out of the package,  it has an absolutely terrible vinyl smell, like that of a really cheap shower curtain. It's made of somewhat thin, clear vinyl, and there was this white powdery residue all over the entire thing. I can set it up in an unused room and let it air out and then clean it with a soapy washcloth IF I decide to keep it (still haven't decided yet)....  I bought it for my three year old son who will like it, except it is a somewhat feminine umbrella. If it just had the caterpillar, it might be alright, but the one I received also had two large pink butterflies and many pink dots... And I'm not a person who cares about that sort of thing typically. My son plays with kitchen stuff, dolls, etc. and I think it's awesome. But as far as wearing anything pink or super girlish, I don't normally pick out that type of thing for him to wear. It's not COMPLETELY girly, to where someone might say, "That boy is carrying a girl umbrella!" but it IS way more "feminine" than I expected it to be. I could've dealt with a few pink dots but... the large pink butterflies I'm not sure about... Before I decide whether or not to send it back, I'm going to let it air out and see if the smell goes away. As far as durability goes, the weight of the arms inside and the mechanism feels like it would be pretty durable; it's got a solid build to it.