PURPLE LEAF 3 X 4 M Garden Cantilever Parasol, Large Rectangular Patio Umbrella with Crank Handle and Tilt for Balcony and Outdoor, Beige

Product Information

There are a lot of solar powered LED parasols on the market these days, but more often than not, the lights have been thrown on there as almost an afterthought, and this leads to quality issues and problems arising after a short while. Choosing our best heavy duty cantilever parasol wasn’t as difficult as we’d thought, with this product from Purple Leaf being a clear winner in this category. Well, if I’m being honest, there was one other product in this list that was a close challenge, but that was from the same company and took top spot for best solar parasol.

When buying a cantilever umbrella, it helps to see one already assembled and see if the size of the base, pole, and canopy fit together harmoniously. There should be a balance to ensure that the umbrella is stable. In terms of construction, this umbrella is made using the brand’s proprietary Outtra fabric, which offers UPF50+ protection. It comes in five classic colors, and the frame has a special foot pedal that allows you to easily rotate the umbrella 360 degrees. There are even velcro straps around the edges of the canopy so you can hang lights or other decorations. At 270c, x 330cm, you get a lot of coverage with this offering from Purple Leaf, and the fact that the fabric has been tested to UV50 level of protection means that you don’t have to worry about getting sunburnt under there. You won’t feel as hot as you might under most other parasols featured here either, due to the double canopy design that not only looks fantastic, but allows for better air circulation. There’s always something to complain about though, I mean, I am British after all! With the Purple Leaf cantilever parasol, it’s more to do with what isn’t there as to any flaw with the design. You see, the fillable base you see in the advertising photos doesn’t come with the product and has to be bought separately, and it’s not the cheapest thing out there. You could always buy a cheaper base to use of course, but then it might not be up to the same standard as the rest of the parasol.Not all parasols come with a cover, and even some that do aren’t exactly offering you the best covers you can get. I’ve had zips come straight off the first time I tried to close them, with some of the really cheap models, and some covers that weren’t even big enough to cover the parasols that they came with! Able to rotate through 360°, with 5 adjustable tilt angles, you can achieve full shade coverage no matter where the sun is in the sky, or where you’re sitting in relation to the parasol. The crank mechanism has a solid handle for winding the canopy in and out, and the rotation is achieved using a foot pedal. Made from powder-coated aluminium, the frame is lightweight, rust-resistant and robust. Plus, with eight ribs to support the canopy itself, it’s strong too.

Although not waterproof, this parasol is water resistant and protects from the odd drizzle – well suited to the British summertime when you’re never quite sure where the next shower will come from.

My Top Recommended Cantilever Parasols

One other thing to be aware of is how much space the base with weights attached will take up – it measures over 1 m across, so it’s worth being sure that you have the room to accommodate this. The base of the umbrella is the part that stabilizes the whole thing. The best kind of base is made from steel. Other designs even allow you to add sand or water to further weigh down the base. In looking for a cantilever umbrella, ensure that the base is heavy enough to anchor the whole structure.

To keep the large canopy over your head, and not crashing down onto it, there is an alloy steel frame that is actually a lot stronger than it looks. This frame is made even more stable with the included four-piece fillable base, which is very large, and good quality, considering the price and can weigh up to 80kg when filled with sand. This makes it a very good deal in my book, especially when you consider that a decent base bought separately can cost 100-200 quid. Wind Resistance. If you live in a windy area, the umbrella should be stable enough to withstand strong blows of 30 MPH/~50 km/h. So there will be very solid construction with heavy-duty umbrella bones and ribs, and a stable big 100-150kg weighted base. DURABLE MATERIALS – The parasol cover is made from durable 160g/M2 Polyester, ensuring that it will help you to keep dry in the event of any sudden rain showers, while also remaining lightweight and easy to move. The cantilever pole is made from light and durable steel, as well as the 6 ribs at the top of the pole, and both are strong enough to keep the cover upright even on windy days. Sitting under a garden parasol doesn’t guarantee sun protection unless it has a specific UPF rating like the CHRISTOW 3m Cantilever Umbrella. My old cantilever umbrella finally had to go to umbrella heaven after 12 years of good service. After a lot of research we chose the Purple Leaf 11 ft double top umbrella. It appeared very well built and sturdy. In fact, this has proven to be the case. The umbrella is solid, but easy to use. I particularly like the 360 degree turn, which is made easy with the hand crank. The umbrella support rods are very strong. While I was moving the umbrella to its final destination I opened it before I had the base secured and it was blown over without any damage to the supports. I secured base with water ballast and added another 200 lbs in steel plates on top of the base to protect against gusting winds (did this with the old umbrella in addition to the sand in the base)Another little peeve I had with this model was that the instructions don’t explain things very well. Assembly is fairly easy to work out, but how to alter the angle of the canopy, and things like that should have been made clearer.

The thing to remember about these bases is that, in most cases, they need to be filled with water or sand to add weight to them and so the larger the stand, the heavier it can potentially be. If we haven’t already been clear so far- the heavier the better. Very reasonably priced compared to some other cantilever parasols, this Outsunny model offers good value for money considering how many ways it can be adjusted.

Best-Selling Cantilever Parasols in the UK | Comparison Table

Advantages: Each umbrella cover is equipped with a telescopic pole, convenient to lift the umbrella cover up & off without a ladder. A adjustable long rope attached to the zipper head for easy zipping and unzipping. The frame and canopy are about what you’d expect for the price, but the powder coating on the 48mm steel frame has been done to a better standard than what I saw on the Vounot model parasol, but that could have just been the particular items that we got our hands on, rather than one brand being better than the other, so take that as you will. So, that’s the pros and cons of owning this kind of cantilever parasol, but if you decide you’d prefer this type, then you could do a lot worse than this product. The aluminum alloy frame is very good quality for the price, and will not rust which is important for a semi-permanent structure. One thing to bear in mind is the size of the base with weights: at 100 x 100 cm it might be a little large for some spaces, especially if required to fit around patio furniture, so it’s worth taking measurements before purchasing, especially if you’re working with a smaller space.