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

This Balios folding umbrella exceeded my expectations. The design is elegant and masculine, with a classic British touch. The wooden handle is real wood, not cheap plastic pretending to be something else — it feels solid and premium in hand. The fabric looks high-quality, and the automatic open/close mechanism works smoothly, which is extremely convenient, especially when sudden rain catches you off guard. Living in the Caribbean, I know I’ll get great use out of this both for sun and rain. One small concern: the spring-loaded auto system feels a bit sophisticated, so I’m curious about its long-term durability. But with proper care, I believe it will hold up just fine. In short, this umbrella combines style, function, and value in one. I’m genuinely happy with the purchase and would definitely recommend.

So when it comes to umbrellas, I always thought you had to make a choice: either a big golf umbrella for quality (but a lack of portability, plus it's expensive), or a smaller one for an on-the-go lifestyle (cheap, and cheaply made). So color me pleasantly shocked with this umbrella from Balios. For starters, when I opened the box, I was happy to see that it was a decent weight... you could tell it had a bit of a rugged feel that made me feel this thing, before trying, "felt" well-made. Then I saw the handle. Yes, the style is nice (though style doesn't really make me purchase an umbrella, per se), but the ergonomic grip was fabulous. My hand felt like it belonged there, and that it would be easier to hold should conditions be more blustery than an average rain shower. The first time I pushed the button, it opened effortlessly, and I was really surprised to see a vented canopy, like you'd see in much bigger (and much more expensive) umbrellas. I haven't seen too many like that in this size, and I have to say it was really impressive. But the real clincher for me happened this past Saturday. Sadly, we've had a TON of rain in the area where I live this year, with flooding at near-historic levels. It seems like every other day we're getting rain, and not just the wetness, but lots of wind, as well. We had a ridiculous soaker the other night, with a good 15-20 MPH wind. I don't care how well this thing feels like it's built... it's not going to stand up to the weather. Or so I thought. This umbrella not only kept the top third of my body dry (not a whole lot you can do with blowing rain), but it held its shape and didn't fly up like many I saw that evening. I was absolutely shocked. And it fits two people surprisingly well, though adding a third means that one of you is getting at least half-soaked. I seriously cannot recommend this umbrella enough, and I will absolutely be buying a few more to keep in our cars, as well as by the front door. It really is remarkable.

Excellent umbrella. Love it!

UPDATE: Balios customer service is fantastic, leading to a revision of my review and increase in the product rating. They reached out the day after I posted this review, offering an apology, a full refund, and a heavily-discounted replacement -- far more than most companies would consider providing. The replacement umbrella is more robust than the first unit and has held up admirably under gusty conditions with no inversions. With first-class customer service and return policies, the Balios is worth serious consideration as a low-risk purchase with polished design upside. ============================================== ORIGINAL REVIEW: An elegant umbrella at a surprisingly affordable price, the Balios largely lives up to expectations, albeit with one very fatal flaw. The quick-drying canopy snaps to attention at the press of a button and closes just as readily, while the fiberglass and steel construction seems to be an asset to prolonged durability. The sleeve adds to the convenience, offering a rare zipped side that makes it significantly easier to reinsert the umbrella after use. And although I would definitely prefer an option for a golf-size canopy to accommodate two people and/or shield packages being carried, it's still perfect for the stated purpose of shielding a single person from the elements. Design-wise, it's suitable for a quick run to the pharmacy or a trip to the board room. The classic navy/black canopy remains taut, with clean lines and an opaque canvas that easily surpasses that of other umbrellas in this price range. Moving to the signature element of the Balios, the handle is well-crafted, with a comfortable grip and a rich, wood grain finish that gives it a truly refined look. However, the fatal flaw present in the unit I received is its failure to withstand even moderate winds. Despite being described as "windproof" and possessing a vented design for just such occasions, it immediately and repeatedly inverted in 15mph winds with 30mph gusts, leaving me out in the rain without a usable umbrella. Others have reported better experiences in similar conditions, so I'm being generous with my two-star rating in the hopes that I simply received a defective unit. No amount of design and longevity can overcome the inability of an umbrella to function should a rain storm present more than just precipitation. Unfortunately, I am just past Amazon's 30-day return window to request a refund.

Love the color and quality of this umbrella. I would recommend it.

I just received my umbrella and WOW -the quality of this umbrella is outstanding. The handle is very sturdy and a beautiful dark wood stain. The material looks very durable, the design is not overwhelming or loud. Overall it feels and looks solid. Easily opens and closes with a push of a button. I am certain that it will last a very long time.I would highly recommend.

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).

Sturdy and pretty. But very impractical - the worst part: if you want to reopen it after pushing the button to close it once, you cannot open the umbrella again until you FULLY close it by pushing it in which is nearly impossible to do without both hands and your stomach to use as a spot to push the umbrella against to collapse the rod... and it will take all your strength if you're a fairly flimsy person like me. You'll see... I 100% do NOT recommend this for elderly people, weak people, or if you need one hand to carry items and have only one hand to use the umbrella.