An Anatole umbrella opens manually. We have designed our umbrellas this way so that you could have the lightest (220g) and strongest umbrellas possible for this size. Indeed an automatic open/close system would have meant considerable extra weight without any added value in terms of resistance.

To open the umbrella: Unfold the mast by pushing the black ring all the way up the mast. It is crucial here not to press on the little black button (which will be needed ONLY to close the umbrella). Slide the ring all the way up until the ribs stretch and fasten with a clic.

• Press with your thumb on the closing button to release the ribs.
• Hold the ribs tight in one hand from under the canopy and, with the other hand, neatly fold the 7 panels of the canopy one over the other. 
• Fasten the umbrella with the strap.
• To fold the mast, the best way is to give a few gentle taps with the palm of your hand on the handle (where the Anatole logo is printed). There is no need to press hard on the handle, it is actually not recommended to press, the “tap tap tap” will do the job.

Yes, but in such weather circumstances, we recommend to hold the umbrella from the middle of the mast and not from the handle, this way you will avoid a potential bend of the mast. However, although Anatole has the best size vs. resistance ratio on the market, this doesn’t mean it is totally unbreakable, take care of it 😉