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Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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The strong yet flexible construction makes it nearly wind-proof. The lifetime guarantee makes it nearly everything-else-proof. Read More
This traditional umbrella’s winning feature is its portability—it easily fits into your bag, while still unfolding large enough to protect you from the rain. Read More
Stylish and fun, you can see outside of the clear plastic sides instead of putting your head down and trudging through the rain. Read More
This umbrella also had a sturdy, fiberglass frame and an easy-to-grip handle. If you live in a windy area, this is the umbrella for you! Read More
The Samsonite scored fine in most categories and was comparable to the other portable umbrellas in terms of rain protection and wind resistance. Read More
Into every lifestyle, a little rain must fall, and there’s a good umbrella to match them all. Whether you’re a commuter who needs something reliable and compact, a traveler seeking maximum portability, or a golfer in need of a huge canopy, we all deserve an umbrella that can repel water and stand up to gusty winds.
A good umbrella is essential. Our top pick is the Davek Solo (available at Amazon) , which is still going strong after over 12 years of regular use. With a lifetime guarantee and a strong yet flexible frame that allows it to bend in the wind instead of breaking, it’s one of our favorite products ever.
The Davek Solo we originally tested is still keeping us dry after more than a decade of usage!
After owning a Davek for 12 years, it’s not just the finest umbrella I’ve ever bought. It’s one of the most gratifying purchases I’ve ever made.
In my original review of the Davek Solo, written some 8 years ago, I listed all the attributes that won me over in the first place. Davek offers an unconditional lifetime guarantee on its umbrellas, plus 50% off for a replacement if you lose yours. That is some gangster-level confidence in your product quality.
Won over by their promise of a lifetime guarantee, I bought the Davek Solo, the mid-sized model in their lineup of umbrellas and their most popular—small enough to fit in my backpack but large enough to offer good coverage in the rain. It proved to be the perfect commuter umbrella and performed without fail from day one through day one thousand.
The reliability is due to the frame system, which is made of aircraft-grade aluminum and fiberglass and strikes the right balance between rigidity and flexibility. My hometown of Boston is notoriously windy. When walking into the wind, the Davek holds firm. But if a sudden wind gust comes from behind, the Davek’s canopy flexes and flips inside out. Then you just push the auto-close button on the handle to right it again.
The Solo is one of seven rain umbrellas Davek offers (they also make a parasol for sun shade). While I’ve always preferred the Solo as the Goldilocks option, the Davek Mini is a popular choice among some critics as their ultra-portable pick. They also have fancier and sportier options, all with the same lifetime guarantee.
Davek offers rain umbrellas in seven sizes, each available in multiple colors and all backed by a lifetime guarantee.
After a few years of ownership, a piece of the leather handle strap of my Davek finally tore loose. I reached out to the company, and they made good on the guarantee right away. I just needed to complete some paperwork and provide a copy of my original receipt. I sent them the old, damaged umbrella and received a new replacement a few days later at no cost (except for shipping).
In the intervening years, the strap ripped again, but I haven’t bothered to replace it. The velcro on the tie-strap is somewhat worn out. Some of the ribs have bent out of shape. But remarkably, against all odds, after 12 years of constant use, this umbrella continues to operate perfectly well. At this point, I don’t want to replace it. I want to see which dies first, me or it.
An umbrella that costs over $100 justifiably raises some questions. Why would anyone pay that much? For myself, I can only tell you that I was tired of buying cheap products that broke too quickly and ended up in a landfill. You don’t save any money if you have to constantly replace a thing that should last. I’ve since applied that logic to several items, including coffee makers, which is how I ended up my my beloved Technivorm Moccamaster coffee maker, another product still working perfectly after 10-plus years.
Spending a bit extra on an umbrella also taught me to be more mindful of my belongings. I’m in no hurry to pay for a replacement (discounted or otherwise), which is why I’ve managed not to lose it in all this time.
In short, the Davek is the essence of my shopping philosophy: Buy it once, buy it right.
Umbrellas are an odd category: forgettable, interchangeable commodities on one hand, but deeply personal when you find one that works for your lifestyle. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the professional critics are divided on their recommendation for the best umbrella. But plenty of them cite Davek as a leading contender.
Wired named the Davek Solo its Best Compact Upgrade and the Davek Elite as Best Luxury Full-Size Umbrella. Wirecutter also picked the Davek Elite as its Best Upgrade Umbrella.
Travel & Leisure recommends the Davek Mini as their Best Compact. Pack Hacker also recommends the Mini.
Reddit’s r/BuyItForLife asks the question “Who makes good umbrellas?” and gets a single, highly upvoted reply: Davek.
It’s unclear why Google is currently ranking gun-enthusiast forum Sigforum as a leading authority on umbrellas, but when asked the question “Windproof umbrella recommendations?”, Davek, yet again, is the top recommendation.
Unconditional lifetime guarantee
50% discount on replacements if lost
Resilient in high winds
Expensive
The Totes portable umbrella was just the right value for its superior wind and rain protection.
Very portable
Comes in different colors and patterns
Good rain protection
Steel frame
Plastic handle may be prone to cracking
Like you, we were curious what the rest of the internet recommends as the best umbrella, so we did a Google search and read through everything. Here’s a summary of the top-ranked sources—at least the ones we consider reputable for this topic. Review websites and forums were included, but sponsored links and blog posts with obvious bias were not.
| Source | Recommendation |
| Reviewed | Davek Umbrella |
| Wirecutter | Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella |
| Reddit r/BuyItForLife | Davek Umbrella |
| Wired | Weatherman The Travel Umbrella |
| Outdoor Gear Lab | EuroSCHIRM Swing Trek Liteflex |
| Pack Hacker | Montbell Travel Umbrella |
| Strategist | Totes Auto Open Wooden Stick Umbrella |
| RickSteve.com | Hot take: Use a jacket instead of an umbrella |
| SigForum | Davek Umbrella |
| Travel & Leisure | Weatherman Travel Umbrella |
| The Cut | Senz Umbrellas Automatic Pure (lopsided) |
Fun design
Well-constructed
Good rain protection
Too large
Portable
Slip-proof handle
Quality frame
Average rain protection
Lightweight and compact
Sturdy in strong winds
Reliable water resistance
Too small
No umbrella is perfect and each one has its limitations, but there are concrete things you can look for when purchasing one. To keep you dry, an umbrella needs to have a strong waterproof coating such as Teflon. The type of handle you choose is also very important since the rain can make it slippery, so find one that you’re able to grip well.
An umbrella consists of about 150 parts and each one has to survive the elements. Rain and wind are especially hard on the ribs, stretchers, and springs. Heavy wind puts stress on your umbrella’s joints and can invert it.
Solid rivets and a quality frame will protect your umbrella from strong winds. Rivets tie the ribs, stretchers, and ligaments of the frame. To prevent getting an umbrella that is likely to break in a gust of wind, don't purchase one if you can see through the rivets on the frame. It is best to choose umbrellas made with steel, nickel, brass, and fiberglass to ensure you get more than one use out of your umbrella.
It is important to choose an affordable umbrella since it is an easy item to forget during your commute, but make sure the one you choose is well-constructed. For example, you could purchase five bargain umbrellas you’ll use once for our favorite, the Davek, which will last you a long time—just be careful you don’t forget it in a cab.
You can save yourself a lot of money if you’re willing to put the effort into repairing your umbrella. It is easy to break an umbrella, so repairing one can be a multi-step process. While you might not want to go through the trouble of repairing an umbrella unless it was expensive or has sentimental value, it is useful to know that it can be done.
Use the two halves, strong adhesive glue, and some extra tough tape to repair a broken stem. Glue the broken stem together and finish by wrapping it tightly with strong tape.
The G4Free Golf Umbrella handled wind gusts like a champ, despite the large canopy.
It is very inconvenient (and annoying) when an umbrella turns inside out in heavy rain. A potential quick fix is to stand still, fold the canopy inwards, and hold it in the direction of the wind. This works about half of the time if you are using an umbrella with a poorly made frame.
When an umbrella canopy flips up in the wind, fix the spokes by weaving a thin wire in place of them and tightly fasten it to the center. Repairing rips in the canopy fabric is another quick fix if you have a simple sewing kit and an arsenal of patches at your disposal. To keep yourself dry, sew the patches directly into the canopy using waterproof fabric.
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David Kender oversees content at Reviewed as the Editor in Chief. He served as managing editor and editor in chief of Reviewed's ancestor, CamcorderInfo.com, helping to grow the company from a tiny staff to one of the most influential online review resources. In his time at Reviewed, David has helped to launch over 100 product categories and written too many articles to count.
Cailey Lindberg
Staff Writer, Updates
Cailey Lindberg is a Staff Writer at Reviewed and full-time Dog Mom to @sandor_thebassethound. In her spare time, she writes about music and history for Mental Floss.
Lily Hartman
Staff Writer, Search
Lily Hartman is a staff writer who also enjoys writing magazine articles about health and outdoor recreation. In her free time, she likes to hike, camp, run, and lift weights.
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