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The Most Gift-Worthy Umbrellas They’ll Be Grateful to Have on Hand

Help them stay prepared for whatever the forecast has in store.

Headshot of Melanie YatesBy Melanie Yates
best gift umbrellas
Melanie Yates

When the weather is beautiful enough to break out the lawn games, having a high-quality umbrella on standby may be the furthest thing from one's mind. We say it's always smart to plan for less-than-favorable conditions to prevent any mad dashes for cover when the rain starts pouring down.

The umbrellas in this guide aren't just nicer than the bargain-bin brollies that you can find at the convenience store, they also make ingenious gifts for outdoorsy types and people who like to be prepared for whatever the day throws at them.

  • 1
    Metro Travel Umbrella

    Best Overall

    Blunt Metro Travel Umbrella

    Shop at Amazon
    Read more
  • 2
    Travel Umbrella
  • 3
    Peanut Butter Checkers Eco-Friendly Umbrella

    Eco-Friendly Flair

    Original Duckhead Peanut Butter Checkers Eco-Friendly Umbrella

    Read more
  • 4
    Windproof Large Umbrella

    Most Coverage

    Royal Walk Windproof Large Umbrella

    Read more
  • 5
    Mini Umbrella with Case

    Travel-Friendly

    Yoobure Mini Umbrella with Case

    Read more

What to Consider

Size

Naturally, an umbrella's size is an important factor: You'll want to check the canopy diameter and the length of the umbrella's pole to get a sense of how much coverage your recipient will get from this gift.

However, checking the umbrella's length when closed may be the most important determing factor in how useful the gift is. A frequent traveler may prefer a more compact model they can stash in their bag rather than lugging around a giant golf umbrella. Consider the storage needs (and daily commuting routine) of your recipient to determine whether a 7-inch-long retracted travel umbrella, a 3-foot-long golf umbrella, or something in between would be the best fit for them.

Opening Ease

One key benefit of getting a higher-end umbrella as a gift is that its opening mechanism may be a little more sophisticated than cheaper options. Instead of sliding the canopy into its extended position, almost all of these umbrellas have a push-button opening function. While we've found this to be a convenient feature for quickly snapping the umbrella into position before dashing into the rain, those with limited hand mobility may find the slide-to-open feature to be less fussy.

Style

Why gift an umbrella if you're not going to swing for the fences with style? Our picks in this guide range from quirky-cute to quite sophisticated, and they're available in a range of colors and funky patterns. After all, when the forecast calls for a week of rain, do you want their umbrella to look just as dreary?

How We Chose

For this guide to the most giftable umbrellas, we’re presenting a range of sizes to accommodate for various users’ needs. We’ve had the chance to test out three of our five picks in rainy weather and have been impressed with their ease of opening, high-quality build, and resiliency in gusty wind conditions. We’ve leaned on user reviews touting these same features for those we haven’t had the chance to test in person.

Read on to check out the five most gift-worthy umbrellas you can buy.

1
Best Overall

Blunt Metro Travel Umbrella

Metro Travel Umbrella
1
Best Overall

Blunt Metro Travel Umbrella

$89 at Amazon
Credit: Melanie Yates
Pros
  • Rounded corners prevent injuries with passerby
  • Spinning canopy prevents umbrella from breakage
  • Grippy handle is easy to hold
Cons
  • Not the most compact travel umbrella

The Blunt Metro Travel Umbrella is one of our all-time favorite umbrellas. The near-40-inch canopy's characteristic blunted corners add stylish flair and help prevent passersby from suffering a wayward poke.

It's equipped with push-button operation, a grippy handle for easier holding, and a canopy that provides UV protection and spins 360 degrees to avoid being bent out of shape. When closed, this model measures a little over 14 inches long.

We've used this umbrella for more than 4 years in all types of inclement weather, and it's never let us down. Its over-$70 price tag makes it a little pricier than the norm, but the quality of its construction makes it really enjoyable to use — which is why we're naming it the best umbrella overall.

More: The Best Allergy-Relief Products to Ward Off Springtime Sniffles

Key Specs

Length when open22 inches
Length when closed14.57 inches
Canopy diameter39.37 inches
Opening mechanismPush-button
Available colors9
2
High Visibility

Weatherman Travel Umbrella

Travel Umbrella
2
High Visibility

Weatherman Travel Umbrella

Credit: Melanie Yates
Pros
  • Reflective neon canopy offers increased visibility for safer traveling
  • Very resilient yet lightweight construction
Cons
  • Canopy is hard to close

The brand behind the Weatherman Travel Umbrella was founded by a meteorologist, which is why this one delivers in terms of form and function. Available in numerous colors, we particularly like this model's new neon collection.

The bright color and reflective border aren't just fun to look at, they also help travelers safely stay more visible in foggy, snowy, or dark conditions.

Equipped with reinforced fiberglass plastic ribs and a push-button mechanism that opens the canopy with a forceful “whoosh,” this umbrella is tested to withstand winds up to 45 miles per hour and is designed to prevent inversions. We’re also really impressed with how lightweight it is — we never felt wrist fatigue after holding this one on our rainy and windy walks to work.

Key Specs

Length when open22.5 inches
Length when closed11 inches
Canopy diameter38 inches
Opening mechanismPush-button
Available colors11
3
Eco-Friendly Flair

Original Duckhead Peanut Butter Checkers Eco-Friendly Umbrella

Peanut Butter Checkers Eco-Friendly Umbrella
3
Eco-Friendly Flair

Original Duckhead Peanut Butter Checkers Eco-Friendly Umbrella

Credit: Melanie Yates
Pros
  • Canopy material is made of recycled water bottles
  • Duck-shaped handle is cute and easy to hold
Cons
  • 14-inch snap-button strap hangs a little long

The Original Duckhead umbrella is an instant conversation piece for your gift recipient. While the design is unbelievably cute, it's also built for resiliency, equipped with a high-strength steel frame that automatically corrects the canopy in case it gets inverted from wind gusts.

This is also a great gift for someone who's eco-conscious — the easy-to-hold, duck-shaped head of this umbrella is made from FSC-certified birch wood, and its canopy material is made from recycled water bottles and treated with PFC-free waterproof coating. Facing rainy days will now be like water off a duck's back!

Key Specs

Length when open22.5 inches
Length when closed14 inches
Canopy diameter40 inches
Opening mechanismPush-button
Available colors22
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Pros
  • Offers the most canopy coverage of all models
  • Comes with carrying case that's equipped with a strap for easier transport
Cons
  • Large size may be cumbersome

For many, the compact size of an umbrella may be its biggest selling point. However, this may not work for everyone. If a golf-style umbrella with a large canopy and a long, curved handle would make for a more comfortable raindrop-dodging experience, get the Royal Walk Windproof Large Umbrella for them.

This model has a 47-inch-wide canopy, an aluminum frame, and 16 fiberglass ribs, which is about twice as many as a travel-sized umbrella. Although the umbrella is a sizable 38 inches in length, when it's retracted, they can sling it over their shoulder with its included carrying bag for hands-free convenience.

Reviewers repeatedly tout its sturdiness and say that its size is a great asset for keeping taller people covered.

Key Specs

Length when open38 inches
Length when closed38 inches
Canopy diameter47 inches
Opening mechanismPush-button
Available colors7
5
Travel-Friendly

Yoobure Mini Umbrella with Case

Amazon’s Choice
Mini Umbrella with Case
5
Travel-Friendly

Yoobure Mini Umbrella with Case

Pros
  • Retracts to fit into a small, 7-inch carrying case
  • Equipped with a sizable canopy for its compact size
Cons
  • Not the most resilient build

The Yoobure Mini Umbrella is the most affordable pick on this list, but it still makes an excellent gift — particularly for those who are always on the go but prefer to travel light.

This umbrella retracts to an impressively compact 7 inches long, and it even comes with a carrying case for easy storage. It opens manually, so although it's not equipped with the swift push-button mechanism, the umbrella's canopy still offers 35.5 inches of coverage.

While the other picks on this list may be stronger and easier to open, this one is the most travel-friendly and makes a good secondary umbrella to stash in a work bag or suitcase.

Key Specs

Length when open21.7 inches
Length when closed7.1 inches
Canopy diameter35.5 inches
Opening mechanismManual
Available colors14
Headshot of Melanie Yates
Melanie Yates
Senior Service Editor

Melanie Yates is the senior service editor of Best Products, where she writes and reports pieces pertaining to the etiquette, dilemmas, and how-tos of gift-giving for different occasions. Previously, she was the site's senior home editor, covering all things decor- and bedding-related since 2015. Her digital byline can also be found on Bustle, House Beautiful, and Elle Decor. A longtime classical-music enthusiast, Melanie spends her off-hours enjoying performances big and small across New York City.

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