Totes - Micro Brella Umbrella Review

Unfortunately, I've been caught in the rain one too many times without having an umbrella nearby. So when I saw the Totes Micro Brella Folding Umbrella at JC Penney, I snatched one up and have never been caught empty-handed again. No more toting around a full-sized umbrella or searching under the car seats when bad weather threatens. This compact umbrella is about the length of my eyeglasses case, and fits neatly in my purse or glove compartment. In fact, if you can fit an eyeglass case in your purse or bag, you can easily fit the Totes Micro Brella in it as well.

Totes-Isotoner makes several versions of umbrellas, but this one is one of the smallest. It's available in a variety of attractive solid colors and playful patterns. Mine is Caribbean blue with yellow trim. The micro brella has plenty of features to make it worth the $20 price tag:

• Contoured Handle: Silver and clear acrylic that fits well in my hnad
• Compact Size: This mini folding umbrella closes to 6-1/4 inches long and 1-1/2 inches wide
• Design: Matching storage sleeve, elastic wrist strap, and velcro closure
• Canopy: When open, the canopy arc measures a surprising 38 inches
• Lifetime Warranty: Inside the Micro Brella is an information sheet that explains how to return the umbrella for a replacement in the event of a defect.

The first time I used the umbrella, my husband and I had just gotten out of the car and it began raining. I was seated in my wheelchair while he was pushing me along. I remembered that I had the Totes Micro Brella in my purse and pulled it out. Unfortunately, there is no automatic button on this design so it took a few moments for me to manually work the mechanism to get it fully open. The umbrella isn't really large enough to comfortably keep two adults fully dry, but it was perfect for me since my husband had on his cap and he's not bothered by getting wet. It kept me protected while not getting in his way as he pushed me in the wheelchair.  I managed to get inside the building relatively dry and the umbrella retracted easily back into position.

Overall, I'm more than pleased with the Totes Micro Brella Folding Umbrella. If it were automatic instead of manual I would have given it a perfect score. Still, it's an above average product that is useful, attractive, and would probably make a nice gift.