Having it made in the shade on summer days.

• Position: WHAT'S NEW? - EzShade - Brief article

Like most families, we don't leave for the beach without a checklist of essentials: sunscreen, towels, water, etc. High on that list is our umbrella, and setting it up is priority-one when we hit the sand. One of the frustrating aspects of that task is that, depending on the time of day, the shade doesn't always fall where we hope it will. Plus, the longer we're there, the more it moves, and we find ourselves rearranging our blankets and other belongings to stay protected.

We've found some relief with ezShade, a portable umbrella curtain from Solar Eclipz, San Marino, Calif. The 56.5" x 80" panel drapes down to cut back on both sun and wind and, with a 50+ ultraviolet protection factor, it blocks more than 99% of UVA and UVB rays.

Installation is simple--after permanently attaching six peel-and-stick...