As it so happens, I’ve been thinking about umbrellas lately. Don’t know if this is a consequence of the season or of last month’s realization that the 200 sq. ft. of our recently-completed back deck was ideally situated to get cooked in the late afternoon sun. In addition to the obvious question (who’d have thought that surface temps at 9,200 ft. could approach 100 degrees?), I thus found myself contemplating shade structures, and what could be easier to install and more appealing than a slew of Shadylace Umbrellas?

Manta Umbrella. Manufactured by Tuuci.

Why a school of Manta umbrellas by Tuuci of course. With the tagline “shade is our specialty,” Tuuci boasts 10 years of design and manufacture of “innovative, unique, and stylish shade platforms.” Located in Miami, FL (where else?), Tuuci’s origins involve the science of fabric resistance to marine environments. Each umbrella—not to mention every parasol, lounge, and cabana—in the Ocean Master line features aluminum framing, stainless steel components, modular operating systems (can anyone say “reinforced strut joints”? or “armor wall masts”?) and ocean-grade construction to provide maximum durability and ease of use. The umbrellas also exemplify aesthetic innovation. The “Manta” for instance, resembles just that—the elegantly-arched physiognomy of a gigantic Ray. Like all Tuuci umbrellas, Manta comes in multiple configurations: no and single vent options; spiked pockets; square and fishtail profiles; lengths from 6.5 to 9.5 ft., and multiple fabrics including furniture and marine grade or “premium,” “sheer,” and “Firesist Huv” Tuff-Skins in innumerable colors and patterns.

Tuuci’s Tuff-Skin with Sunbrella represents a synthesis of the utmost in shade fabric technology. Sunbrella—”the most widely used and proven industrial shade fabric in the world,” and Tuff-Skin—Tuuci’s patented ballistic reinforcement technology—team up in each of the nine models in the Ocean Master line, resulting in a roster of fine-looking and exceptionally tough portable shade structures. Worthy contenders all, but I’d wager that Manta negotiates South Florida’s hurricane-force winds and salt-laden air with a particular aplomb.