If you go through cheap umbrellas like paper towels, the deliberately over-engineered Blunt from New Zealand offers a less wasteful way to weather the elements.
Structurally, the Blunt falls somewhere between suspension bridge and NASA space probe: telescoping fiberglass ribs; an impressive array of chunky, polycarbonate struts; and, true to its name, tips that are rounded-off in lieu of those sharp metal points that threaten to poke passersbys in the eye.
Its ability to shrug off 70-mph winds may be overkill—or not, given how erratic the skies can been. Either way, this is one umbrella that neither you, nor nature, will trash. From $65, onthefly.com