The best travel umbrella for you largely depends on where and when you’ll often use it. But the last thing you want is to have to test your umbrella for the first time while on vacation.
After dramatic technical failures, we’ve tossed one too many umbrellas into public trash cans (popped hinges! Ripped fabric! Sound familiar?). So, we decided it was high time for a more methodical approach to finding an excellent travel umbrella. We’ve narrowed down the field to 10 umbrellas, which we’re confident packing in our bags when we hit the road.
Type of Umbrella | Folded Size | Diameter | Weight | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
Best Compact Travel Umbrellas | ||||
EEZ-Y Compact Travel Umbrella | 11 inches | 42 inches | 14 oz | $ |
Davek Solo Umbrella | 11.75 inches | 43 inches | 1.2 lbs | $$$$ |
Most Durable Travel Umbrellas | ||||
Blunt Metro Travel Umbrella | 12 inches | 39 inches | 12 oz | $$$ |
GustBuster Metro | 16 inches | 43 inches | 1.1 lbs | $$$ |
Best Cheap Travel Umbrellas | ||||
Totes TRX Manual Mini Trekker | 6.5 inches | 41 inches | 8 oz | $ |
Lewis N. Clark Travel Umbrella | 10.75 inches | 38 inches | 10 oz | $ |
Best Travel Umbrellas for Heavy Rain | ||||
Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella | 11.5 inches | 42 inches | 15 oz | $$ |
Bodyguard Windproof Travel Umbrella | 13.4 inches | 46.5 inches | 15 oz | $$ |
Best Large Umbrellas for Couples | ||||
Prospo 62 Inch Large Travel Umbrella | 15 inches | 62 inches | 1.32 lbs | $ |
Kalolary 62 Inch Extra Oversize Large Compact Golf Umbrella | 11.8 inches | 62 inches | 1 lb | $ |
Best Compact Travel Umbrellas
Traveler type: Carry-on only is your travel mantra, but you want something a little sturdier than traditional budget options.
These compact travel umbrellas are made for travelers who want something small and light that also delivers a higher quality than budget options, with automatic open-and-close functionality and more durable construction.
EEZ-Y Compact Travel Umbrella
As far as compact umbrellas go, this one delivers solid construction for its price tag. The umbrella folds to 11 inches and weighs just over 14 ounces for easy packing. Its not-your-average-mini-umbrella construction, including a double canopy with nine ribs, adds durability in wind gusts.
Davek Solo Umbrella
A bit heavier (1 pound 2 ounces) and longer (11.75 inches) than the EEZ-Y model, the Davek Solo makes up for the added weight and space with a wind-resistant frame designed to withstand more than a breeze. It’s a little pricier than your traditional mini umbrella; however, the brand’s Loss Protection Card offers you 50 percent off a new umbrella if you lose yours, and there’s a lifetime guarantee to protect you in case of mechanical problems.
Most Durable Travel Umbrellas
Traveler type: You don’t mind the extra weight if it means your umbrella won’t turn inside out as often.
If you’re the type of traveler who always seems to be wrestling with your umbrella in the slightest breeze, these umbrellas are for you. These travel umbrellas are made to withstand wind thanks to details like venting systems of overlapping fabric layers, additional springs at joints, and more robust materials.
Blunt Metro Travel Umbrella
While it’s a little longer than other travel umbrellas (14 inches), this Blunt model is still light at just over 12 ounces. It has been designed to withstand winds up to 55 miles per hour and has blunt edges, so it won’t puncture holes in anything when you stash it in your luggage (or hurt passersby in crowded cities). Despite its manual close, we also found that this umbrella had the smoothest opening and closing of any umbrella we’ve ever tried.
GustBuster Metro
Like the Blunt Metro, the GustBuster Metro is designed to withstand 55-mile-per-hour gusts. Its double canopy waterproof construction also makes it one that can protect you from the heavy rains that often accompany the wind. At 16 inches and 1.1 pounds, it’s one of the bigger options on this list, but if you’re looking for your sturdiest option, this is it.
Best Cheap Travel Umbrellas
Traveler type: You always leave your umbrella behind at restaurants, on trains, in cabs….
While these umbrellas aren’t the toughest, you won’t mind losing them. Fortunately, some of the most inexpensive umbrellas are also the lightest and most packable, meaning you’ll almost always have space for them in your luggage or day bag.
Totes TRX Manual Mini Trekker
Coming in at eight ounces and 6.5 inches when folded, this option from Totes is one of the best mini umbrellas—ideal for throwing in your day bag if there’s a chance of rain. It also doubles as a shade source during warmer days with built-in sun guard UPF 50 protection. With nearly a dozen colors and patterns, you can find the one that best matches your travel outfits.
Lewis N. Clark Travel Umbrella
This 10-ounce, 10.75-inch-long umbrella will likely turn inside out on you when it gets windy, but the good news is that it’s proven to pop back into shape time and time again easily. It’s also easier to close with an auto open/close button.
Best Travel Umbrellas for Heavy Rain
Traveler type: Even a monsoon won’t stop you from exploring on your trip.
If you know you’re going to a particularly rainy destination or must keep your outfit completely dry in a storm, look for an umbrella with a larger canopy. The tradeoff for better coverage is often a longer umbrella and more weight.
Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella
Coated with Teflon, this umbrella dries faster than umbrellas without a Teflon coating, so you can easily stash it in your bag when the rain (hopefully) stops. The double-vented canopy gives this umbrella extra flex that helps it stand up to powerful gusts. Measuring 11.5 inches long and weighing under a pound, this Repel umbrella is still a relatively small, light option.
Bodyguard Windproof Travel Umbrella
Reinforced with ten flexible ribs for higher winds, this umbrella is another Teflon-coated option, ensuring water runs off your umbrella and not onto you. The 46.5-inch canopy is slightly larger than the Repel’s, giving you added protection (or allowing you to squeeze in another travel companion if you feel like sharing). It is, however, an inch longer.
Best Large Umbrellas for Couples
Traveler type: You and your companion don’t mind huddling together to stay out of the rain.
Ultra-packable umbrellas are often designed for one person, meaning if you’re traveling with family, you might want to equip each member with their own. However, vacationers traveling in pairs can get around packing multiples with these umbrellas designed to shelter two.
Prospo 62 Inch Large Travel Umbrella
With an oversized canopy (62 inches), this umbrella has plenty of room to fit two but folds up to only 15 inches so it won’t take up space in your bag.
Kalolary 62 Inch Extra Oversize Large Compact Golf Umbrella
With a 62-inch diameter, this umbrella has plenty of room for two people. The best part? It closes up to 11.8 inches, putting it on par with more compact travel umbrellas. While it’s a bit heavier at just over a pound, the size of it open outweighs the extra weight.
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We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
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