Sport-Brella XL - Portable Sun and Weather Shelter Review

 Rating: 4 stars====================Product price: Check new Price in amazon====================Buy with Secure Transaction Amazon now…====================
Product DescriptionSport - Brella XL provides all - season protection from the sun, wind and rain! With a HUGE 9-foot-wide range of protection, the Sport-Brella gets you out of intense sunlight so you can enjoy the outdoors without frying! Perfect for rainy or windy days too... the 210-denier polyester construction has a water-repellent treatment, plus a no-stick center pole you can hammer into the ground for stability. And instead of typical umbrella design that leaves room for the elements to sneak in, the Sport-Brella has side flaps that reach all the way to the ground, and can be secured with included stakes. Full coverage you can trust! Waterproof window zippers allow for airflow on steamy-hot days; UPF 50+ coating blocks the sun's harmful rays. Two side storage, or weight, pockets; Easy-cinch tie-down cords; Protective safety tips for umbrella "skeleton" structure ends; Comes with convenient easy-fit carry bag; Measures 58 x 5 1/2 x 5 1/2" (packed up), weighs 23 lbs. State Color. Perfect for watching soccer games, baseball games, or just sitting at the beach! Order Now! Sport-Brella XL

Sport-Brella XL - Portable Sun and Weather Shelter

Customer Reviews:* This sport-brella beats any cabana at the beach. It is easier to setup than any tent. It really is just a huge umbrella that is designed to lay with a side on the ground. The windows are perfect for letting in more air and allowing an escape for the wind (preventing presure blowing the umbrella away). This thing creates a lot of shade. You can fit two big beach chairs under the umbrella and still have room for gear / kids / another smaller chair.The key to this umbrella is to anchor it appropriately. The provided stakes are great for anchoring in the sand. Dig a little hole with your hands and push the stake in "more solid sand." Don't be lazy and use just two stakes; use them all. Setup is about 5-10 minutes including the stakes, and can be easily done by one person. We've used this umbrella on a really windy beach day, and it didn't blow anywhere.There are only two negatives to using the sport-brella-- where a beach tent is superior.(1). This thing is LONG (when all packed up). The XL size is about 5 feet long-- which makes it difficult to put in a car or even the back of a minivan. It would not lay flat (driver to passenger in the back of our Honda Odyssey). We need to stand it up at an angle. It would be difficult to transport in our car with kids in the back seat. (Note it's not heavy or hard to carry; it weights about 10 lbs).(2). When installed, you will eventually lose shade as the sun moves. A tent actually provides shade longer because there is more of a "top" and "front." A cabana can usually be moved (e.g., propped up in the back) as the sun moves. The sport-brella can not be moved as the sun moves. I find this a minor inconvenience-- given the benefits. My solution is to "re-install" and "re-position" the sport-brella when I start running out of shade. (At a day at the beach in Naples, FL, I needed to reposition the sport-brella after about 4 hours).In conclusion, the sportbrella is by far the best beach solution I've used. I had many people at the beach ask me where I got it. It has saved me a lot of money in cabana rentals. * Purchased this umbrella in advance of a NC summer beach vacation with all intentions of using this on the beach, windy at times. I used the umbrella in both upright and leaning over configurations. Here are my comments.1. Providing shade - umbrella itself was great for sun-blocking and providing shade. Opening the side panels to let some breeze through also was a good feature. Looking for shade on a hot beach - this is your answer. 5 stars for this.2. Ground insertion - the extension pole by itself was sufficient to hold the umbrella in place even in windy conditions, provided you stick it down deep enough. The pole is slimmer than most beach umbrella poles so it actually went into the sand easier than I expected & held well. IF you decide to use one of those beach anchor screws (giant screw that you screw into the sand & then insert the umbrella pole into) be aware the wind may cause your skinnier pole to slightly bend and you will no longer be able to retract it into it's own center pole for storage. I would just use the umbrella pole by itself. I had no trouble. 4 stars here.3. Construction - the knob that is attached to the center pole to hold the bottom pole inside and for adjusting the height of the umbrella is the biggest P.O.S. I've ever seen. It stripped out the FIRST TIME I used it. See other reviews for the same problem. I ended up going to Home Depot to get a replacement thumb screw (5/16" x 1 1/4" stainless steel) which worked perfect. 1 star here.4. Staking the umbrella - the big thick stakes provided with the umbrella worked great in the sand along with the ropes to help hold the umbrella in the windy conditions. If you are using this at the beach, leave the small thin stakes at home...worthless in sand. Buy some bigger extra stakes at Wal-Mart in the camping section to supplement those provided with the umbrella for sand use. That way you can secure the umbrella in all of it's locations. 3 stars here.Overall - very pleased with this purchase with some extra modifications I had to perform (new knob and extra stakes for sand use). Highly recommended, but only if you replace the knob first. Other than that it's ready for use right out of the box.