I ordered this last spring and used it from May to October last year, stored it in the garage over the winter, and put it back out in about March of this year. We use it over our outdoor dining table (rectangle, 81 x 38) and it provides good shade for everyone seated around.
Construction/sturdiness:
I have no complaints it is heavy (of course) and because of the weight and bulk, I have a difficult time moving it into/out of its spot in the table, but if I must, I can do it myself (I am 53 yo female, 53 and 115 lbs). That really only needs to be done twice a year, so not a big deal, but it is easier if I wait for my husband to help. The umbrella arrived in good condition, and halfway through its second season of use, no parts have broken, bent or rusted.
Ease of use:
Also no complaints. It cranks open and closed smoothly. There is a pin that slides through the pole at the top so that the full weight of the raised umbrella doesnt rest on whatever mechanism is used to raise and lower it I have to stand on the table to use that, but I always do. If youre having guests over, you might want to raise the umbrella before they get there so they dont have the image of their hostess walking on the table in their minds.
Weights needed:
This is a huge umbrella and it could probably win Americas Cup if you attached it to little boat. The sandbag assembly that came with it was ugly and took up too much space under the table that would otherwise be used by the chairs (when pushed in) or the feet of the people around the table. There is very little point in putting out a table umbrella if people cant comfortably sit below it. I got rid of the freebie and instead use the metal part of an 18.5 steel plate stand, supplemented with a Gravipod 14 Round umbrella weight base (the metal base also came with some sandbags that I didnt like) the has a very low profile on the ground and the gravipod is tall but leaves a lot more room for chair legs/human legs. The base and gravipod spent the winter outside under the patio table and are still in good condition.
Umbrella rotation:
I dont know how this could be avoided. Yes, if the wind picks up then the umbrella rotates so that the long sides of the umbrella do not line up with the long sides of the table. One person can easily rotate it back, and if it is super windy outside, nobody really wants to be out there for a meal anyway, so I dont worry about that.
Fading:
This is my one and only complaint. I ordered the beige and it faded pretty quickly. Full disclosure our patio gets full sun, but I did not leave the umbrella raised when we werent using the table. By the end of the first summer the beige had faded to a pale pinkish color that does NOT look pretty. I am now trying to figure out if I should try to use outdoor fabric paint spray and return it to beige or whether I should just replace it. If this umbrella came in white or cream (or with a Sunbrella canopy), I would buy it in a heartbeat but it doesnt. They should provide a cover for the umbrella for when it isnt in use that would be a lot more practical than the free weight bags that you get instead.
Something else to think about:
If you eat outdoors after the sun has set and you leave this umbrella in the table, you will likely have to raise the umbrella to get it out of your way It is large enough that it blocks eye contact and makes conversation awkward. If you do raise it after dark for the sake of conversation, you may need some lights for underneath. Those are easy enough to find, so not really a big problem in my opinion. You might also look into some light/fan combos if you live in a hot climate and/or want to make it more difficult for flies to land in the table area.
Sturdy but beige faded quickly
I ordered this last spring and used it from May to October last year, stored it in the garage over the winter, and put it back out in about March of this year. We use it over our outdoor dining table (rectangle, 81 x 38) and it provides good shade for everyone seated around. Construction/sturdiness: I have no complaints it is heavy (of course) and because of the weight and bulk, I have a difficult time moving it into/out of its spot in the table, but if I must, I can do it myself (I am 53 yo female, 53 and 115 lbs). That really only needs to be done twice a year, so not a big deal, but it is easier if I wait for my husband to help. The umbrella arrived in good condition, and halfway through its second season of use, no parts have broken, bent or rusted. Ease of use: Also no complaints. It cranks open and closed smoothly. There is a pin that slides through the pole at the top so that the full weight of the raised umbrella doesnt rest on whatever mechanism is used to raise and lower it I have to stand on the table to use that, but I always do. If youre having guests over, you might want to raise the umbrella before they get there so they dont have the image of their hostess walking on the table in their minds. Weights needed: This is a huge umbrella and it could probably win Americas Cup if you attached it to little boat. The sandbag assembly that came with it was ugly and took up too much space under the table that would otherwise be used by the chairs (when pushed in) or the feet of the people around the table. There is very little point in putting out a table umbrella if people cant comfortably sit below it. I got rid of the freebie and instead use the metal part of an 18.5 steel plate stand, supplemented with a Gravipod 14 Round umbrella weight base (the metal base also came with some sandbags that I didnt like) the has a very low profile on the ground and the gravipod is tall but leaves a lot more room for chair legs/human legs. The base and gravipod spent the winter outside under the patio table and are still in good condition. Umbrella rotation: I dont know how this could be avoided. Yes, if the wind picks up then the umbrella rotates so that the long sides of the umbrella do not line up with the long sides of the table. One person can easily rotate it back, and if it is super windy outside, nobody really wants to be out there for a meal anyway, so I dont worry about that. Fading: This is my one and only complaint. I ordered the beige and it faded pretty quickly. Full disclosure our patio gets full sun, but I did not leave the umbrella raised when we werent using the table. By the end of the first summer the beige had faded to a pale pinkish color that does NOT look pretty. I am now trying to figure out if I should try to use outdoor fabric paint spray and return it to beige or whether I should just replace it. If this umbrella came in white or cream (or with a Sunbrella canopy), I would buy it in a heartbeat but it doesnt. They should provide a cover for the umbrella for when it isnt in use that would be a lot more practical than the free weight bags that you get instead. Something else to think about: If you eat outdoors after the sun has set and you leave this umbrella in the table, you will likely have to raise the umbrella to get it out of your way It is large enough that it blocks eye contact and makes conversation awkward. If you do raise it after dark for the sake of conversation, you may need some lights for underneath. Those are easy enough to find, so not really a big problem in my opinion. You might also look into some light/fan combos if you live in a hot climate and/or want to make it more difficult for flies to land in the table area.