Product Development Story | HEATBLOCK Pentagon

When it comes to highly functional sun umbrellas with light-blocking properties, the fabric tends to be thick and heavy. Conversely, if lightness is prioritized, they become vulnerable to wind. We set out to resolve this contradiction between "functionality and lightness" and develop an umbrella that could be carried in a bag daily, rain or shine.

The base pentagon series for rain umbrellas adopts a manually opening type with fewer parts to prioritize lightness. However, for this HEATBLOCK pentagon, we intentionally chose an "easy-open/close type" structure, which increases the number of parts and thus the weight.

Since light-blocking fabric is thicker and stiffer than regular rain umbrella fabric, it places a greater strain on the ribs and stitching during opening and closing. If we only pursued numerical lightness, we could create a lighter umbrella with a simpler structure. However, to achieve both sufficient durability as a sun umbrella and a smooth folding experience, this easy-open/close structure was essential.

We also implemented improvements to enhance the strength of the frame in detail. For the connection point between the main rib and the stretcher, instead of a hollow "grommet" for weight reduction, we deliberately used a stronger "solid rivet."

Though a small, inconspicuous part, it is a crucial element for firmly supporting the taut light-blocking fabric. Combined with the resilient carbon fiber frame, this structure is lightweight yet can withstand wind speeds of 15m/s.

The completed HEATBLOCK pentagon achieves a lightweight design while maintaining 100% light-blocking performance. By keeping it in your bag, you can smoothly handle sudden rain or strong sunlight. We hope it will be a tool that comfortably supports your daily commutes.