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http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2334-6974 Lazaros Belbasis 1 ,
Vanesa Bellou 2 and
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3118-6859 John P A Ioannidis 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7
1 Meta-Research Innovation Center Berlin, QUEST Center, Berlin Institute of Health , Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin , Berlin , Germany
2 Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology , University of Ioannina Medical School , Ioannina , Greece
3 Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford , Stanford University , Stanford , CA , USA
4 Department of Medicine , Stanford University Medical School , Stanford , CA , USA
5 Department of Epidemiology and Population Health , Stanford University Medical School , Stanford , CA , USA
6 Department of Health Research and Policy , Stanford University Medical School , Stanford , CA , USA
7 Department of Biomedical Data Science , Stanford University Medical School , Stanford , CA , USA
Correspondence to Dr Lazaros Belbasis, Clinical Trials Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; lazaros.belbasis{at}ndph.ox.ac.uk

In this article, Lazaros Belbasis and colleagues explain the rationale for umbrella reviews and the key steps involved in conducting an umbrella review, using a working example.

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https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjmed-2021-000071

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Key messages

An umbrella review is a systematic collection and assessment of multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses on a specific research topic

Umbrella reviews were developed to deal with the increasing number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in biomedical literature

The validity of umbrella reviews depends on the coverage and quality of both the primary studies and the available systematic reviews and meta-analyses

The key output of umbrella reviews is a systematic and standardised assessment of all the evidence on a broad but well defined research topic (eg, treatment effects of multiple interventions for a particular disease, or adjusted or unadjusted associations of multiple risk factors with a particular disease) based on published systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Introduction

Currently, clinical researchers have used systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMAs) for most clinical and epidemiological questions of interest. Occasionally, researchers might need to examine the evidence not just on a single question but on several different questions on a given topic. Umbrella reviews (ie, a systematic review of SRMAs) could be an appropriate option for these situations.

Definition and scope of umbrella reviews

Umbrella reviews are systematic collections and assessments of multiple SRMAs done on a specific research topic. 1 2 The decision to perform an umbrella review depends on the number of available SRMAs ( figure 1 ). An umbrella review is informative when multiple SRMAs have already been published on a specific research topic. When only a trivial number of relevant SRMAs are available, performing a new SRMA is more appropriate and more informative. When multiple outdated SRMAs are available, updating the existing SRMAs is more important. Like all research studies, umbrella reviews have advantages and disadvantages ( box 1 ).

Advantages and disadvantages of umbrella reviews

They offer a bird eye’s view of multiple interventions for a specific medical condition or multiple epidemiological associations for a specific medical condition (exposure wide approach) or a specific risk factor (phenome wide approach)

They save valuable research resources by avoiding systematic searches from scratch, because they take advantage of existing systematic reviews

They identify the gaps in a specific research field and can inform recommendations for further research

They present an overview of study quality, effect sizes, uncertainty, heterogeneity, and hints of bias across a well defined but broad research field

They present and compare evidence between different interventions or different epidemiological associations, providing a comprehensive picture about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the evidence for each intervention or epidemiological association

Disadvantages

The validity of umbrella review findings depends on the quality of the eligible systematic reviews and meta-analyses

They do not include information for interventions or epidemiological associations that have not been examined in systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Quality problems and biases might also exist in primary studies and in the umbrella review process itself, and these problems and biases could be compounded and difficult to clarify

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Decision process regarding whether to perform an umbrella review. SRMA=systematic review and meta-analysis

The two most common applications of umbrella reviews deal with treatment effects of interventions and epidemiological associations of exposures. Umbrella reviews of interventions typically focus on one or more diseases of interest and assess SRMAs on the treatment effects of all interventions for those diseases. 3 Umbrella reviews of epidemiological associations often follow either a phenome wide approach or an exposure wide approach. In the phenome wide approach, researchers consider the (adjusted or unadjusted) associations of a particular risk factor with any disease or phenotype. 4 In the exposure wide approach, researchers consider the (adjusted or unadjusted) associations of multiple risk factors with a specific disease or phenotype. 5–7 Umbrella reviews can also be designed to summarise SRMAs on other types of studies, such as prevalence studies and diagnostic accuracy studies. 8 9 From a clinical point of view, the key output of an umbrella review is a comprehensive, systematic, and critical summary of multiple intervention or epidemiological studies (or other types of studies) based on published SRMAs.

Getting started

As a working example, we will use an umbrella review summarising SRMAs on the non-genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus, which included 86 eligible articles (142 epidemiological associations) of SRMAs. 10 With so many factors being examined for association with risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, an umbrella review can obtain a bird eye’s view of the evidence on unadjusted or adjusted effects between particular risk factors and onset of the disorder, in terms of measures such as odds ratios and hazard ratios.

Key steps in umbrella reviews

Umbrella reviews have several steps ( figure 2 ), of which four are key: systematic literature search and study selection, data extraction, statistical analysis and grading of evidence, and interpretation of findings.

Key steps in an umbrella review

Researchers need to clearly define the research question of interest and consider which SRMAs are to be included by explicitly stating the eligibility criteria ( box 2 ). A search algorithm must then be constructed to capture all SRMAs that deal with the defined research area. Eligible SRMAs are then selected by independent double screening of the literature search results. When multiple SRMAs on the same topic have partial or complete overlap, criteria are applied to decide which SRMAs to include. 11 12 There are no set criteria, but researchers can choose the most recent meta-analysis, the meta-analysis with the largest number of studies, or (for epidemiological associations) the meta-analysis with the largest number of prospective studies. Researchers should also consider the quality of the SRMAs when deciding which to prioritise. In our working example for type 2 diabetes mellitus, the researchers chose the SRMA with the largest number of prospective studies, because prospective studies guarantee temporality in epidemiological associations.

Eligibility criteria, search algorithm, and data extraction in umbrella reviews

Eligibility criteria.

In the definition of eligibility criteria, researchers can follow the PICO characteristics (population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes) for umbrella reviews of interventions. For umbrella reviews of epidemiological associations (either predictive or causal factors), researchers should also define the population(s), risk factor(s), and outcome(s) of interest to consider. By contrast with a single SRMA (systematic review and meta-analysis), umbrella reviews have much broader criteria, but the exact breadth should be carefully defined to ensure that the umbrella review is informative and comprehensive from a clinical or scientific perspective. In our working example, the population of interest was individuals not having type 2 diabetes mellitus at the beginning of the study, the risk factors of interest were any non-genetic factors, and the outcome was the development of the disorder.

Search algorithm

For an umbrella review, the search algorithm consists of two parts. The first part aims to identify research articles that are systematic reviews or meta-analyses (eg, using the keywords "systematic review*" OR meta-analys*). Alternatively, other search strings that aim to maximise retrieval of SRMAs could be used. The second part of the search algorithm should capture all the relevant articles about the research question. For this reason, this step should include all the relevant keywords about the research topic of interest; in this task, the inclusion of MeSH terms could facilitate capturing all the relevant terms. In our working example, the researchers used the keyword "diabetes" to capture articles relevant to type 2 diabetes mellitus. 10 The final search algorithm is derived by combining the two parts of the algorithm using the boolean operator AND. Recommendations on database combinations to retrieve systematic reviews and meta-analyses based on empirical data have been published. 17

Data extraction

In the data extraction process, for systematic reviews without a meta-analysis, the researchers should extract the number of eligible studies, the total sample size and (for binary outcomes) the number of events, the rationale for not performing a meta-analysis, and the descriptive conclusions. For systematic reviews with a meta-analysis, researchers should extract the number of eligible studies, the total sample size and (for binary outcomes) the total number of events, the study specific sample sizes and (for binary outcomes) the study specific numbers of events, the study specific effect estimates with relevant 95% confidence intervals, and the qualitative assessment as presented by the eligible SRMAs (if available).

Once the SRMAs to be included are agreed, two researchers should independently extract the required data from each eligible SRMA using a standardised data extraction form ( box 2 ). With regards to the statistical analysis, researchers should use the study specific data extracted from each SRMA to repeat each meta-analysis separately rather than report the meta-analytical result as presented in the original SRMA. This process is important, because published SRMAs often use inappropriate meta-analytical statistical models, or they do not assess the heterogeneity between studies or the presence of small study effects. By re-running each meta-analysis, researchers can use the same array of methods for all considered meta-analyses and perform various heterogeneity or bias tests. To perform all the statistical analyses, researchers should extract data on study specific effect estimates with the relevant uncertainty estimates and the relevant sample sizes (as reported by the eligible SRMAs). However, some SRMAs offer insufficient information to perform all the desired, standardised analyses; this should be noted and discussed. In that case, researchers might decide to extract the required data from the primary studies.

After running the statistical analyses, researchers should assess the strength of the evidence. For questions about interventions (eg, drug treatments and other interventions in healthcare), researchers can use a validated tool, such as GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations), to assess the strength of the evidence. 13 For epidemiological associations, researchers can make an assessment of the strength of the evidence by considering several features including amount of evidence, level of significance, extent of heterogeneity between studies, and hints for potential bias (eg, small study effects, and excess significance bias) in each meta-analysis. 5 6 An empirical evaluation of 57 umbrella reviews (including 3744 meta-analyses of observational studies) with a set of such criteria was recently published and shows that these criteria provide largely independent, complementary information. 14 Researchers can also examine the temporality of epidemiological associations by performing the same assessment focusing only on prospective studies. In the working example for type 2 diabetes mellitus, the researchers graded the epidemiological associations using a predefined set of criteria. They then examined whether the most credible associations maintained their ranking in a sensitivity analysis of prospective studies.

After performing the statistical analyses and grading the strength of the evidence, researchers should report their results. Reporting might be similar to relevant reporting guidelines of systematic reviews for observational or randomised studies (ie, MOOSE (Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology), and PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses)). 15 16 The difference is that the building block here is not one primary study, but a systematic review or meta-analysis.

A flowchart of literature search and study selection is helpful. Authors should report the eligible SRMAs identified, and those excluded because of overlap. For systematic reviews without statistical synthesis, researchers could state why meta-analysis was not performed and main conclusions. The findings of an umbrella review can be reported in both tabular and graphical format. Tables summarising all meta-analyses with some key features and results, and the grading of strength of the evidence for assessed interventions or associations are essential ( box 3 ). Furthermore, if some SRMAs present a risk-of-bias assessment using standardised tools (eg, Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools for observational studies, or Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomised clinical trials), researchers can summarise the risk-of-bias assessment in each eligible SRMA using a tabular format. Additionally, visual plots can also facilitate the presentation and interpretation of results, such as the distribution of effect sizes and P values across the primary studies, or the distribution of summary effect sizes, P values, and heterogeneity estimates across the meta-analyses. In the working example on risk factors for the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus, the researchers presented their results in both tabular and graphical format. They visually presented their results by providing a forest plot of the summary effect estimates for the meta-analyses with the highest strength of evidence, and a Manhattan plot (depicting the distribution of all P values in a −log 10 format). 10

Summarising results from multiple meta-analyses in umbrella reviews

Several key features and results of each meta-analysis should be reported, as shown below. In the working example of an umbrella review on type 2 diabetes mellitus, all the items listed below were provided in a tabulated manner for all the eligible meta-analyses (a total of 142 epidemiological associations) 10 :

Total number of cases or events (for binary outcomes)

Total sample size

Number of studies

Effect size metric

Meta-analysis method used (fixed effect or random effects, and related variants)

Summary effect estimate

95% confidence interval

95% prediction interval

P value for the summary effect estimate

Heterogeneity (eg, P value from Cochran’s Q test, I 2 , or estimate of variance between studies)

Effect size estimate of the largest study with the relevant 95% confidence interval

Suggestions of bias in relevant tests (eg, presence of small study effects and excess significance).

After reporting the results, the next step is interpretation. For umbrella reviews of interventions, interpretation should consider clinical relevance (including absolute risk reductions), potential additional biases in the design and conduct of randomised clinical trials and their meta-analyses, and issues of generalisability. For umbrella reviews of epidemiological associations, traditional considerations of confounding, reverse causality, selection bias, and information bias should be carefully considered either for all examined associations, or for a subset of associations (eg, the ones that seem to have the highest strength of evidence). Causal claims are notoriously difficult and typically only tentative. In our working example, the researchers interpreted the findings of the umbrella review by discussing the biological plausibility of the observed associations, and by systematically collecting published mendelian randomisation studies for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Potential challenges

Conducting an umbrella review has some potential challenges. Umbrella reviews can deal with a topic comprehensively when primary studies and SRMAs have full coverage of the topic, otherwise gaps in the evidence can exist. The validity of an umbrella review depends on the quality of both the primary studies and the existing SRMAs. Cross checking the original reports to confirm whether all the data extraction for all the eligible SRMAs is correct would be impossible. But occasionally, umbrella review authors should go back to original reports to collect additional information (eg, sample size, and number of cases) to allow performing calculations in a standardised way and assessing criteria for strength of the evidence. Moreover, if some data are deemed spurious, the original reports should also be examined to remove errors. Moreover, SRMAs often might use eligibility criteria that deviate from what is intended in the umbrella review. For example, the umbrella review might wish to focus only on randomised trials, but the existing SRMAs might also contain observational studies that should be separated.

Clinicians and other readers should search for specific characteristics indicating a good quality umbrella review. They should explicitly state their eligibility criteria, verifying that these criteria fit with their clinical question; repeat the statistical analyses to estimate all the relevant features about heterogeneity between studies, 95% prediction intervals and related statistical biases; and grade the evidence according to a set of criteria and discuss various other potential biases.

Conclusions

Umbrella reviews can provide a bird eye’s view of the currently available evidence on broad research topics and a thorough assessment of strength of the available evidence, and they can indicate potential priorities for future research. Clinicians and other users should look to umbrella reviews for a systematic and critical summary of the evidence in a broad research topic (eg, multiple risk factors or predictors for a particular disease, multiple health related effects of an exposure, or multiple interventions for a particular disease). From an epidemiological perspective, the findings of an umbrella review can be used to identify which epidemiological associations could get tested further using more sophisticated causal inference methods, such as mendelian randomisation. From a clinical perspective, the findings of an umbrella review can be used by clinicians and trialists to inform the design of preventative or therapeutic interventions through randomised clinical trials.

In our working example, the researchers eventually summarised and assessed the evidence on 142 epidemiological associations. 10 By contrast with relevant narrative reviews on risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus that selectively report some associations, this umbrella review captured all the relevant SRMAs in a systematic manner. Furthermore, SRMAs usually focus on the presence of a significant effect, whereas the umbrella review example also considered issues related to heterogeneity between studies, confounding, and other biases. In our working example, 116 of 142 epidemiological associations presented a significant effect at P<0.05. However, only 11 presented strong evidence based on a set of criteria that consider level of significance, heterogeneity between studies, 95% prediction intervals, small study effects, and excess significance bias. An important advantage of this umbrella review is that readers can see that specific risk factors have the strongest evidence while others also have strong support, and they can observe the relative magnitude of all the associations.

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Twitter @Lazaros_B

Contributors LB, VB, and JPAI have extensive experience in the design, conduct, and reporting of umbrella reviews. LB and VB wrote the first draft of the manuscript, and JPAI critically commented on this. LB, VB, and JPAI wrote and approved the final version of the manuscript. LB is the guarantor of the manuscript. The corresponding author attests that all listed authors meet authorship criteria and that no others meeting the criteria have been omitted.

Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interests All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/ and declare: no support from any organisation for the submitted work; no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Patient and public involvement Patients and the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.

Provenance and peer review Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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Umbrella reviews: what they are and why we need them

Published: 09 March 2019
Volume 34 , pages 543–546, ( 2019 )

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Papatheodorou, S. Umbrella reviews: what they are and why we need them. Eur J Epidemiol 34 , 543–546 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-019-00505-6

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-019-00505-6

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Knowledge syntheses: systematic & scoping reviews, and other review types.

Before you start
Getting Started
Different Types of Knowledge Syntheses
Assemble a Team
Develop your Protocol
Eligibility Criteria
Screening for articles
Data Extraction
Critical appraisal
What are Systematic Reviews?
What is a Meta-Analysis?
What are Scoping Reviews?
What are Rapid Reviews?
What are Realist Reviews?
What are Mapping Reviews?
What are Integrative Reviews?

When is an Umbrella Review methodology appropriate?

Elements of an umbrella review, methods and guidance.

Standards and Guidelines
Supplementary Resources for All Review Types
Resources for Qualitative Synthesis
Resources for Quantitative Synthesis
Resources for Mixed Methods Synthesis
Bibliography
More Questions?
Common Mistakes in Systematic Reviews, scoping reviews, and other review types

Booth (2016) states that "essentially an umbrella review is a cluster of existing systematic reviews on a shared topic" (p. 37). Umbrella reviews are also known as an overview of reviews. According to Grant & Booth (2009) , umbrella reviews are "overarching reviews" that "agreggrat[e] findings from several reviews that address specific questions" (p. 103). Moreover, "each umbrella review focuses on a broad condition or problem for which there are two or more potential interventions and highlights reviews that address these potential interventions and their results" ( Grant & Booth, 2009, p. 103 ).

When to Use It: Umbrella reviews are best suited for topics which are already addressed in systematic and/or meta-analyses. Grant & Booth (2009) state that umbrella reviews are useful for combining the results of various reviews on a certain question. Booth (2016) adds that:

"Typically, the broad topic area will have been “split” into focused populations and/or interventions. The umbrella review seeks to impose an overall coherence by lumping these precise reviews together. Umbrella reviews are particularly valuable within health technology assessments that aim to consider all management options and yet may commission separate reviews of an individual treatment with specific outcomes" (p. 37).

Becker et al. (n.d) add that as there may be many possible interventions for a specific condition, it is beneficial for decision-makers to save time reviewing individual reviews and rather read an umbrella or overview of reviews that cover all possible interventions. An umbrella review can point at reviews that address different types of interventions.

The following characteristics, strengths and challenges of conducting umbrella reviews are derived from Becker et al. (n.d) , Booth (2016) and Grant & Booth (2009) .

Characteristics:

An umbrella review is essentially a single document that includes evidence from a variety of Cochrane reviews

An umbrella review can only be accomplished if the intervention of interest has already been discussed in a review

Provides a useful and quick overview of reviews for a particular topic as well as all the relevant reviews on that topic

Grant & Booth (2009) state that umbrella reviews "are a response, and potential solution, to the perennial dilemma reviewers face regarding 'lumping' versus 'splitting', i.e. whether the needs of a particular field or area are best addressed by a broad review...or by a succession of focused reviews" (p. 103)

They "build upon an area that is well-covered by existing systematic reviews by synthesizing the evidence from all relevant reviews to provide a single report which summarizes the current state of knowledge on the topic" (Booth, 2016, p. 37)

Umbrella reviews can "bring together many treatment comparisons for the management of the same disease or condition" (Booth, 2016, p. 37)

Weaknesses:

An umbrella review cannot be completed without pre-existing reviews

Limitations involve "the amount, quality and comprehensiveness of available information in the primary studies" (Booth, 2016, p. 37)

The following resource provides further support on conducting an umbrella review:

METHODS & CONDUCT

Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Reviewer's Manual. Chapter 10: Umbrella Reviews

An extensive and detailed outline within the JBI Reviewer's Manual on how to properly conduct an umbrella review.

Cochrane Handbook Chapter V: Overviews of Reviews.

Pollock M, Fernandes RM, Becker LA, Pieper D, Hartling L. Chapter V: Overviews of Reviews. In: Higgins JPT, Thomas J, Chandler J, Cumpston M, Li T, Page MJ, Welch VA (editors). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 6.3 (updated February 2022). Cochrane, 2022. Available from www.training.cochrane.org/handbook .

Methodology for JBI umbrella reviews

A comprehensive paper outlining the methodology in conducting umbrella reviews, from the Joanna Briggs Institute.

SUPPLEMENTARY RESOURCES

Check out the supplementary resources page for additional information, including articles, on umbrella reviews.

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Umbrella Reviews: What They Are and Why We Need Them

Series: Methods In Molecular Biology > Book: Meta-Research

Protocol | DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1566-9_8

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, London, UK
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina Medical School, Ioannina, Greece
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

Evidence in clinical research is accumulating and scientific publications have increased exponentially in the last decade across all disciplines. Available information should be critically assessed. Here, we focus on umbrella reviews, an approach that systematically collects and evaluates information from multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses. To facilitate the design and the conduct of such a study, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to perform an umbrella review. We also present ways to report the summary findings, we describe various proposed grading criteria, and we discuss potential limitations.

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Sackett DL, Rosenberg WM, Gray JA, Haynes RB, Richardson WS (1996) Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn’t. BMJ 312(7023):71–72
Ioannidis JP (2016) The mass production of redundant, misleading, and conflicted systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Milbank Q 94(3):485–514
Silagy CA, Middleton P, Hopewell S (2002) Publishing protocols of systematic reviews: comparing what was done to what was planned. JAMA 287(21):2831–2834
Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, Group P (2009) Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. BMJ 339:b2535
Shea BJ, Reeves BC, Wells G, Thuku M, Hamel C, Moran J et al (2017) AMSTAR 2: a critical appraisal tool for systematic reviews that include randomised or non-randomised studies of healthcare interventions, or both. BMJ 358:j4008
Salanti G, Ioannidis JP (2009) Synthesis of observational studies should consider credibility ceilings. J Clin Epidemiol 62(2):115–122
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Poole R, Kennedy OJ, Roderick P, Fallowfield JA, Hayes PC, Parkes J (2017) Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes. BMJ 359:j5024
Machado MO, Veronese N, Sanches M, Stubbs B, Koyanagi A, Thompson T et al (2018) The association of depression and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. BMC Med 16(1):112
Bellou V, Belbasis L, Tzoulaki I, Middleton LT, Ioannidis JPA, Evangelou E (2017) Systematic evaluation of the associations between environmental risk factors and dementia: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Alzheimer’s Dementia 13(4):406–418
Houze B, El-Khatib H, Arbour C (2017) Efficacy tolerability, and safety of non-pharmacological therapies for chronic pain: an umbrella review on various CAM approaches. Prog Neuro-Psychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 79(Pt B):192–205
Corso E, Hind D, Beever D, Fuller G, Wilson MJ, Wrench IJ et al (2017) Enhanced recovery after elective caesarean: a rapid review of clinical protocols, and an umbrella review of systematic reviews. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 17(1):91
Giannakou K, Evangelou E, Papatheodorou SI (2018) Genetic and non-genetic risk factors for pre-eclampsia: umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 51(6):720–730
Solmi M, Correll CU, Carvalho AF, Ioannidis JPA (2018) The role of meta-analyses and umbrella reviews in assessing the harms of psychotropic medications: beyond qualitative synthesis. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 27(6):537–542
Kohler CA, Evangelou E, Stubbs B, Solmi M, Veronese N, Belbasis L et al (2018) Mapping risk factors for depression across the lifespan: an umbrella review of evidence from meta-analyses and Mendelian randomization studies. J Psychiatr Res 103:189–207
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Types of Reviews

In this guide.

Common Types of Reviews
Narrative Reviews
Scoping Reviews
Systematic Reviews
Rapid Reviews
Umbrella Reviews
Clinical Practice Guidelines
Full Infographic Series

What are they?

An Umbrella Review is essentially a review of reviews. Umbrella Reviews are designed to synthesize evidence from other published systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses on a broad topic.

The JBI Handbook includes a chapter on umbrella reviews .

How long might it take to complete?

Varies, typically 6-12 months

Is a team required?

A team is not required for this type of review.

What are the protocols that are preferred or required?

Protocols can be registered on Prospero .

PRISMA-P reporting guidelines give guidance of what to include in a protocol.

When would you use this type of review?

To synthesize the highest levels of evidence available for a given topic, Umbrella Reviews are a response to the growing number of Systematic Reviews in biomedical literature.

Is there an example?

Zhang GQ, Chen JL, Luo Y, et al. Menopausal hormone therapy and women's health: An umbrella review. PLoS Med. 2021;18(8):e1003731. Published 2021 Aug 2. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003731

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Next: Clinical Practice Guidelines >>
Last Updated: Oct 4, 2023 4:22 PM
URL: https://laneguides.stanford.edu/types-of-reviews

Umbrella reviews: what they are and why we need them

Affiliations.

1 Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. [email protected].
2 Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus. [email protected].
PMID: 30852716
DOI: 10.1007/s10654-019-00505-6
Epidemiologic Studies
PubMed / statistics & numerical data
Systematic Reviews as Topic*

Which review is that? A guide to review types.

Which review is that?
Review Comparison Chart
Decision Tool
Critical Review
Integrative Review
Narrative Review
State of the Art Review
Narrative Summary
Systematic Review
Meta-analysis
Comparative Effectiveness Review
Diagnostic Systematic Review
Network Meta-analysis
Prognostic Review
Psychometric Review
Review of Economic Evaluations
Systematic Review of Epidemiology Studies
Living Systematic Reviews

Umbrella Review

Review of Reviews
Rapid Review
Rapid Evidence Assessment
Rapid Realist Review
Qualitative Evidence Synthesis
Qualitative Interpretive Meta-synthesis
Qualitative Meta-synthesis
Qualitative Research Synthesis
Framework Synthesis - Best-fit Framework Synthesis
Meta-aggregation
Meta-ethnography
Meta-interpretation
Meta-narrative Review
Meta-summary
Thematic Synthesis
Mixed Methods Synthesis
Narrative Synthesis
Bayesian Meta-analysis
EPPI-Centre Review
Critical Interpretive Synthesis
Realist Synthesis - Realist Review
Scoping Review
Mapping Review
Systematised Review
Concept Synthesis
Expert Opinion - Policy Review
Technology Assessment Review
Methodological Review
Systematic Search and Review

An umbrella review compiles evidence from multiple existing reviews and is one of the highest levels of evidence. Allowing easy comparison between other individual reviews, the umbrella review may address a broader question and can be useful for comparing interventions and developing guidelines.

The Best Umbrellas for Wind and Rain

Two closed stick umbrellas and four regular umbrellas of different colors leaning against a pair of black rain boots.

By James Austin , Daniel Varghese and Sarah J. Robbins

Trudging through rain is rarely enjoyable, but a great umbrella will reduce the misery, keep you (mostly) dry, and easily stow away when it’s not needed.

Our favorite is the compact Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella . Its nine-rib construction held up against gale-force winds, and it’s as sturdy as umbrellas that sell for more than twice the price.

Everything we recommend

Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella

The best travel umbrella for most people.

This solidly built, easy-to-find umbrella holds up in high winds. It also comes in several colors.

Buying Options

price may vary by color or style

AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella with Wind Vent

A travel umbrella with great wind resistance.

This nicely priced umbrella blew away most competition in wind-resistance tests. It comes in a range of colors, but they tend to vary in price, and this model has a history of stock issues.

Balios Folding Double Canopy Umbrella

A travel umbrella that’s slightly more fancy, slightly less practical.

This umbrella performs similarly to our top pick but has a more luxurious feel and build. However, it lacks a wrist strap.

Budget pick

Lewis N. Clark Umbrella

A cheap, light, and bright travel umbrella.

This isn’t the toughest umbrella, but it comes in many colors, and it’s portable and inexpensive. So it’s great for kids or forgetful folks.

Totes Auto Open Wooden Stick Umbrella

A low-priced stick-style umbrella.

With this model, you get classic style and impressive durability at a very reasonable weight—and price.

Upgrade pick

Davek Elite

A premium stick-style umbrella.

If you’re willing to pay a lot more for a timeless umbrella with elevated style and construction, this is the one to get.

How we picked

The top job of any worthy umbrella is to keep the user dry and protected from the elements.

Though we picked umbrellas of varying lengths, we made sure they were all light and easily portable.

An umbrella should be able to withstand strong gusts, invert without breaking, and then resume its original structure.

Umbrellas are not heirloom items. Since they’re frequently lost or loaned, we looked for options that weren’t overly expensive.

And to suit a range of preferences, we have four other picks, including a budget travel umbrella (perfect for forgetful types) and a high-end, stick-style umbrella that provides more coverage (and is constructed from premium materials).

The Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella folds up to a compact size (11½ inches long), so it fits in most bags and glove boxes. At the touch of a button, it forcefully expands to reveal an ample canopy (37 inches in diameter), which protects your torso and head from precipitation in all but the windiest conditions. And its textured handle is easy for hands of all sizes to grip. We also appreciate that this umbrella comes in several colors (see other options here ), so you can more readily find yours in a crowded umbrella bucket. Finally, Repel backs this reasonably priced umbrella with a lifetime refund or replacement guarantee —but only if you purchase directly from Repel and register the item under its warranty.

The AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella with Wind Vent costs less than our top pick—if you get it in black (the other shades cost more.) And due to its vented design and sturdy build, it shrugged off even the toughest gusts during testing. Since 2017, when it first came to our attention, this umbrella has gone in and out of stock several times, making it hard to predict when it would be available. But as of winter 2023, the stock issues seem to have been resolved. Provided that remains the case, this is a solid umbrella.

The Balios Folding Double Canopy Umbrella looks and feels premium—with a wooden handle and solid build quality—yet it costs less than our top pick, the Repel umbrella. But its wooden handle is more slippery than the Repel’s handle, and since the Balios umbrella also lacks a wrist strap, you need to be more vigilant in keeping a grip on it. This umbrella held up well to strong winds, and its 37-inch-wide canopy easily bounced back after it was forced to invert during testing. The Balios umbrella deploys quickly.

The Lewis N. Clark Umbrella was a previous top pick in this guide, and it’s still a great value. This lightweight travel model frequently goes on sale for about half the price of our other picks, so it’s a good choice for kids or those who tend to lose umbrellas. It isn’t as solidly built as our other picks, but at 10 ounces, it’s about a quarter-pound lighter than the Repel and AmazonBasics models. And its 38-inch canopy offers better coverage and more wind resistance compared with most other umbrellas in the sub-$20 range. We also like that it comes in nine colors.

If you want more coverage than a compact automatic umbrella can provide, stick umbrellas, though typically taller and heavier, have a wider canopy, so they protect more than just your upper torso. Among the nine stick options we tested, the Totes Auto Open Wooden Stick Umbrella was by far the most affordable. Yet it held up against the strongest winds and didn’t feel at all top-heavy, which is a common issue with this type of umbrella (often misidentified as a golf umbrella). This one also looks nicer than you might expect for the price. But if you want something made from more premium materials, and you’re willing to spend a lot more, consider our other stick-umbrella pick, the Davek Elite.

As we’ve established, you don’t have to shell out a lot of money to get a great umbrella. But if you do opt to splurge on a timeless stick, the Davek Elite is worth it. It has a stitched leather handle, a high-quality fiberglass frame, and a 44-inch microfiber canopy. (Plus, there’s a lifetime guarantee to back it all up.) The Elite is available in three colors (black, navy blue, and copper). Beyond its fancy materials, this umbrella can really perform. It withstands wind exceptionally well. And, thanks to its flexible ribs, it doesn’t become a kite when subjected to strong gusts; instead, it turns inside out and then recovers easily. It’s worth noting, however, that the Elite’s cane handle measures 5 inches across, which could be a lot for a smaller hand to manage.

The research

Why you should trust us, how we tested, our pick: repel windproof travel umbrella, runner-up: amazonbasics automatic travel umbrella with wind vent, also great: balios folding double canopy umbrella, budget pick: lewis n. clark umbrella, also great: an inexpensive stick-style umbrella, upgrade pick: a premium stick-style umbrella, other good umbrellas, what about inverted umbrellas, care and maintenance, the competition, frequently asked questions.

Over the past several years, we’ve taken umbrellas on errands, run them under the shower, attacked them with a leaf blower, and tortured them to the point of failure in gusty winds and blizzard-like conditions. In between the tests, we’ve lived with these umbrellas and loaned samples to family members and friends. This has generated impromptu side-by-side comparisons and ultimately revealed how these umbrellas hold up with long-term use. After all of our testing, we’re confident we’ve found some of the best umbrellas among the hundreds available.

When we initially conducted our research, we also visited Rain or Shine in New York City. At the time, it was one of the few umbrella specialty retailers left in the US (it has since closed). Peggy Levee, Rain or Shine’s owner, was a protégé of Gilbert Center , a storied umbrella sales and repair expert, who was also a source for this guide. Levee formerly operated out of a Midtown Manhattan office stocked with high-end models from around the world. Together with Levee, we examined a range of brands and discussed performance, value, and owner satisfaction.

A group shot of colorful, closed umbrellas that we tested.

As always, we started by reassessing our own past research and testing, and we looked at other online reviews. Before visiting the Rain or Shine umbrella store in New York City, we consulted the work of the good folks at OutdoorGearLab , who have done their own extensive umbrella trials. A post on The Art of Manliness website provided historical context and some well-informed general opinions.

Our 2015 interview with umbrella sales and repair guru Gilbert Center revealed a sad truth: Most (though not all) umbrella making is outsourced to generalist manufacturers, often at the expense of quality. Our dive into online reviews and retail offerings supported that fact; it revealed that there’s an alarming number of cheap, physically identical umbrellas available under multiple, rarely well-known brands. Our digging also revealed there’s a startling similarity and positivity in supposed owner reviews (we’re on record as being skeptics of this phenomenon ). Armed with this background information, we were able to develop some key criteria to help us narrow the field of qualified contestants.

It turns out that a 37- to 39-inch-diameter canopy is just about perfect for keeping someone’s head and torso dry—without adding too much bulk to the total package. That’s why this is the range for most manufacturers’ standard or “full-size” portable umbrellas. Regardless of an umbrella’s size, no model will keep you dry from head to toe, especially if there’s a breeze. Blowing rain and puddles inevitably produce wet calves and pant cuffs, dampened thighs, and even soaked waists. It’s better to think of an umbrella as protection for your hairdo and upper torso as you scurry between car and office or subway and home. In 2017 and 2018, we looked into larger options, for those who may value extra coverage stretching to the abdomen. By contrast, mini umbrellas are generally no better than a wide-brimmed hat, so we skipped those models.
We focused on umbrellas that were shorter than 12 inches fully folded —with the exception of some stick umbrellas—since most people want something that fits into a car’s glove box or a backpack’s water-bottle pocket. But we don’t recommend ultra-compact models: Though banana-sized umbrellas do exist, their canopies are often too small to be effective. And on ultra-compact full-size umbrellas, the ribs have four joints rather than two, so there are more potential points of failure.
We sought a main pick that weighed less than a pound , with preference given to lighter models. After all, you’ll probably be carrying it with you most of the time. But we allowed some wiggle room for the larger stick umbrellas, since you typically tote them more like a cane or walking stick.
Materials don’t vary much among brands. What matters: the quality of the design and production, and the specific alloy employed . All umbrellas use a synthetic fabric—usually polyester or nylon—for the canopy. Some boast an additional quick-dry coating of Teflon (though we’ve found this doesn’t make much difference in practice). The ribs and shaft are usually constructed from steel, aluminum, and fiberglass, either alone or in combination. Aluminum construction is sometimes considered a weakness, probably because of the metal’s association with soda cans and cooking foil. (“Stay away from it,” said Rain or Shine’s Peggy Levee. “What’s better is steel and fiberglass.”) But this could be an unfair generalization. After all, if you’ve taken a commercial flight, you’ve entrusted your life to critical components made of aluminum, such as wing ribs and roots; the process is not functionally different from that used to make soda cans, but it’s on an incomprehensibly larger ( and epoch-making ) scale.
Although canopy and rib materials aren’t of primary importance, leather, pleather, and rubberized plastic handles offer a much better grip than hard plastic ones—especially when they’re molded into a shape that follows the hand’s natural contours. Stick umbrellas often (though not always) come with a cane handle made of wood or laminate, leather, or rubberized plastic.

A close-up of the handles of six of the umbrellas we tested for this guide.

Choosing an automatic or manual opening mechanism is simply a matter of preference. Our research into owner experiences and our own internal polls bias us toward automatics—umbrellas that fully open and partially close with the push of a button on the handle. (So far, no automatic umbrella provides the finishing touch of cinching the canopy with the strap, and it’s hard to imagine one ever will.) If you’re carrying groceries, a purse, a briefcase, or a child in one hand, it’s helpful to be able to snap your umbrella open or closed with the other. That’s why our top pick remains an automatic. We should note, however, that virtually all stick umbrellas have a manual close, and many lightweight umbrellas are fully manual in order to save weight.
Then there’s the question of economy . We discovered it’s possible to get an under-$25 model that’s solid enough to bend in the wind and reliably snap back into shape—so you won’t be heartbroken if you leave it at a restaurant. You can find ones for even less, but we wouldn’t recommend them, nor would Levee: “Yes, you can get a $5 umbrella in the street and a $10 umbrella at the drugstore. But how many are you buying?” With these, it’s less a matter of if than of when it will finally break (often on the same day you bought it). If you want to spend much more than $30 on an umbrella, you can get something special. But whether an umbrella is worth that investment depends more on your style proclivities or if you tend to lose umbrellas. “The average price for a nice stick umbrella is around $80 to $120,” Levee said. To be sure, a custom-carved, maple-handled Italian stick umbrella with a twill canopy, such as the Davek Savile we tested, is long on style. However, it won’t perform much better than our budget-friendly stick pick . (Though the steeper investment might motivate you to check the umbrella stand before you walk out the door of a restaurant.)
Warranties also matter. Many companies that produce budget umbrellas offer lifetime coverage or other attractive claims. But they make the return shipping and documentation so costly and bureaucratic that it’s not worth the hassle. We favor well-known companies with simple, reliable return-and-replace programs, even if that means a slight increase in up-front cost.

Multiple stick and expanding umbrellas arranged on grass.

For our 2018 update, we conducted research on dozens of new automatic, manual, ultralight, reversible, and stick umbrellas. In the end, we decided to test seven models (from Ace Teah, Bodyguard, Crackajack, Elementex, LifeTek, and Tadge Goods) against our picks from Repel, AmazonBasics, and Lewis N. Clark.

In 2019, we built on what we’d learned from previous updates, testing an additional seven umbrellas from Herschel, Balios, Davek, and Totes. We also checked out inverted umbrellas and included detailed notes on what we thought of that design.

To state the obvious: An umbrella is supposed to keep you dry. So in 2015, we tested several umbrellas for their ability to keep a T-shirt–clad mannequin dry beneath the spray of a dual shower head. To nobody’s surprise, we learned that wider umbrellas did a better job of reliably protecting the mannequin’s head, shoulders, and upper torso.

But once canopies get larger than the 37- to 39-inch range (the typical size of the automatic umbrellas we tested), you start running into weight issues without gaining significantly better coverage. Having established that, in subsequent years we focused our testing on other aspects of umbrella performance and build quality.

A person holding a green lewis and clark umbella in front of the New York skyline.

Instead, we concentrated on testing the umbrellas in real-world scenarios and, perhaps most important, seeing how they held up to stiff winds. Ideally, an umbrella should be lightweight and tough, flexible and resilient.

A good umbrella will withstand a stiff breeze, but it should also invert—flip inside out—when a sudden gust overwhelms its strength limits. In effect, it should bend rather than break. What matters is an umbrella’s ability to easily and repeatedly flip back to proper form. In 2017, on a rainy February day, Wirecutter’s Sarah J. Robbins took 16 models with her as she ran errands with her infant son in a BabyBjörn carrier. A few days later, during a sunny but blustery day, she did a second lap, this time pushing her baby in a stroller. She brought her observations to senior staff writer Tim Heffernan, who had performed the 2016 tests. Together, they reached subjective conclusions based on factors such as weight, balance, and handle comfort.

For the stick umbrellas, which were considerably taller and heavier, we considered how easy they were to use for Sarah, who is 5-foot-2, and for Tim and Daniel Varghese, who are both about 6 feet tall. After that, the most promising candidates weathered a series of stress tests.

We began our tests in the small park outside our office in Long Island City, New York. The goal was to force the umbrellas to invert by holding them in a position they’d rarely, if ever, be subjected to in real-world use: with the handle facing parallel to the ground and the canopy directly downwind, catching the wind like a sail. Once we’d made the canopy invert, we attempted to reverse it.

After weeding out models that were too hard to flip back or were damaged in the process, we tested the survivors during various New York City squalls. Staff writer James Austin used these umbrellas during his daily commute, taking into account the amount of protection they provided and how easy they were to carry on the buses, trains, and streets of New York City.

An opened Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella in the color grey.

The Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella is our top pick because in quality and durability, it’s on a par with models we saw for more than twice the price. In fact, the Repel umbrella felt just as solid in every phase of our testing as $100-plus models we tested. You can find lighter options (the Repel weighs just over 14 ounces), but along with its heft comes an ability to withstand big gusts. Billed as a “travel umbrella,” it folds up to just 11½ inches long, so it’s easy to store and carry. Still, when this umbrella is fully extended, its 37-inch canopy offers plenty of coverage.

A person holding a red Repel Windproof Travel umbrella to see the bottom.

One of the Repel’s selling points is its nine-rib construction. While most standard umbrellas have eight or fewer ribs, this model has an extra rib, which provides greater reinforcement across the canopy, leading to better durability. We believe this design contributed to our test sample’s valiant fight against 40 mph gusts (in which many competitors flipped). When the Repel did invert, its fiberglass ribs arched easily in the direction they were pushed. And when we pressed the automatic close button, the ribs snapped back into place.

The Repel’s sturdy build goes beyond the extra rib. Its automatic open-and-close mechanism is quite satisfying: Pressing the button forcefully snaps the umbrella to attention. The comfortable-to-hold, rubberized handle is relatively long (about 2½ inches). So Sarah could fit almost her whole hand around it, yet it didn’t feel too small in Tim’s or Daniel’s larger hands.

The polyester, Teflon-coated canopy of the Repel showed no sign of dents or frayed stitching—even after the stress tests. Should anything go wrong, however, the umbrella is also covered by Repel’s lifetime replacement guarantee —with no return required.

A closed Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella in the color grey.

This umbrella comes in several colors (as well as in black). So you shouldn’t have trouble finding yours among the many identical models in the coffee-shop stand. (For additional colors, beyond the options available on the main product page, see this listing on Amazon.) One caveat: We recommend sidestepping the double-canopy color options (like the blue-sky design); these have an extra layer of fabric, making the umbrella heavier and harder to tie together.

After we used the Repel umbrella regularly for over six months, it continued to impress us. Even in the face of significant wind gusts, it never flipped inside out.

In April and May of 2018, the Repel umbrella experienced a pervasive counterfeit issue, but a representative from Upper Echelon Products (Repel’s parent company) assured us that this problem has been resolved. We’ve found no recent evidence to suggest this is an ongoing issue, but it’s still a good idea to be mindful of third-party sellers of this umbrella on Amazon. (The best way to avoid a counterfeit is to be sure the seller is Upper Echelon Products and/or that your order is being fulfilled directly by Amazon.)

After using the Repel umbrella on and off for over a year in rough city weather, senior staff writer Tim Heffernan said this model has held up well. It was stuffed into backpacks and handbags, and it was carried through trains crowded with damp, disgruntled New Yorkers. After all that, it still worked perfectly. Another of our testers, Wirecutter’s Christina Colizza, noted that the Repel expanded with more energy than she’d expected. And she said this umbrella was a bit harder to close than others she tested (she said a friend lost a fake nail while trying to secure it).

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Although we appreciate the Repel umbrella’s sturdy build, the snappy opening and tight tolerances do require a strong spring to drive them. As a result, retracting the shaft back down to its fully folded form takes a bit more force than you might anticipate. But once you’re aware that closing the Repel requires extra effort, it’s likely to become more of an afterthought.

An opened AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella in the color yellow.

We love practically everything about the AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella with Wind Vent . This decently priced umbrella is made with high-quality fabric and has sturdy stitching, and it holds a fierce stance against the wind. Also, its slightly curved handle is comfortable and easy to grip.

The only thing keeping the AmazonBasics umbrella out of our top spot is its relative elusiveness: In the past, this umbrella has gone in and out of stock frequently, and when it disappeared, there was no indication of when it would be back. As of our 2023 update to this guide, the umbrella seems to be available in most color options, so we’re hopeful that stock issues have been fully resolved (and will remain that way).

A closeup of the AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella's wind vent.

What impressed us most about the AmazonBasics model during testing was its windy-weather performance. That’s thanks to the wind vent, a gap in the umbrella’s fabric. The umbrella has two overlapping layers of fabric that lie flat and watertight in the rain; when these layers are caught by wind from underneath, they open, releasing air pressure and preventing the umbrella from inverting. Whether in a blizzard or facing gusts near the top floors of a high-rise apartment building, this umbrella refused to quit against the toughest gales. AmazonBasics also makes a ventless umbrella , but during and after the stress tests, we found that it didn’t hold up as well as the vented one.

A closed AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella in yellow.

Fully closed, the AmazonBasics is just 11 inches long; the fabric of its canopy, however, is thicker than that of the Repel, so when it’s bundled, it’s a bit stockier as well. The round handle is comfortable to hold, as is the wrist strap, and the automatic open-and-close function is as responsive as any we encountered.

After a little over half a year of using the AmazonBasics umbrella, travel and outdoors editor Ria Misra reported that her test model broke. Tim (who’d been testing the AmazonBasics as well as the Repel) said the vented canopy came in handy on the windy hill near where he lives—until the umbrella was forgotten somewhere.

An opened Balios Folding Double Canopy Umbrella in a light color blue.

If you want an umbrella that looks and feels a bit more premium than our other picks, but you don’t quite want to upgrade to a heritage piece, the Balios Folding Double Canopy Umbrella is a great option. Its 37-inch vented canopy expands rapidly when deployed, and the auto-close function is quick, with a satisfying click. The wooden handle is a nice addition, and it was comfortable to hold, though it may seem a bit large in smaller hands. The Balios stood up well to wind in our tests, inverting only when held directly parallel to the wind on a particularly blustery day in the city, and it snapped back easily and quickly.

A closeup of the Balios umbrella's wooden handle.

The wooden handle lacks a wrist strap and feels slicker than the rubberized handle of the Repel. This combo left us worried that the umbrella might be snatched into the air by a particularly strong gust. The handle also made this one of the longest collapsible umbrellas we tested, measuring 13.5 inches when collapsed. Also, though the company takes pains to note that the handle is “ ethically sourced, ” we have been unable to confirm what that means, exactly.

An opened, light blue Lewis N. Clark Umbrella.

If both the Repel and the AmazonBasics umbrellas are out of stock, the Lewis N. Clark Umbrella is another good low-cost option (it was a top pick in a previous version of this guide). It comes in eight colors in addition to black, although black tends to be the cheapest.

One of the most easily portable of the bunch, this travel umbrella is the same height as the AmazonBasics umbrella, and it’s just 10 ounces. Despite this model’s low price, the Lewis N. Clark survived our stress tests with very minor damage, and we’ve had no issues with the units we’ve been using for long-term testing. (Wirecutter’s Sasha VanHoven had the Lewis N. Clark for more than a year and reported that it was “beat up but still kicking!”)

The Lewis N. Clark umbrella in light periwinkle.

Still, compared with our other top picks, the Lewis N. Clark has a lightweight polyester canopy that’s more wrinkly and less taut in certain places—telltale signs of looser quality-control standards. And although its metal ribs are listed as being made of steel, we are nearly certain they’re actually aluminum, judging from their light weight, lack of magnetism, and appearance.

For these reasons, we think most people are better off spending a bit more to get one of our other picks. But if you want something for kids, or you constantly lose umbrellas, the Lewis N. Clark is a good option to consider.

An opened Totes Auto Open Wooden Stick Umbrella in blue.

Stick (or cane) umbrellas are taller and often have significantly larger canopies than their more portable cousins. Plus, they can double as musical props . Though they’re fun to use, they can be a pain to hold with one hand, especially if you’re on the smaller side. But at just over 20 ounces, the Totes Auto Open Wooden Stick Umbrella has good weight distribution, and its 42-inch-wide span kept us dry while we were running around town, even in rough weather. This umbrella was easy to use, and that put it ahead of other similarly sturdy but more expensive stick models, such as the GustBuster Classic (which felt considerably more top-heavy).

A closed Totes Auto Open Wooden Stick Umbrella.

Though it offers the same length and canopy size as the other stick umbrellas we tested, the Totes is significantly cheaper. (And OutdoorGearLab also named this umbrella one of its favorites.) Its canopy is made from a lighter (and likely lower-cost) material compared with the other umbrellas we considered, and we wondered whether it would hold up to strong winds.

During our blizzard tests, however, as hard as Sarah tried, she couldn’t get this umbrella to flip inside out. This could, of course, be considered a flaw: Seeing your umbrella bend alleviates the fear that one sudden, harsh gust will break it. Still, given the price of admission, that risk seems to be one worth taking. James had this umbrella for several years (before it eventually went MIA). And he says it continued to hold up well in city storms, despite being used in a few too many Gene Kelly impressions.

If you’re looking for a classically styled stick umbrella to go with a suit, consider the Davek Elite . It feels sumptuous, with a stitched leather handle, a fiberglass frame, and a 44-inch microfiber canopy, which the company says is “190 thread count.” This umbrella has an equally lofty price tag, and it’s the most expensive of our picks by far. That price is partially justified by Davek’s easy-to-use lifetime guarantee (which includes 50% off a new umbrella if you lose your original ).

A closeup of the Davek Elite's leather stick handle.

The Davek Elite performs exceptionally in the wind: Thanks to its flexible ribs, in our tests it didn’t become a kite in the gusts. Instead, it turned inside out and then easily recovered. This umbrella comes in three colors : black, navy blue, and copper.

It’s worth noting that the Davek Elite’s cane handle measures 5 inches across, which is quite a lot for a smaller hand to manage. There were some mentions in online reviews about the umbrella seeming too big overall. And a few people have complained that the silver tip at the end of their umbrella fell off—an especially unwelcome event, considering the price.

If you want an extremely good (and extremely expensive) travel umbrella: The travel-size Davek Solo is a redesign of a past Davek model that we previously recommended in this guide. The collapsible umbrella was the best we tested, with a comfortable-to-hold handle, a strong canopy, and a surprisingly convenient metal belt clip. It was also the only umbrella that elicited comments from other New Yorkers: One person excitedly told James all about his own Solo, which he’d had for years. But it’s hard to justify spending over $100 on something so small and easy to lose, especially when our main picks are nearly as good and are a fraction of the price.

If you want a solid alternative to our top travel umbrella picks: The LifeTek Traveler 45 FX2 impressed us in our 2018 tests. It withstood being battered by violent gusts without ever inverting, likely because of its vented canopy structure (a design it shares with our runner-up pick, the AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella with Wind Vent ). This was one of the strongest umbrellas we have ever tested. And when we did force it to invert, the canopy snapped back into place without much effort. However, depending on the color, the LifeTek often costs more than our top travel picks, the Repel and AmazonBasics models, and it doesn’t offer enough of an advantage over those to justify making it a pick. That said, because it’s an excellent umbrella with a solid warranty (LifeTek’s two-year “Peace of Mind” replacement guarantee against defects and malfunctions), we feel confident recommending it, especially if you can find it on sale.

A Sharpty inverted umbrella, folded and resting on a wet wooden bench.

Inverted umbrellas are a relatively recent development in “holding something over your head to keep water off” technology. The canopy deploys and collapses in an odd way: unfolding down and out, like a blooming flower, and collapsing up and away from the holder, like a normal umbrella broken by the wind. This is supposed to reduce water dripping onto the floor and make it easier to do things like getting in and out of a car.

We put two inverted umbrellas to the test: the Kazbrella (now discontinued), one of the early examples of this concept, and the Sharpty Inverted , the best-selling inverted stick umbrella on Amazon at the time. Alas, we found the novel design underwhelming.

When we tested the Kazbrella, we noticed extra material on the canopy (there are two layers of fabric, with a flexible structure in between, allowing for the fold). This makes the umbrella more top-heavy than other, similarly sized models, and that can cause extra strain and make the umbrella harder to control in a gust of wind. Also, in order for it to be “drip free,” the umbrella would need to be placed in an umbrella bucket with the canopy up, rather than the handle.

The generic-looking Sharpty Inverted shared the Kazbrella’s problems. It also felt cheap and was difficult to deploy correctly, often requiring a few shakes to get the canopy to fully unfold. And it was a pain to hook its C-shaped handle on a bag strap or a cubical wall (as you can do with most regular stick umbrellas).

With their unique folding style, inverted umbrellas are certainly eye-catching, but in practice they seem to cause more problems than they solve.

If you want your umbrella to keep you dry for a long time, you need to remember to let it dry. Just leave your umbrella open after use—the bathtub is a handy spot. If you don’t, its metal parts—especially an automatic open-and-close function—can corrode. Mildew can also develop in the canopy of a wet umbrella that’s left closed; this not only smells awful but can destroy the fabric over time.

And make sure to let your automatic umbrella do its job, said Peggy Levee, owner of the former New York City umbrella specialty retailer Rain or Shine: If you’re using one with an automatic open-and-close function, do not pull it closed like you would a manual model. “I always point that out to customers,” she said. Over time, that unnecessary tugging could cause the mechanism to break.

A number of colorful umbrellas arranged open on the ground.

Blunt Metro : This is a good travel umbrella if you’re concerned only about the wind. Its shallow, scalloped shape—a direct result of some innovative engineering—shrugged off gusts better than any other umbrella in our test. Unfortunately, we learned that it also does a poor job of keeping you dry when the rain blows sideways.

Bodyguard Inverted Umbrella : This compact model was one of the most popular umbrellas available on Amazon when we first tested it, featuring an impressive 10-rib construction. Though it performed decently in our real-world wind tests, inverting several times without breaking, it was difficult to flip back—a bit too sturdy for its own good. It has since been redesigned with a 12-rib construction; we have not tested the newer model.

Davek Duet : With a 48-inch canopy, this umbrella provides enough shelter for two, yet it’s less than 15 inches long folded and weighs under a pound and a half. It’s wider than most people want or need, but if you’re big or tall, travel in pairs, or just want maximum coverage, it’s worth considering. The eye-watering price is backed by Davek’s unconditional lifetime guarantee .

Davek Mini : If having a really compact umbrella matters to you above all else, this model, which folds down to the size of a banana, is a great choice. When we tested it, the Mini’s tiny, 26-inch canopy could barely keep our head and shoulders dry; the canopy has since been redesigned and expanded to 34 inches, which is likely to be an improvement.

Davek Savile : Hand-assembled in England, this stick umbrella—the granddaddy of Davek’s offerings—is billed as an heirloom piece, and it has a very hefty price tag to match. The handle and shaft are hand-carved from chestnut wood, adding to this umbrella’s weight (30 ounces). It’s impressive, for sure. But for an umbrella of this style, we prefer to save $200 and choose the still-luxe, and more portable, Davek Elite .

EuroSchirm Light Trek : This German travel umbrella is quite good overall, especially given its scant, 9.25-ounce weight. But subpar wind resistance holds it back. The lightweight fiberglass ribs are considerably more flexible than those on other umbrellas, and as a result the canopy collapses easily when blasted head-on and flexes like a leaf in high winds when held upright. This means you’d suffer more inside-out episodes than you would with our picks. Although it didn’t break during testing in a snowstorm, it did look somewhat worse for the wear compared with our picks. But it’s still a decent lightweight choice for less-windy climates.

EuroSchirm Light Trek Automatic : The automatic version has the same issues as the manual version but weighs a lot more.

EuroSchirm Light Trek Automatic Flashlite : This is like the other two EuroSchirm Light Trek models, except it has a small LED flashlight in the handle. That gimmick brings its weight to 13.5 ounces—not a light trekker at all.

GustBuster Metro : This travel umbrella has a well-deserved reputation for durability in the wind: It never came close to inverting during testing. But its strength comes from a complex truss of multiple ribs and springs, making it extremely top-heavy: When the wind catches the canopy, it’s like holding a sledgehammer. That design, plus a hard-plastic handle that’s slick when wet, added up to a losing combination.

GustBuster Classic : Though this stick-style umbrella has a cane handle and a wider canopy than its relative, the GustBuster Metro, their construction is similar. One plus: The contours of the Classic’s cane handle make it easier to manage in the wind. The Classic is a quality tool for a good price, but it didn’t lead the pack in value or function.

Knirps Xtreme Vented Duomatic : This automatic travel umbrella weighs 13 ounces, but its canopy handily opens to an impressive 48 inches—the size of many stick umbrellas. It’s a good choice if you want the coverage but not the hassle of carrying a cane around town. Still, it could be overkill for most people.

Senz Automatic: We had high hopes for this unique umbrella. The main draw is its odd, teardrop shape, which keeps your shoulders and back drier than a typical round canopy. Unfortunately, the long, rear-facing ribs are weak; we damaged one just by cinching the canopy strap.

Totes Signature Clear Bubble Umbrella : The bubble-style umbrella makes sense conceptually, to provide more coverage with a longer canopy that surrounds the user in a sort of traveling dome. But in practice, at least with the Totes Signature Clear Bubble, that extra wall of fabric is just something for the wind to push against, making the umbrella difficult to control, even though it’s light. Also because of its design, the canopy isn’t as wide as on other, similarly sized stick umbrellas, and this limits its protection.

Totes Blue Line Auto Open/Close Umbrella : This umbrella is well reviewed (and we recommend the Totes Auto Open Wooden Stick Umbrella as our favorite lower-priced stick-style umbrella). But the Totes Blue Line compact travel umbrella arrived with a 3-inch rip in one of the canopy seams, and it widened in the wind. Also, one of the ribs tore loose from another section of the canopy during our inversion test. And this umbrella may have stock and availability issues.

Tumi Medium Auto Close Umbrella : This umbrella is average in terms of its size and compactness. And despite its premium price, it didn’t stand out in any particular test.

What’s the best umbrella fabric?

In our testing, there is no singular best fabric for umbrellas. All of the umbrellas we looked at had canopies made of synthetic fabrics like polyester or nylon, and some had an additional quick-dry coat, such as Teflon (but those additions don’t help much). The fabrics all do an equally good job of keeping you dry and shedding water quickly.

How do I choose an umbrella?

Look for an umbrella with a canopy that’s 37 to 39 inches across. This size is good for protecting one person from the rain, and the umbrella can still fold down to a compact package. Similarly, we think one that collapses to 12 inches (when closed) and weighs less than a pound hits the sweet spot: It’s easy to carry an umbrella of this size with you everywhere, yet it will still keep you dry. We suggest the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella for its size, comfortable-to-hold handle, and affordable price.

What’s the best umbrella for windy conditions?

All of our umbrella contenders were tested against stiff winds and fared well. But the AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella with Wind Vent excelled, thanks to the vent at the crown: It lets strong winds pass through without snatching the umbrella from your hands.

This article was edited by Ingela Ratledge Amundson and Jennifer Hunter.

Sara Aranda, The 5 Best Umbrellas , OutdoorGearLab , October 24, 2022

Brett McKay and David Bastistella, The Gentleman’s Guide to Umbrellas , The Art of Manliness , June 12, 2009

Meet your guides

James Austin

James Austin is a staff writer currently covering games and hobbies, but he’s also worked on just about everything Wirecutter covers—from board games to umbrellas—and after being here for a few years he has gained approximate knowledge of many things. In his free time he enjoys taking photos, running D&D, and volunteering for a youth robotics competition.

Daniel Varghese

Sarah J. Robbins

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A Guide to Conducting Reviews: Umbrella Review

Literature Review
Systematic Review
Meta-Analysis
Scoping Review
Rapid Review
Umbrella Review
How and Where to Search?
Courses and Webinars
Helpful Tools
Service Charter
Online Consultation Form
Publications Co-authored by AUB University Librarians
Subject librarians

Definition : Also known as 'review of reviews', an umbrella review allows the findings of reviews relevant to a review question to be compared and contrasted. Often defines a broader question than is typical of a traditional systematic review. Most useful when there are competing interventions to consider.

Aim : To determine what is known on a topic, what remains unknown, and recommendations are made for what requires future research.

Key characteristics : Considers for inclusion only the highest level of incidence namely other systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Focuses on broad condition or problem for which there are competing interventions and highlights reviews that address these interventions and their results.

Strengths : Compiles evidence from multiple reviews into one accessible and usable document.

Drawbacks/Limitations : For an umbrella review to be useful requires the pre-existence of the narrower component reviews.

11 Best Rain Umbrellas to Keep You Dry in Any Storm

From compact to large sizes, these picks can help protect you against the heaviest wind and rain.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

There's no denying that a good umbrella is essential for a rainy day, and all it takes is one storm for you to learn that not all umbrellas are of the highest quality. Besides being able to stand up to rain and wind, umbrellas should be easy to open and close while remaining comfortable and convenient to carry, and they should stand the test of time.

There are plenty of umbrellas to choose from, but it can be difficult to figure out which one is the perfect fit for you without testing out every option. The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab reviews wet weather gear of all kinds, from rain jackets to rain boots , and we've made picking an umbrella a bit easier. We tested umbrellas for factors like ease of use, durability, coverage size and most importantly, how waterproof they are (because some actually failed our tests when we added water pressure to mimic a storm!). The umbrellas ahead are either top performers from our tests or newer styles with unique features and rave reviews from real users.

Our top picks:

Best Overall Umbrella

Samsonite windguard auto open umbrella.

Best Value Umbrella

Sy compact travel umbrella.

Best Umbrella on Amazon

Repel windproof travel umbrella.

Best Compact Umbrella

Totes micro mini manual compact umbrella.

Best Umbrella for Kids

Stephen joseph pop up umbrella.

Best Umbrella for the Car

Betterbrella deluxe umbrella.

Best Golf Umbrella

Weatherman golf umbrella.

Best Full-Coverage Umbrella

Totes clear bubble umbrella.

Best Umbrella for Crowds

Blunt metro umbrella.

Best Fashion Umbrella

Rifle paper co. umbrella.

Use this windproof umbrella for heavy downpours and strong gusts . It proved super durable and was the top performer in our tests when we checked how easily umbrellas flip inside out and how sturdily the spokes are attached to the fabric. This size is compact, so it's easy to carry around, but you can buy the golf-size version to cover a wider area. Good Housekeeping Institute’s Textiles Product Reviews Analyst Grace Wu used this pick during a storm and says, “I’ve never used an umbrella that made me feel as protected — it felt like a normal windy spring day under this umbrella, even though I could see the rainstorm in front of me."

Umbrellas can get pricey, but this one is a great deal . Despite its low cost, it still has thousands of positive reviews highlighting its appearance and compact size. Our Lab experts are impressed that this umbrella features automatic opening and closure at such an affordable price. It also weighs in at less than a pound and has a 41-inch arc (the area an umbrella can cover) when opened to keep you dry.

Repel’s windproof travel umbrella has received over 25,000 five-star ratings, making it Amazon’s top choice for folding umbrellas. The umbrella ribs are made with fiberglass and are reinforced with resin for added strength and to prevent the canopy (top of the umbrella) from flipping during use. In our Lab tests, we found that umbrellas with vented canopies performed best for wind resistance, and this pick features a double vented top to allow wind to easily pass through.

If you always forget to pack an umbrella, this one from Totes is super lightweight and compact so you can leave it in your bag just in case you get caught in the rain. Despite its small size when folded, it provides good coverage from the rain when it's opened with a 38-inch arc. Plus, this pick was one of our top-tested umbrellas overall. It held up well in our durability tests, and we found it easy to open and close, even though it’s a manual model.

With kid-friendly characters, a comfortable curved handle and a lightweight structure , this small-sized umbrella is a good pick for children to carry on their own. Each canopy design features 3D components that add a fun factor, and the canopy provides plenty of coverage for kids at 29 inches across. We love that the frame is designed to be simple for kids to push up and pull down to help reduce the risk of their fingers being pinched when opening or closing their umbrella.

Most umbrellas leave you exposed to the rain when you try to open or close them, causing you to end up soaked. This genius design is reversible. Instead of closing towards you, the umbrella canopy folds away from you , meaning water gets trapped inside of the canopy instead of dripping all over you and your things. It also has an auto-open handle, so you don’t have to struggle with opening your umbrella as you’re leaving the car. And it can easily slip through a cracked car door as you close it.

This heavy-duty stick umbrella is built to withstand strong wind gusts with a vented canopy and fiberglass rods . It provides a noteworthy amount of coverage with its 68-inch wide arc — almost double the size of some compact umbrellas — so it’s a good choice to keep you and your family dry. The canopy is made with UPF 50+ fabric, which means it provides rain and sun protection. Although it’s pricey, you can expect it to last thanks to its durable construction. If you prefer a smaller size to carry in your bag, it also comes in a compact travel version .

This clear bubble umbrella has a dome-shaped canopy, which provides more coverage than a traditional umbrella . Good Housekeeping Institute’s Lab experts find the deep 51-inch arc on this umbrella to be great for completely covering your head and keeping you protected from the rain at all angles. The see-through plastic material used for the canopy means it won’t block your view as you navigate rainy weather, and it’s easy to wipe clean. It also works well as protection for rainy-day photos.

Blunt’s metro umbrella is a top pick for walking through large crowds or big cities because of its rounded edges . Umbrella canopies keep their shape with the help of long spokes, which usually stick out around the umbrella’s edge. This pick’s spokes are hidden within small pockets of fabric, so it’s less likely to poke fellow pedestrians and is a safer umbrella option to have around kids. The canopy is also designed to spin when bumped, making it suitable for busy areas.

Add some fun to your rainy day with this colorful umbrella. Rifle Paper Co. has released a line of umbrellas featuring some of their most popular prints and patterns. This stylish umbrella is compact and comes complete with a matching sleeve, which makes it a great option to carry in your bag. Our Textile Lab experts love the automatic open and close feature and that it provides a good amount of coverage at 43 inches wide, even though it’s compact in size when closed. Plus, Rifle Paper Co. uses its patterns across a variety of merchandise , so can match your umbrella to your face masks and tote bag .

Senz Manual Folding Umbrella

It may look a little strange, but this umbrella is designed using aerodynamics to prevent it from flipping in heavy winds . It's also constructed with a light frame to make it feel like it’s floating in the wind, allowing you to carry it with only one hand. Senz even offers to repair your umbrella if its damaged or send free replacement parts to help your umbrella last even longer.

How we test umbrellas

an umbrella fabric swatch attached to plastic backing being sprayed by simulated rain in good housekeeping's textile lab

At the Good Housekeeping Institute , we test umbrellas in our Textiles Lab for a variety of characteristics, including ease of use, performance and durability. In our most recent umbrella tests, we collected and examined hundreds of data points to find top umbrella performers, including our best overall pick from Samsonite . We used a spray test to mimic a light rain shower, as well as our unique rain tester to simulate a penetrating storm (pictured above). The tester sprays pressurized and temperature-controlled water at a swatch of umbrella fabric that is backed by an absorbent paper. After the rain test, we measure how much water the backing paper has absorbed. The less water that has penetrated through the umbrella fabric and to the absorbent paper, the better the umbrella is at wicking moisture and keeping you dry.

To analyze an umbrella's resistance to flipping inside out, Lab experts calculated the force needed to invert each tested umbrella's canopy and also measured the strength of umbrella spokes with a specialized Instron machine. Along with these larger tests, the Textiles Lab measured the weight and size of popular umbrellas, analyzed how easily they could be opened and closed and rated features like handle grip and coverage size.

What to look for when shopping for the best umbrellas

Buying an umbrella may seem simple enough — they're all meant to keep you dry. But there are many features of an umbrella you should consider when making a purchase. Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for an umbrella:

✔️ Size : Most umbrellas have a diameter between 30 to 40 inches, which is the measurement of an umbrella canopy from side to side. Another common measurement used to classify umbrellas is the arc, or the measurement of an umbrella canopy's coverage. Smaller arcs start around 30 inches, while some umbrellas may have arcs up to 70 inches. Umbrellas vary in size and coverage depending on the intended use. If you're looking for a travel-sized umbrella that's lightweight and easy to put in a purse or suitcase, chances are it'll have a smaller diameter and arc and will provide less coverage when you open it. On the flip side, larger umbrellas that provide you with more coverage tend to be bulkier and heavier when they're folded down.

✔️ Opening mechanism: Your main choices are manual (you push it open and closed yourself), auto-open (you push a button to automatically open it, but close it yourself) or auto open/close (you can open and close the umbrella with the push of a button). This one's a matter of personal preference. Keep in mind that some of the manual umbrellas were still super easy to open in our testing.

✔️ Vents: If you want to prevent your umbrella from flipping inside out in the wind, look for an option with vents. Vents are small slits or openings in an umbrella canopy that allow wind to pass through more easily. Without vents, wind gets trapped against the umbrella and pushes the canopy outward, leaving you with an unusable umbrella and no protection from the rain.

✔️ Price : While price isn't necessarily an indicator of overall product quality, you may discover that buying the cheapest option will result in having to buy more umbrellas in the long run. Some umbrellas just can't stand up to lots of use.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Lexie Sachs is the Executive Director of the Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute . She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fiber Science from Cornell University and more than 15 years experience in the textiles industry, including merchandising and product development for home products. Lexie joined Good Housekeeping in 2013 and has extensively tested all types home and apparel products — including mattresses , face masks , sustainable clothing and more — using specialized lab equipment and with hundreds of consumer testers.

Amanda Constantine joined the Good Housekeeping Institute in 2022 as a home & apparel reviews analyst. She has a Master of Science in Consumer Sciences from The Ohio State University, along with undergraduate degrees in apparel merchandising and marketing communications. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping, she served as a lecturer at The Ohio State University, teaching fashion and textiles courses and conducting research.

Lexie Sachs (she/her) is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a lead reviewer of products in the bedding, travel, lifestyle, home furnishings and apparel spaces. She has over 15 years of experience in the consumer products industry and a degree in fiber science from Cornell University. Lexie serves as an expert source both within Good Housekeeping and other media outlets, regularly appearing on national broadcast TV segments. Prior to joining GH in 2013, Lexie worked in merchandising and product development in the fashion and home industries.

Amanda (she/her) researches and reports on products in the Good Housekeeping Institute 's Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab, ranging from clothing and accessories to home furnishings. She holds undergraduate degrees in apparel merchandising and product development and advertising and marketing communications, as well as a master of science degree in consumer sciences from The Ohio State University. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Amanda was a lecturer for the fashion and retail studies program at Ohio State, where she taught fashion and textiles courses.

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Paolo Fusar-Poli 1 , 2 , 3 ,
Joaquim Radua 1 , 4 , 5
1 Early Psychosis: Interventions and Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience , King’s College London , London , UK
2 OASIS Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust , London , UK
3 Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences , University of Pavia , Pavia , Italy
4 FIDMAG Germanes Hospitalaries, CIBERSAM , Barcelona , Spain
5 Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience , Karolinska Institute , Stockholm , Sweden
Correspondence to Dr Paolo Fusar-Poli, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, London SE5 8AF, UK; paolo.fusar-poli{at}kcl.ac.uk

Objective Evidence syntheses such as systematic reviews and meta-analyses provide a rigorous and transparent knowledge base for translating clinical research into decisions, and thus they represent the basic unit of knowledge in medicine. Umbrella reviews are reviews of previously published systematic reviews or meta-analyses. Therefore, they represent one of the highest levels of evidence synthesis currently available, and are becoming increasingly influential in biomedical literature. However, practical guidance on how to conduct umbrella reviews is relatively limited.

Methods We present a critical educational review of published umbrella reviews, focusing on the essential practical steps required to produce robust umbrella reviews in the medical field.

Results The current manuscript discusses 10 key points to consider for conducting robust umbrella reviews. The points are: ensure that the umbrella review is really needed, prespecify the protocol, clearly define the variables of interest, estimate a common effect size, report the heterogeneity and potential biases, perform a stratification of the evidence, conduct sensitivity analyses, report transparent results, use appropriate software and acknowledge the limitations. We illustrate these points through recent examples from umbrella reviews and suggest specific practical recommendations.

Conclusions The current manuscript provides a practical guidance for conducting umbrella reviews in medical areas. Researchers, clinicians and policy makers might use the key points illustrated here to inform the planning, conduction and reporting of umbrella reviews in medicine.

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebmental-2018-300014

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Introduction

Medical knowledge traditionally differs from other domains of human culture by its progressive nature, with clear standards or criteria for identifying improvements and advances. Evidence-based synthesis methods are traditionally thought to meet these standards. They can be thought of as the basic unit of knowledge in medicine, and allow making sense of several and often contrasting findings, which is crucial to advance clinical knowledge. In fact, clinicians accessing international databases such as PubMed to find the best evidence on a determinate topic may soon feel overwhelmed with too many findings, often contradictory and not replicating each other. Some authors have argued that biomedical science 1 suffers from a serious replication crisis, 2 to the point that scientifically, replication becomes equally as—or even more—important than discovery. 3 For example, extensive research has investigated the factors that may be associated with an increased (risk factors) or decreased (protective factors) likelihood of developing serious mental disorders such as psychosis. Despite several decades of research, results have been inconclusive because published findings have been conflicting and affected by several types of biases. 4 Systematic reviews and meta-analyses aim to synthesise the findings and investigate the biases. However, as the number of reviews of meta-analyses also increased, clinicians may also feel overwhelmed with too many of them.

Umbrella reviews have been developed to overcome such a gap of knowledge. They are reviews of previously published systematic reviews or meta-analyses, and consist in the repetition of the meta-analyses following a uniform approach for all factors to allow their comparison. 5 Therefore, they represent one of the highest levels of evidence synthesis currently available ( figure 1 ). Not surprisingly, umbrella reviews are becoming increasingly influential in biomedical literature. This is empirically confirmed by the proliferation of this type of studies over the recent years. In fact, by searching ‘umbrella review’ in the titles of articles published on Web of Knowledge (up to 1 April 2018), we found a substantial increase in the number of umbrella reviews published over the past decade, as detailed in figure 2 . The umbrella reviews identified through our literature search were investigating a wide portion of medical branches ( figure 3 ). Furthermore, several protocols of upcoming umbrella reviews have been recently published, confirming the exponential trend. 6–12

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Hierarchy of evidence synthesis methods.

Web of Knowledge records containing ’umbrella review' in their title up to April 2018.

Focus of umbrella reviews published in Web of Knowledge (see figure 2— up to April 2018).

However, guidance on how to conduct or report umbrella reviews is relatively limited. 5 The current manuscript addresses this area by providing practical tips for conducting good umbrella reviews in medical areas. Rather than being an exhaustive primer on the methodological underpinning of umbrella reviews, we only highlight 10 key points that to our opinion are essential for conducting robust umbrella reviews. As reference example, we will use an umbrella review on risk and protective factors for psychotic disorders recently completed by our group. 13 However, we generalise the considerations presented in this manuscript and the relative recommendations to any other area of medical knowledge.

Educational and critical (non-systematic) review of the literature focusing on key practical issues that are necessary for conducting and reporting robust umbrella reviews. The authors selected illustrative umbrella reviews to highlight key methodological findings. In the results, we present 10 simple key points that the authors of umbrella reviews should carefully address when planning and conducting umbrella reviews in the medical field.

Ensure that the umbrella review is really needed

The decision to develop a new umbrella review in medical areas of knowledge should be stimulated by several factors, e.g. the topic of interest may be highly controversial or it may be affected by potential biases that have not been investigated systematically. The authors can explore these issues in the existing literature. For example, they may want to survey and identify a few examples of meta-analyses on the same topic that present contrasting findings. Second, a clear link between the need to address uncertainty and advancing clinical knowledge should be identified a priori, and acknowledged as the strong rationale for conducting an umbrella review. For example, in our previous work we speculated that by clarifying the evidence for an association between risk or protective factors and psychotic disorders we could improve our ability to identify those individuals at risk of developing psychosis. 13 Clearly, improving the detection of individuals at risk is the first step towards the implementation of preventive approaches, which are becoming a cornerstone of medicine. 14–16 Third, provided that the two points are satisfactory, it is essential to check whether there are enough meta-analyses that address a determinate topic. 17 Larger databases can increase the statistical power and therefore improve accurateness of the estimates and interpretability of the results. Furthermore, they are also likely to reflect a topic of wider interest and impact for clinical practice. These considerations are of particular relevance when considering the mass production of useless evidence synthesis studies that are redundant, not necessary and addressing clinically irrelevant outcomes. 18

Prespecify the protocol

As for any other evidence synthesis approach, it is essential to prepare a study protocol ahead of initiating the work and upload it to international databases such as PROSPERO ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ). The authors may also publish the protocol in an open-access journal, as it is common for randomised controlled trials. The protocol should clearly define the methods for reviewing the literature and extracting data and the statistical analysis plan. Importantly, specific inclusion and exclusion criteria should be prespecified. For example, inclusion criteria from our umbrella review 13 were: (a) systematic reviews or meta-analyses of individual observational studies (case-control, cohort, cross-sectional and ecological studies) that examined the association between risk or protective factors and psychotic disorders; (b) studies considering any established diagnosis of non-organic psychotic disorders defined by the International Classification of Disease (ICD) or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM); (c) inclusion of a comparison group of non-psychotic healthy controls, as defined by each study and (d) studies reporting enough data to perform the analyses. Similarly, the reporting of the literature search should adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses recommendations 19 and additional specific guidelines depending on the nature of the studies included (eg, in case of observational studies, the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines 20 ). Quality assessment of the included studies is traditionally required in evidence synthesis studies. In the absence of specific guidelines for quality assessment in umbrella reviews, A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews, a validated instrument 21 22 can be used.

Clearly define the variables of interest

Umbrella reviews are traditionally conducted to measure the association between certain factors and a determinate clinical outcome. The first relevant point to conducting a good umbrella review is therefore to define consistent and reliable factors and outcomes to be analysed.

The definition of the type of factor (eg, risk factor or biomarker) of interest may be particularly challenging. For example, in our review we found that childhood trauma was considered as a common risk factor for psychosis, 13 but available literature lacked standard operationalisation. Our pragmatic approach was to define the factors as each meta-analysis or systematic review had defined them. Another issue relates to whether and how analysts should group similar factors. For example, in our umbrella review 13 we wondered whether to merge the first-generation immigrant and second-generation immigrant risk factors for psychosis in a unique category of ‘immigrants’. However, this would have introduced newly defined categories of risk factors that were not available in the underlying literature. Our solution was not to combine similar factors if the meta-analysis or systematic review had considered and analysed them separately. Similarly, it may be important not to split categories into subgroups (eg, childhood sexual abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse) if the meta-analysis or systematic review had considered them as a whole (eg, childhood trauma). Restricting the analyses to only the factors that each individual meta-analysis or systematic review had originally introduced may mitigate the risk of introducing newly defined factors not originally present in the literature. Such an approach is also advantageous to minimise the risk of artificially inflating the sample size by creating large and unpublished factors, therefore biassing the hierarchical classification of the evidence. The additional problem may be that a meta-analysis or a systematic review could report both results, that is , pooled across categories and divided according to specific subgroups. In this case, it is important to define a priori what kind of results is to be used. Pooled results may be preferred since they usually include larger sample sizes. Finally, there may be two meta-analyses or systematic reviews that address the same factor or that include individual studies that are overlapping. In our previous umbrella review, we selected the meta-analysis or systematic review with the largest database and the most recent one. 13

A collateral challenge in this domain may relate to the type of factors that analysts should exclude. For example, in our previous umbrella review 13 we decided to focus on risk and protective factors for psychosis only, and not on biomarkers. However, in the lack of clear etiopathogenic mechanisms for the onset of psychosis, the boundaries between biomarkers collected before the onset of the disorder and risk and protective factors were not always clear. To solve this problem, we have again adopted a pragmatic approach, adopting the definitions of risk and protective factors versus biomarker as provided by each article included in the umbrella review. A further point is that if systematic reviews are included, some of them may not have performed quantitative data on specific factors.

The additional challenge would be that individual meta-analyses or systematic reviews might have similar but not identical definition of these outcomes. For example, we intended to investigate only psychotic disorders defined by standard international validated diagnostic manuals such as the ICD or the DSM. We found that some meta-analyses that were apparently investigating psychotic disorders in reality did also include studies that were measuring psychotic symptoms not officially coded in these manuals. 13 To overcome this problem, we took the decision to verify the same inclusion and exclusion criteria that were used for reviewing the literature (eg, inclusion of DSM or ICD psychotic disorders) for each individual study included in every eligible meta-analysis or systematic review. 13 Such a process is extremely time-consuming and analysts should account for it during the early planning stages to ensure sufficient resources are in place. The authors of an umbrella review may also exclusively rely on the information provided in the systematic reviews and meta-analyses, although in that case the analysts should clearly acknowledge its potential limitations in the text. Alternatively, they may rely on the systematic reviews and meta-analyses to conduct a preselection of the factors with a greater level of evidence, and then verify the data for each individual study of these (much fewer) factors.

Estimate a common effect size

The systematic reviews and meta-analyses use different measures of effect size depending on the design and analytical approach of the studies that they review. For example, meta-analyses of case-control studies may use standardised mean differences such as the Hedge’s g to compare continuous variables, and odd ratios (ORs) to compare binary variables. Similarly, meta-analyses of cohort studies comparing incidences between exposed and non-exposed may use a ratio of incidences such as the incidence rate ratio (IRR). In addition, other measures of effect size are possible. The use of these different measures of effect size is enriching because each of them is appropriate for a type of studies, and thus we recommend also using them in the umbrella review. For example, a hazard ratio (HR) may be very appropriate for summarising a survival analysis, while it would be hard to interpret in a cross-sectional study, ultimately preventing the readers from easily getting a glimpse of the current evidence.

However, one of the main aims of an umbrella is also to allow a comparison of the size of the effects across all factors investigated, and the use of a common effect size for all factors clearly makes this comparison straightforward. For example, in our previous umbrella review of risk and protective factors for psychosis, we found that the effect size of parental communication deviance (a vague, fragmented and contradictory intrafamilial communication) was Hedge’s g =1.35, whereas the effect size of heavy cannabis use was OR=5.17. 13 Which of these factors had a larger effect? To allow a straightforward comparison, we converted all effect sizes to OR, and the equivalent OR of parental communication deviance was 11.55. Thus, reporting an equivalent OR for each factor, the readers can straightforwardly compare the factors and conclude that the effect size of parental communication deviance is substantially larger than the effect size of heavy cannabis use. To further facilitate the comparison of factors, the analysts may even force all equivalent OR to be greater than 1 (ie, inverting any OR<1). For example, in our previous umbrella review, we found that the equivalent OR of self-directedness was 0.17. 13 The inversion of this OR would be 5.72, which the reader could straightforwardly compare with other equivalent ORs>1.

An exact conversion of an effect size into an equivalent OR may not always be possible, because the measures of effect size may be inherently different and the calculations may need data that may be unavailable. For example, to convert an IRR into an OR, the analysts should first convert the IRR into a risk ratio (RR), and then the RR into an OR. However, an IRR and a RR have an important difference: the IRR accounts for the time that the researchers could follow each individual, while the RR only considers the initial sizes of the samples. In addition, even if the analysts could convert the IRR into a RR, they could not convert the RR into an OR without knowing the incidence in the non-exposed, which the papers may not report.

Fortunately, approximate conversions are relatively straightforward 23 ( table 1 ). On the one hand, the analysts may assume that HRs, IRRs, RRs and ORs are approximately equivalent as far as the incidence is not too large. Similarly, they may also assume that Cohen’s d , Glass’Δ and Hedge’s g are approximately equivalent as far as the variances in patients and controls are not too different and the sample sizes are not too small. On the other hand, the analysts can convert Hedge’s g into equivalent OR using a standard formula. 23 For other measures such as the risk difference, the ratio of means or the mean difference, the analyst will need a few general estimations ( table 1 ). In any case, such approximations are acceptable because the only aim of the equivalent OR is to provide a visual number to allow an easy comparison of the effect sizes of the different factors.

View inline

Possible conversions of some effect sizes to equivalent ORs

Report the heterogeneity and potential biases

As with single meta-analyses, an umbrella review should study and report the heterogeneity across the studies included in each meta-analysis and the potential biases in the studies to show a more complete picture of the evidence. Independently of the effect size and the p value, the level of evidence of an effect (eg, a risk factor) is lower when there is large heterogeneity, as well as when there is potential reporting or excess significance bias. The presence of a large between-study heterogeneity may indicate, for example, that there are two groups of studies investigating two different groups of patients, and the results of a single meta-analysis for the two groups may not represent either of the groups. The presence of potential reporting bias, on the other hand, might mean that studies are only published timely in indexed journals if they find one type of results, for example, if they find that a given psychotherapy works. Of course, if the meta-analysis only includes these studies, the results will be that the psychotherapy works, even if it does not. Analysts can explore the reporting bias that affects the smallest studies with a number of tools, such as the funnel plot, Egger and similar tests and trim and fill methods. 4 Finally, the presence of potential excess significance bias would mean that the number of studies with statistically significant results is suspiciously high, and this may be related to reporting bias and to other issues such as data dredging. 4

Perform a stratification of evidence

A more detailed analysis of the umbrella reviews identified in our literature search revealed that some of them, pertaining to several clinical medical areas (neurology, oncology, nutrition medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, paediatrics, dermatology and neurosurgery) additionally stratified the evidence using a classification method. This classification was obtained through strict criteria, equal or similar to the one listed below 24–26 :

convincing (class I) when number of cases>1000, p<10 −6 , I 2 <50%, 95% prediction interval excluding the null, no small-study effects and no excess significance bias;

highly suggestive (class II) when number of cases>1000, p<10 −6 , largest study with a statistically significant effect and class I criteria not met;

suggestive (class III) when number of cases>1000, p<10 −3 and class I–II criteria not met;

weak (class IV) when p<0.05 and class I–III criteria not met;

non-significant when p>0.05.

We strongly recommend the use of these or similar criteria because they allow an objective, standardised classification of the level of evidence. However, the analysts should not forget that the variables used in these criteria are continuous and the set of cut-off points are only cut-off points. For example, the difference between a factor that includes 1000 patients and a factor that includes 1001 patients is negligible, but according to the criteria, the former can only be class IV, whereas the latter could be class I.

Conduct (study-level) sensitivity analyses

Depending on the type of umbrella review (eg, risk or protective factors, biomarkers etc), a few sensitivity analyses may enrich the final picture. For instance, in an umbrella review of potential risk and protective factors, establishing the temporality of the association is critical in order to minimise reverse causation. This may be seen in scenarios similar to the following example: many smokers quit smoking after developing lung cancer, and thus a cross-sectional study could report that the prevalence of lung cancer is higher in ex-smokers than in smokers, and erroneously conclude that quitting smoking causes lung cancer. To avoid this reverse causation, studies must address the temporality, that is, observing that patients first developed lung cancer and after quit smoking, rather than the other way round. In an umbrella review, the analysts may address temporality with a sensitivity analysis that includes only prospective studies. Our recent umbrella review provides an example of sensitivity analyses investigating temporality of association. 13

Report transparent results

An umbrella review generates a wealth of interesting data, but the analysts should present them adequately in order to achieve one of the main aims: to summarise clearly the evidence. This is not always straightforward. They may design tables or plots that report all information of interest in a simplified way. One approach could be, for example, including a table with the effect size (and its CI), the equivalent OR, the features used for the classification of the level of evidence and the resulting evidence. Parts of this table could be graphical, for example, the analysts may choose to present the equivalent OR as a forest plot. In any case, the readers should be able to know easily the effect size and the degree of evidence of the factors from the tables and plots. Table 2 shows a summary of the key statistics that we suggest to report in any umbrella review.

Use appropriate software

The analysts can conduct a large part of the calculations of an umbrella review with usual meta-analytical software, such as ‘meta’, ‘metafor’ or ‘metansue’ packages for R. 27–29 Some software includes better estimation methods of the between-study heterogeneity than others, 30–32 but this may probably represent a minor difference. That said, we recommend that the meta-analytical software is complete enough to fit random-effects models, assess between-study heterogeneity, estimate prediction intervals and assess potential reporting bias.

However, even if using good meta-analytic software, the analysts will still have to write the code for some parts of the umbrella review. On the one hand, some specific computations may not be available in standard software, such as the estimation of the statistical power in some studies, required to evaluate excess significance bias. On the other hand, meta-analytic software aims to conduct and show the results of one meta-analysis, whereas an umbrella review may include hundreds of meta-analyses, for what the analysts will have to manage and show the results of all these meta-analyses as an integrated set. For example, to create the forest plots, the analysts may write a code that takes the results of the different meta-analyses as if they were individual studies, and then calls the forest plot function of the meta-analytic software (without displaying a pooled effect). We are developing new and free umbrella review software to minimise these burdens.

Acknowledge its limitations

To report transparently the evidence, the analysts must adequately acknowledge the limitations of the umbrella review. Some limitations may be specific of a given umbrella, and others are relatively general. Among them, probably one of the most important issues is that umbrella reviews can only report what researchers have investigated, published and systematically reviewed or meta-analysed. For example, a factor may have an amazingly strong effect, but if few studies have investigated the factor, it will probably be classified as only class IV evidence because of involving <1000 patients. Indeed, if the factor was not part of any systematic review or meta-analysis, it would not be even included in the umbrella review. Fortunately, given the mass production of evidence synthesis studies it is also unlikely that a relevant area of medical knowledge is not addressed by any published systematic review or meta-analysis. 18 On the other hand, an umbrella could include all studies published, beyond those included in published reviews, but this would require updating the literature search at the level of each subdomain included in the umbrella review. This extra work would highly increase the already very high working time needed to conduct an umbrella review, to the level that most umbrella reviews could become unfeasible. Furthermore, it would probably involve the definition of new subgroups or factors that the systematic review or meta-analysis had not originally reported, making the interpretation of the final findings more difficult. Another issue is that the use of a systematic approach analysis would not allow conducting the rigorous assessment of several types of biases. Finally, a similar limitation is that the umbrella review will have most of the limitations of the included studies. For instance, if the latter assess association but not causation, the umbrella review will assess association but not causation.

Conclusions

Umbrella reviews are becoming widely used as a means to provide one of the highest levels of evidence in medical knowledge. Key points to be considered to conducting robust umbrella reviews are to ensure that they are really needed, prespecify the protocol, clearly define the variables of interest, estimate a common effect size, report the heterogeneity and potential biases, perform a stratification of the evidence, conduct (study-level) sensitivity analyses, report transparent results, use appropriate software and acknowledge the limitations.

Recommended elements in the summary tables or plots

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by a King’s College London Confidence in Concept award (MC_PC_16048) from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to PFP and a Miguel Servet Research Contract (MS14/00041) to JR from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).

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Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in thepublic, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interests None declared.

Patient consent Not required.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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The 8 Best Umbrella Stands for Your Deck or Patio

Unless you want your umbrella to take flight, it’s important to invest in a sturdy stand.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

The best patio umbrella stands are made of materials like concrete or steel, heavy enough to prevent your umbrella from taking flight. There are also hollow plastic bases designed to be filled with sand or water. A good umbrella stand should last at least five years. Most high-quality stands cost $100 or more, and it’s well worth the investment.

Since you likely already own your own patio umbrella, the stand you buy must be compatible with it. Along with material, the type, size, and weight are just a few top considerations, plus there are nice-to-have features, including wheels at the base so you can easily move it to wherever the sun is. To help you navigate the options and narrow down your selection, we’ve rounded up some of the best umbrella stands in a range of styles and sizes.

The Best Umbrella Stands

Best Overall: California Umbrella Round Base
Best Value: Abba Patio Water-Filled Patio Umbrella Stand
Best Decorative: 17 Stories Tomeika Cast-Iron Free-Standing
Best With Wheels: Best Choice Products Fillable Mobile Umbrella Stand
Best Budget Through-Table: DC America Cast Stone Umbrella Base

What to Consider

Shape, finish, and decorative details aside, umbrella stands look more or less the same. But there's a difference in type, depending on how and where it's being used. Freestanding umbrella stands can be placed anywhere on a patio or deck, whereas through-table umbrella stands are made specifically for outdoor dining tables. As you may guess, freestanding umbrella stands like our top pick are generally heavier than models supported by a table’s center hole. This makes them sturdier and capable of holding your umbrellas upright on their own.

Stands made exclusively for under-table use are usually smaller and lighter than their freestanding contemporaries. This makes them more discreet and less noticeable when installed; holding your umbrella upright without infringing on anyone’s leg room.

Size and Weight

The base has to be sturdy enough to support the canopy’s weight—and the right size to accommodate the pole. Luckily, umbrella stands usually list compatible umbrella sizes, though as a rule of thumb, 9-foot-wide umbrellas require a base that’s 50 pounds or more.

If you have an umbrella larger than 9 feet wide, consider getting a stand that can be filled for added weight. These stands have wide bottom compartments that can be filled with sand or water to accommodate larger umbrella sizes. As for the pole, most are a standard 1.5 to 2.5 inches, so compatibility is typically less of an issue.

Many umbrella bases made from heavy materials, like concrete or cast iron. These require very little setup and are durable by design. Because they are naturally heavy, all you have to do is slide in your umbrella in, and it’s ready to go. These are typically more expensive than other options, but should make up for that due to their longevity.

If you’re looking for a less expensive stand, there are also several plastic stands that have empty interiors. These are filled with water, sand, or a combination of both for weight. As a result, they are much lighter when empty. This makes them more maneuverable if you plan on moving your umbrella to multiple spots on your patio.

Wheeled Base

Because patio umbrella stands typically weigh at least 50 pounds, they are cumbersome to move around. Many combat the relative lack of mobility by adding wheels to the base. So when it's time to move your patio umbrella, simply tilt back and roll.

Some have four wheels beneath the base instead of two for an even push and pull without tilting. If your patio umbrella is large, with a canopy that spans 11 feet or more, a four-wheel base is easier and safer than a two-wheeled one which requires tilting. There are also higher-end models with locking castors, which are the easiest to move.

How We Selected

We here at Popular Mechanics have been covering outdoor umbrellas and outdoor equipment for a long time, and cross referenced all of our research for this article with many of the related articles we have previously published. Alongside our internal work, we also heavily researched several options including many from popular, trusted brands like California Umbrella, Abba, and Best Choice Products.

We considered the weight and features of each base, as well as its compatibility with different size umbrellas, selecting options that are versatile and easy to use. The previous writer of this article personally owns the Best Choice Products Fillable Mobile Umbrella Base, which we cover below . She liked it for its mobility and easy locking mechanism.

California Umbrella Round Base Umbrella Stand

Our best overall pick provides stability and durability in a classic, minimalist design that works with any patio style. This heavy-duty umbrella stand is generally suitable for 9-foot umbrellas, and it comes in four different finishes to match your umbrella’s pole and frame.

The umbrella stand is made from powder-coated steel which prevents rust and corrosion over time, so feel free to leave it out in the rainy season as well as the summer.

The interior is filled with concrete, which adds the majority of the 50 pound total weight.

Abba Patio Water-Filled Patio Umbrella Stand

You can support a freestanding umbrella up to 9 feet in diameter with the umbrella stand. It’s made of recycled plastic and finished with a protective powder coating that gives it a cast iron appearance.

Because it has an empty interior, this is an incredibly maneuverable stand. It weighs less than 15 pounds and can be carried in one hand and placed anywhere on your patio. When filled with water or sand, the stand weights up to 50 pounds.

This stand is compatible with poles between 1.5 and 2 inches in diameter and can be hosed down to clean. Just keep in mind that you may need to tighten the knob occasionally, as it may loosen over time.

Best Choice Products Fillable Mobile Umbrella Stand

The Best Choice Products Mobile umbrella stand is equipped with four locking wheels, making the most mobile option on our list. Our tester loved that it rolls smoothly across wood, gravel, and even shortly trimmed grass with ease.

The base is made from heavy-duty plastic that holds up well season after season, even when left out in the rain. Our tester also found that it’s easy to fill, as you can rest it on its side to fill it up with either water or sand for a maximum weight of 123 pounds.

Because it’s significantly heavier than other bases, it’s suitable for umbrellas with a canopy diameter up to 12 feet—ideal if you’re looking to create a large shaded area in your yard—and after several months of use, it’s never once tipped over, even on windy days.

Best Choice Products Portable Steel Umbrella Base Stand

Don’t let your umbrella stand be a bulky eyesore. With a open box design, this umbrella base doubles as an outdoor planter . The box holds up to 150 pounds of soil and plant material, and the bottom even has drainage holes, preventing root rot and improving aeration.

The stand can also be filled up with rocks or sand if you aren’t planning on planting flowers. There are also two adjustment knobs on the stem to secure umbrella poles up to 2 inches in diameter.

The base has wheels on one side, allowing you to tilt it up to move it, but keep in mind that it can be quite heavy to shift when it’s filled up, and moving it may disrupt any planted flowers or herbs.

DC America Cast Stone Umbrella Base

With an interwoven pattern and a bronze finish, this umbrella stand shows off a beautiful design without an expensive price tag. The stand is made mostly of composite materials that have been molded together for a sturdy, dense construction.

Add to that a powder-coated bronze finish on the outside, and you can expect this umbrella base to last for several seasons without issue.

The stand is also notably compact, measuring just 18 inches across. This helps it fit comfortably under tables without infringing on anyone’s leg room. That said, be careful using umbrellas with a canopy larger than 9 feet, because the 22 pound base may tip over if used freestanding.

17 Stories Tomeika Cast-Iron Free-Standing Umbrella Stand

With the design-forward exterior, this umbrella stand has a fluted look that adds a bit of flair to the otherwise utilitarian device. We love the style it adds with both its black and bronze finishes, depending on which one you choose.

The heavy-duty 50-pound cast iron base features a stem with two knobs to keep poles up to 1.5 inches in diameter secure. The two knobs provide more security on your patio umbrella pole than most other options which come with just one.

The stand is versatile, approved for through-table use and for most freestanding market umbrellas up to 9 feet wide. The one caveat is that it isn’t listed as having a protective coating, so the cast-iron umbrella stand may rust if not protected from the elements.

Freeport Park Free-Standing Umbrella Stand

For cantilever umbrellas that require cross-brace stand, this is an extremely sturdy—and reasonably priced—option. The base is made up of four plastic plates, each of which can be filled with up to 50 pounds of sand or water for a total of up to 200 pounds. As a result, the angled weight of a cantilever umbrella is always held in check without tipping or wobbling in the wind.

The plates have built-in handles that make them easy to move and position into place, and they rest on top of the umbrella’s cross-base bottom to keep it in place. However, it can be a bit tricky to get sand into the small spouts, so you’ll likely need a funnel to get this stand set up.

Sundale Outdoor Square Steel Plate Umbrella Stand

If you want an umbrella stand with a minimalist look that doesn’t stand out, we recommend this square steel plate option featuring a low-profile design.

The 42-pound stand has holes in all four corners where you can anchor it to decking with screws for added stability, or plant into your lawn using stakes. It’s also a smart pick to get the most clearance underneath an outdoor dining table. The flat bottom means no legs are pressed up against a bulky stand under the table.

Other highlights include a coupler that provides a snug fit on different pole sizes up to 1.8 inches in diameter and a power-coated finish for protection against rust. It may not be the best choice as a freestanding base, unless your patio umbrella is smaller than 9 feet.

Tom Price is an Associate Editor of Reviews for Popular Mechanics, and also contributes to Runner's World, and Bicycling . He has previously covered product reviews, startup news, and even professional wrestling. In his free time, he enjoys watching pretentious TV, low-brow movies, and exercising for beauty, not health. If you are interested in exploring more of his work, check out his website .

Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product reviewer specializing in home, kitchen, and pet products. In her four years as a product tester, she's tested hundreds of items firsthand, and her work appears in publications such as Forbes, USA Today, The Spruce, Food52, and more.

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Anna Always On Brand

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Anna Wintour attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Vogue editor-in-chief and Met Gala co-chair Anna Wintour is decidedly on-theme in a floor-length black jacket embroidered with a colorful spray of flowers. A vine-like diamond brooch complements the botanical look along with a queenly necklace that marks her as the reigning royalty here today.

Wicked Witch of the Web

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Emma Chamberlain attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Former Rolling Stone cover star Emma Chamberlain goes goth, channeling the “Sleeping Beauty” theme (and evil queen?) in a lace black gown with dark makeup. The 22-year-old may be best known as a sweet and bubbly content creator, but on this night, she’s showing off a decidedly more wicked streak.

Long Live Queen Z

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Zendaya attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Zendaya strut down the Met Gala carpet in a peacock-inspired gown designed by John Galliano for Maison Margiela Artisanal. The dress features a drape and bow created from aluminum and organza, and a hand-painted veil and hat wrapped in stockings. Now that’s what we call a showpiece.

K-Pop Royalty

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Jennie Kim attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

It’s royal blue for K-pop royalty, as Blackpink’s Jennie makes her return to the Met Gala carpet. Just like the multi-faceted star, Jennie’s gown is a multi-dimensional masterpiece, showing off her toned legs and midriff in the front, with a sweeping train at the back. Now that’s how you shut it down.

Furiosa Fashion

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Chris Hemsworth attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Chris Hemsworth avoids both the armored aesthetic of Thor and the unkempt look of his post-apocalyptic warlord character in the upcoming Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga . He does show off a little chest, however, with an unbuttoned shirt underneath a simple tan three-piece suit. Does it scream “Garden of Time”? Not really, but he is wearing a (Chopard) watch.

Can’t Get Enough

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Jennifer Lopez attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)

This is her… now. Jennifer Lopez proves she still has few, if any, equals when it comes to attending events in precariously revealing clothes. This time around, it’s Tiffany jewels and a silvery custom Schiaparelli gown that leaves little to the imagination and flares outward with wings up top (while trailing a lacy train behind that a couple of tuxedoed assistants have taken great pains to carry and position for photos).

Nothing Bad About It

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Bad Bunny attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

If this gala is all about looking unflappable in fashions that verge on the absurd, then Bad Bunny has struck the ideal entrance — wearing the first big hat of the night. That puffy medieval headgear, combined with the angular sunglasses, black blazer (apparently still bearing a tailor’s chalk marks), and red-striped pants give him the air of a musketeer (or a matador from the future).

5-Star Fashion

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: (L-R) Bang Chan, Han, Felix, Seungmin, Hyunjin, I.N, Lee Know, and Changbin of Stray Kids attend The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Stray Kids made their Met Gala debut in coordinating Tommy Hilfiger looks that were custom-designed to match this year’s theme, while staying true to Tommy’s All-American aesthetic. Always one to have fun with fashion, the K-pop group turned up in bespoke navy overcoats before doffing them to reveal their matching red, white and blue suits.

Portrait Perfect

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Nicki Minaj attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage)

One hopes there are no bees inside the Met: in a year when most went literal on the “garden” element of the theme, Nicki Minaj’s Marni dress is absolutely exploding with brightly colored petals. The saturated tones and roughed-in style have her looking like she just stepped out of a Matisse painting.

Slaying the Fashion Game

Gwendoline Christie at the 2024 Met Gala: "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024 in New York City.

The Game of Thrones star is no stranger to drama and she delivers on all fronts with this maroon gown, sculpted blond hair and black sheer cape. Forget surviving the red wedding: Christie slays the red carpet.

Delivering on Dapper

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Steven Yeun attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

There’s no beef with this outfit from Steven Yeun, who paired an embroidered three-piece suit with army-style black boots. And while other stars showed up on the carpet with a date or statement bag, Yeun’s accessory for the night was decidedly more practical: an umbrella.

Model Goes Metal

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Ashley Graham attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Aliah Anderson/Getty Images)

Model Ashley Graham turns heads in spiky bangs and a custom form-fitting black gown by Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Decked out with metal and Swarovski crystal and Jared jewelry , Graham shared on Instagram that the piece took 500 hours of hand work to bring to life.

Broadway Baby (Bump)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Lea Michele attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Did Lea Michele just reveal her pregnancy – and the gender of her child – on the Met Gala carpet? The Broadway star debuted her baby bump in a powder blue dress that has us whipped up in baby fever (or just a cotton candy dream).

Risky Business

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Troye Sivan attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Aliah Anderson/Getty Images)

Troye Sivan is giving business meets bondage in this Prada fit, which plays off the luxury label’s classic suiting with an edgy twist. Always want to subvert fashion (and music) trends, Sivan’s appearance kicks off a busy season for the popstar, who’s slated to head out on tour with Charli XCX this summer.

A Lofty Lana Look

Lana Del Rey at the 2024 Met Gala: "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024 in New York City.

Lana says yes to an elaborate gauzy headpiece — a custom Alexander McQueen inspired by a similar piece from the late designer’s 2011 retrospective exhibit, “ Savage Beauty .” Instead of deer antlers, this take puts the emphasis on a pattern of thorny brambles that wind around her sand-colored gown and up through the veil.

Not a Barbie Girl

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Greta Gerwig attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

After a year of thinking pink , Barbie director Greta Gerwig opts for all-black (and trousers) on the Met Gala carpet. Gerwig broke box office records with the Barbie film and she’s breaking from tradition here with her monochromatic look, but in our opinion, it’s yes, more than kenough .

Lovin’ on Jack

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Jack Harlow attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Aliah Anderson/Getty Images)

Jack Harlow makes a return appearance to the Met Gala in a sharp, gray suit with contrast-color lapel. He doesn’t need no whips and chains to work in a theme either, giving a nod to the “garden” dress code with a small bouquet of flowers pin.

Like Sands Through the Hourglass

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Tyla attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Singer Tyla may well win the award for most creative interpretation of the theme, stunning as a human hourglass in a sands-of-time-inspired custom Balmain gown that may as well be painted on. An hourglass accessory — who needs a functional purse tonight? — ensures that there’s no mistaking this sublime concept.

Baila Conmigo

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Rauw Alejandro attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Rauw Alejandro brings reggaeton to the red carpet in another standout Ludovic de Saint Sernin look for the night. This time, the Puerto Rican star goes glam in a glittery disco ball top and cream suit that’s as suitable for the gala as it is for the after-party dance floor.

Challenge Accepted

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Josh O'Connor attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

After showing off fancy footwork on the tennis court in Challengers , Josh O’Connor joins a gala co-chaired by co-star Zendaya in what appear to be floral clogs. It’s a whimsical touch matched by his extra-long tuxedo tails for a vibe that’s rather formal above the waist and anything but below.

X Marks the Spot

Lil Nas X at the 2024 Met Gala: "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024 in New York City.

Lil Nas X is no stranger to making a statement on the red carpet but dare we say his look this year is decidedly more… demure? That’s what you get when previous Met Gala looks have included everything from a gold jumpsuit to silver body paint (and not much else). Still, there’s lots to love about this year’s fit, which features a slouchy, oversized silhouette and enough sparkles to light up the room he walks into.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Kim Kardashian attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Kim Kardashian is a silver siren in this Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano gown, which features chain and floral accents cut from real mirror fragments. Kim paired the look with a cashmere cardigan, proving that sexy and cozy can seemingly co-exist in one garment.

The Grande Dame

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Cardi B attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

The “B” in Cardi B is for big, bold and bouffant as the superstar rapper (literally) took over the carpet in this extraordinary – and exaggerated – gown. Just how big was this dress? It took a team of ten people to help carry the train and set it down just right for photographers.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Donald Glover attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)

Childish Gambino is giving grown-up tycoon in a Nineties-inspired Saint Laurent suit paired with a taupe brown shirt and oversized tie. The Mr. & Mrs. Smith star is clearly taking notes from his hit Prime Video series, which stars Glober as a stylish secret spy.

Spring Awakening

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Ayo Edebiri attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)

Easter may be over, but Ayo Edebiri brings a basket of blooms to the Met carpet in this fresh and floral dress. The springtime design perfectly captures the night’s ‘Garden of Time’ theme and proves the Emmy-winner is a force to be reckoned with both on and off-screen.

Lizzo Returns

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Lizzo attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage)

In one of her first major public appearances since a dramatic “ I QUIT ” Instagram post in March, evidently prompted by criticism related to allegations of sexual harassment and creating a hostile workplace, Lizzo hits the red carpet in a funnel-shaped Weinsanto design that has divided some viewers. Her speckled eye makeup, meanwhile, has garnered glowing reviews.

Stanning Sam Smith

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: (L-R) Christian Cowan and Sam Smith attend The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Aliah Anderson/Getty Images)

After rocking a racecar driver tracksuit in the music video for “ Desire ,” Sam Smith makes their Met Gala debut in a custom old-world tuxedo by their partner and date for the evening, designer Christian Cowan, that features a sheer chiffon skirt overlay. The singer may have had the quip of the evening: asked by a reporter what they expect from fashion in the future, they replied, “Clothes in my size in stores.”

Giving Us Something

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Dua Lipa attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

It’s unlikely anyone will bring a bigger feather boa to this year’s gala than Dua Lipa. She confirms her Radical Optimism with an eye-catching mixture of layers and delicate textures from Marc Jacobs with Tiffany & Co. diamonds. It’s on the busy side, sure, but her confident poses are selling this gothic realness.

Wet and Wild

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Doja Cat attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)

Did we really think Doja Cat was going to show up to the Met Gala in an Amazon towel ? Despite earlier photos online, the singer and rapper turned up in a Vetements dress, though she kept the fresh-out-the-shower look – the white gown mimics a wet T-shirt, while her makeup (intentionally) features mascara running down her cheeks.

It’s Mister Domingo to You

Colman Domingo at the 2024 Met Gala: "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024 in New York City.

Not many men were born to wear capes but Colman Domingo is one such red-carpet superhero, sweeping into the event with a black-and-cream ensemble by Willy Chavarria that makes for a strikingly elegant silhouette. Like several other attendees, he completes the presentation with a bouquet of flowers — in this case, white calla lilies.

Garden of Gigi

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Gigi Hadid attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage)

While there’s no shortage of flowers on display tonight, Gigi Hadid has taken the idea a step further with a custom white Thom Browne dress that has enough ruffles to resemble a flower in its own right. Even so, it’s festooned with more green vines and light yellow blossoms (and Chopard jewels) — she’s pulling around an entire garden.

Russell Rules Red Carpet

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Taylor Russell attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Taylor Russell stuns in a gorgeous Grecian-style gown that channels her inner golden goddess. The Bones and All actress arrived on the Met Gala carpet sans rumored beau Harry Styles, only further proving that this star can shine all on her own.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Greta Lee attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

There’s no looking past this outfit from Past Lives star Greta Lee, who interprets the night’s theme in a sheer, baby’s breath-inspired dress over (what we assume) is a nude bodysuit. Extra points for the severe bangs and sharp makeup too.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Jeff Goldblum attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Expect the eccentric from Jeff Goldblum, who tends to dress like he’s headed to a fashion show no matter what he’s actually doing that day. Here it’s a relatively understated (for him) overcoat with white scarf and gloves — opera gear, basically — though with jeweled pins and shades that give him a slight edge of steampunk villain.

Eternal Sunshine

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Ariana Grande attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

If the Costume Institute’s new exhibition is titled “ Sleeping Beauties ,” consider Ariana Grande the fairest of them all. Ari walked, nay fluttered , down the carpet in an intricate kaleidoscope-effect dress with exaggerated wings adorning the side of her face. The singer and co-star Cynthia Erivo made their Met Gala appearance to promote the upcoming musical, Wicked , and this outfit hits all the right notes.

Dare to Be Demi

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Demi Moore attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)

No half-measures for Demi Moore. Tonight the actress is wearing a heart-shaped creation from Harris Reed that’s bristling with arrows — the floral fabric is repurposed silk wallpaper — as well as a sumptuous Cartier necklace. Apologies to anyone else who came as a reimagined Cupid, because this will be tough to beat.

Escola Es Guapo

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Cole Escola attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

It’s a breakout ensemble from the breakout comedian who stole scenes in Difficult People and Search Party and is now dazzling audiences in their unhinged Off-Broadway show Oh, Mary! Wearing all white — veiled hat, tuxedo jacket and bow tie, and a long skirt — they’ve channeled the spirit of a haunted doll, complete with a wicker lamb basket full of carnations.

Elle Enchanted

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Elle Fanning attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Since the Costume Institute’s spring 2024 exhibition is called “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” it’s only right that Sleeping Beauty herself would be on the scene in a dress that pays homage to some of the fairy princess’ doting forest companions. Elle Fanning’s ice-like dress is custom sculpted by Balmain.

Couple Goals

Gus Wenner at the 2024 Met Gala: "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images)

While Fanning first posed for photographers solo, she later reunited on the Met Gala carpet with boyfriend (and Rolling Stone CEO) Gus Wenner, where they shared a sweet embrace. A lovely end to fashion’s fairytale night.

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Everything you need to know about Ohio State spring commencement ceremony

School districts across Ohio canceled graduation ceremonies in the spring of 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19. Four years later, some of those students will finally get the chance to have their academic progress publicly recognized when they receive their college diplomas at Ohio State University's spring commencement this weekend .

Read More: From COVID to campus protests: Ohio State's Class of 2024 is prepared for anything

More than 12,000 graduates are set to receive their diplomas on Sunday during the ceremony at Ohio Stadium.

Here's everything you need to know about commencement:

What time is Ohio State's graduation?

The ceremony officially begins at noon, but Ohio Stadium will open to guests at 10 a.m.

Commencement typically lasts between two-and-a-half to three hours.

Where can I watch the Ohio State Spring Commencement 2024?

The university is providing a livestream for guests, families and the curious who cannot attend in person. You can find the live broadcast on the OSU Spring Commencement 2024 webpage or by using the player embedded below.

How many guests are graduates allowed to have?

There are no restrictions on the number of guests graduates are allowed to have inside Ohio Stadium. Tickets are not required for guests.

Will there be security?

Ohio State said "heightened security measures will be in effect throughout commencement ceremonies and events" to ensure guest and graduates' safety.

Guests are asked to enter through specific gates at Ohio Stadium to get into the ceremony. They are:

Gates 7, 9, 11, 13, 23 and 25 on the West side;
Gates 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 on the East side.

Security measures are similar to attending an Ohio State football game. All items and persons entering the stadium are subject to security screening and inspection via a walk through metal detector and/or a hand wand metal detector.

Prohibited items include:

Bags of any type larger than 5-by-8-by-1 inches
Noisemaking devices
Mace, pepper spray, aerosol cans or similar substances
Banners or signs
Sticks or poles
Weapons or items that mimic weapons including, but not limited to: lighters, matches, firearms (including Concealed Carry Weapon permit holders), fireworks, pocket knives, knives, spiked bracelets, brass knuckles, martial arts weapons, stun guns, squirt guns, super soakers, rope and chains

Guests who need to bring a medical bag should enter through the Press Entrance on the west side of the stadium or the Band Entrance on the east side of the stadium.

Where should I park?

With an estimated 60,000 people attending commencement on Sunday, mixed with construction on Cannon Drive , folks should expect heavy traffic around Ohio Stadium and on campus.

Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the Sisson Hall lots and any of the permit zones around Ag Campus, the Schottenstein Center, or the student residence halls. No permit is required. The Arps, Ohio Union, Neil Avenue and Lane Avenue garages will be available at no charge.

Disability parking is located in the East Stadium lot on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parking garages are likely to fill up fast, so its encouraged that guests use the West Campus parking lots and take a complimentary shuttle bus to the stadium.

Shuttle buses will run from West Campus parking lots to the Coffey Road fields beginning at 9:00 a.m. until one hour after the ceremony. The Coffey Road fields are approximately a half-mile or a 10-minute walk, from Ohio Stadium.

Planning to Uber? Guests arriving by a ride-share service should be dropped off at the Schottenstein Center. Pickup after the ceremony will be at Neil Avenue and 19th Avenue.

What will Ohio State do if it rains during graduation?

Weather is looking a bit spotty for commencement on Sunday.

The National Weather Service in Wilmington is forecasting a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 a.m., a chance of showers between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11 a.m. with partly sunny skies a high near 79 degrees. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Commencement will only be canceled if the ceremony cannot be held in Ohio Stadium due to inclement weather. That's because no indoor facility on campus can accommodate the graduating class and 60,000 guests.

If it is raining or rain is forecast on commencement day, graduates and guests should come prepared with appropriate rain gear. Ponchos, raincoats and something to cover wet bleachers are encouraged. Umbrellas are permitted in Ohio Stadium, but using them during the ceremony is discouraged.

Who is giving the commencement speech?

Chris Pan — a social entrepreneur, musician and inspirational speaker — will be the commencement speaker.

Pan, a 1999 Ohio State graduate, worked for PepsiCo and Facebook before starting his own company, MyIntent. "MyIntent makes bracelets with a customer-chosen word that helps the wearer remember to live intentionally," according to the university.

Pan’s umbrella organization SpiritLab promotes spiritual health and growth through experimentation.

“Chris Pan is an incredible example of taking everything you gain at Ohio State and applying it to find solutions that improve the world after graduation,” said Ohio State President Ted Carter. “As we celebrate commencement, I am confident Chris will inspire our graduates to make their own impact as they begin their journey as lifelong Buckeyes.”

Pan released a draft of his commencement speech to his social media accounts Sunday and asked for feedback.

A draft of the speech shows that he plans to invite everyone to sing parts of “What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes and “This Little Light of Mine," and he plans to take his shirt off at one point.

After the musical numbers, Pan transitions to talking about the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza and how to address conflict resolution.

"What I learned is that there is so much pain and trauma in both communities. Pain causes hate and violence. Hurt people hurt people. Healed people help people," according to his draft speech. "When we heal ourselves, we heal the world. World peace starts with inner peace."

Sheridan Hendrix is a higher education reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. Sign up for Extra Credit, her education newsletter, here .

[email protected]

@sheridan120

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Umbrella Reviews: What They Are and Why We Need Them
Here, we focus on umbrella reviews, an approach that systematically collects and evaluates information from multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses. To facilitate the design and the conduct of such a study, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to perform an umbrella review. We also present ways to report the summary findings, we ...
Umbrella review
Umbrella review. In medical research, an umbrella review is a review of systematic reviews or meta-analyses. [1] [2] [3] They may also be called overviews of reviews, reviews of reviews, summaries of systematic reviews, or syntheses of reviews. [1] Umbrella reviews are among the highest levels of evidence currently available in medicine.
Conducting umbrella reviews
Umbrella reviews are systematic collections and assessments of multiple SRMAs done on a specific research topic. 1 2 The decision to perform an umbrella review depends on the number of available SRMAs ( figure 1 ). An umbrella review is informative when multiple SRMAs have already been published on a specific research topic.
A nine‐step pathway to conduct an umbrella review of literature
An umbrella review (or review of reviews) has an advantage in reporting evidence that is convergent as well as divergent and describing what is unknown. This is made possible by synthesis of evidence from a range of studies informed by different methodologies and overall, representing large participant numbers. ...
Umbrella Reviews: What They Are and Why We Need Them
An umbrella review systematically collects and evaluates information from multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses on all clinical outcomes for which these have been performed [ 9 ].The number of papers tagged as "umbrella review" in PubMed from 2007 until today has significantly increased (Fig. 1 ).
Umbrella reviews: what they are and why we need them
Umbrella reviews have the potential to provide the highest quality of evidence, if performed and interpreted properly. With almost 200 articles characterized as umbrella reviews in Pubmed and several others registered at PROSPERO database, this is a fascinating field with a great potential for large contributions in the hierarchy of evidence.
What are Umbrella Reviews?
Booth (2016) states that "essentially an umbrella review is a cluster of existing systematic reviews on a shared topic" (p. 37).Umbrella reviews are also known as an overview of reviews. According to Grant & Booth (2009), umbrella reviews are "overarching reviews" that "agreggrat[e] findings from several reviews that address specific questions" (p. 103).
Umbrella Reviews: What They Are and Why We Need Them
Here, we focus on umbrella reviews, an approach that systematically collects and evaluates information from multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses. To facilitate the design and the conduct of such a study, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to perform an umbrella review. We also present ways to report the summary findings, we ...
Umbrella Reviews
An umbrella review of existing reviews on SDM was adopted. Databases were searched from 1997 to December 2018. Studies were included if they performed a review of barriers and facilitators to SDM. Results: 7 eligible reviews were identified. The five themes identified were: patient factors, professional factors, environmental factors ...
Research Guides: Types of Reviews: Umbrella Reviews
An Umbrella Review is essentially a review of reviews. Umbrella Reviews are designed to synthesize evidence from other published systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses on a broad topic. The JBI Handbook includes a chapter on umbrella reviews. How long might it take to complete? Varies, typically 6-12 months. Is a team required?
Umbrella reviews: what they are and why we need them
Umbrella reviews: what they are and why we need them Eur J Epidemiol. 2019 Jun;34(6):543-546. doi: 10.1007/s10654-019-00505-6. Epub 2019 Mar 9. Author Stefania Papatheodorou 1 2 Affiliations 1 Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of ...
Umbrella Review
An umbrella review compiles evidence from multiple existing reviews and is one of the highest levels of evidence. Allowing easy comparison between other individual reviews, the umbrella review may address a broader question and can be useful for comparing interventions and developing guidelines.
Umbrella reviews: A new tool to synthesize scientific evidence in
An umbrella review is to SR what SRs are to primary studies-it is a synthesis of evidence from the evidence-based literature. UR can also synthesize metadata [16], or network SAR data (evaluating multiple treatments). In. UR methodology.
The 6 Best Umbrellas of 2024
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LibGuides: A Guide to Conducting Reviews: Umbrella Review
Umbrella Review. Definition: Also known as 'review of reviews', an umbrella review allows the findings of reviews relevant to a review question to be compared and contrasted. Often defines a broader question than is typical of a traditional systematic review. Most useful when there are competing interventions to consider.
11 Best Umbrellas of 2023
Lower quality than other options. Repel's windproof travel umbrella has received over 25,000 five-star ratings, making it Amazon's top choice for folding umbrellas. The umbrella ribs are made ...
Efficiency of bladder-sparing strategies for bladder cancer: an
An umbrella review and meta-analysis were conducted to explore these disparities. We extracted data from meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) selected after searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Review Manager 5.4.0 and R x64 4.1.3 were used to evaluate the collected data.
PDF Accuracy and clinical effectiveness of risk prediction tools for
1 1 2 3 Accuracy and clinical effectiveness of risk prediction tools for 4 pressure injury occurrence: An umbrella review 5 6 7 ethany Hillier1,2 8 Katie Scandrett1,2 9 April oombe1,2 10 Tina Hernandez- oussard3 Ewout Steyerberg411 Yemisi Takwoingi1,212 13 Vladica Velickovic5,6 14 Jacqueline Dinnes1,2* 15 16 Affiliations 17 1 iostatistics, Evidence Synthesis, Test Evaluation And Prediction ...
Success predictive factors of teeth subjected to autotransplant: An
A systematic review of systematic reviews, known as an umbrella review, was performed. Two calibrated and standardized investigators independently analyzed the quality using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline and evaluated the confidence level and bias review with the Amstar-2 guideline.
Ten simple rules for conducting umbrella reviews
Methods We present a critical educational review of published umbrella reviews, focusing on the essential practical steps required to produce robust umbrella reviews in the medical field. Results The current manuscript discusses 10 key points to consider for conducting robust umbrella reviews. The points are: ensure that the umbrella review is ...
PDF Development and validation of risk prediction tools for pressure injury
395 Our umbrella reviews were conducted to a high standard, following ochrane guidance40, and with a 396 highly sensitive search strategy designed by an experienced information specialist. Although we 397 excluded non-English publications due to time and resource constraints, where possible these
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Our best overall pick provides stability and durability in a classic, minimalist design that works with any patio style. This heavy-duty umbrella stand is generally suitable for 9-foot umbrellas ...
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From Bad Bunny to J.Lo & Zendaya see photos of the best & worst-dressed stars (and wildest fashion outfits) at the 2024 Met Gala red carpet
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The ceremony officially begins at noon, but Ohio Stadium will open to guests at 10 a.m. Commencement typically lasts between two-and-a-half to three hours.

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Key messages

Introduction

Definition and scope of umbrella reviews

Advantages and disadvantages of umbrella reviews

Getting started

Key steps in umbrella reviews

Eligibility criteria, search algorithm, and data extraction in umbrella reviews

Search algorithm

Data extraction

Summarising results from multiple meta-analyses in umbrella reviews

Potential challenges

Conclusions

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Umbrella reviews: what they are and why we need them

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Umbrella Reviews: What They Are and Why We Need Them

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Types of Reviews

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Umbrella reviews: what they are and why we need them

Which review is that? A guide to review types.

Umbrella Review

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