Product Measurements:
- Measures 20" fully extended, collapses to 11"
- Weighs 0.95 lbs
A Fair-Weather Umbrella
"This umbrella's size, weight and functionality is, first of all, exactly as described on the website, so I will not reiterate those details here. Before switching to a UPF 50 umbrella, I was using a Repel Windproof travel umbrella (which is also double-layered for wind resistance), rated at UPF 30. Comparing the Coolibar Sodalis travel umbrella with the Repel Windproof travel umbrella, I found that the Coolibar Sodalis falls short against the Repel Windproof in three notable respects. 1. Even though it is double-layered, the Coolibar Sodalis easily inverts in a 25mph gust of wind, whereas the Repel Windproof remains stable even if it is caught underneath by even more intense gusts. It is easy to revert the Coolibar Sodalis back into its proper shape by just holding it into the wind, and the Coolibar Sodalis doesn't appear to take any damage from these repeated inversions (yet). But when this happens over and over again on a blazingly sunny but gusty day, I end up getting distinctly more UV exposure than recommended by the doctors. 2. The wrist strap on the Coolibar Sodalis is tightly woven with a rather painfully sharp edge along its length, which has ended up leaving sharp-edged red marks in my wrist more than once already. By contrast, the strap on the Repel Windproof is thicker and less flattened, thus avoiding any sharp edge. 3. When closing the Coolibar Sodalis, the tie closure is attached to the canopy directly at a rib, whereas the Repel Windproof's tie closure is attached to the canopy in between two ribs. So, when I have to pull the tie closure tight in order to wrap it around the canopy, I'm always pulling that one rib on the Coolibar Sodalis out of place and slightly bending it sideways – which doesn't happen on the Repel Windproof, where the pulling force is distributed across two different ribs. I could well imagine that the affected rib or joint on the Coolibar Sodalis might break more easily as a result of this design choice. All that being said, the Coolibar Sodalis has a canopy that casts a perfectly dark shadow: There is substantially NO light getting through! By contrast the Repel Windproof allows plenty of light to get through its thin and somewhat more coarsely-woven canopy. So, when it comes to blocking out UV rays on a calm, sunny day, the Coolibar Sodalis does a perfect job! Just think twice before using it on a gusty day, or think twice before buying it if you intend to use it in Scotland."