I haven't used this item yet and would have returned it, but it came while I was away and now it's too late. Forget a better mousetrap, why can't they make a truly functional umbrella in 2011? For one thing it's too heavy to carry around in a bag comfortably, and it's also one of those items where, once you unfurl it, it's a struggle to get it back into its little sleeve. I have some cheap micro umbrellas that have an attached Velcro flap that closes them---why doesn't that idea become standard?  I will add to this review once I see how it operates in NYC wind, but so far...eh?