Does anyone have suggestions as to where to get a decent market umbrella to use with a Telescope table? The local patio shops want at least $300 + stand. I am not convinced I will get longevity to warrant that price.

It is a little late in the season down here in Texas; most stores are clearing out their summer stuff and putting in back-to-school displays <sic!>.

I find that patio stores are always higher-priced. I go cheap. I go to Walmart or Academy Sports for nice wooden-poled market umbrella for well under $100. I don't think they have Academy Sports in CT, but whatever your equivalent is. I once found a nice heavy umbrella base at a "World Market" store for $20. Also, the wooden-poled umbrellas fit perfectly in a standard volleyball pole receptable on the edge of your coping. This gives me some nice shade on the water when it starts baking down here in Texas.

It may not be a problem in CT, but I would have a hard time finding this "seasonal" merchandise at big-box retailers this time of year. I would probably have to buy on-line and pay shipping, or go to the afore-mentioned, higher-priced patio stores. Good luck.

I have a 10ft crank with tilt that is on it's 4th summer. I bought it from Bed Bath and Beyond for $99 plus I used the 20% coupon so it was only about $80. This time of year though inventories are light around NJ. I'd check Sam's club, Lowes or Bed Bath for a closeout.

I have this one too and we love it! Just be sure to close it when you're done. The base is plenty heavy for average use but would take off like a kite in any wind. It casts great shade!

Sam's had nice ones this summer. They had Sunbrella material which tends to last longer.

Try Lowes. The one here has some pretty nice ones for $80, and they do a 30 day price match garuntee. If they reduce the price within 30 days they refund you the difference. We saved a lot with that deal on patio furniture a few years ago.

I've bought the expensive ones and don't regret it. The ribs that support the fabric are much more robust, and they have lasted longer than the cheap ones I had before. Sunbrella is the brand name, but any solution-dyed fabric should last much longer before fading.

Funny you say that. My mother left me a message last night that there was a decent price on a Sunbrella one she saw (around $200). That is about 2X the other umbrellas, but if it lasts longer and is more duarable, it might be worth it.

Take a look at the construction of the frame. The ribs on the cheap ones are rectangular tubing about 1/2" by 3/4". If the umbrella falls over, those will bend and it's trashed. Look for something more substantial. Sunbrella is just the fabric that's put on it; lots of different umbrella manufacturers use it.

We have a few from academy they were 30$, crank with auto tilt. Great buy and durable metal pole and frame. Only issue I have is that I did not buy more!

Any thoughts on this? It gets good reviews and it has a crank lift/steel cable, which should be pretty durable. I am inclined to go with aluminium as opposed to wood as I think maintenance will be easier.

http://www.patioumbrellas.com/patio-umb ... brella.cfm

That one looks good.

It also looks very similar to the ones we got at Sam's for $99, which we love.

Do you have a Garden Ridge in your area? They have some nice inexpensive patio stuff.

Over here in San Diego, Costco has a once/year summer sale that nearly always includes what appears to be solid strong large market umbrellas ($100-$150 price range if I remember correctly.) We bought one and it worked nicely for 2 years and then fell over, cracked something important, and we had to throw the entire thing away....grr.

The absolute best umbrellas that I have found are made by fiber built. They have fiberglass ribs that bend and can stand winds over 40 mph. I use a 9 foot patio umbrella on the beach and besides replacing the string last month it is still going strong after 8 years. I never got more than about 2 seasons out of an umbrella before that. I bought the sunbrella fabric one but you can get them with a lesser fabric for under $200. A 7.5 foot one is $150. This is one time where you get what you pay for...