When you own a pool, nothing beats floating around and enjoying a hot summer day. Swimming pool floats are the kind of accessories that are always in high demand. Everyone has their favorite floaties and the choices and available options are ever-growing.

Some of our favorite floats offer fun outside-the-box styles; others have unique features that stand out from other kinds of pool floats on the market. No matter what your taste, you’re sure to find a few fun options on our list.

Pool Floats

Need help choosing the right pool floats and inflatables for your swimming pool? We’ve got you covered. Not only do we highlight some of the hottest products you’ll see this summer, but break down all of the various types of floats available on the market.

Some of the topics related to floats that we cover in this article include:

• Styles of Pool Floats
• Why Buy a Pool Float?
• Pool Float Features
• Pool Floats For Pets
• Float Accessories
• How Long Do Pool Floats Last?
• Choosing The Best Pool Float
• Editor’s Pick – Best Pool Float
• How Popular Are Pool Floats?

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Styles of Pool Floats

• Cheap Pool Floats
• Fun Pool Floats
• Party Pool Floats
• Double Pool Floats
• Tanning Pool Floats
• Animal Pool Floats
• Luxury Pool Floats
• Inflatable Pool Floats
• Foam Pool Floats
• Heavy-Duty Pool Floats

Cheap Pool Floats

A pool party always attracts a crowd. It’s a good idea to keep a few cheap spare floats to use when guests come over. Pool floaties come in many inexpensive options, so finding some fun ones that come in at under $20 apiece isn’t very hard. In fact, we’ve found some options that rival some of the more expensive floats on the market.

Fun Pool Floats

With so many fun floats on the market, picking just one is impossible. For those who enjoy lounging in the pool, having a fun floatie is the icing on the cake. In fact, it isn’t very surprising that folks often opt to purchase a few fun floats so that they have a couple of options to choose from.

Party Pool Floats

Party floats provide a whole different vibe than traditional floaties. The main distinction with party-sized floats is that they are meant for numerous loungers. Rather than laying on your own little island, a party float allows multiple people to lounge together. These fun party floaters aren’t just for pools, they also come in handy at the beach or the lake.

Double Pool Floats

Sometimes having a double pool float can come in handy. If you’re trying to monitor a young inexperienced swimmer, or you just want to lounge together with your sweetheart – double floats are where it’s at.

Tanning Pool Floats

Nothing beats a relaxing afternoon spent lounging in the pool and working on your tan. Having a comfortable pool lounger means naps in the pool spent floating in your private oasis listening to your favorite tunes. These tanning floats are a great option.

Animal Pool Floats

Folks love their animals! It’s no surprise that some of the most popular pool floaties are often shaped like your favorite animals. Aside from being a fun option for young kids, animal floats are frequent sellers and often the most sold-out in retail stores.

Luxury Pool Floats

A luxury pool demands a superior quality float to go with it. There are numerous options to choose from when it comes to luxury pool floats. When selecting which one to choose, comfort comes into play, as do options and durability. These tastefully designed luxury pool floaters definitely are at the higher end of the spectrum in terms of price, quality and features.

Inflatable Pool Floats

The most basic inflatable floats are often the easiest and most frequently used. Having a stockpile of inflatable floaties around certainly comes in handy at the pool, the beach, the river or the lake. Storing a few in the trunk of your car is a good idea in the summertime in case an impromptu float session suddenly comes up.

Foam Pool Floats

Some people have a deep aversion to vinyl or just inflatables in general. Globophobia is a real condition and a phobic aversion to inflatable objects. Balloons and floats are definitely on that list. While uncommon, those afflicted even include celebrities like Oprah Winfrey. Planning for a guest’s rare phobias aside, foam floats are a great alternative to their inflatable cousins because they don’t need to be deflated and reinflated.

Heavy-Duty Pool Floats

Heavy-duty floats come in handy with rough teenagers or if you like to take your floats out on the river. If you get sick and tired of replacing your floats every season there are some terrific heavy-duty options that hold up year after year.

Why Buy a Pool Float?

Other than the obvious reason of wanting a place to lay down and enjoy effortless relaxation in the pool, floats also make good training tools. If you have small children who aren’t strong experienced swimmers, having a few floaties around is a smart idea. Aside from providing a fun area to lounge, floats are excellent training devices to acclimatize swimmers until they become more experienced. Swimmers of all ability levels may find a pool float useful.

Swim Training

Pool Float Features

Popular brands of pool floats being sold today include features like cup holders and headrests. Floats that self-inflate and have handles are also great features to look for. Fast inflating valves are another important feature you may want. If you plan on transporting a large float, you’ll want to purchase one that has handles on it.

Premium floats and rafts are best purchased at the beginning of the swim season as inventory will be tougher to find at the height of the summer. Consequently, when purchasing a pool float you should be looking at safety valves, multiple air chambers, and a low center of gravity. These are all important things to look for when purchasing a pool float. Many popular brands of floats come with a sun canopy to provide an additional layer of protection from the harmful UV rays of the sun.

Pool Floats With Some Great Features

Pool Floats for Pets

Think swimming pool floats are just for humans? You’d be wrong. Man’s best friend wants in on the act. Dogs love swimming and enjoy lounging in the pool. Consequently, there are a wide variety of dog-friendly pool floats and inflatables that are perfect for pets.

Storing Your Floats

The one thing to know about floats is that they can take up an awful lot of space. Properly storing them in the off-season is important. Ensure your floats are well maintained and ready for another fun summer of usage by purchasing float storage. This will protect them from inclement weather in the winter months and keep them in ready-to-use condition.

Don’t Forget Your Float Accessories

Choosing a pool float is the hard part, finding accessories to go with your float to make it easy to transport and inflate is the easy part. Nobody likes blowing up a huge float but everyone enjoys laying on them. Purchasing a pump and a bag to store your floats is always a smart idea. While many floats come with a cup holder or hidden compartment for snacks, you may also want to consider purchasing a separate float for food and beverages. They make a convenient serving table and are a great float accessory. You may also want to purchase a small floating Bluetooth speaker so you can enjoy your tunes in the pool without worrying about ruining your smartphone.

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How Long Do Floats Last?

This is a question many folks ask when purchasing a pool float. Many consumers notice that cheaper pool floats tend to not even make it through a full season before they begin to deflate.

When searching for the best pool floats, know that no matter what type you chose to purchase – you’ll probably see an average of 1 to 3 years of usage before you’re buying a replacement. The weight of people lounging on them season after season coupled with how they are stored will play a factor in how long they last. Obviously, heavy-duty floats will typically last a bit longer than cheaper ones and are recommended for full-sized adults.

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Choosing The Best Pool Float

Choosing the best pool float boils down to preference. If you’re the type of person that doesn’t relish the thought of huffing and puffing to inflate 100 pool floats for children and guests, an air compressor or portable float pump may be a smart accessory to purchase. Likewise, foam floats and pool noodles are always great standbys as well.

Worth Mentioning

Editor’s Pick – Best Pool Float

How Popular Are Pool Floats?

There is no denying that there are certainly thousands if not millions of different pool float options to choose from. Pool floats are an enormously popular accessory homeowners buy for their swimming pools. The market for swimming floats was $1.85 Billion USD in 2019 and has steadily grown over the past few years.

Some of the biggest pool manufacturers in that space include:

1. Swimways
2. Intex Recreation Corporation
3. Bigmouth Inc
4. Funboy
5. Happy Inflatable
6. GoFloats
7. Kangaroo Manufacturing
8. Bestway

We hope this article gave you a better understanding of pool floats, and the accessories available, as well as provided you with a little insight as to which products are available this summer. No matter which products float your boat; when you’re lounging on your back enjoying yourself in your pool, you’re guaranteed to agree that buying a pool float was a smart purchase.

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If you own a pool, odds are you’re thinking about throwing a Memorial Day get-together. A patriotic pool party this weekend is a great idea because temperatures are already starting to heat up throughout many areas of the country.

Memorial Day is the unofficial first day of summer and the day that most home owners will open their swimming pool up for the season. While April 30th was officially National Pool Opening Day, studies show the vast majority of folks will have opened their swimming pool by Memorial Day.

Memorial Day has been observed on the last day of May each year since 1971. The federal holiday commemorates those lost while serving in the armed forces. Consequently, it is a day that has special meaning for millions and in the United States, it remains the “unofficial” kick-off of summer.

Those with a pool will spend the day relaxing with friends and family. Moreover, many will be enjoying a few hot dogs and winning the occasional round of Cornhole while discussing upcoming plans for the summer to come.

Undoubtedly, the first big pool party of the summer will be on Memorial Day weekend. When planning a pool party it’s wise to do a few things in preparation. Equally important, decorating your backyard and getting it ready for guests is a smart idea.

Pool Party Checklist

• Plan your guest list of friends and family.
• Design fun themed pool party invitations.
• Don’t forget to pick up plenty of food and beverages.
• Download a fun playlist of music to play at the party.
• Get the pool area ready with themed patriotic pool decor.
• Pick up some new pool floats and noodles for guests.
• Set up some fun backyard games to play.

Yes, Memorial Day pool parties will be in full swing this weekend. If you’re a Johnny come lately and are just putting the wheels on your pool party plans, we’ve got some great ideas to help you set the perfect vibe to get this summer started off right!

Patriotic Pool Decor Recommendations

Adding themed pool decor to your outdoor living area can be a lot of fun, especially when throwing a party on Memorial Day or the 4th of July. There are lots of creative ways to decorate your backyard.

Memorial Day will be the first big backyard get-together of the season for many folks around the nation. We hope that we’ve given you some great ideas on how to plan a terrific pool party and decorate your backyard for Memorial Day or the 4th of July with these fun patriotic pool decor ideas.

When looking at the most elegantly appointed backyards, sound and video definitely create a premium poolside experience. Given the fact that Americans spend 87% of their time indoors, it makes sense that in order to feel a certain level of comfort we want to bring elements from inside the home into the backyard.

A/V plays a huge role in outdoor living environment. It certainly explains why the digital home entertainment industry represents a $30 billion dollar industry in the U.S. alone. That’s roughly 12 times what we spent only a decade ago.

Consequently, two things are for certain; for one the market for home audio & video has grown. Secondly, a good portion of that growth has been in the outdoor living sector.

Outdoor Audio & Video Has Changed Over The Years

As we have grown our appetite for all things digital, our capacity for being without certain creature comforts has diminished over the last decade.

In our parent’s era, we were content with bringing a transistor radio into the backyard to catch the ballgame poolside. These days, you’re likely to find a fully equipped outdoor pavilion with a complete entertainment area in high-end custom backyards.

To get a better understanding of what a vital role entertainment plays in the backyard, we spoke with Keith Perry. Perry is one of the leading installers of outdoor audio & video in Houston, TX. His firm, Peridon Entertainment, has been servicing his local market for many years. Today, Perry consults with pool builders and general contractors all over the state of Texas. His day to day is spent collaborating on the planning, design, and installation of home audio in an outdoor setting. We asked Perry how he works with builders to devise solutions areas that add entertainment value to the backyard.

“When pool builders and contractors have a plan in mind for how they want to incorporate A/V into the pool and patio area,” said Perry, “in those cases, we are happy to provide them with an entire design schematic. We can even make a CAD plan for audio and video systems with a flowchart showing integration with other systems.”

“We also collaborate with those without a clear vision on how A/V will best be utilized,” said Perry. “If the builder or designer really is leaning on us for a plan that truly incorporates entertainment zones in the backyard that’s where we deliver the most value,” said Perry, “it’s why I get such fulfillment out of what we do. We come in the backyard and quite often there is zero entertainment planned. It’s like seeing a movie before it’s scored without the soundtrack. There’s a disconnect without those elements there. Adding an entertainment center gives the outdoor living environment an entirely new dimension that makes it feel complete.”

Brands Homeowners Prefer For Outdoor Entertainment

We asked about some of the high-end components homeowners are looking to install in the backyard in terms of adding a full-on entertainment center in their backyard. Ultimately, we wanted to know what’s hot and trending right now for A/V in outdoor living.

“One of the biggest requests we get is for the complete buildout of entertainment pavilions,” said Perry. “Folks really find great value when they’re able to enjoy those same indoor amenities outdoors.”

“In years past, it’s been all about increasing the quality of components to really create an immersive outdoor entertainment experience and the industry has come a long way” explained Perry, “Many of the major drawbacks that came with building sophisticated outdoor audio and video systems for outdoor applications are a thing of the past. The technology just gets better and better with each passing year.”

“There are certain brands that perform better poolside than others. Manufacturers like Bose, Klipsch, MartinLogan, and Sonos have also really upped their game in terms of providing a wide spectrum of high-quality systems and controllers that work perfectly in the backyard.”

Poolside Outdoor Audio Products We Recommend

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“Sonance is a favorite with homeowners and manufactures a line of speakers specifically designed for outdoor settings. More to the point, they make great products for outdoor audio.” said Perry. “We’re talking about a versatile speaker system designed to deliver high range performance. From background listening levels to party levels. Homeowners enjoy the ability to easily adjust their sound system. It’s nice to be able to provide background music or be the entire focus of the party.”

Creating Better Poolside TV Viewing

As far as adding video components to the backyard, consumers, these days have their choice of high-end products. However, when it comes to watching TV poolside, Perry says that there are TVs better suited for the outdoors.

“Honestly, when it comes to which TV to put in your backyard, what consumers really need to be looking at is weatherized TVs that can withstand being outdoors indefinitely,” said Perry, “Anything that’s going to be in the pool area, you’re talking about water-resistant TVs that can handle getting wet. Most in that category will be fine with some heavy rain, but submerging them will cause irreparable damage.”

Don’t Let The Sun Ruin The Experience

“Lighting is another big issue that comes up with watching TVs poolside. Direct sunlight can be hard on TV screens and a bright sunny day can make it almost impossible to see anything,” said Perry. “Full sun, full shade and partial-shade TVs are all made to the ideal environment specified, but there is one constant and that is hanging a TV in direct sun will result in difficult viewing.”

Weatherized TV’s We Recommend For Your Pool Area

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Protect Your Investment With a Weatherproof TV Cover

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Renovating Your Backyard To Add Sound & Video

Whether you are thinking of installing a home audio system in your backyard or upgrading your existing one, it’s always advisable to consult with a professional, said Perry. “It makes sense that if homeowners are investing that type of money into renovating their backyard that they want their entire experience to be first class. Bringing in an A/V consultant that can help achieve those goals is definitely a step in the right direction.”

Featured Photo Credit: New Wave Home & Audio