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They showcased an umbrella recently in a home decor magazine (can't remember which one!) that actually screwed down into the sand so that it wouldn't blow away. It was expensive & beautiful.

I just bought the rectangular version of the Pottery Barn umbrella and am very happy with the quality, especially since it was one of the cheapest options out there. It's all made of nice solid wood, and the raising and lowering mechanism was easy to use.
And for anyone with a narrow spot, rectangular umbrellas are worth the extra cost.

I learned the hard way on this one. Initially, I went cheap with an umbrella from Cost Plus Market. It continually tipped over (even with the weighted base - my roofdeck gets a LOT of wind). The wooden pole didn't wear well and it got increasingly difficult to open the umbrella .

Last year, I went all out for the Restoration Hardware version and, while it was expensive, it is definitely worth the money. The pole is coated metal and the umbrella opens easily with a crank mechanism. I highly recommend it.

anyone had any luck with the ikea ones?

I'm with the others who have mentioned Restoration Hardware's umbrella. I purchased mine two years ago and it's definitely holding up well (we leave it out year-round, but do have a cover for it).

Hands Down: The Windbrella Beach Umbrella: http://windbrella.net/beach.html, and the Windbrella Patio Umbrella: http://windbrella.net/patio.html

Add Smith & Hawken to the shopping list.

We purchased a Crate and Barrel umbrella last spring at one of their outlet stores where it was significantly cheaper. (see if you live near one here: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/stores/OutletListing.aspx). We're very happy with it - stable and sturdy and the fabric looks as good as the day we bought it. Our one complaint would be that the white metal base has begun to rust. Our next door neighbor has had a white Ikea umbrella for a few years and it seems to be fine as well. The fabric has gotten somewhat dirty, but I think that could probably be remedied if they cared to address it.

I've also noticed that Target is selling Smith & Hawken umbrellas for $130 which might be worth looking into.

Just a an additional comment regarding UV protection - for those concerned about it, don't forget to keep this in mind. Umbrellas don't necessarily shield you from UV rays. :

Like anything made with fabric, however, umbrellas and canopies provide different levels of protection depending on the type of material used. The denser the weave the higher the Ultraviolet Protection Factor or UPF. If the material is plastic coated, it will provide a higher UPF as plastics generally absorb ultraviolet radiation.

A resource:

http://www.skincancer.org/component/page,shop.browse/category_id,18/option,com_virtuemart/Itemid,14/

Target's umbrella for around $90 has been a great find for me. I've bought two in the last two years and the quality is on par with many I've seen for $180 or so.

I just received a catalog in the mail from The Company Store (www.thecompanystore.com) and they also have umbrellas for around $100.

Just as a followup, I decided to get the Pottery Barn Umbrella for $99.00. It seemed like the best combination of price and sturdiness. My test was grabbing the pole and shaking the umbrella lightly back and forth (to simulate the pretty strong winds we get on our terrace) the PB one seemed sturdy enough, while some others felt like they would bend at a slight gust.

When we set it up on the terrace, the winds were already kicking up, and it seemed to hold well. It did spin around abit, but tightening the knob on the base remedied that.

The only thing i don't like is the fact that to raise the umbrella, you pull a draw string, as opposed to the cranks I've seen on other umbrellas, but those types are usually more expensive.

I came across a site called PatioShoppers.com? They seem to have the largest selection of patio umbrellas anywhere. One in particular is the a href="http://www.patioshoppers.com/catalog/Wind_Resistant_Umbrellas-14-1.html/">wind patio umbrella. They have a video that demonstrates it in wind test of 50 miles an hour. It has flexible rib arms that actually flex in the wind. Nice demonstration… Anyone seen this umbrella?

Sorry, the link to the video didnt work on the previous post. my HTML skills are not so great. Click here for the video link to the umbrella page with the video. If this one doesnt work just go to the page referenced above.... :)

I just watched the video at www.PatioShoppers.com about the wind resistant umbrella. It is really impressive. These umbrellas would be great for areas that get unexpected wind gusts which can really damage a wood or aluminum umbrella.

I found an exciting selection of sunbrella umbrellas at CushionsAndUmbrellas. Sunbrella fabrics are, in my estimation, the best outdoor fabrics for patio umbrellas.