beachBUB All-In-One Beach Umbrella System

Less than 5 minutes to put up, less than 3 minutes to take down. Lightweight to carry, yet extremely sturdy with a unique base. Envy of both tourists and locals on Clearwater Beach. Bonus: customer service department is stellar!!

First, I own a condo at the beach in OC Maryland. I go to the beach frequently! I've had two other umbrellas since purchasing the condo 5 years ago. They both were damaged by wind and had to be replaced. You can buy the canvas umbrellas with the wooden pole for about $250-$300. These appear to be exactly like the ones that you can rent from the folks at the beach. I have seen these umbrellas come out of the sand in around 30 MPH winds, so I was looking for other options, and I did not want to spend that much money. I almost went with the canvas umbrella when I came across the BEACHBUB. I watched all of the videos and read a lot of the reviews on Amazon. Being an engineer, now retired, I was fascinated with the design of the BEACHBUB and very impressed innovative solution to ensure the umbrella will not blow away. Also, it appeared to be constructed from very sturdy materials to ensure the umbrella did not collapse or invert under wind pressure. So I purchased it. Went to the beach the last week of August. Used the umbrella. The first thing you notice is how well the umbrella is made. Very sturdy and made with high-quality materials. Secondly, how easy it is to set up. I did not use the tool to remove sand to insert the umbrella pole. Instead, I pushed it down to the indicated mark on the pole just by wiggling back and forth. Very easy to do. Filling the vynnl, triangular base up with sand took no time at all, but I used a small bucket instead of the shovel that was provided. After that, the BEACHBUB was rock solid!!! One day the wind kicked up to about 20-25 MPH. Not really high winds, but pretty high for other umbrellas. Most people had to take down their umbrellas. One time a person next to me had their umbrella blow away, which was quite dangerous. The BEACHBUB was barely moving in the wind!!! If I could give it 25 stars I would!!! I highly, highly recommend the BEACHBUB beach umbrella!!!!

UPDATE 5 YEARS LATER: I am compelled to come back to a review I wrote almost five years ago to provide an update. The money we spent on these umbrellas (we bought two) is some of the best money we have ever spent. We LIVE ON THE BEACH, I mean, I am looking at the sand as I type this. We use these all the time and they have held up wonderfully. All parts still work, no rips or tears, and the only evidence of age is that the steel hooks the grommets attach to show some rust, but that is my fault. Some of the best engineering I have ever seen in terms of getting a product right. ORIGINAL REVIEW: A really well designed product on multiple dimensions. First, the umbrella itself is terrific. It is big enough to fully cover two adults in folding chairs. The square tubular ribs should make bent umbrellas a thing of the past. The fabric is sturdy and seems to be well put together--more like marine canvas than typical umbrella fabric. The jewel of the system is the base. This design is simply ingenious. The triangular base holds the umbrella upright in two different ways and is really easy to set up. First, the mounded up sand is equivalent to digging in the pole another 15" or so, only you don't have to dig, pound, or twist. Just scoop in some readily available sand (if you're at the beach, that is). Second, the grommets on the fabric base work like guy lines holding the pole in place. The sand pushes the base out and holds it and the sides anchored to the pole create tension against each other. The pole does work in our older screw anchor but the fabric base is so easy to use we quit using the anchor. This is heavier than any other kit I've used but not horrible. It is definitely pricy but I really expect this to last a long time, probably a very long time.

I am a bit of a product recommendation “taker, not a giver”. I read them manically but rarely write them. But I owe one for this product. It’s time to give back some. I have been going to the beach with my variously aged-and-staged offspring for 11 years+ now. I have 4 of said offspring, and one is in a wheelchair, so we do not go light, and I have done more than my share of beach gear purchasing and schlepping. I have bought all manner of beach shade contraptions over the years, looking for “the one” that is: 1) Not too big or heavy to carry as part of a single dadload (one bloody wagonload is enough; no return trips for more gear) 2) Sets up quickly & easily (without having to make a pre-visit advance recon & setup, and - without that - sets up quickly upon arrival by a single adult before one of said offspring can make it down to the water & drown; AND can be taken down super fast in event of epic diaper situation or multi-child head-exploding meltdowns requiring immediate beach evacuation) 3) Is stable in the wind (so you’re not that dad sitting there holding on to the shelter with one or both hands while everyone else plays or relaxes - OR while your wife yells at you to leave the %#^*+&$!! umbrella alone - passerby impalement risks be damned - and bodily-restrain the toddler. And forget leaving it up if you want to leave for lunch and come back, at least without a nagging fear that at best, it your tent will be a tangled pile of mess a 1/4 mile down the beach when you’re back, and at worst, you’ll have injured someone). For me, meeting all 3 of those criteria has been failed at by various & sundry pop-tents, those gigantic 4-legged canopies, typical consumer beach umbrellas, the lay-on-their-side umbrellas, and other random shade shelters and tents. Many could do 2 of the 3, but none could ever do all 3. Until now. This is The One. Like Neo. The whole system is simple-yet-effective design followed by solid implementation. It’s an honest-to-goodness actually engineered product, and made in the USA. The Sand Gopher is amazingly simple and gives you a quick, stable hole. Not dug-up sand that is loosely repacked and will give way, and not some impossible plastic corkscrew that will break after you educate your kids on the finer points of swearing like Ralphie’s dad - just an easy, cleanly-bored hole without disturbing the adjacent packed sand. The base is of course the main event - it must be 100+ lbs of sand holding down your umbrella. But it takes only a minute or two to scoop from the world’s biggest supply of sand you are setting up on. You can even make said offspring do the shoveling; it’s not hard or complicated. And the hooks it attaches to on the pole are solid thick-gauge stainless steel hardware. Nothing flimsy here. The cotter-pin-style attachment between pole sections is also not exactly new technology - yet supremely more sturdy than the cheap plastic tension levers in most other consumer umbrellas. The pole is not coming apart. Period. I bet the pole itself breaks first. And it’s attached with a stainless chain so you don’t lose it. And the pole. It’s ALUMINUM. Why is that so hard to find amongst beach gear? Why are they all painted (not even stainless) steel that will rust as soon as the paint is scratched (hello, sand)? The umbrella struts seem to be some type of strong and thick ABS plastic. Nothing flimsy at all, but with a little flex, which is good (vs steel, that will bend and rust). The umbrella canopy feels thicker than most consumer grade umbrellas. No cheap nylon here. Even the bag - IT’S OVERSIZED! No vainly trying to shove some contraption into a bag made for a super-compressed machine-folded version of itself that might as well be putting toothpaste back into the tube. You just throw it in and then put the extra-wide padded strap comfortably over your shoulder and marvel that 12lbs feels like nothing. And you FINALLY - for once - feel like a PRO, when it comes to the beach game.

I was hesitant to buy a beach umbrella due to always seeing them folding up and ripping. This year I decided to do some research since we were making our first beach trip with our 14 month old son and a shady spot on the beach was a priority. Searching Amazon showed many different options which I further researched. BeachBub was by far the best product as far as reviews on YouTube and Amazon so I decided to get one. When it arrived, I was very impressed by the quality (the poles and canopy were top quality and all of the arms underneath were sturdy and thick (not the usual bendable metal that snaps and tears through the canopy.). The items included were clearly labeled which made setup a breeze!!! The only setup that is required prior to the first use is to secure the ring which holds the sand tarp which provides extra weight to the post which makes the umbrella very secure! (One thing I recommend is to push aside the first few inches of loose sand prior to using the sand gopher to dig the hole…I also believe that is mentioned in the directions.) Beach setup is 3 minutes. The provided towel hooks were of superior quality just like everything else about this product and was great to not only hold towels, but a Bluetooth speaker which I hung from a net bag to keep items that I did not want exposed to the sand such as my sunglasses and GoPro camera available for quick access out of the sun and sand right under the canopy. I was so impressed with the quality of this product that I ordered the BeachBub tray table add on accessories. This also was built with the same quality as everything else! It was nice to set up quick and easy and know that my umbrella would still be standing strong when I returned from a walk!!! The shade provided by the canopy is great! There is no floundering of the canopy even in heavy breezes. Sturdy sturdy sturdy! If you are in the market for a quality umbrella system which will last you many seasons at the beach, BEACH BUB IS FOR YOU! Another testament to how good this product is was that it exceeded every expectation that I had with beach umbrellas that I also felt compelled to contact BeachBub via email upon returning from my trip just to thank this company which is MADE IN THE USA, about how impressed I was with their product that they stand behind 100% Thank you again, BEACHBUB!

***Stop, just stop*** Stop looking and buy this umbrella system, immediately. You will not regret it I’ve spent more money buying all the other garbage than I would have if I had just bought this to begin with. I have spent so much time and energy digging fox holes in the sand installing anchors and other holders that were supposed to have kept Dorthy’s house firmly planted in Kansas. They all failed in one way or another….just before they rusted. The umbrellas also all rusted, bent, tore. It’s just all garbage. This system addresses all of that and more. The cost is well justified in the stainless steel, high grade aluminum, fiberglass, etc. The material of every little screw, washer, rivet, grommet is thought out and chosen to be resistant to any corrosion. This is an example of actually getting what you pay for. They could and probably should be charging $200 for this umbrella. The only weakness is in the umbrella canopy fabric and the sand base. This is only because of the limiting nature of the material that you have to make that stuff out of. I have no doubt that they chose the best quality of those materials possible. I guess they could have used Kevlar but I would imagine that’s a bit cost prohibitive. They do, however, offer replacement canopies and the sand base has a lifetime warranty. I don’t normally write reviews but I can’t help but be inspired by the fact that I’m one of the very few people left on this beautiful South Carolina beach, at 2pm, that was packed with beachgoers not 20 minutes ago. With 20mph winds suddenly whipping up, and most everyone’s umbrella now in another county, they decided to call it a day. As for my umbrella, well, it hasn’t budged. In fact, the water bottle on the accessory table attached to the umbrella (sold separately) hasn’t even fallen over. It’s a fortress. Not only do I now have a durable product that is made of quality parts, and will last for years, it works, stays in place and is a tank. I’m purchasing another one just as soon as I get done with this review. Oh, by the way, my umbrella system is now exactly 2 years old and has been on 5-6 beach trips. It all still looks and functions as good as it did the day I bought it. Not a spot of rust or even the slightest wear in the fabric. Even the tiny little metal screw in the shovel they provide hasn’t rusted. What kind of shenanigans is that? And that gopher tool for the hole, that’s just witchcraft. Bottom line: it’s the best system out there and will likely be the last umbrella you ever buy.

Context is important here: I bought this umbrella as a gift for my 75-year old mother because I thought it would be easier for her to put up solo than a traditional beach umbrella. Spoiler: It is not. Because of the price point I was on high alert for value matching cost — a $170 beach umbrella better live up to the hype, right? So let's start by talking about what this umbrella DOES do. It does hold up in high winds. It does look cool and give other beachgoers the impression you have discretionary income. Now let's discuss what it DOESN'T do. It is not lightweight compared to similar products. Their marketing copy reads "...sand gopher tool to help you easily create a hole in the sand for your umbrella pole." This is not in fact easy. I am a 47-year old man in better than average physical condition, and the effort required to bore a 14" hole in the sand is equal to or greater than just digging a hole with a shovel. In terms of entrusting this to my mother, you have to squat or be on your knees to get the leverage necessary to bore into the sand, so that's not happening for her. What's more, knocking the "core sample" of compressed sand out of the gopher tool is not an intuitive process, and the thin aluminum tool dented the first time I tapped it against the umbrella pole to remove the sand. Over the course of the week I took to using the wooden handle of the tiny shovel provided to gently tap the side of the gopher and loosen the cylinder of sand inside. Which brings us to the tiny shovel. They recommend fifty shovelfuls to fill the de facto sandbag you're creating which is the anchor for the whole apparatus. Fifty. I just used my regular shovel. So in the end we have an attractive, over-engineered umbrella of standard weight and dimension with a few novel features — and a legitimate high wind tolerance — that takes an equal or greater amount of effort to set up than a typical beach umbrella. And bring your own shovel.

2024 update. Still using and luving my beach buns. If you are in Garden City Beach SC then you have seen these. This July 4th was one of the most windy weeks I can remember. By the end of the day mine and a few other bubs were the only ones standing. The customer service over the years has been exceptional. I can honestly say this company cares about its customers and stands behind their product. If you want to relax in the beach no matter what comes up. Get the system. It just works. Update:7/6/2016- After a week of sand and surf this thing is still rockin. We have had 20mph winds most every afternoon. No problem here. Lots of people wonderin why mine is still up. Yesterday lifeguard tower blew over in a gust. BeachBUB didn't flinch. Thought I could post a video but guess not. On my way to order another. I don't leave many reviews, but felt compelled to do so here.I am a professional beach contractor. I set up early and am there all day during the summer weekends. I have been hauling beach gear for 11 years now. Several years ago, our beach banned anything but single point of contact umbrellas. Thus begin my quest for the perfect umbrella. Suffering with $20-30 stuff that usually only last a season, I knew it was time to make an investment. I looked towards the style the beach service puts out. I found one here on Amazon made by Franklin. Ordered it upgraded with 8mm fiberglass ribs to ensure strength. Why? because of WIND. I have seen countless injury's and embarrassment from fly-aways and inversion. I want to come to the beach and relax, not panic everytime a breeze picks up. The Franklin performs well, and has proven itself. I set out to find another. Searching here I came across this product and was intrigued. Those of you that know, the market style of umbrella performs very well in pushing winds. The Franklin and others need to be slightly tilted in the direction to work effectively. beachBUB has continually improved their product. After asking for some addtional info I was shocked to learn that beachBUB upgraded from steel ribs to 10mm fiberglass ribs! Bring on the wind. Also no rust! I don't care how well painted sealed etc, after a season on the coast and being stored in the corrosive beach air, anything steel will rust. Here you have fiberglass. The pole? Aluminum. No ordinary pole size either, look at the pictures. They didn't stop there. There is a pin that locks the poles together. No chance of them being pulled apart. Love that it is attached and you don't have to hunt for it the next time. I have long stared at the plastic lever and clamp system wondering how long it would take to come apart. No worries here. The base was all setup right out of the box. Filled up and went up as expected. Everything you need is included. You can even add addtional weight with the included pole hooks. Get that beach bag out of the sand and hang it up! A huge bonus for me was the clearance under the umbrella. I could finally stand up in the shade. The others must be inserted so far that you are crouching most of the time. But the really huge selling point for me was the shade itself. The Franklin is nice, no question. Fade resistant fabric, heavy duty canvas,etc. However, when sitting underneath on a sunny day I could see light through the material. Not so with the beachBUB. Its coated and heavy duty. The system preformed well. I typically use a drill and auger to create the holes needed by most umbrellas to ensure they don't move. This system does away with all that creating a stable base and minimal penatration. Its ideal for my older parents who when I am not around, struggle with the setup of most umbrellas. This quick and easy system ensures that they can enjoy the shade with confidence, no matter what blows through. Thats one of the reasons I get to the coast early. Setup is usually time consuming. Now if I want to take a quick run I am only a minutes away from a safe setup. Take down was just as easy. No sand anchors locked to the poles by rust or sand. I will be purchasing another soon..... for the price you can't beat it.

Excelente, muy fácil de armar

The best beach umbrella ☂️