15 Best Beach Umbrellas 2021 – Beach Umbrellas for Heavy Winds

2021-12-25 02:27:29 By : Ms. Felicia Wong

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These windproof picks with sand anchors stay put.

When spending the day on the beach, sun safety is of the utmost importance. It's important to regularly reapply sunscreen and stay in the shade with a high-quality beach umbrella. For an easy beach trip, your beach umbrella needs to be lightweight and easy to transport and set up. It'll also need to stay in place if the winds pick up while also protecting you against the sun's rays.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab tests everything for your ultimate beach day including slimming swimsuits, towels, beach chairs, sandals, and coolers. We found the best beach umbrellas from brands we love, styles with useful features like sand screws and sand bags to keep your umbrella in place even if winds pick up, high UPF ratings to protect you from UV rays, and carrying cases to prevent the umbrella from blowing open en route to the beach. Shop the best beach umbrellas to buy in 2021:

If you don’t want to purchase multiple accessories, this beach umbrella comes with a towel hook, carrying case, shovel, sand bags and sand gopher to keep the umbrella secure in the sand. The umbrella and base together only weigh nine pounds for easy toting.  The brand tests that this umbrella will stay place in 35 mph winds, likely thanks to the base that you can fill with sand to keep everything in place.

For a fraction of the cost of other beach umbrellas, this pick from Blissun only costs $45. The bottom has a screw built in, so it’s easy to keep it secure in the sand. It has a tilt mechanism, so you can adjust its direction depending on the sun’s position. Coming in five colors, there’s a matching carrying case with it all weighing four pounds total – the lightest of all the included picks.

Stand up to a particularly windy beach with the Sport-Brella canopy style beach umbrella. This eight-foot long umbrella is made from water resistant treated polyester. It can be immediately set up for easy use, while on windy days, there are tie down cords and stakes. With over 8,000 reviews on Amazon, many reviewers commenting that the flaps on the side allow a nice breeze in when opened.

As the sun changes direction, this umbrella by Tommy Bahama can tilt at the top, so you stay perfectly in the shade all day without having to move the whole umbrella. The bottom has an attached sand screw for easy set up. It’s available in two colors and comes with a carrying case.

Everything you’ll need for a beach day in one, this beach chair has a canopy on top for shade when you need it, but the canopy can easily be tucked away if you prefer the sun. There are straps on the back, so you can carry this chair like a backpack. Many reviewers love how easy it is to use, but some note that it does show wear if used often.

Complete shade is best achieved under a beach umbrella tent. The Pacific Breeze beach tent has over 5,000 rave reviews on Amazon for being easy to set up and the brand’s excellent customer service. It’s held in place with stakes and large sandbags, so it can withstand strong winds. There are also internal pockets and windows to let in a bit of sun when you want. We love that it weighs less than five pounds and it's UPF 50+.

This umbrella attaches to your beach chair for easy shade when you need it. It attaches easily to most beach chairs. To use, you tilt the canopy forward for shade and back when you want some sun. As it attaches directly to your chair, it eliminates the need to carry a whole separate umbrella. Note that it only provides shade to your face and not your whole body.  

If you want the whole family to stay safe in the sun, the Red Suricata beach sunshade in the large size provides enough shade for the whole family to fit underneath; in the large size, it’s 10 feet by 9 feet with 6.6-foot high poles, allowing you to stand beneath it. Four poles screw into the ground and four sandbags stretch the canopy to its full size for maximum coverage that stays put all day. The whole thing packs up to 9.2 pounds in an included tote bag.

Beach umbrellas are perfect for the beach, but they’re also great for shade at sporting events and even at home in the yard. This beach umbrella by Wondershade has two different base options: the tripod base is perfect for grass or blacktop and a sand screw is great at the beach. We love that it has towel hooks and cup holders included too.

It’s easy to find your family’s umbrella with this rainbow style pick from EasyGo Products. The umbrella can easily be tilted, so you stay in the shade even as the sun moves. There are air vents throughout to prevent the umbrella from twisting inside out. It comes with a carrying bag too. Reviewers note that this umbrella is best suited for less windy days.

This beach cabana gives a luxurious feel and look, while still being affordable. There are stakes in each corner with bags attached that you can fill with sand to keep the cabana extra secure in windy conditions. The whole set-up packs into an included carrying case and only weighs 12 pounds!  

Keep your drinks out of the sand with these convenient cup holders on this Rio Beach Umbrella. While with most beach umbrellas you would have to buy a separate cup holder attachment, this pick has them included. There’s a built-in sand screw and an included carrying bag too.

For the ultimate beach umbrella, this style from Frankford Umbrellas features thick acrylic fabric designed to be durable season after season. It’s available in 22 colors and patterns, including stripes and including an American flag, perfect for July 4th weekend. Unlike other styles, this umbrella has a stylish wood pole with a spike to secure into the sand. There’s an included carrying case, but note that this luxury umbrella is heavier than other picks.

Perfect for little ones who want their own umbrella, this small beach umbrella is about half the size of a typical one. The bottom is pointed, although not a sand screw, for easy set up. Reviewers love using this umbrella for their children’s picnic tables or sandboxes, as it’s the perfect size.

If you're headed on a hike or adventure that might end up at the beach, this sun shelter by L.L. Bean is up for the challenge. It pops into shape and collapses back down in seconds, so it's a convenient shelter on the go. There are eight heavy duty stakes to keep the tent in place during winds too. 

✔️ How do you anchor a beach umbrella? Most of the recommended beach umbrella picks above include a sand screw. To anchor properly, you'll need to twist the base deeply into the sand. For extra reinforcement, gather additional sand around the base too. Make sure to see if the umbrella or tent includes sand bags because they'll need to be filled up and secured too.

✔️ What is the best size beach umbrella? Around six to eight feet is ideal for a beach umbrella, but the bigger the umbrella, the heavier it will be. If you have a big group, a couple of beach umbrellas or tents will provide more sun coverage than just one big one.

✔️ Can a beach umbrella also be used as a patio umbrella? Probably not. Beach umbrellas are usually smaller than patio umbrellas and have a screw at the bottom that isn't compatible with most patio tables. It's recommended to buy a patio umbrella separately to ensure you have the best experience.