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Beach days should be all about one thing: enjoying a summer day outside. However, that can quickly get derailed if you overheat in the sun. Packing a beach umbrella is an easy way to prevent too much sun exposure, making sure you have a comfortable, relaxing day.
When shopping for the best beach umbrella, durability is key. While, by design, all umbrellas can offer you shade, not all umbrellas are crafted to stay put. Flimsy umbrellas made of low-quality materials can topple over in the breeze and leave you constantly re-adjusting your umbrella in the sand. Features like built-in sand anchors are commonly found on the best beach umbrellas and they help ensure that your umbrellas will remain sturdy throughout the day. Other features, like built-in air vents and heavy-duty support “ribs” also help the umbrella resist the wind, making a beach umbrella much more useful and reliable than a regular rain umbrella alone.
After durability is taken into consideration, the next most important feature when shopping for the best beach umbrella is the size of its canopy. The larger the canopy, the more shade you will have. A seven-foot canopy is an excellent size for enjoying a little shade with some friends. Depending on your usual beach day routine, that size will either be sufficient or you’ll need to adjust it given how many people you usually travel with. A 7.5-foot canopy is great for large parties, while something around six feet is perfect for solo beach trips.
No matter your beach day preferences, we rounded up the best beach umbrellas that you can buy online right now. These will help you enjoy the sunshine and keep you from having to pack up early from a nasty sunburn or overheating.
