Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought this due to the overwhelmingly positive reviews, and was shockingly disappointed. I initially returned the umbrella for a replacement, because the threading on the hand screw used to tighten the telescoping pole was stripped (the product is shipped with the screw fully inserted, and if the telescoping pole bounces around at all during shipment, the point impacts the screw and destroys the threading.). The replacement came with the same problem, but I decided against any more hassle and filed part of the threading down manually, and was able to get the screw back into shape. First trip to the beach, I was just itching to show off my new giant umbrella. I found a good looking sandy spot and began unpacking my equipment, completely unaware of the debacle I was about to find myself in. There was a mild wind (maybe 10 mph) coming off the water, which proved too much for this poorly designed contraption. As soon as the canopy was opened, the wind blew it inside out and snapped the pole near the top. The canopy came completely free of the supporting arms and took off down the beach, while the arms themselves - free of the pole and spiky points flailing in all directions - tried to enter the plot of our neighboring beachgoers. If I hadn't caught it, it could have easily impaled or seriously injured somebody. So, 10 seconds after opening the umbrella for the first time, I was holding a broken shaft of flailing and very sharp umbrella arms while the umbrella canopy blew away and surrounding people looked on in morbid fascination. As I did not think to bring a backup umbrella (who would, with a 9' diameter beast that promises to house you and a dozen of your next of kin?) OR a hat (big mistake, that), I spent the afternoon in the sun with lots of sunscreen and a very strong suspicion that I was being watched and talked about by dozens of nearby families ("Oh my god hun, did you see that idiot with his huge umbrella? What is he, daft? Now look at 'im, sitting out there in the sun with nothing but a pair of shades and a rapidly reddening epidermis. Poor sod. Don't let the kids near him.") Yeah this thing LOOKS sweet and it will make you the envy of the entire coastline if you get it up successfully in zero wind conditions. But consider how you'll feel if you end up like me.