beachBUB All-In-One Beach Umbrella System

UPDATE 5 YEARS LATER: I am compelled to come back to a review I wrote almost five years ago to provide an update. The money we spent on these umbrellas (we bought two) is some of the best money we have ever spent. We LIVE ON THE BEACH, I mean, I am looking at the sand as I type this. We use these all the time and they have held up wonderfully. All parts still work, no rips or tears, and the only evidence of age is that the steel hooks the grommets attach to show some rust, but that is my fault. Some of the best engineering I have ever seen in terms of getting a product right. ORIGINAL REVIEW: A really well designed product on multiple dimensions. First, the umbrella itself is terrific. It is big enough to fully cover two adults in folding chairs. The square tubular ribs should make bent umbrellas a thing of the past. The fabric is sturdy and seems to be well put together--more like marine canvas than typical umbrella fabric. The jewel of the system is the base. This design is simply ingenious. The triangular base holds the umbrella upright in two different ways and is really easy to set up. First, the mounded up sand is equivalent to digging in the pole another 15" or so, only you don't have to dig, pound, or twist. Just scoop in some readily available sand (if you're at the beach, that is). Second, the grommets on the fabric base work like guy lines holding the pole in place. The sand pushes the base out and holds it and the sides anchored to the pole create tension against each other. The pole does work in our older screw anchor but the fabric base is so easy to use we quit using the anchor. This is heavier than any other kit I've used but not horrible. It is definitely pricy but I really expect this to last a long time, probably a very long time.

I had a problem with the tension when engaging and disengaging the umbrella I’m a senior and lacked the physical ability to lock the umbrella in place I called the manufacturer and was waiting to be told that the set up isn’t for sissys! Instead Bill explained how you can remove small plugs in the umbrella cover pockets to loosen the tension it was such an easy fix I was amazed to be able to speak to a human being to get this help He was actually the person who was responsible for the many patents that the umbrella holds Unheard of and exceptional customer service I think about our conversation every time I set up my umbrella at the beach It’s easy to set up and really lightweight i feel confident that the umbrella is extremely sturdy and I can enjoy the beach and have protection from the sun I couldn’t be more pleased !!!

I wish I had bought this years ago. Finally I no longer have to worry about the umbrella taking off and hurting someone. Even on windy days it works. Setting it up is so simple! Comes in a nice bag that is easy to carry, easy to pack and unpack. It is heavier then those light umbrellas but also stronger and high quality. Love, love this product!

I am a bit of a product recommendation “taker, not a giver”. I read them manically but rarely write them. But I owe one for this product. It’s time to give back some. I have been going to the beach with my variously aged-and-staged offspring for 11 years+ now. I have 4 of said offspring, and one is in a wheelchair, so we do not go light, and I have done more than my share of beach gear purchasing and schlepping. I have bought all manner of beach shade contraptions over the years, looking for “the one” that is: 1) Not too big or heavy to carry as part of a single dadload (one bloody wagonload is enough; no return trips for more gear) 2) Sets up quickly & easily (without having to make a pre-visit advance recon & setup, and - without that - sets up quickly upon arrival by a single adult before one of said offspring can make it down to the water & drown; AND can be taken down super fast in event of epic diaper situation or multi-child head-exploding meltdowns requiring immediate beach evacuation) 3) Is stable in the wind (so you’re not that dad sitting there holding on to the shelter with one or both hands while everyone else plays or relaxes - OR while your wife yells at you to leave the %#^*+&$!! umbrella alone - passerby impalement risks be damned - and bodily-restrain the toddler. And forget leaving it up if you want to leave for lunch and come back, at least without a nagging fear that at best, it your tent will be a tangled pile of mess a 1/4 mile down the beach when you’re back, and at worst, you’ll have injured someone). For me, meeting all 3 of those criteria has been failed at by various & sundry pop-tents, those gigantic 4-legged canopies, typical consumer beach umbrellas, the lay-on-their-side umbrellas, and other random shade shelters and tents. Many could do 2 of the 3, but none could ever do all 3. Until now. This is The One. Like Neo. The whole system is simple-yet-effective design followed by solid implementation. It’s an honest-to-goodness actually engineered product, and made in the USA. The Sand Gopher is amazingly simple and gives you a quick, stable hole. Not dug-up sand that is loosely repacked and will give way, and not some impossible plastic corkscrew that will break after you educate your kids on the finer points of swearing like Ralphie’s dad - just an easy, cleanly-bored hole without disturbing the adjacent packed sand. The base is of course the main event - it must be 100+ lbs of sand holding down your umbrella. But it takes only a minute or two to scoop from the world’s biggest supply of sand you are setting up on. You can even make said offspring do the shoveling; it’s not hard or complicated. And the hooks it attaches to on the pole are solid thick-gauge stainless steel hardware. Nothing flimsy here. The cotter-pin-style attachment between pole sections is also not exactly new technology - yet supremely more sturdy than the cheap plastic tension levers in most other consumer umbrellas. The pole is not coming apart. Period. I bet the pole itself breaks first. And it’s attached with a stainless chain so you don’t lose it. And the pole. It’s ALUMINUM. Why is that so hard to find amongst beach gear? Why are they all painted (not even stainless) steel that will rust as soon as the paint is scratched (hello, sand)? The umbrella struts seem to be some type of strong and thick ABS plastic. Nothing flimsy at all, but with a little flex, which is good (vs steel, that will bend and rust). The umbrella canopy feels thicker than most consumer grade umbrellas. No cheap nylon here. Even the bag - IT’S OVERSIZED! No vainly trying to shove some contraption into a bag made for a super-compressed machine-folded version of itself that might as well be putting toothpaste back into the tube. You just throw it in and then put the extra-wide padded strap comfortably over your shoulder and marvel that 12lbs feels like nothing. And you FINALLY - for once - feel like a PRO, when it comes to the beach game.

Hands down, the best beach umbrella we've ever purchased! I was looking for something lightweight enough to carry and simple enough to set up on my own, and this umbrella exceeded all my expectations. The quality is outstanding, and even on windy beach days, I never had to worry about it staying secure. It's durable, easy to use, and absolutely worth every penny!

We live in the Northeast near the ocean and go to the beach most days of the Summer season. I purchased mine four years ago and it is without a doubt far and away superior to any other beach umbrella. I've had numerous people on the beach come over and ask about it. Really very heavy duty, excellent quality throughout, easy to put up and take down, and it stays put even in the heaviest winds - never even wobbling even on very windy days when all other umbrellas are about to uproot and take off across the beach. My only complaint is with the tool that they give you to dig the hole for the pole to go into. It works, but is not that efficient and is somewhat difficult to use. I ended up purchasing a small metal hand auger at a big box store that work much better. Still giving five stars because the overall quality is so superior to other umbrellas that to me this is a must have if you love the beach. Great product.

Update: Literally two days after I left my positive review, the button that collapses the umbrella broke off. I had hoped at this price it would last longer than that. I just ordered another one but now I'm questioning my purchase. We’ve had this umbrella for three years and it’s still just as sturdy as when we bought it. I just ordered a second. We spend a month at the beach every summer and we’ve had all kinds of umbrellas and this is the only one that truly stands up to the wind. It’s anchored well with the extra sand you put at the base but also the build in the actual umbrella is extremely sturdy. You won’t be chasing your umbrella down the beach with this one. Highly recommend. It’s perfect!

***Stop, just stop*** Stop looking and buy this umbrella system, immediately. You will not regret it I’ve spent more money buying all the other garbage than I would have if I had just bought this to begin with. I have spent so much time and energy digging fox holes in the sand installing anchors and other holders that were supposed to have kept Dorthy’s house firmly planted in Kansas. They all failed in one way or another….just before they rusted. The umbrellas also all rusted, bent, tore. It’s just all garbage. This system addresses all of that and more. The cost is well justified in the stainless steel, high grade aluminum, fiberglass, etc. The material of every little screw, washer, rivet, grommet is thought out and chosen to be resistant to any corrosion. This is an example of actually getting what you pay for. They could and probably should be charging $200 for this umbrella. The only weakness is in the umbrella canopy fabric and the sand base. This is only because of the limiting nature of the material that you have to make that stuff out of. I have no doubt that they chose the best quality of those materials possible. I guess they could have used Kevlar but I would imagine that’s a bit cost prohibitive. They do, however, offer replacement canopies and the sand base has a lifetime warranty. I don’t normally write reviews but I can’t help but be inspired by the fact that I’m one of the very few people left on this beautiful South Carolina beach, at 2pm, that was packed with beachgoers not 20 minutes ago. With 20mph winds suddenly whipping up, and most everyone’s umbrella now in another county, they decided to call it a day. As for my umbrella, well, it hasn’t budged. In fact, the water bottle on the accessory table attached to the umbrella (sold separately) hasn’t even fallen over. It’s a fortress. Not only do I now have a durable product that is made of quality parts, and will last for years, it works, stays in place and is a tank. I’m purchasing another one just as soon as I get done with this review. Oh, by the way, my umbrella system is now exactly 2 years old and has been on 5-6 beach trips. It all still looks and functions as good as it did the day I bought it. Not a spot of rust or even the slightest wear in the fabric. Even the tiny little metal screw in the shovel they provide hasn’t rusted. What kind of shenanigans is that? And that gopher tool for the hole, that’s just witchcraft. Bottom line: it’s the best system out there and will likely be the last umbrella you ever buy.

Excelente, muy fácil de armar

The best beach umbrella ☂️