Unbreakable® Walking-Stick Umbrella U-111 (straight handle) Made in Poland

I needed a straight handled umbrella for work requirements so I thought I'd upgrade to the Unbreakable Umbrella! I have not yet used this umbrella for self-defense (swinging, stabbing), but I've used it in some strong winds and it didn't bend at all. YouTube videos show this umbrella can perform well. I'm about 230 lbs and I did lean straight down on the umbrella handle to see what would happen. There was only a slight bend in the composite shaft, and then there was no noticeable deformation when I released weight from the umbrella.It works well as an umbrella, too, i.e. it stops the rain. After a few years my past non-Unbreakable umbrellas tore at the edges of the fabric where the umbrella stays are tied to the fabric. I can't tell if this will last longer at these locations, but after a few times of use the connection appears solid and well reinforced.The spring opening action is smooth. The release button at the handle looks acceptable. It comes with a fabric sleeve for umbrella storage. I have no reason to consider this anything but 5 stars.

Having lived with this umbrella a while, I finally felt it was time to do a review. What prompted me to seek out this umbrella was having numerous cheap umbrellas get torn up by the wind, or fall apart from frequent use. This umbrella is as close to that ideal umbrella as they come, but it's not perfect. With a few improvements, I think this could be the perfect umbrella.First, let me say what's good about this umbrella:- Sturdy, quality design. No janky stamped metal parts to break.- Solid feel. Makes a satisfying "thunk" sound when it opens- Smooth action.- Wind can pull it inside out, without damageHere's some areas of improvement:- The handle felt loose when it first arrived. I noticed it was using a single tiny screw that was not effective in keeping the handle on tight. I remedied this by first filling out the space between the shaft and handle with some duct tape, and then drilling out the screw hole to accommodate a larger, heavier duty screw. That fixed that problem. It now feels solid.- The cylindrical handle used to pull the umbrella closed is not a very ergonomic shape. This leads to some very awkward handling when trying to pull the umbrella close. The indentation part is too close to the rest of the handle making it hard to get a grip to pull it closed to its locked position. I remedied this by, again using duct tape, to wrap a 3/8" band around the handle further up the shaft to make it easier to grab onto.- The Velcro strap sucks. I'm sorry, but an umbrella of this quality should not feature such a small, poor-quality piece of Velcro. The loops have nearly all been pulled apart to where it's essentially a rat's nest now, with the hooks only grabbing hold of the 2 or 3 remaining loops. I've seen better quality fasteners on items at the dollar store. I will probably have to sew on better quality Velcro at some point.- The release button could be more recessed. This would prevent accidental deployment. This is really only a problem because of the crappy Velcro strap. The strap currently cannot hold the umbrella closed if you accidentally hit the button.- Elastic cord in the handle is flimsy and should be replaced with a beefier shock cord or a leather strap. Mine nearly broke because the hole in the handle has sharp edges and wore through the cord.- Lastly, and this is a "would be nice" item: a foam covering on the handle. The handle is nice quality, but it could be more comfortable to hold if it was covered with the same type of foam they use for motorcycle or bicycle grips.With those few improvements, this would be the perfect umbrella, but as it is currently, this is the best umbrella I have found. This would easily be a 5-star umbrella with the above improvements.

What a great umbrella. It is on the large size when opened, and on the long side when closed, but I appreciate the extra protection from the elements. It is the size that umbrellas used to be when they were commonly used in the past.I wondered if this umbrella would really be as tough as advertised, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it is. I used throughout a recent European trip, and it held up well not only to the elements, but also getting on and off of multiple forms of transportation, and walking around town.I tucked the umbrella into the straps of my messenger bag when I wasn't using it. It is wider than the bag, so you have to pay attention to not poking people with it as you move through crowds, but it worked out fine.I practice Western martial arts, and can see why this would be effective as a weapon. I like that I was able to walk into public buildings and take public transportation with it, despite its potential as a defensive option.

Withstood 200lb husband standing on it while elevated. Expensive but worth it. Doubles as protection. Worth the investment. Great umbrella

I purchased the Model U-111 a year or so ago and have really notused it much at all, only a few times. A couple of days agoI took the umbrella with me for a night out with my wife as we were on awalking tour of our downtown area and there had been a steady rain fallingall day. As we were departing our last destination and on our way home Iopened the umbrella and half of the fabric just pulled away from one sideso I basically had half of an umbrella, while standing in the cold raingetting soaked I tried to see what had happened, all I could figure was isit was cheap material and it just fell apart.I got so frustrated and angered when I recalled how much money I hadpaid for this umbrella($120+) and it was no better than any other $20 umbrellaI have owned I whacked it over a park bench which broke it into severalpieces and threw it off to the side of the street. Certainly glad Ididn't have to rely on this thing for self defense, I couldn't even relyon it to keep me dry.