Why Umbrellas Break (And What To Look For In A Good One)

Why Umbrellas Break (And What To Look For In A Good One)

If you’ve ever owned an umbrella, you’ve probably also had to buy a replacement for said umbrella at some point. Because umbrellas all too often fail. Digg reveals why — and how to spot an umbrella that sucks a little less than average.

Picture: Tyler J Clemens VIII/Flickr

Umbrellas break not only because they have to fight Mother Nature at her angriest, but also simply because of their design. There are about 150 different parts that make up an umbrella, each with the potential to snap, become inverted, fall off or otherwise succumb to stress. The pins that hold the rib sections together are particularly small and weak.

The best umbrellas, then, are ones that minimise the number of parts and reinforce those that receive the most stress. Among other things, Digg advises us to look for solid rivets:

Solid rivets: Rivets are used to connect ribs, stretchers and ligaments. Hollow rivets are cheap. Solid rivets last. If you can see through the pin holding a joint together, don’t buy that umbrella.

Check out their full guide for more umbrella considerations.

Why Your Umbrella Sucks and What to Do About It [Digg]


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