Truly Rust Free Baja/Sunshelf Umbrella?

[matthewsunshineflorida]

I have gone through two "rust resistant" aluminum umbrellas two years in a row, each with the same result: Rust that eventually covers the pole and fills the hole with a dirty mess that is obviously not ideal to have in the water. I'm concerned I'm just going to keep buying variations of the same idea that keeps rusting, as maybe the manufacturers are not expecting them to be continually exposed to water (with some salt content too)?

I really like the idea of a 100% Fiberglass "single piece pole no crank" where the only thing that's metal is the set pin at the top of the pole. The problem is they seem to be made by one company (California Umbrella), and they're out of stock everywhere on Amazon.

Lots of people here have sunshelfs, so how many of you have them lasting 6+ months in the water with zero rust? Looks like this same company makes one that claims to be "rust free" aluminum pole with fiberglass ribs (search B0072BCOAE on Amazon) - maybe that's a good option to try?

I've given Home Depot and Wayfair enough money in annual umbrella fees

 

[Ahultin]

I ised this one, it has been in the water for 13 months thus far with no signs of rust.
BLUU MAPLE 9 FT Outdoor Solar Patio Umbrella LED Table Umbrellas with 16 LED Strip Lights & Hub Light, Aluminum Frame, 3 YEARS Fade Resistance & UV Protection Olefin Fabric - Red Amazon.com

 

[Teacherbythepool]

Has anyone used the LED umbrella from Costco? We had three non LED ones, but a tornado took one out.

 

[matthewsunshineflorida]

That's wild, hope the rest of your home and family were okay!

I went through LED "aluminum" models in the $100-$150 range from Home Depot, Wayfair, and I think one was from Sam's - but when submerged constantly, they all ultimately showed rust in the sleeve which I figured would leach metals into the water so I had to pull them. I think the cranks and pins must have been steel, or the aluminum was a plating and not all the way through? The LEDs died on each one too, and the fabrics also all dramatically faded even with UV treatment on my last attempt.

We ended up finding a 100% fiberglass model with no tilt, no crank, no LEDs, and the only metal being the aluminum holding pin. Much thicker more textured fabric and it looks cleaner without all the extra crank/tilt mechanisms. Going on 11 months in the water looking exactly the same with no fade or even stain at the water mark. It was a California Umbrella - they do make aluminum/fiberglass hybrid models too but I can't speak to those.

 

[nuttyp]

Although I cannot speak to a rustproof pole or mechanism, I can speak to the fading fabrics if that helps. I've been through several umbrellas and they all fade - quickly, like in less than a year, with one exception. I did a fair amount of research and I now have two umbrellas that have Sunbrella fabric (red in my case) and they are holding up like new, one for over 4 years. When I got the 2nd umbrella - an inexpensive poolside cantilever version - the red fabric was shot in less than a year. I don't recall if I could find the exact type of cantilever and pole mechanism I wanted that also had sunbrella fabric (from memory I think they were also crazy expensive if I even found one) so I bought another one of these (link below) for $129 from sams and moved the fabric to my preferred 10' cantilever version. Of course it's critical to check for the same number of struts, size, etc. Soon I'll place some cemented anchors so I can drop the cantilever version wherever I want it. The poles will rust and have to be replaced eventually (mostly the base and base hardware), but mine are not in the water. I don't know what miracle they put in sunbrella fabrics, but I get some algae growth like the rest of the area and I spray the sunbrella umbrella fabrics too (50% water, 50% chlorine 10%) and they clean up perfectly. Member's Mark Premium 10' Sunbrella Market Umbrella (Various Colors) - Sam's Club

 

[matthewsunshineflorida]

I've been through several umbrellas and they all fade - quickly, like in less than a year, with one exception. I did a fair amount of research and I now have two umbrellas that have Sunbrella fabric (red in my case) and they are holding up like new, one for over 4 years.

Glad to hear as the one we got last year is also Sunbrella! It looks different than the others we've had - it's thicker and "textured" sewn with several colors in some kind of pattern up close. Looking at photos, I don't see any fade so far after nearly a year in the water under the sun. They sell its replacement fabric for $130 which also seems reasonable if it lasts more than 5 years like you're looking at. Sams and Costco really have great prices for quality outdoor stuff - got our chaise lounges from there and they're fantastic.