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I've just broken my second "cheap" ebay kit umbrellas - both times resulted from a light stand with SB26 gently toppling over at the hands of a small child. The struts are made of that pressed tin that gets its "rigidity" (a term to be used loosely with these things) by forming a U-shape in cross section. It bends very easily however, and when bending it back into shape, it just breaks.

Anyway, I know there are some very good and expensive professional umbrellas available, but I was hoping for something in the middle range but with reasonable chance of surviving occasional maltreatment.

Can anyone comment on gear they would recommend or have seen? Thanks.

The problems here are not so much with the brollies, but the fact that your stands are unstable and top-heavy.

Even more expensive brollies will suffer the same inevitabilities ... so I would just get the sheepies. Sorry, I meant cheapies.

But I would also perhaps look towards some sandbags as a means of better securing the bases of your stands, in order that you can try to prevent this from happening.

That, or eat the kids for Christmas dinner.

muzz wrote:Can anyone commet on gear they would recommend or have seen? Thanks.

I buy umbrellas that are about $6 at the local bargain store. yes i have also gone through a few in the past, but mostly due to wind rather than kids so these days i like to:

1) snap the decorative handle off, so it will fit in my stands.
2) push a piece of dowell through the tube, and glue it in with a bit of tarzans grip.
3) take it out and make some pretty photos.

makes the brolly a little bit heavier, but much stronger.

Thanks for your replies. I'm going to have a look at that idea thanks photoaffinity - I hadn't given much thought to the sizing of a "normal" umbrella.

gstark wrote:But I would also perhaps look towards some sandbags as a means of better securing the bases of your stands, in order that you can try to prevent this from happening.

That, or eat the kids for Christmas dinner.

Gary, you've given me another idea. I think sandbagging the kids may also better secure the bases of the stands (in a manner of speaking) and the idea deserves some careful consideration. This forum really gets people to think outside the box, doesn't it!!

gaffa tape will fix all.

When I worked at school formals/graduations and set up a mobile studio everything was gaffa'd to the floor. never had anything topple over no matter how many kids walked into/tripped over/knocked the stands/cables/backdrop.