Disclaimer: I received the following product free for review purposes. All experiences and opinions are my own. Yours may differ.
When I first read about the Rio Brands Total Sunblock Umbrella I was very interested in having one. I am not a huge fan of the sun. I got my first skin cancer when I was 23… I know! Way to young to have skin cancer! So I avoid the sun and activities that require a lot of sun. When Rio Brands said they were happy to send me an umbrella to review I was very excited!
The umbrella is VERY nice. It is heavy duty and sturdy. It seems as though it is a quality product that should last a while, especially if I take care of it. This is what Rio Brands says of their Total Sunblock Umbrella:
Total Sun Block™
Breakthrough Technology—intense Protection from the Sun.
All Total Sun Block umbrellas and shelters have been lab tested and proven to block 99.8% of the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. Total Sun Block offers breakthrough technologies that provide advanced protection from the sun.
Protection from both UVA and UVB is very important. The sun produces two types of invisible rays that cause skin damage: ultraviolet A(UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB).
UVA rays penetrate more deeply into the skin and can contribute to premature skin aging and skin cancer. We encounter UVA rays no matter what the season or time of day.
UVB rays damage the outer layers of skin and are the main cause of sunburn.
This umbrella features handles to help you screw it into the ground (well really the sand). The handles then clip onto the pole so that they aren’t in the way. You then stick on the top of the umbrella, open it and enjoy!
My Favorite Features of the Total Sun Block Umbrella
- It’s a 7 foot umbrella! It’s big and will offer a lot of shady space.
- It tilts! As you can see in my picture above you can have the umbrella straight up and down or you can click a button and tilt it to the side. The tilt feature enables no matter what time of day it is, or what direction the sun is facing, you WILL have shade! LOVE!
Cons About the Umbrella
- This umbrella really is meant for SAND. Trying to screw it into our hard lawn didn’t go so well, and the wind would have tipped it over because we couldn’t screw it deep enough. In the sand, though, you will not have a problem. You can screw it as deep as you need and will be happily sitting in the shade.
- It lacks a stand. Since it is meant for sand, it didn’t come with a stand. If the umbrella would include a folding stand so that it could be used at home as well as the beach it would get double the use! I wish we had a stand to use it at home. Since we live in Missouri we won’t be going to the beach any time soon.
Taking Care of Your Umbrella:
Like I said earlier if you take care of your Total Sun Block Umbrella it should last a good long time. Doing things such as:
- Putting it down when you aren’t using it.
- Bringing it inside it bad weather.
- Don’t leave it outside for long periods of time, especially if it is on the ground.
This umbrella is amazing! If you enjoy outside activities, but love a little shade this is the way to go. It is very slim and could easily fit into a trunk of a car or along the side of the inside of a minivan. It is definitely portable. Check out Rio Brands for their other outdoor products as well.
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