every possible way to attract the attention of potential buyers to their products, releasing quite interesting specimens of umbrellas. For example, you will definitely stand out in a grey mass with a chameleon umbrella, which changes the colour of the pattern when wet, or with an umbrella, on which a pattern appears when water enters. Such features are found in women's models of umbrellas.

Men, on the other hand, can stand out from the crowd by buying an umbrella-cane with a wooden handle in the shape of an animal head (dog, hare, eagle, and even a goose).

Good luck with your choice!