Balios Prestige Travel Umbrella, Real Wood Handle, Auto Open & Close, Vented Windproof Double Canopy, Designed in UK

I absolutely love this umbrella. Simply put: 1. Sturdy construction, well-built. 2. Does not invert with strong winds. 3. Wood handle feels great in the grip. 4. Small enough to travel, big enough to keep me dry.It hit all the check boxes and has been a great umbrella for me.

The wooden handle and double canopy (to allow air to escape on a windy day) were the main reasons for this purchase. Leave it to the British to design a nice umbrella, but the Chinese to actually make it. (As in this case.)Initially, the standard colors of (yawn!) black, grey and green almost eliminated the Balios for me. But the more I looked around, the initially chosen sky lining (inner layer) of another model made room for a seemingly better build quality. (Which is putting a lot of trust into online descriptions.)Once received, the umbrella turned out slightly smaller and lighter than I anticipated. In fact, it’s nearly identical to a department store umbrella it replaced.The automatic open/close mechanism is fairly standard for this type of umbrella. Push a button and it opens fully (provided you took it out of the sleeve first). Push the same button again, and it folds the canopy without retracting the shaft. That still needs to be done by hand, but again that very much how most of them work.The springs in the Balios that are associated with the open/close are fairly stout and at least initially may surprise you with the force needed to actuate. To me it’s not a big deal.The canopy consists of two partially overlapping layers. This is not meant to be a liner as in some cases (i.e. for pictures inside the umbrella), the Balios is doing it to provide an opening for wind to pass thru while the overlapping layers make sure rain doesn’t get thru in normal use.The umbrella oozes build quality, and it remains to be seen if that translates into durability.The wood handle is well formed and stays in your hand despite the complete absence of any elastomer (“rubber”). The sculpted inside of the grip is fairly effective. The wood finish has a reasonable grip, too, and makes for a comfort grip in colder weather.The fabric of the canopies is claimed to be a tightly woven 300T and that seems to be about the tightest you’ll find anywhere. It also means that the fabric is fairly thin and once again it remains to be seen how it holds up.The handle doesn’t have a loop, but the sleeve does. I normally use the loop only for hanging the umbrella and this constellation is fine. However, at least in the past I typically didn’t keep the sleeve for that it didn’t seem useful. The Balios may change that.Btw., the metal finish at the handle is significantly darker than the pictures suggest. I think that’s a good thing, but it remains to be seen if this coating is as durable as I'd expect from a nickel plating (or especially stainless steel).

Beautifully crafted wooden handle and feels much better than expected. I always thought nothing would feel better than a rubberized handle for enhanced grip but boy I was wrong.Though the true plus point of this umbrella is the material of the canopy. It is extremely water repellant and does not take much effort to shake any excess water off of it. If you are being thorough, it actually possible to put the umbrella back in it case nearly completely dry.Last but not least, the material for the canopy is also surprisingly soft and easily to tie up with the strap; adding to the comfort and joy of using this somewhat large umbrella on raining days.

I've never really spent on an umbrella but this was a worthy investment. The first most striking impression of this umbrella is it's build quality. From the handle to the cover, and the canvas to the frame - everything is well constructed. It is only natural that you would also want to take good care of such an umbrella, given its price, and that only serves to extend its lifespan with you. That's a good thing, because it looks like it will last a long time and is a keeper.

So far so good. The weather finally got bad enough for me to use my new umbrella. I work downtown among the high rises which means the wind can get pretty strong at times. And this umbrella is holding up well. I love the color and the feel and it is easy to open and close.

Heavy compared to other makes, but it's well made, with one caveat: a carrying strap would have been useful. Also, it wobbles in gusty winds, but it didn't break or flip inside-out.

This umbrella is fashionably sharp looking for those that like both the sporty and professional look. Pairs well with almost any business suit or business casual attire. It opens and closes well and provide good coverage and can withstand moderate wind gusts.

I purchased this umbrella to replace another one that I have had for several years.....and which finally broke. The Balios umbrella is surprisingly lightweight and compact. It also seems to be very sturdy in its rib-frame construction which suggests it should hold up well in high winds. The process of releasing/retracting the umbrella when I am finished with it is a little different than my old unit was; however, it didn't take long to get use to it. I rate the Balios umbrella as a solid purchase and recommend it highly.