Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Visit any retailer’s pool aisle or website, and you’ll quickly realise a challenge your parents and grandparents never had to face — more pool inflatables to choose from than you could ever imagine.
Whether you’re shopping for a larger-than-life float island or something to help keep your non-swimming little one safer in the pool, the sheer range of options can be overwhelming, but exciting. Shopping for pool inflatables is supposed to be fun, not overwhelming, says Marvin Natareno, an inflatables expert with Intex Recreation Corp., the leading manufacturer of novelty pool inflatables. “Yet there are so many choices these days that comparison shopping for the best inflatable for your needs can be a challenge.” Natareno offers some tips for choosing inflatables that will help keep your summer fun going swimmingly:
Grownup fun and relaxation
When shopping for an adult-sized novelty float, Natareno says, keep comfort, quality, and originality in mind. Today’s floats can provide a unique, unexpected water experience.
Quality counts
When investing in a large novelty float, quality certainly counts. The last thing you want is for it to fizzle flat during summer fun. If you’re investing in a large novelty float, you want to know it will last for many summers, not just one, Natareno says. “Floats with quality PVC construction, well-sealed seams and colours that retain their vibrancy are ones to consider, especially for a more active group.”
Cost vs quality
When shopping for a reasonably priced, quality inflatable, Natareno recommends looking at the construction and materials, and suggests looking for a brand name that you recognise and that has a long business history.
Large-scale inflatables are very trendy right now thanks to social media and celebrity commentary, Natareno says. “You don’t have to pay a premium price to get a quality inflatable that will provide hours of fun season after season.”
Inflatables for kids
Beach balls and classic rings might have been the first inflatable toys for kids, but today there are many more options, from inflatable arm bands meant to help stabilise little ones in the water to whale and plane-shaped ride ons. Manufacturers make a wide variety of inflatable toys for children and offer some of the bestselling and most popular tubes and lounges that can be used from pools to rivers and lakes. Take a quick poll of your kids and see which style of float would be of interest for this pool season. Consider adding new ones each month as the season evolves for more creative fun, adds Natareno.
Long live your inflatables
Inspect inflatables every time you use them, looking for any tears or sign of wear that can be repaired before they jeopardise the structural integrity of the toy or float. Although chlorinated pool water does a good job of keeping inflatables clean, using them at the beach or lake could mean some dirt. If inflatables become dirty, clean them with a soft brush and liquid soap and water.
Safety first
Most importantly, follow strict safety practices around pools. When it comes to floats, practicing good safety habits, setting and following rules, carefully reading instruction manuals and vigilant supervision can greatly reduce the likelihood of injury as well as reduce injury severity.
