Best umbrella 2024, tried and tested – UK Times

If there’s one thing you can rely on in life, it’s the unpredictable British weather. Investing in a sturdy umbrella that can survive the wind and rain will ensure you’re not left sopping wet and miserable, clutching desperately onto a brolly that’s flipped inside out.

But picking one that will last a lifetime isn’t as easy as picking rain-soaked daisies from the garden. There are so many factors to consider, such as design, durability, size, weight, handle grip, whether it opens and closes automatically or manually, reinforced canopies, cases and more.

There are umbrellas for every scenario. Handbag and backpack umbrellas that can be pulled out at a moment’s notice, larger umbrellas that can protect the whole family and can be chucked in the car boot, and golf umbrellas for, well, golfers.

There are clear umbrellas for weddings, lightweight umbrellas for kids and windproof umbrellas that won’t have you shamefully trying to pull them right-side out. We’d also recommend getting a waterproof jacket if you’re determined to stay completely dry. Whatever the occasion, we’ve tested a number of umbrellas that will have you covered – literally.

How we tested the best umbrellas

We put a range of umbrellas to the test in the drizzle, heavy rain and winds of up to 30mph over several weeks and months to find the ones that really kept us dry and saved us from the embarrassment of having them blow inside out, only to be dumped within days.

If they did flip inside out, would they flex back in again? Was the metal and the canopy strong? Did they look good? And how easy were they to use? Portability, coverage and design were all important considerations in our tests.     

The best umbrellas for 2024 are: