Many people prefer to spend a day on the beach to relax and rejuvenate. The beach is the perfect place to bond with your family and friends and create some memories. However, without the right arrangements, it can turn into an uncomfortable experience for you. We are not talking about taking a lot of gear with you. A few essentials like a beach umbrella and swimsuit are more than enough.
A Beach umbrella is the perfect way to get the shade that you need to relax. The proximity of the sun, sand, water, and an umbrella can help you relax your body and mind. The only thing which you need to keep in mind is that you need to choose the right one. Today, we will not only help you understand how to do so but also share with you different types, sizes, and options available when it comes to choosing a beach umbrella.
What is a Beach Umbrella?
Beach Umbrellas are also known as Sunshades. These umbrellas are large enough and range from 6 feet to 13 feet in dimensions. The purpose of such umbrellas is to provide you with the much-required shade against the sun. You can comfortably relax under them when you’re on the beach.
They are foldable to make it easy for you can carry them around easily on the roof of your car or in the trunk. They have an anchored which allows you to stabilize them in the sand. Once you are at the beach, you can easily unfold it and put a bed sheet below it and relax on the beach. Before you rush to buy one, it is essential to look at the type and size options available.
Beach umbrella fabric types:
The fabric used in the umbrella will determine the durability and the amount of shade which you get. It will have a significant impact on the heat blocking capacity of the umbrella. Due to this very reason, it is essential to check the fabric before buying an umbrella for the beach. The three fabric options which you will usually come across are:
• Polyester: The polyester material can not only block the heat but is mold resistant, durable and easy to clean. Polyester is wrinkle resistant and has some flexibility which increases the wind resistance of the umbrella. It can dry very quickly as well which is why it is one of the most common materials used in these umbrellas.
• Cotton: Cotton is a natural heat repellent. That is why; it is the ideal material for such umbrellas. It is also affordable and highly durable which makes it an excellent choice for umbrella fabrics.
• Canvas: The canvas material is not only resilient but consists of a PVC coating. The coating makes it entirely waterproof. Moreover, the material used is hemp or cotton or linen. These materials are very durable and resilient which is what makes canvas such a good option.
Apart from the type of fabric, the thickness also matters a lot. It varies from 75D to 300D. The thicker the material, the heavier it will be. However, the thicker fabrics provide you with more sun protection. You have to achieve a balance between the portability, thickness and sun protection. When you choose the umbrella accordingly, it becomes effortless for you to get optimum sun protection.
What’s a UV-Proof beach umbrella?
The UV proof Beach umbrellas are becoming more and more common. As people become more aware of the harmful effects of UV rays, they prefer UV proof umbrellas rather than the normal ones. Most of these umbrellas have a sleek design and a larger shade. They can protect you not only against the rays of the sun but heat and wind as well. Generally speaking, they have a UPF rating of 55+. It is a good idea to go with the best options which have UPF ratings of 100.
UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor. An umbrella with a UPF rating of 100 will pass only 1/100 UV rays and block 99/100 rays. That is why the higher the UPF rating of the umbrella the better it is for you. The UV proof Beach umbrellas not only block UVA but UVB rays as well. It means that when you’re lying under the shade of these umbrellas, you can not only relax but protect your body against any UV radiation as well.
A unique feature of the UV proof Beach umbrellas is that they are tiltable. It allows you to get the shade at the angle and the location which you want. The tiltable construction further adds to the usability of these umbrellas.
Thus, if you’re looking for an efficient umbrella for the beach, it does not get any better than the UV proof ones. They have numerous features on offer which can not only provide you shade but also protect your skin.
What’s a vent beach umbrella?
The wind speed is often on the higher side when you’re at the beach. When using an umbrella in such a windy condition, it may act as an obstacle for the wind. That is why; the force on the umbrella might increase. Sure enough, it has an anchor but with consistent wind pressure, the wear and tear on the umbrella increases. The best way to combat this is to go for the vent beach umbrella.
The vent beach umbrella consists of a flap which you can quickly open or close in the canopy of the umbrella. The advantage of this flap is that when it is open, wind can pass through it and heat can escape from the umbrella. It means that the umbrella will no longer act as an obstacle for the wind. When the impact of wind is on the lower side, the wear-and-tear is minimal.
The pressure on the anchor reduces significantly. It increases the life span of the umbrella and ensures that it remains stable in its place. Additionally, it provides you with some respite from the heat which makes the shade under the umbrella much comfortable for you. That is why; most of the beachgoers prefer vent beach umbrellas.
Here at Ben Franklin, we carry a wide variety of Beach Umbrella’s for you to choose from. We hope you think that this article made it easier for you to make a purchase that will last for many summer vacations to the Outer Banks to come!
