Towable tubes buying guide

Summers are beloved and refreshing. And one thing that adds to this is the fun water sports that tag along! Swimming, Tubing, Marco Polo, and whatnot. And if you want to enjoy all the water activities, towable tubes are the way to go.

An escape from the scorching heat, they let you have the time of your life, splashing around and letting the cool water rub off all sweat and worry.Towable tubesbring out the child in you that longs for amusement and thrill of water sports.

Very easy to use and store, you simply have to inflate the tubes and connect them to your boat with a rope or let them loose in a pool, and your own bed-on-water is ready!

Need to read a buying guide

Having the best fit for the tube is essential to enjoy your water activity experience. With so many different characteristics to deem about, you can easily fall into the market's bear trap and select the poor-quality product.

This buying guide provides you all the necessary information about the different characteristics of the product at one stop. This massive pool of information will save your time and help you in selecting the best tube for yourself.

Let us dive into the guide for in-depth detail on different elements.

Types of Towable Tubes

With the variety of pleasurable activities that you can enjoy withtowable tubes, it is essential to consider the main purpose of buying it. This is important because towable tubes come with different features and built for different activities. The types of tubes that you can choose from, depending on your needs, wants, and preferences, are many.

On the basis of the riders' capacity, there are four types oftowable tubes.If you plan on solo activities or bringing your friends along, you need to choose accordingly.

1. 1 Person Capacity Tubes

If you wish to experience speed and adrenaline-rushes without the worry of what others might prefer, the one person tubes are the perfect option for you. You can go solo on the fantastic experiences that await you. Because of the small construct, this type of tube allows for extremely high speed.

The shapes of the tube vary, and you can choose on the basis of convenience, adventure, or even on the basis of age-appropriateness. Deck style tubes are flatter and made for adventure junkies who look for stunts and tricks. Cockpit style tubes are easier to sit in and relax. They are more appropriate for children.

2. 2 Person Capacity Tubes

If you are not looking for solo experiences and rather share them with another, but still do not want to trade off high speed, the two-person capacity tube is just right. It has a slighter larger plate to accommodate two but continues to offer fast and smooth water riding.

Along with seats, they come with inflatable backrests for a more comfortable experience, and the deeper seating makes it appropriate for children as well. You can even choose from the array of choices that range from relaxed riding to adventurous challenges.

3. 3 Person Capacity Tubes

The more, the merrier stands true, especially for this tube because the stability for accommodating three is in no way a compromise on the enjoyment that the water has to offer. They have more hooks to connect the tube with your boat for a stable connection.

The safety that this entails makes it extremely safe for children and adults alike. Comfort is another plus point. But it is suitable for smaller waves rather than high-speed sailing. Durability may become an issue if you end up purchasing a cheaper, low-quality option. Rather, choose to invest in better-quality for a longer-lasting experience throughout the summer.

4. Multi-Rider Capacity Tube

Tag, along with all your friends, for the time of your lives in this gigantic tube that fits many. Together, with your friends or family, this tube allows you to ride, have fun, and relax. The refreshing sails, laughing your hearts out and making memories together, what could be better?

The downside to a tube of this size is the danger that comes with it. Many people mean limited space for each and more chances of one toppling over another, especially at a very high speed. So, for safety reasons, the speed should be kept low.

5. Winged Tubes

This multi-rider tube comes with inflated wings so that larger size does not compromise on safety and stability. The wings are placed beside the shoulders of each rider for added comfort and support so that you can enjoy high-speed water-riding.

If you are an adventure junkie, these tubes will be extremely entertaining for you. They are built and designed with features that allow you to perform various stunts and tricks. Depending on your preferences, you can choose between seater tubes or those with flat decks.

6. Ride-In Tow Tubes

These tubes are shaped like boats that allow for comfortable seating of four riders at a time. Their seating arrangement keeps you safer and drier, but the fun is no less.

It is specially made with features that ensure extra safety, so it is perfect for younger riders or those who prefer extra caution. Yet, speed is not compromised so that you can enjoy pleasant and amusing rides without worrying about safety.

7. Hot Dog Tubes

If you are new to water sports, this type of tube is the choice for you. It is covered by your feet for stability so that there is minimal chance of falling over. The grip it provides is excellent, even for those who have no experience of water sports.

The tube fits one or two riders at a time and allows for safe and pleasurable rides that are fun and exciting.

Things to Consider When Selecting the Appropriate Towable Tube

Material

The materials that are used for the manufacturing oftowable tubeswill determine their inflation speed, durability, price, and performance. Make sure that you choose the material that suits your needs and preferences.

Most of the tubes make use of synthetic materials like nylon, vinyl, or neoprene or sometimes even a blend of different materials for high-quality tubes at a reasonable price. The denier number of nylon determines how tough and durable the material is. Similarly, the gauge of the PVC is directly relative to the strength of the material.

Resistant to wear and tear and damage that may be posed by high-speed water sports, the 24-30 gauge PVC or vinyl material is the ideal choice. Neoprene seats are quite comfortable and have high traction and grip so that you do not have to put in too much effort to cling to the tube to prevent falling off-board.

Weight

With fun and joy, water sports come with the dangers too. So you need to ensure that the weight capacity of thetowable tubesis appropriate for the number and weight of riders that plan to board. Even a few pounds over can prove to be a threat to the safety of all, and so one must never neglect the weight capacity of the tubes.

Smaller boats that are made for two can hold up to 300 pounds. Similarly, the other tubes are built with these considerations, where one rider is assumed to be of no more than 150 pounds. It is better to be sure about the tube you purchase. You can read the manual or ensure the weight capacity of the tube by asking the marine mechanic.

Inflation

If you want to make sure that yourtowable tubes'experience is immensely fun and as enjoyable as it can be, the key is proper inflation. Only when it is inflated to the most optimum level, the tube will give a high performance without compromising speed or safety. All the intended features will work well with proper inflation only.

How, then, does one know that the tube is adequately inflated? Since both under-inflating and over-inflating can be dangerous and not allow you the best of the times on the water, you can start with ensuring that there are no wrinkles on any part of the tube. If the tube is under-inflated, it will not stay above water without dragging through.

If an under-inflated tube is pulled in water, the gliding is not smooth or resistance-free, but a stressful one. Only when it is properly inflated will the tube glide over the water without sluggishness.

Over inflation will be indicated by stress on the cover seams. Too much air can put extreme pressure on the material and reduce the life of the tube. However, once in the water, it is easier to take some air out that fill more in.

The day's weather will also affect inflation. The sun can make the filled air heated up and expand to almost double. This, however, is prevented by the cover that allows growth due to the elasticity of the nylon material.

Padding

Water sports are not exactly smooth sailing always. The waves can be bumpy and turn rough. But that does not mean that your experience cannot be smooth and pleasant. This can be made possible with the right padding and its placement.

With the right level of padding in strategic places, any rough water waves can go unnoticed. The tests for tubes with efficient padding indicate that places where the knees and elbows rest require most padding layers for comfort. This reduces any wave impact that may reach you.

Design and Colour

While aesthetic designs and beautiful, vibrant colors oftowable tubesdo not add to functionality and performance, they become important factors for buyers. It is necessary to focus on attributes that actually contribute to a pleasant experience and bring your attention to aesthetic aspects if the choice exists.

Opting for looks over performance and comfort may not be a wise choice if it comes to a situation of one or the other. It is important to remember that sacrificing safety features or better quality material for the color of your preference will serve well in the long run.

Still, many brands that have quite high-performance towable tubes have flooded the markets with options in vibrant colors and designs too. This means that looks would not necessarily have to be a trade-off for high-quality tubes.

Handles

The location of the handle intowable tubesfaces much pressure throughout the riding. It is, therefore, quite essential that look for tubes with extra seams and durable stitching and material around these locations as they are the first to tear off.

Different tubes handle the situation of handles differently, but all aim towards making it as sturdy and tough as possible. The design, the location, and types of reinforcement that may be used for binding the region tightly must be taken into consideration when making your purchase.

Number of Riders

As discussed in the section of capacity, the number of riders that a towable tube can tow will affect its performance, speed, size, and safety precaution features. One must buy the type of tube that will cater to the needs and preferences of the buyer. This means you must take into consideration the frequency of your rides, the usual number of people that you ride with, convenience of packing and storing, etc.

A single or double person capacity towable tube is smaller in size, and so, it is more convenient to fold and pack. It is the highest in speed as well. Larger tubes are difficult to pack. They take longer to inflate and often pose to be more dangerous because it seats a larger number of riders.

Ease of Transportation

Towable tubesare most loved for the convenience of their transportation. They are easily portable when deflated because they can be folded and carried in almost any sized bag. The manufacturers also recommend storing the tube in its deflated state to ensure longevity in life.

The tubes rarely weigh too much to be carried easily to the water body where you plan to sail and ride. Some exceptions of tubes that should not be deflated are also not much of a botheration when it comes to transportation. They can be transported in vans or on the roof of cars.

Knuckle Guards

Towable tubesrequire you to grip your hands on the handle for stability, but this can prove to be quite exhausting and painful for the hands, especially your knuckles, which are likely to bash with the tube quite often. To prevent this and allow you more time splashing in the water, some tubes come with the feature of knuckle guards.

Knuckle guards in the handles of the towable tubes provide padding for the hands so that the bashes that your hand may encounter in exciting and rough water sports are not too rough and cause injuries. Without these, you may end up with scraped hands and injured knuckles.

Safety

Water sports are fun and exciting and a great way to refresh yourself in the summertime when the water serves as an escape from the scorching heat. But this activity is not exactly free of danger. You need to ensure that thetowable tubeyou choose serves to fulfill all necessary criteria for maximum safety.

For comfort and stability, backrests and seats of cockpit-style tubes are very handy. Larger surface boats have the least likelihood of toppling over. The higher the speed, the greater the threat of the dangers becomes. So you should also keep your speed in check. The weight and rider capacity of the tube should never be neglected.

By looking for a tube that ensures safety as well as by adhering to safety rules in the water yourself, you can make sure that you look forward to a great overall tube experience.

Towing Points

The towing points are the locations where the ropes connect thetowable tubesto the boats. It is quite essential that these points have sufficient padding and sturdy material reinforcement to ensure that they do not pop off due to high speed and pressure.

Some high-endtowable tubescome with more than one towering point because of the larger size or increased stability needed to ensure maximum safety. Make sure that points are secured properly before speeding. If you end up buying a tube with weak towering points, you will find yourself replacing them quite often.

Laying Area

The seating or the laying area of thetowable tubesdetermines your style of riding and comfort as well. In some tubes, the deck style is flat and requires you to lie on your knees. This is mainly for high-speed sports. Such tubes come with paddings for the comfort of the user in the places where the knees and the elbows rest.

Some other types of tubes have a cockpit-style seating area, which allows for comfortable seating and more grip, so you do not have to put in much effort to cling on to the tube. Some even come with backrests for additional stability and comfort.

Depending on the age of the riders, your expectations from experience, the type stunts, or tricks you might want to perform, you can choose from the different types of laying areas in tubes.

Warranty

When making atowable tubepurchase, you must look out for a warranty. High quality and expensive tubes must provide you with long periods of guarantee and warranty because you may require to change towering points or handles or may be unsatisfied with the paddings.

You should keep in mind all that the warranty covers to save yourself of extra expenses in lieu of wear and tear damage.

Top Safety Tips To Consider

1. Make sure that the inflation of the tube does not make use of extremely high pressure as it can lead to tearing at the seams.
2. Instead of relying solely on the safety features of the tube, take your own precautions as well. Do not speed unnecessarily high. Hold on to the handles tightly.
3. Always wear a life jacket.
4. Make sure to develop signals to communicate with the driver and those around you to ensure everyone's safety and comfort.
5. Do not leave the tube under the sun for too long. This will affect its durability, and the material will begin to lose its quality.
6. Make sure that the tube is inflated to the optimum level. Overinflation or under inflation is dangerous and obstructs smooth riding.
7. The quality and length of the tube rope must be considered keenly. It should be at least 20 feet long.
8. Remember that you can never be too careful.

FAQs

How can you maintain your towable tubes?

Towable tubesare very easy to take care of. All you need to do is wash it with plain water and then apply a mild soap. After that, you should dry it completely before storing it to prevent infections. Besides this, never take yourtowable tubeunder direct sunlight. Otherwise, you will see discoloration and damage.

What are the ways to maximize your towable tube experience?

At first, take care that you opt for a tube that is less submerged in water and swims over it. It will surely have a higher speed that will make your overall experience better. Along with this, proper inflation is the key to perfect tubing as it also enhances the speed because of no obstruction.

Can everyone try tubing?

Tubing is a fun activity that is enjoyed by both parents and children. However, it is recommended that children below five years of age don't participate without a guardian. Also, everyone should wear a life jacket to ensure life safety.

Is padding necessary?

Yes, padding is essential to keep your elbows and knees safe during tubing. It is observed that a tubing ride can get even more relaxing and comfortable with the padding done on these right spots. Furthermore, it makes you enjoy the experience even more as the ride feels less bumpy.

Summing Up

Engaging in tubing is risky. All the fun can just turn into a miserable experience in a blink of an eye. Selecting the righttowable tubecan keep you safe and allow you to have a wonderful tubing experience.

You just need to select the right product. For this, we have provided a detailed buying guide that covers all the elements of the product and provides you all the information you require to make a sound purchase.

Buy an elite product, and you are all set to tame this extreme water sport.