Balios Folding Umbrella Real Wood Handle Auto Open Close Vented Canopy

I am now updating my review and revising up my score based upon some actual real world usage of the product and to reflect the excellent customer support I received in response to my original review.The original review can still be read below this new one. I've kept it as I think it's important to not whitewash my original observations as although my interactions with the manufacturer have had a very positive impression of the the product I still think those initial impressions are important.Firstly this umbrella is definitely more than your average travel umbrella. Its canopy is larger, the materials (canopy material, frame, wooden handle) are of a higher grade than most and its automatic open close action much faster and more consistent than other cheaper automatic umbrellas I have had in the past. Unlike those where the automatic action would fade over time (even the first 10 - 20 openings) this one has not had that issue and suspect it wont. Speaking of the canopy material this seems to be a very water resistant one, this combined with the speed and force of the automatic opening action means you'll never have to drip dry your umbrella again. Once you leave the rain just auto close and push the umbrella down to reset it and then open again. The force and speed will leave the canopy virtually free of water.Contrary to some of the other reviews I believe it does have better wind resistance due to the venting. The venting does not mean you can ignore the direction of wind, but it does give you more leeway on responding to it. Additionally, unlike some reviews my umbrella has not had any any issues with the venting letting rain through.The umbrella size and weight is definitely more than I am used to with any other travel fold up umbrella I've had. The canopy size is nice, you can cover two people walking side by side. I found the weight increase initially a bit annoying, but overtime you get used to it. I still think that if it were at all possible to redesign the umbrella with lighter materials that could still exhibit the strength and capability as the original (even if the price went up), it would be an upgrade worth paying for. Consequently the weight is the main reason given for why my fiancé won't buy one.The customer service was really surprising. Rick of ePorter contacted me with a long detailed response directly referencing my reviews original concerns with the product. He apologised for packaging and the less than stellar quality of some of the products manufacture. He welcomed my feedback, he really seemed to take to heart all of my comments and insisted he'd use the feedback to improve the manufacture of future umbrellas. Rick went the extra mile to reinforce his commitment to the quality of his product and see that I was happy, even going so far to send me another umbrella for free or the money back. I feel a bit guilty getting a free umbrella, but true to Rick's word this one had some marked improvements. The packaging on arrival was excellent being sent fully wrapped in bubble wrap inside a padded jiffy envelope. Rick had said in his emails that sadly he had little power over how amazon packaged things from its own warehouses, so this direct packaging showed his commitment to making sure this extra umbrella would not arrive with further disappointment. Once opened this new version of product addressed most of my original reviews concerns. It had a much better finish to the case and zipper, a more even finish on the wooden handle (and insignificant it may seem overall) no typos on the cardboard labels.Given my usage experience and the follow up customer support I can definetly recommend this umbrella and you can gurantee you'll be looked after by their customer support should you have any issues or product feedback.Original review:I have not used this in the UK's wind and rain yet so this review will be updated once I have. For now I'll review what I can based on delivery and first impressions.The parcel arrived day after ordered via amazon prime. Arrived in a oversized semi crumpled box, zero padding inside. The umbrella was presumably free to slide all around. The umbrella itself comes enclosed inside a nicely fitting case with a zipper, the handle wrapped in soft card. This zipper bag it's self comes inside of an outer fabric sleave with a draw string.From first glance the ensemble looks like a quality item, but there were/still are a couple of details that irked me from the off and differ from the product detail images and those of other customers reviews. Firstly the logo on the wooden handle is missing its registered trademark 'R', the grip is a bit lobsided (more of a visual annoyance as it does not affect how it holds) and finally the open close button text differs in style. These are quite noticeable differences to have on the one bit of the umbrella that is most unique, so it does bother me. Next I observed that the finish on the zipper bag is a bit rougher than I had expected, the zip stitching is rough and not great, enclosing the zip at it's terminating end rather than around it (as per the pictures). The cover is also missing the Balios tag and the overall finish is quite rough, it's shame because the materials and sizing are perfect and fit the umbrella well. Finally and minor though it is, the tags on the fabric sleave and zipper bag have some classic grammar and typo errors. "&Crafted" and "tpwards".Onwards to the actual Umbrella: it's quite weighty, heavier than any cheaper travel umbrella I've owned before, I hope the weight doesn't get annoying, the handle does seem like it would be better than a simple cylindrical grip, time will tell from real use. The automatic opening is unnervingly quick and has some serious power to it, same with the close, both actions are satisfying to use. Given I have not used it outside of the house yet I can't report on its rain and wind resistance,so I can't confirm nor deny the contrasting opinions from the five and one star reviews. I have however played around with opening and closing mechanism a number of times though and the automatic opening and closing action does not seem to be lessening any in that time, so although I'm a bit non plussed with some of the aesthetic finishes of the umbrellas handle and cover I do still hold out hope for it to fully fulfil its capacity to do its intended job.

The media could not be loaded. (Designed in Britain) Balios® Handmade Real Wood Handle Double Canopy Umbrella Windproof Fiberglass Auto Open & Close Folding -Premium 300T Finest Fabric-Uniquely Strong-Men's Ladies-High Quality-BLACKThis is a review of the Balios® Handmade Real Wood Handle Windproof Umbrella.When the umbrella arrived it was wrapped in plastic. After unpacking and removing the plastic I was very pleased with it, the umbrellas presentation was simply stunning (exactly as seen in the photos).I like a compact brolly and this, when retracted up was only a mere 33cm and it came in a sheath/sleeve with wrist strap (which was of exceptional quality). The zip on the sheath/sleeve was very wide and plastic moulded, which meant it slid very smoothly (much better than a metal zipper IMO).Now onto the actual umbrellas’ quality...Taking it out of its sheath I examined the quality. The umbrella’s canopy was held together by one button strap with the word “Balios” written on it. The handle was absolutely gorgeous and the pièce de résistance of this item IMO. It felt really strong and luxurious (a 100% handmade real wood handle) with finger-notches for holding comfort. The company logo “Balios” is further engraved in the wooden handle and looks stunning. Just above the handle there was a ring with a button that opens and closes the canopy.The frame is made from fibreglass and felts very strong. When you press the “open/close” button it shoots open steadily and fast in a smooth manner. Once it had been opened you could see its nice double canopy design, with slits in the middle of the canopy to let air currents vent through.I took it into the garden and gave it a shower hose down I’m happy to report the water just slid off and didn’t absorb into the canopy. It has automatic closing and to close it you just press the button and it collapses, then you push both ends together until it clicks.As for its durability of it, if I get enough “YES” helpful votes I will update this review to tell you how it’s done after a few months. If you vote “NO” please tell me in the comments why you did not like my review so I can improve them in the future.This umbrellas has now become my favourite go to umbrella (I own about 8+ of them). Everything about it oozed class and style, it had a lot of nice touches such as a thick sleeve, smooth sliding zipper and a heavy set wooden engraved handle (made it look so stylish). Holding it in the hand it felt really comfortable, I can highly recommend this umbrella!I’ve included a video and some pictures for you. Thanks for taking the time to read my review.