best travel umbrellas

7 Best Travel Umbrellas - Pack Light & Stay Dry (2025 Reviews)

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When I packed for my trips, it always seemed like the last item I remembered to include was a travel umbrella. I once got caught in Mexico City in a sudden downpour far from my hotel, leaving me too soaking wet to continue sightseeing. I had to turn back, and let’s just say the soggy return journey to my hotel wasn’t a fun one.

I know from experience how important it is to have a reliable travel umbrella when taking a trip. They're light and won't weigh you down, but they're durable and will actually keep you dry if you get caught in the rain.

7 Best Travel Umbrellas - Pack Light & Stay Dry (2025 Reviews)
See our product selection criteria and guidelines here.
Why Use a Travel Umbrella? – (Click to expand)

1. So you can get out and explore even in the rain.

I’m slightly obsessed with checking the weather forecast when we go on vacation. I want to be able to plan our activities based on the weather, but as we all know, the weather is unpredictable. Plan to bring an umbrella on days that it might rain as well as days it looks unlikely. You don’t want to risk getting soaking wet and catching a cold on your vacation. You also don’t want to be stuck inside all day because you don’t have an umbrella to help you brave the rain. Choosing a reliable travel umbrella will let you continue to explore even on rainy days.

2. So you don’t overspend on a poor-quality umbrella.

Maybe you’re thinking you’ll take your chances and not pack an umbrella. If it does rain you can easily find one at any gift shop anyway, right? While this may be true, I think we all also know how overpriced and poor-quality gift shop items are. You’ll end up spending way too much on an umbrella that probably won’t even last one rain shower. It happened to me! I bought a cheap umbrella in Mont-Saint-Michel, France and it turned inside-out with the first gust of wind. It’s better to be prepared, buy a quality travel umbrella before your trip, and you’ll save yourself some money and a lot of trouble.

3. To protect yourself from the elements.

Most people think to bring umbrellas to protect themselves from the rain, but they are helpful in all sorts of weather conditions. You may not realize it, but an umbrella is just as useful in the snow. If you plan on visiting someplace like Canada or Iceland during the winter, a travel umbrella will help keep the snow off you. On the other hand, if you’re traveling someplace like the Caribbean, which gets plenty of sunshine and intense heat, a travel umbrella can shield you from the sun and protect you from getting sunburned.

The Best Travel Umbrellas

  • 1. Hero Travel Umbrella

    Hero Travel Umbrella

    (Most well-rounded -- $$)

    Why it’s great: This umbrella has all the important features that a travel umbrella should have. It’s windproof and won’t collapse on you thanks to the strong, but lightweight fiberglass-reinforced ribs. It weighs less than a pound and comes in at just a foot long, making it super portable and comfortable to carry around. The canopy is coated in Teflon so it’s ultra waterproof and it’s 25% bigger than most travel umbrellas with a canopy of 46 inches so you can fit two people underneath. The added hard case is also an awesome bonus that you won’t see with most travel umbrellas.

    Keep in mind: It’s only available in black so that could be a downside for those who love color.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 2. EEZ-Y Travel Umbrella

    EEZ-Y Travel Umbrella

    (Double vented design -- $)

    Why it’s great: This umbrella is available in a rainbow of fun colors. It’s one of the more lightweight umbrellas on the list at only 0.9 lbs and when folded is only 11 inches long. It also boasts durable materials and a windproof design.

    Keep in mind: Since this umbrella is slightly more lightweight and compact than others, there is less room under the canopy than with other umbrellas.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 3. Repel Travel Umbrella

    Repel Travel Umbrella

    (Sturdy design -- $$)

    Why it’s great: The auto open and close makes using this umbrella a breeze. It’s built to withstand all kinds of weather with its nine fiberglass-reinforced ribs. The fun patterns set it apart from other travel umbrellas.

    Keep in mind: The patterned design options cost a bit more than the solid color options.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 4. Amazon Basics Travel Umbrella

    Amazon Basics Travel Umbrella

    (Best budget option -- $)

    Why it’s great: If you’re looking for a budget, no-frills option, then Amazon Basics has got you covered. This travel umbrella is small, lightweight, and gets the job done at a low cost.

    Keep in mind: It lacks some premium features like windproof fiberglass ribs and Teflon coating that other umbrellas have.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 5. Yoobure Mini Umbrella

    Yoobure Mini Umbrella

    (Best compact option -- $)

    Why it’s great: This is the most lightweight umbrella on our list, but it still boasts an excellent windproof design and UPF 50+ protection on sunny days when you want to stay cool and protected from the sun.

    Keep in mind: Since this lightweight umbrella weighs just half a pound it’s smaller than most and is best suited for one person.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 6. Rain-Mate Travel Umbrella

    Rain-Mate Travel Umbrella

    (Nicest colors -- $)

    Why it’s great: This travel umbrella is a sturdy, lightweight option for your next trip. It has a lifetime replacement guarantee so you know you can depend on it for many years to come.

    Keep in mind: If sun protection is important to you, you may not want to choose one of the lighter-colored options as they let more light through.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 7. Lanbrella Travel Umbrella

    Lanbrella Travel Umbrella

    (Most unique design -- $$)

    Why it’s great: The unique, inverted folding design of this travel umbrella makes sure surfaces and your belongings don’t get wet when the umbrella is folded. It’s also one of the larger travel umbrellas and comfortably fits two people under the canopy.

    Keep in mind: It might be easy to forget that the umbrella is wet when folded so be sure to let it dry before packing it away for good and be careful that it doesn’t splash when opening.

    View on Amazon.com

Other Accessories

  • 1. Quick-Dry Travel Towel

    HERO Travel Towel - Blue

    A quick-dry travel towel is compact and easy to throw into any day bag. It'll come in handy in case you get caught in a rain storm and need to dry off. It's fast-drying and odor-resistant so you can store it away until you get back to your hotel without worrying it will start to smell. Hang it up and in no time it's dry and ready to be used again and again.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 2. Raincoat

    Raincoat

    Using a raincoat along with an umbrella will ensure you stay as dry as possible. It will also provide an extra layer to keep you warm in case of any chilly wind. By packing an umbrella and a raincoat, you’ll be prepared for whatever the weather throws at you.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 3. Waterproof Shoe Spray

    waterproof shoe spary

    A waterproof spray will keep your shoes protected and your feet comfortable. Nothing is worse than walking around in wet, soggy shoes. A waterproof spray will protect your shoes and keep your feet dry. It also works as a stain repellant to help keep your shoes clean and free from stains.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 4. Waterproof Phone Pouch

    Waterproof Phone Pouch

    It’s important to keep your phone safe from water damage in the rain. Even inside the pocket of a raincoat, water can get in, or condensation can expose your phone to moisture that could potentially damage it. A waterproof phone pouch is a great solution for protecting your phone from water. It’s fully submersible, and you can even take photos and videos underwater.

    View on Amazon.com

  • 5. VPN

    how a vpn works

    When traveling and connecting to public wifi networks, it's important to use a virtual private network (VPN) to keep your online information secure. Things like bank details, passwords, and credit card numbers can easily be stolen by hackers connected to public wifi networks. As the name suggests, a VPN like NordVPN creates a private network for your devices so that you can be online without worrying about potential hackers gaining access to your digital information.

    View NordVPN.com Options

  • 6. Travel Insurance

    Travel Insurance

    Travel insurance is one of the most important things you can have for any trip. Since we travel with our two young kids, having travel insurance gives us peace of mind in case any accidents happen while we're traveling. Travel Insurance is also great in case of cancelations or lost/stolen items. We use TravelInsurance.com to shop for the right plan for our family and our travels, and it has really saved us when we've found ourselves in a bind!

    Compare policies at TravelInsurance.com

FAQs about Travel Umbrellas

  • 1. What’s the ideal size of a travel umbrella?

    An ideal travel umbrella is compact and lightweight enough to carry in a day bag. Ideally, it’s less than a foot long and weighs under a pound so you can comfortably carry it around. If you want to be able to fit two people underneath then a canopy size of more than 42 inches is recommended.

  • 2. For what countries should I pack a travel umbrella?

    Most countries have sporadic rain showers year-round so it’s good to pack a travel umbrella no matter where you go. However, countries close to the equator tend to have rainy and dry seasons so look into what season it is when you plan on visiting.

  • 3. What’s better to pack, a raincoat or a travel umbrella?

    An umbrella does a better job overall at keeping you dry. With a raincoat, just your upper body stays dry and your pants tend to get soaking wet. An umbrella is also better in cities because it can be put away more easily than a raincoat and is less likely to get other things wet when stored properly.

Conclusion

What we can do during a trip is often dependent on the weather. It can often make or break the day’s plan, but it doesn’t always have to. Having a good travel umbrella can mean the difference between staying in the hotel all day or getting out and exploring. These well-made travel umbrellas have got you covered for all of your exciting trips to come!

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