You know the scene. The case is zipped, the passport is in your hand, the forecast says sunshine all week, and you’ve left the brolly behind because it simply won’t fit. Then you land, the sky turns the colour you dread, and you’re paying tourist prices for a flimsy umbrella that turns inside out by lunchtime.
Holiday umbrellas deserve a bit more thought than most people give them. A good one slips into the corner of a bag and forgets it’s there until the clouds roll in. A bad one eats luggage space, weighs down your day bag and falls apart at the first gust. Here is what to look at before you buy, and which of our brollies suit which sort of trip.
Folded size
This is the big one. The whole point of a travel umbrella is that it disappears into your luggage, so check how small it packs down before you check anything else. Folding umbrellas are the obvious choice here, as they shrink to a size that fits a handbag, a rucksack side pocket or the gap between your shoes in a suitcase. A full-length umbrella looks lovely but needs real room, so it only makes sense when you’ve got space to spare.
Weight
You’ll feel an umbrella’s weight more on holiday than at home, because you carry it all day alongside a camera, a water bottle and whatever the children have decided they can’t live without. A lighter folding umbrella is easy to forget you’re carrying, while a heavier, larger one gives better cover but needs a bit more commitment. If you’re flying with hand luggage only, every bit counts.
Opening mechanism
Think about how you’ll use it. A brolly you can open quickly with one hand is a blessing when you’re holding a map, a child’s hand or a coffee. A manual opener is simple and often more straightforward, while push-button styles save fiddling about in a downpour. Check the product page for the opening mechanism in the style you like, so you know what you’re getting before it’s in your hand at a bus stop.
Durability
Holiday weather can be unpredictable, and a travel umbrella gets squashed in bags, stuffed into pockets and opened in all sorts of conditions. Look at the frame and how the canopy is fixed, and favour umbrellas built to cope with a bit of wind. A sturdy folding umbrella is a better holiday essential than a cheap one you replace every trip. If you’re after something to last several holidays, spending a little more usually pays off.
Luggage space
Count the space you actually have. A weekend away with a cabin bag leaves almost no room, so go for the smallest folding style. A family holiday with a big suitcase gives you more breathing space, so you could add a larger brolly for the beach or the car. Remember too that a wet umbrella needs somewhere to go afterwards, so a bit of spare bag space or a sleeve is worth having.
Which umbrella for which trip?
City breaks. You’ll be on foot for hours, dodging in and out of cafés, museums and shops. A small folding umbrella is ideal, as you can tuck it into a bag and have it out in seconds. Our folding umbrellas are the natural pick, and a colourful umbrella makes it far harder to leave behind on a café chair.
Beach and resort holidays. Showers tend to be short and sudden, and you’ll often be walking between the room, the pool and dinner. A compact folding style works well here. If you’re heading somewhere sunny and want something bigger for lounging or the walk to the shore, a golf umbrella gives generous cover, though it takes up more room in the case.
Family holidays. Little ones love a brolly of their own, and it keeps them happy on a wet day out. Our kids’ umbrellas are worth packing alongside an adult folding umbrella, and bright designs are easy to spot in a crowd.
Walking and countryside breaks. Here you want something dependable. A walking umbrella has a more traditional shape and feels solid in the hand, which is handy for coastal paths and village strolls. It won’t pack as small, so it suits trips where you’ve got the luggage space.
Photography and sightseeing. If you like to see the view, a clear umbrella lets you keep looking up at the architecture or the skyline while staying dry.
Gifts and group trips. Heading away with friends or family? A matching set of colourful umbrellas is a cheerful way to keep everyone together on a wet sightseeing day. You can browse the ladies’ and men’s ranges for something that suits each traveller.
Our quick checklist before you buy
Ask yourself how much room you really have, how far you’ll be walking with it, whether you need one hand to open it, and whether it needs to cope with wind as well as rain. If you’re still torn, a small folding umbrella is the safest all-rounder for most holidays, and a larger one can join it if the trip calls for it.
Pack one before you need one
The best holiday essentials are the ones you never think about until the moment they matter. A good umbrella is exactly that. Browse our full range of holiday umbrellas, pick one that suits your trip and let the forecast do its worst.
By Emma Barber
