I hate umbrellas. A gust of wind and they’re inside out, with you looking like a clown as you fight to flip them back the right way. A few minutes later you’re doing it again, but some of the flimsy ribs have bent, so now it’s looking a little bedraggled. You look like you’ve fallen on hard times with your battered umbrella, so you dump it in the nearest bin.

My mum asked me to order her a specific umbrella from Amazon, and naturally I shared my opinion, but she assured me this one was different. I was sceptical, but it did have over 100,000 reviews, and 85% were 4-star and above. Fast forward a few months, and I was ready to say I told you so, so I asked her about it. She had used it dozens of times and hadn’t had any issues, so I ordered one to see for myself.

To my amazement, the Repel windproof travel umbrella actually works. I’ve been out in some pretty windy conditions, and it’s worked perfectly. I think it achieves this due to two main differences from any other umbrella I’ve ever had. 1) The canopy ribs are made from resin-reinforced fibreglass, not thin metal. 2) The canopy is made of two separate pieces so that wind can pass through it. It’s available in 12 colours, and the RRP is £29.99 on Amazon, but it’s often on offer for £19.99.

Features:
Canopy: 107cm (42″)
Closed length: 29cm (11.5″)
Weight: 450g (1lb)
Vented canopy to let air through
Resin-reinforced fibreglass ribs
Withstands winds up to 85mph
Auto open and close
Lifetime replacement warranty