Every season, there are those who prefer to sunbathe without sitting under a traditional beach umbrella and those who need shelter at all costs to cope with the harsh heat. The thermometer shows typical July temperatures, schools are closing early for the summer, and hundreds of families are packing their bags for the great summer exodus. With the early arrival of the summer heat, the beaches of the peninsula once again become a refuge where beach umbrellas stand out. However, for those who need shelter at all costs on the shore to face a hard day of heat, the ideal product and replacement for the traditional beach umbrella may have arrived. Despite its ubiquity, it is often the source of complaints due to its small surface area, which forces users to turn it constantly to follow the sun.
A product to say goodbye to beach umbrellas
According to the newspaper elPeriódico, some of the drawbacks of beach umbrellas have prompted the Jobean company to take a step forward. The Valencia-based company has unveiled the ShadeSock, an inflatable sheet that uses the wind to stay upright and, according to its creators, could “retire” the classic parasol. You may be interested in: Donate shoes to the Red Cross and track them with GPS: the organisation had to explain itself
‘We wanted to turn the wind from an enemy into an ally,’ Ana Moltó, product manager, explained to the Catalan newspaper. ‘The challenge was to achieve stability without a rigid structure, and we solved it with a design that inflates in seconds and secures the fabric to the sand using a system of ballast bags.’
The result is a 2.44 × 3.05 metre shade module, sufficient to shelter four people, weighing just over a kilo and foldable into a backpack. The double layer of fabric, registered with UPF 50+ protection, also blocks over 98% of ultraviolet radiation, a higher rating than most metal umbrellas available in department stores.
Furthermore, field tests carried out by the company guarantee the stability of the sheet in sustained winds of up to 20 km/h, a common threshold on many Atlantic beaches, according to elPeriódico.
A boom in sales
The ease of assembly, which takes less than two minutes, was another decisive factor for the public. A video posted on Aring Solange’s TikTok profile has already exceeded 4.3 million views, causing demand to skyrocket to such an extent that the product sold out on Amazon and Jobean’s website a few days after its launch, despite its starting price of £180. The company is now working against the clock to replenish stocks before July.
Help for the skin
According to the Catalan newspaper, dermatology specialists have applauded the initiative: ‘The skin does not forget sunburn,’ says Dr Marta Enríquez, a member of the Academy of Dermatology. ‘Any device that facilitates access to ample, comfortable shade reduces the risk of skin cancer in the long term.’
The popularity of the ShadeSock also coincides with a change in mindset in doctors’ offices: ‘The message about sun protection has been understood, and users are looking for practical solutions that won’t ruin their day at the beach,’ adds Enríquez.
