The best beach umbrellas are made with materials that last — all day, during all kinds of conditions, and ideally over the course of multiple seasons. For canopies, I looked for marine-grade ...

The best umbrella for traditionalists: Coolibar 6 Foot Intego Beach Umbrella; ... such as wrangling kids or the assorted bric-a-brac one might bring to the beach. Flaws but not dealbreakers.

Kit Dillon, senior staff writer and author of our beach umbrella guide, has listened to me yap about this thing with such frequency that he finally broke down and tested it, and I am feeling super ...