Frankford Emerald Coast - Review 2023

Overview

Frankford Umbrellas first manufactured beach umbrellas shortly after World War II, designing them for beach concessionaires. For decades, it has set the standard for commercial beach products like cabanas, beach chairs, and umbrellas.

One of the leading products that earned it its reputation is the Frankford Emerald Coast Beach Umbrella. In fact, this product is the official beach umbrella used by many urban beach communities and establishments.

In recent years, Frankford Umbrellas has redesigned this beach umbrella for direct consumer use. Not so surprisingly, it is a favorite among frequent beachgoers despite its expensive price tag. It is classy and sturdy, and has been proven to last for many years.

A 10 year fading warranty and 2 year structural coverage backs this up. Pretty impressive given the abuse sand, sea and wind wreak on parasols.

While most beach umbrellas are made of 4.5 to 6.3 oz. fabrics, the Frankford Emerald Coast Beach Umbrella comes in 9 oz. marine-grade acrylic fabric. It stands sturdily still once erected on the sand, thanks to its dependable, solid ash wood center pole with a 1.38” diameter. This center pole is composed of a top shaft and a bottom shaft, which are connected by a 1.3-mm thick aluminum rod.

As far as the classic beach umbrella designs go, this one will stay standing long after other models either blow over or are forced to be shuttered. For this reason, as well as the premium aesthetic it offers, the Emerald Coast is also an interesting option for a permanent backyard or terrace setting.

Features

1. It is supported by a solid ash wood center pole with two shafts linked by a 1.3-mm thick aluminum rod.

The Frankford Emerald Coast Beach Umbrella is engineered with a solid ash wood center pole with a 1.38” diameter and a pointed bottom pole. The two shafts of this center pole are joined together by a 1.3-mm thick aluminum rod. Made of sturdy material, this center pole offers reliable support to the 5-mm stainless steel ribs framing the canopy. It can resist strong winds, ensuring durability that can withstand challenging environments. In fact, solid ash wood is the same material used to make baseball bats.

2. It comes in 9 oz. marine-grade acrylic fabric.

Complementing the strong center pole is a heavy-duty, 9 oz. marine-grade acrylic fabric. With this fabric, this beach umbrella provides ample sun protection with an ultra protective factor (UPF) 50+ rating. Essentially, it blocks about 98% of harmful UV rays. A 9 oz. marine-grade acrylic fabric is the same material used to make most awnings. Moreover, it resists mildew and mold, and is easy to clean.

3. It has an easy-open mechanism.

Ensuring user-friendliness, the Frankford Emerald Coast Beach Umbrella is designed with an easy-open mechanism. The solid ash wood pole allows you to open this beach umbrella easily with stainless steel, spring-activated ledge. With this user-friendly feature, there is less likelihood of this beach umbrella being damaged accidentally.

4. It features non-twisting end tips.

Another unique characteristic of this beach umbrella is its non-twisting end tips. Since they are non-twisting, the stainless steel ribs won’t tear through the canopy. This feature complements the durability and long-lasting quality of a 9 oz. marine-grade acrylic fabric. Moreover, these tips don’t get loose.

What we like

1. It is equipped with a sturdy center pole.

What sets the Frankford Emerald Coast Beach Umbrella from many cheap and mid-range beach umbrellas is its sturdy center pole. This center pole is made of solid ash wood, which is the same material used to make baseball bats. While this beach umbrella has no air vent, it has been tested and proven to withstand strong winds because of its strong center pole. It also does not require a sand anchor to stand still, thanks to a pointed bottom pole. Once you erect it on the sand, you can simply sit back and relax under the shade without worrying about your beach umbrella flipping over.

2. It has a strong and protective canopy.

This beach umbrella has a reliable canopy offering optimal sun protection, thanks to a UPF 50+ rating. Its canopy is made of heavy-duty material that can withstand the test of time, ensuring maximum life span.

Normally, cheap beach umbrellas are only made from 4.5 oz to 6.3 oz. fabrics. This beach umbrella, on the other hand, comes in 9 oz. marine-grade acrylic fabric. Further, the canopy is supported by bendable, stainless steel ribs that don’t rust or snap. The end tips are non-twisting, so they won’t damage the fabric.

3. It opens easily.

The Frankford Emerald Coast Beach Umbrella opens easily because of the stainless steel, spring-activated ledge on the center pole. You won’t have difficulties setting it up on the beach. In some cases, particularly when it comes to cheap beach umbrellas, it is challenging to open the canopy fully. You will end up applying too much pressure, which may then cause the entire umbrella to break. With this beach umbrella, you will less likely encounter such an issue.

4. It is available in several styles.

This beach umbrella is available in several colors with different patterns, ranging from calming shades to solid bright colors. Its availability in numerous designs is another thing that makes it stylish and a standout from the rest. With all these options available, there is at least one style guaranteed to match your taste.

5. It comes with a manufacturer’s warranty.

Ensuring that you get what you pay for, Frankford offers the Frankford Emerald Coast Beach Umbrella with a manufacturer’s warranty. For non-commercial use, this warranty covers a fading guarantee for 10 years. A two-year warranty on frame is also included under normal use. This warranty, however, does not cover unreasonable or improper use, and abuse of the beach umbrella, and any damage caused by accident.

What we don’t like

1. It is quite heavy.

Weighing about 13 lbs., the Frankford Emerald Coast Beach Umbrella is quite heavy. It can be difficult to carry, especially if the car park is too far from the beach. Nonetheless, its weight is a testament to durability. It is made of heavy, high-end materials that can be bulky when put together into one beach umbrella.

2. The carry bag is only an optional add-on.

Many beach umbrellas like the AMMSUN 6.5’ Beach Umbrella and Blissun 7.2’ Portable Beach Umbrella With Carry Bag come with carry bags when you purchase them. However, this premium beach umbrella only has a carry bag as an optional add-on.

If your budget is limited, you might not want to purchase an add-on, given that the beach umbrella itself is already quite pricey. Getting this add-on, nonetheless, is highly recommended. A carry bag makes a beach umbrella a whole lot easier to bring everywhere, especially if it is as heavy as this one.

Conclusion

The Frankford Emerald Coast Beach Umbrella might be expensive but it is guaranteed to last for years because of its heavy-duty fabric, and sturdy center pole and frame. There is a reason why resorts and hotels use sunshades from Frankford Umbrellas.

It stays standing longer than most other models that use aluminum with thinner fabric.

For you, it saves you the hassle of having to look for and buy a new beach umbrella each time the current one you are using breaks.

While it is quite heavy for a beach umbrella, you can count on it to offer the protection you need from the sun while relaxing at the beach. Moreover, you are investing in a reputable name, so if you have the budget, you might as well buy a tried and tested product like this one.