Chasing your flimsy, old beach umbrella down the beach is never fun. Beach days are meant for relaxing in the sun while still avoiding a painful sunburn. The problem with most beach umbrellas is that they are cheap, and their design makes them inherently susceptible to the effects of the wind.
When the wind picks up, you often have to nervously pay close attention to your umbrella or put it down entirely so that it doesn’t become an airborne projectile that could potentially injure someone.
After testing a variety of beach shades and umbrellas, it became clear that beachBUB’s All-in-One Beach Umbrella System is one of the best options on the market — especially compared to other traditional umbrellas. Made from sturdy, high-quality materials with a weighted base design, you won’t have to stress about it blowing away or falling apart after only a couple of uses.
In short: The beachBUB All-In-One Umbrella System is great for anyone looking to upgrade their old umbrella and invest in a high-quality alternative that is built to last and won’t blow away with the first gust of wind. It is highly durable, easily portable, and provides plenty of shade for one or two people to sit beneath on chairs or beach towels. If you’d rather enjoy your time in the shade than be stressed about it, the beachBUB Umbrella has you covered.
Specs
-
Type
Umbrella -
Size
7.5 ft. -
Weight
9 lbs. -
Materials
1.5mm thickness aluminum pole, 220G commercial-grade fabric -
Protection rating
50+ UPF
Pros
-
Sturdy; stable in wind -
Easy setup -
Portable -
Carrying case with padded shoulder strap -
Multiple color options
Cons
-
Pricey -
Doesn’t tilt -
Requires sand for setup and stability
beachBUB All-in-One Beach Umbrella Review
The BeachBUB All-in-One Umbrella System ($160) is a super-heavy-duty, sturdy umbrella that is built to withstand even the windiest beach days. It is specially designed and tested for extreme wind, so you can rest assured that it won’t break or blow away when the breeze picks up in the afternoon.
The keys to this wind performance and durability are the robust materials, stout construction, and the ULTRA Base — a weighted sandbag at the base of the pole.
While most beach umbrellas are made to be lightweight and easy to use, the vast majority of them falter as soon as a gust of wind comes along. They blow over, go airborne, flip inside out, break, or flap incessantly in the breeze.
Instead of relaxing in the shade, you’ve got to manage your umbrella so it doesn’t blow away or break. The team at beachBUB set out to change that and created the sturdiest and most wind-resistant portable beach umbrella that I’ve ever tried.
In fact, beachBUB claims it can “withstand wind speeds of up to 44.4 miles per hour,” which is more than most people are willing to tolerate anyway. It is also compliant with the ASTM F3681-24 Beach Umbrella Safety Standard for securing an umbrella in winds up to 30 mph. BeachBUB says it actually exceeds this safety standard by 160% when the ULTRA Base is filled properly.
The beachBUB All-In-One’s performance starts with the materials used in its construction. This includes the commercial-grade 1.5mm wall thickness two-piece aluminum pole. This pole is much more substantial than those found on other, lesser umbrellas, creating a sturdy support for the 7.5-foot canopy. BeachBUB also opted not to include a tilt feature on the umbrella, removing a potential failure point from the upper shaft section.
Moving up from the pole, the canopy is made from a tough, 220G commercial-grade PA-coated fabric. This material is much thicker and stronger than what is found on cheaper beach umbrellas and has reinforced stitching throughout.
Additionally, the rib pockets — where the umbrella rib ends nest in the canopy — have been triple-layered and reinforced to prevent them from poking through. The material is also UPF 50+ rated to prevent nearly all harmful UV rays from passing through.
Holding up that canopy is a sturdy set of umbrella ribs that extend and lock into place. The six ribs are made from stout, 10mm-thick fiberglass poles that won’t fold in half the way thin aluminum ones can.
BeachBUB also claims that it tested them to over 400 pounds of the pulling force required to disengage them and cause the canopy to invert. This effectively eliminates the chances of the umbrella flipping inside out.
Even with all those robust materials and a sturdy build, the beachBUB would be just as prone to blowing away in the wind without the ULTRA Base, which it refers to as the “seatbelt for the beach.” The ULTRA Base effectively works like a sandbag weight that holds the BeachBUB Umbrella down.
Place the ULTRA Base on the sand, and using the “Sand Gopher Tool,” you dig a hole to shove the umbrella pole into. Then, you fold two of the wings of the sandbag base up, attach them to the pole collar, and fill it up with as much sand as you can using the included sand scoop.
It’s hard to say exactly how much sand fits in there, but beachBUB says it can hold up to 125 pounds. While it works best on a sandy beach, I tested it on a pebbly beach, and it also worked well enough, even if it wasn’t ideal.
Even though the umbrella is incredibly sturdy and durably made, it is also quite portable. Sure, the heavy-duty materials make it heavier than other umbrellas, but it still weighs only 9 pounds.
It also comes with a handy carrying bag that you can easily sling over your shoulder on your walk to the beach. The wide, padded shoulder strap is a nice touch that helps keep it comfortable on your shoulder.
The carrying bag fabric is also very thick, so it should also stand up to repeated use and being tossed in the trunk of your vehicle with beach chairs and other beach gear. Additionally, the bag has different pockets to organize the various components of the umbrella, and it’s easy to fit everything back into the bag when repacking, which I appreciated.
While the beachBUB is clearly built to last and is steadier in the wind than flimsier options, it does have a few minor downsides that are worth noting. The first is the lack of tiltability. If you like to tilt your umbrella at certain angles to create the perfect amount of shade as the sunlight changes throughout the day, this umbrella will not let you do that. You basically need to move yourself as the shaded area moves throughout the day.
While fairly easy to set up, the beachBUB also takes longer than simply shoving an umbrella in the sand. If wind isn’t a factor, I prefer an umbrella that you can simply stick in the ground and call it a day.
You have to screw on certain parts and fill the bottom tarp with sand, and I felt like the whole process, though doable, was a bit over-the-top for something like a beach umbrella. If it is windy, however, digging a hole for the pole and shoveling enough sand into the base takes a few minutes — an acceptable tradeoff for its stability.
Additionally, since it is dependent on sand to stabilize the base, it works best on sandy beaches. You’ll want to consider the beach surface conditions where you intend to use it.
Since the umbrella is so sturdy, it is on the heavier side compared to lesser umbrellas. Even though it’s relatively easy to carry around when put back in its carrying case, I wouldn’t want to carry much else with me or walk a significant distance. Shorter walks are no problem, and it’s plenty easy to just toss in a beach wagon with the rest of your gear for the day.
Conclusion
The beachBUB All-In-One umbrella system is a reliable, durable, and sturdy upgrade from the classic beach umbrella that you’ve had for years. It creates the perfect amount of shade for one to two people, and will not blow away in the wind due to its intelligent design and robust construction.
This umbrella involves a bit more time and effort to set up, but it is worth it any time the wind picks up. Yes, the $160 price tag is a pill to swallow, but the durable materials and quality construction make it more of an investment that should last for years to come — unlike those cheaper options.
In fact, beachBUB is so confident in the quality of the All-in-One Umbrella System that it backs it with a 3-year protection plan that covers all damage.
The beachBUB All-In-One Umbrella System is sold on Amazon or directly from the beachBUB website.