Summertime means baseball, firework shows, and going boating on the lake, or ocean, with family and friends. If you have children or get tired of waterskiing, having one of the best towable tubes allows everyone to have fun together, and not just skiers.
Towing Tube FAQs
1. What Is A Towable Tube?
A towable tube is reminiscent of the inflatable tire tubes from the past. Parents made use of the old ones they no longer had use for and allowed their children to play with them at the lake. However, the inner tubes were not sturdy and could be dangerous if someone towed them behind a boat.
Fortunately, today’s tubes have sturdier materials with handholds, and sometimes waist belts, so they are safer for riding. Towable tubes are available in several sizes, from one-person tubes to larger ones that can safely tow four-people at once.
2. Can Towable Tubes Be Repaired?
Since new towable tubes are vinyl and nylon, owners can glue patches to them if they have punctures in them. However, if the hole is too big, or there is a slash in the tube, you should replace it as the repair may not hold. The tube could deflate in the water, which could be a drowning hazard for weak swimmers.
3. Are Towable Tubes Safe?
Although towable tubes have the highest injury rate of all water toys, new tubes have handholds and other safety equipment that will keep riders, whether adult or children, safely on them. Boat drivers need to be aware of how to tow a tube, and passengers should listen to tips on how to ride one properly to avoid serious injuries if an accident takes place.
How We Reviewed
To find the best towable tubes to pull behind a boat, we read about towable tubes and their makers. After learning that information, we read the testimonials and reviews from people who own or use them for fun at the lake or on the ocean. The gathering of this information helped us to select this list of towable tubes.
Overall Price Of Towable Tubes
Since towable tubes come in several sizes and designs, finding their average prices was challenging. However, these tubes range in price of about $$$ to $$$.
Best Towable Tubes
These tubes are on our list, so read the reviews to find the tube that is right for your needs.
Big Marble Towable Tube
This towable tube, the Big Marble, comes from SportsStuff, which is a company that produces tubes and other inflatables to have fun on in the water.
Key Features
The Big Marble is a large around tube that has upright seats for support with air-cushioned sides. A boat can tow it from the front or back, so passengers can sit in the seat or lean against it while holding onto the tube’s handles.
It has a nylon cover for the bladder that closes with a zipper. It also features the Kwik Connect tow system and a safety valve for inflating or deflating the tube quickly. There is EVA foam padding throughout the tube, and its safety handles have knuckle guards to protect hands from cuts and scrapes.
The dimensions of Big Marble are 60 x 66-inches deflated and 60 x 69 with air in it. It’s suitable for one to two riders, with a weight limit of 170 pounds for one rider and 340 lbs. for two. SportsStuff provides a one-year limited warranty.
The tube is bright orange with yellow and black safety markings on the outside sidewalls and black and white squares on the inside of them. The name and some of the handholds are bright yellow to make the towable easy to see.
Pricing
This towable tube runs about $$$.
Pros:
- Back support for seats and air cushioned side walls
- Large enough for two people up to 370 pounds
- Quick inflation or deflation valve
- Two tow points, one front, and one back
Cons:
- Doesn’t have a waist belt for people sitting down
Hot Dog Three-Person Towable Tube
Have you ever wanted to ride a hot dog? Well, now you can by getting this inflatable hot dog-shaped tube.
Key Features
- 1-3 rider tube for boating & watersports.
- Kwik-Connect - Airhead's patented Kwik-Connect for quick and easy rope connection
- Fully Covered - Heavy-duty full nylon cover
- EVA Padding - Provides a more comfortable ride and helps reduce chaffing
- Padded Handles - Non-slip cushioned handles providing comfort and stability
The three-passenger tube by Airhead has a 30-gauge vinyl bladder with a casing of durable nylon. The handles are also nylon with neoprene knuckle guards to prevent scrapes on the passengers’ hands. The seats have pads to make the ride comfortable while bouncing around on the tube.
The dimensions of the Hot Dog are 103 Long x 44-inches Wide. It uses the Kwik Connect system to hook the inflatable to the boat quickly. The hot dog, or the area where the passengers ride, is orange and the pontoon shapes on the side are yellow.
Pricing
This towable costs from $$$ to $$$.
Pros:
- It holds three passengers
- The materials are durable vinyl and nylon
- The towable has the Kwik Connect system
Cons:
- The maximum weight information is missing
Airhead G-Force Rider Towable Tube
Riding an inflatable is a great way of staying cool when it’s hot outside, and it’s even better when you can share the ride.
Key Features
- 1-3 rider tube for boating & watersports
- Kwik-Connect - Airhead's patented Kwik-Connect for quick and easy rope connection
- Fully Covered - Heavy-duty full nylon cover
- Bolster Fins - Keeps riders secure while tubing
- Padded Handles - Non-slip cushioned handles providing comfort and stability
This G-Force towable tube comes in a three-passenger and four-passenger versions. The 3-passenger deck tube is orange/white/black with dimensions of 78 x 75-inches before inflating it, and the four-passenger inflatable is bright green/black/white and is 64 x 60-inches before putting air in it.
The three-passenger deck has six handholds with neoprene knuckle guards to protect the riders’ hands. Each handle has a nylon cover, so they are durable as well. The four-passenger G-Force has eight handholds with nylon covers too.
Airhead uses Boston valves that quickly inflate and deflate these water toys. After riding on them, the inflatable platforms makes for a nice lounging area to soak up the sun with friends. There is no information on the inflatables weight limits.
Pricing
These deck tubes cost around $$$ to $$$ for the three-passenger deck and $200 to $300 for the four-passenger version.
Pros:
- Usable as a lounge deck
- Connects quickly to the boat
- The valve allows for quick inflations and deflations
Cons:
- No information on weight limits
- No information on age limits
SportsStuff Big Bertha Towable Tube
Inflatable tubes can fit up to four people on one toy, which means the entire family could ride one together.
Key Features
- 1-4 rider tube for boating & watersports
- Partially Covered - Heavy-duty partial nylon cover
- Speed Safety Valve - For fast and easy inflating and deflating
- Padded Handles - Non-slip cushioned handles providing comfort and stability
- Kwik-Connect - Airhead's patented Kwik-Connect for quick and easy rope connection
The SportsStuff Big Berta towable can comfortably fit up to four people on the 76-inch circle. The bladder of the towable is PVC with a partial nylon cover, which has double stitching for durability. The floor of the round toy is cushioned for a more comfortable ride or to lounge on in the water.
The eight handholds have nonslip cushioning with knuckle guards with padding for comfort. Big Bertha is red, white, and blue with a black checkered pattern in the front, near the Kwik Connect device. It has a valve that quickly inflates or deflates the tube, and it has a one-year limited warranty.
Pricing
This water toy costs around $$$.
Pros:
- Fits four people
- Has a durable PVC bladder
- The partial nylon cover has double stitching
Cons:
- No information on weight limits
SportsStuff Poparazzi Towable Tube
This towable is unique in that passengers riding it can elect to lay down beneath a tower or stand up and hold onto it.
Key Features
- Dimensions: 68" W x 72" L (Deflated)
- 1-3 rider tube for boating & watersports
- Kwik-Connect - Airhead's patented Kwik-Connect for quick and easy rope connection
- Fully Covered - Heavy-duty full nylon cover
- Speed Safety Valve - For fast and easy inflating and deflating
Poparazzi is a towable inflatable that carries up to three people. Instead of just riding the toy, passengers can use their body weight to steer it, balance, or perform freestyle tricks. However, they can also lay, kneel, or stand and hang on to it as they go fast over the water to prevent from being thrown off it.
The cover is a heavy-duty nylon with a zipper that goes over a PVC bladder. Along with the EVA foam knuckle guards, it also has knee guards of the same material. There are several handholds on the top of the tower, so passengers and stand or kneel on the back of the towable.
Like other SportsStuff or Airhead towables, this one also uses the Kwik Connect system to hook it to the boat towing it. The valve allows for quick inflations, or it opens to release the air quickly too. The handholds all have double webbing, so they are durable. It has a one-year limited warranty.
Pricing
The cost for this towable is around $$$.
Pros:
- The shape allows passengers to maneuver the towable
- Passengers can lay down, kneel, or stand on it.
- It quickly inflates or deflates
- It’s made from durable materials
Cons:
- No information is available about weight restrictions
Airhead Big Slice Towable Tube
The Airhead company, along with SportsStuff, dominates the towable tubes market because they make good quality, durable products like the Big Slice.
Key Features
- Features a tapered gusset design to provide better towing characteristics, a more comfortable riding position, and easy mounting in the water
- Super Slice's nylon cover is manufactured from 100% 840 denier nylon, giving it twice the strength of many of our competitors deck tube covers
- 6 nylon-wrapped handles and neoprene knuckle guards
- Durable 70" (deflated) 30-gauge virgin PVC bladder fully encased by a double stitched nylon cover with a reinforced tow harness
- Equipped with a Kwik-Connect for easy attachment to ropes
The Big Slice is a round towable toy on which three people can lay down and ride. It has a slightly tapered shape that makes it easier to tow and more comfortable to ride. It has a 30-gauge PVC bladder with a 100 percent nylon cover around it, so it is more durable than other water toys.
The Kwik Connect system helps the ropes attach easily to the tube using the reinforced harness for towing. It has six handles with nylon covers and neoprene knuckle guards to keep the passengers’ hands safe. This inflatable as a blue camouflage pattern and it carries a one-year limited warranty.
The Big Slice is 70-inches round when deflated, and it has a speed valve for inflating and deflating it. The Super Slice has an orange nylon cover the PVC bladder. It has the same features as the Big Slice, including being the same size and it also holds three passengers.
Pricing
The cost of the Big Slice is $130, and the Super Slice is about $$$.
Pros:
- It holds up to three riders
- It has a reinforced towing harness
- It is durable with a PVC bladder and nylon cover
Cons:
- The price difference doesn’t have an explanation
Final Verdict
After reading the information on the best towable tubes, we went back over it for the five we chose for our list. Most of the reviews and testimonials were positive for both brands, which are the most dominant companies in the towables market.
Upon further investigation, we decided to choose the Airhead G-Force towables as the best from this short list. The G-Force comes in three and four-passenger inflatables, so no one will need to wait their turn on shore when the others are having fun in the water.
These towables toys look similar to each other because they have the same parent company, Kwik Tek. Another brand of towable tubes, O’Brien, also looks like the Airhead and SportsStuff water toys, but they are not a Kwik Tek brand.
However, if you need a safe way to ride the waves on a towable tube or inflatable, then you can choose any of the Airhead or SportsStuff products for a wild, but safe ride. Be sure you know the rules for riding an inflatable and that the boat driver is sober before he or she gets behind the steering wheel.
Too many accidents happen on the water when alcohol and high speeds are involved, and the injuries from a fall off an inflatable can be severe. So, protect yourself and others by reviewing riding tips before taking off on the towable.
Last update on 2021-12-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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