The recommendations came pouring in, but two umbrellas in particular threw shade over the rest in this week’s Co-Op. The Blunt Metro and the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella are this week’s finalists, so check out what our readers had to say below, then be sure to vote for your pick.
Blunt Metro
Rather than pokey metal, the ends of Blunt umbrellas’ spokes are, well, blunt. That makes them less likely to put an eye out, and also helps spread wind forces over a wider area of the umbrella. In fact, the Blunt Metro can withstand winds of up to 55 mph, and larger Blunt models can stand up to even stiffer breezes.
I use one and I really like it! It’s great in the city since I don’t have to worry about poking someone’s eye out. My one complaint is that the scalloping of the edges reduces the surface area of the canopy, so it doesn’t protect as much as it seems like it should for its width. But I’m a serial umbrella destroyer, and this one has lasted me over 2 years :) - rumplevonstiltskin
Repel
The Wirecutter-recommended Repel travel umbrella is cheaper than the Blunt, and its teflon-coated fabric shakes dry nearly instantly. Even at around $24, it comes with a lifetime warranty, which you definitely can’t say about the cheap umbrellas you keep buying from the pharmacy every time you get caught in the rain.
My favorite of all time is the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella with Teflon Coating.
I’ve had it for nearly two years, and it still looks and operates like new. I’ve never had an umbrella last more than a season without a metal rib breaking or bending, but the fiberglass ribs on this have had no issues. But if it ever does break, there is a lifetime replacement guarantee! - Deathspeed
I took the plunge on this umbrella last week when it went on sale. I live in northern California where the weather will experience all four seasons in the span of a week or maybe a particularly comical day. It’s definitely small and I feel like it might not cover me enough, but it seemed to do well during our 30mph winds the other day. So far so good for a cheap umbrella! - rumplevonstiltskin