My Dad Told Me He Uses This Umbrella Every Beach Trip (It’s So Practical!)
If it were up to my dad, every day would be a beach day. I spent chunks of my childhood splashing around at South Florida beaches from sunrise to sunset, huddling under an umbrella during rain showers (bad weather is never a beach day deterrent), and dozing off on a hammock while he happily manned the grill. So you can probably guess how he chooses to spend Father’s Day every year. Now that I’m living out of state and can’t be at the beach with him this year, I treated him to the ultimate Father’s Day gift: The Anchor Works All-In-One Beach Umbrella System.
The Anchor Works umbrella promises to stay put when other beach umbrellas wobble, or worse, blow away entirely (my dad’s biggest beach day ick!) so I knew he needed to have it in his kit. It ended up taking his summer beach set-up to the next level. Here’s how.
The Anchor Works Beach Umbrella System at a Glance
- It’s an all-in-one umbrella system that doesn’t collapse or invert in 25mph winds
- Its patented sand anchor goes below ground level to secure the umbrella’s base
- Features a UPF 50+ canopy to keep you cool and protected
- Includes an adjustable tray for your phone, drinks, and other essentials
- Includes a sand shovel for easy set-up
- It’s portable and lightweight
Design Features That Stand Out
Unlike other beach umbrellas with a corkscrew base that screws directly into the sand (and loosens up over time), the Anchor Works umbrella has an innovative “sand anchor” to lock it into place. Its conical shape fills with sand and is buried deep underground (the umbrella includes a shovel to make that part easy!) to keep it firmly anchored. Between the sand anchor, steel base, and durable double-spoke ribs that keep the umbrella from popping inside out — this thing won’t budge.
It’s also relatively lightweight (it’s only nine pounds!) so getting it from car to shore isn’t a slog.
The umbrella’s 7-foot-wide canopy offers plenty of shady real estate underneath. And if you’re like my dad who never reapplies sunscreen, the canopy boasts UPF 50+ for extra coverage.
A beach day for my dad wouldn’t be complete without an ice-cold beverage in hand, so he loved the attached tray table with built-in cupholders. The tray is fully adjustable and goes all the way around the umbrella’s base, making it the perfect place to stash your sunscreen, phone, and car keys. What’s more, the tray’s perforated surface keeps everything dry and sand-free.
How It Performed
Naturally, my dad couldn’t wait to put the Anchor Works umbrella to the test. While the sand anchor takes a little more time to set up with digging up the sand, he said it was totally worth it. “The umbrella is very, very easy to mount, and super sturdy,” he told me over the phone. Believe me, my dad and I have witnessed (and chased down) our fair share of runaway umbrellas, so I was ecstatic to learn that Anchor Works’ lives up to its no-budge promise. “It was windy that day but the umbrella didn’t flinch at all,” my dad reported.
“The little cup holder table is super convenient,” he added. “Four thumbs up for that.” Not to mention that it keeps drinks cool for longer — so much better than sticking a cup into the hot sand. Plus, the height is adjustable, so your beach essentials are always within reach.
The Anchor Works umbrella is as easy to take down as it is to set up. “It was super easy to remove from the sand,” my dad told me. “And I like that everything has a bag that’s easy to carry.” He actually keeps the umbrella permanently in the trunk of his jeep, because you never know when a beach opportunity will present itself!
Buy: The Anchor Works All-In-One Beach Umbrella System, $135