Rail-EZ Front Loading Umbrella Mounting System - Adjustable Deck & Balcony Railing Bracket for Patio Umbrellas & Shade Sail Poles - Easy Installation, Non-Permanent Black Clamp - Perfect for Outdoor Dining, Poolside Lounging & Backyard Relaxation

Finally a Top Notch umbrella holder that is secure and well fabricated.I am an experienced systems engineer well versed in the design, manufacturing, review and use of numerous electrical and mechanical systems.I reviewed and tried a number of umbrella holders. First, I reviewed a number of the holders that clamp to the deck's balusters/rungs. Although there is an inherent ease of use for these types of holders, the holder's strength depend on the strength of the baluster/rung. Most balusters today are secured with a plastic connector and screw. In short, a combination of 1 or 2 of these are not very strong. And I don't want to be responsible for an umbrella flying projective taking someone out or damaging my deck's balusters.I have also reviewed a few of the C-Clamp style holders. One of the best design was an all stainless steel, beefy - just a heavy duty stainless steel frame, well fabricated clamp system. This umbrella clamp did work to an extent but was not very secure. The issue is that unless you are using forged metal that will not bend, the C-clamp will bend as you apply clamping pressure. Although the stainless steel c-clamp frame was very heavy duty, it was easy to see the frame bend as I tightened the screw. Thus the clamping pressure was limited. I added rubber to gain more friction strength and I purchased another heavy duty F-Frame clamp to use inconjunction with the stainless steel clamp to provided more support and limit the bending of the stainless steel C-Clamp. I was able to increase the clamping pressure, but I ended up with a kludge and the solution was still not reliably secure. I was looking for a clean secure solution.I finally discovered the Rail-EZ Solution. At first, I was hesitant due to the cost as compared to the other available solutions. However, those $40-$80 solutions have inherent flaws in their application to secure a large umbrella that could get hit with a gust of wind. And with children and animals around, I did not feel comfortable going cheap on something that could cause injury. I wanted a secure clean solution. And $130 is quite affordable considering what you are receiving. The Rail-EZ solution is a robust, highly finished mechanical assembly that works on many deck railing configurations. As soon as you open the box, you see a beautiful piece of hardware that is machined with utmost precision. The solution is very adjustable and can handle different configurations. You will have to evaluate if it works for your rail configuration.There are several design point that make the Rail-EZ Solution unique.1) First of all, the Rail-EZ Solution is not really a clamp that applies pressure on the deck. Instead, the Rail-EZ Solution is a "Wrap". It wraps around the railing and secures the assembly at least 3 points on the railing and thus giving greater security. If your railing is secure, the Rail-EZ will provide solid security.2) The hole that the umbrella pole goes through is not a simple 1.5 inch circular hole. The hole is a tear-shaped V that provides a rock-solid grip on the pole. There is none of that rocking that you have with a pole in a larger hole secured by a couple screws. This design feature really stabilizes the umbrella pole.How I am using it: I have a 10ft Round Market Umbrella that I picked up from Costco a month ago. I plan to provide shade on a 2 story deck for my bar height table. My deck rail is a structural 2x6 HPDE board from WearDeck - best boards on the planet to build a deck with. Directly under the 2x6 is a 2x4 horizontally positioned. The boards are very strong. The Rail-EZ wraps around the 2x6 from a side to side perspective and under the 2x4 on one side and the 2x6 on the other side. The result is a solid and secure wrap that holds this 10ft umbrella in a suspended state above the deck floor. Note that since the Rail-EZ is a Wrap Design, it does not clamp side to side. In fact, the Rail-EZ is not even touching one of the sides because the wrap creates its 3rd wrap point under the rail boards. Not having one side touch may throw you off that the Wrap is not secure, but it only needs 3 points. I have included a picture just to show the gap on one side.Overall, this is the best solution that I have seen to provide a secure hold on an umbrella, even a large umbrella greater than my 10ft. It is rock solid, well fabricated, all stainless and aluminum, and looks clean. This is well worth the $129. The Rail-EZ assembly could easily sell for $250 and it would be worth it. This is just another example of you get what you pay for. If you have a rail config that works with this design, just get it. This is a SWEET solution. I got the champagne colored assembly as it blended with with my light tan deck boards. The champagne looks very nice.