Pool Reviews

This is a terrific product. Keeps the child perfectly boyant while allowing free movement of arms and legs. Helps build the child's confidence in the water for those who are hesitant and provides a measure of protection for those who are fearless (adult supervision, of course, at all times). It's lightweight, adjustable, easy to store, and durable. We first bought one a few years ago for our son who is now 7 and on his own in the water, and another one for our second son who is now 4 (both started using it at about age 2).

This swim aid gives the child additional buoyancy, but doesn't automatically keep them upright like a life jacket would. Consequently, the first thing the child learns is how to tread water with the aid of a little added buoyancy. This starts them swimming like like you wouldn't believe! Both our boys learned to stay upright and to propel themselves through the water at 20 and 25 months of age. The older son discarded the vest by age 4, then passed the deep water swimming test at our neighborhood pool before his fifth birthday, the youngest child to do so there. I'm convinced it was in large part because of lots of practice with this swim trainer.

This swim vest has given our son (age 3 1/2) a lot of confidence in the water. This is not to say that you still don't have to watch them like a hawk but it does give them some independence from you so you don't get kicked as much as without one. What I like about it is that he is learning to swim while having fun with the rest of the family. We gradually take out pads as needed which is a wonderful feature so he doesn't get dependent on it. He swam with one last year also so he is growing up with them.

I am very impressed. We purchased this pool for our kids ages 5 & 2 (since our dog popped the last one)and they love it. The pool was much bigger than I expected which is great because I was sceptical about the price and durabilty. We have had the pool up for over a month now and it has survived our large dog (who ate the blow up kind in 2 days) it has survived 6 full grown men at a recent birthday party and a lot of horse playing. Very durable! It took me and my husband 45 min to put it together and it's been very easy to maintain. I'm predicting that we will get about 3 good years out of it. Highly recommend!

I just purchased this pool summer 04 and we love it. It is much bigger than I had estimated so I was pleasantly surprised. The box is very heavy and it took me a while to get everything out of the box. It took me only 45 minutes to put it up. It is really durable and I am hoping to get a couple of years out of it. The best thing is that it is a complete pool set. It has a pool mat (which I put sand under)for liner protection, ladder, pump, pool cover and a vacuum with changable strainer head. For the price you just can't beat it.

Be sure the ground is level. My pool is tilted slightly and it caused the liner to streatch and buldge more on one side. It says it is 36 inches deep so I assumed it would come up to my daughter's chest but it actually comes up to her chin! When this one goes I will purchase the 24' x 48" size.

This is my second season with this pool,sets up quick and easy!!I see alot of people complaining about the filter,I had a crystal clear pool all season last year with proper chemicals and maintance,I leave the pump runnung 24/7 uses very little electricity.The nieces and nephews and all the neighbor kids loved it and it held up great.this year I bought the surface skimmer that hooks to the filter since last years model didnt include it to help even more with maintance(catches floating leaves,etc)Easy to take down for winter storage,filter cartridges are available at most discount stores and online.I never used the vacume that came with the pool as I had a nicer one from a previous pool.

Everyone else who reviewed this pool seems to love it, but I had a different experience. We used this pool last summer and put it ontop of a new tarp on our patio. It got a hole in the bottom anyway and now it is worthless. Also, if you don't have an automatic pump that works fast, this pool takes a century to fill with air using, for example, a bike pump! We are going to buy a hard plastic pool this year for our toddler.
My son did enjoy the fish on the pool, when it was usable and the sides are sturdy enough for an adult to sit on.

I bought this pool for the express purpose of using it for tailgting at this year's Belmont Stakes. I arrived at Belmont Park around 9am, and we set out to inflate the pool. Once inflated, it was filled with ice and beer and we positioned our folding chairs around the perimeter of the pool. We couldn't have been more comfortable. We had our feet up on the edge of the pool, and I had a smile on my face from ear to ear. Our beer pool was the hit of the Belmont as we were photogrpahed by countless photographers from various media outlets.

This pool passed the test and I would buy another any time.

I bought this pool to use as a labor/birth pool for my home birth last year. It was so comfy with the inflatable sides & bottom and the perfect depth for being able to really sink down into the water. It was easy to inflate & fill. Big enough for me to change positions and get comfortable in (as comfortable as one can be in labor) yet small enough to fit in my living room. I didn't end up giving birth in the water, but the pool has not gone to waste. My 3 year old enjoyed playing in it last summer & it was big enough for my husband & I to get in with her. Very sturdy & we will definitely be using it again this summer!

This is a fantastic pool for the money. The best deal yet! We are really enjoying it. It came with everything! We bought ours at Walmart, cheap. You can't go wrong. Easy set up. Just took a while to fill, but this thing is huge!!!

this pool is very deep.you have to level it or all the water will spill out.it is a great way to teach children how to swim.the filter should be washed almost everyday.the filter is kind of slow but its manageable.

We purchased this pool last summer. It was extremely easy to set up and take down. The filter could be a little stronger but it was manageable. I ran the filter continuously because I have large trees overhead. The filter cartridge was easily cleaned with just a garden hose. It was great summer fun for my 8 year old and for grownups. We got tons of enjoyment out of it. Well worth the money!!

I got this pool this summer and it was soooooooooo much fun!I even had a pool party. but the only thing was waiting for it to be set up and filling it up. But in other words it was very FUN!!!

I am not a child, but this pool brought out the "kid" in me! I was looking for a cheap and practical item to place in backyard for some "tanning," and this was the best deal! Best deal in terms of being spacious! I love it, and I plan to use it often when seeking a site to cool off in my backyard.

Not recommended for more than one adult, of course. It seems like a fun spot for kids too, but you may want to consider a larger pool for the children.

The Aqua pump is not very easy to use and not practical to blow the air into the ring.I recommend using a regular air pump...much faster. That is the only thing that has disappointed me. I spent ten bucks on an battery-operated pump that did not blow up the top ring!

We got stuck in this huge heat wave and our community pool was full of kids. I was looking for a way to cool off and get a nice tan without the hastle so I bought this pool and a cheap $2 floating raft and it works perfect. I have a strict homeowners association and they won't let you buy anything larger. With the cheap raft you sit just enough under the water to keep cool but all the important parts are kept above the water to keep tan. The best part is it makes you feel like you are in a hammock so you can rock and sway in it while listening to the radio. The other best part is you are in the privacy of your own home and in the peace and quite, a nice way to take a quick nap as well. Also one final tip underinflate your ring as it will inflate more in the sun and you don't want it to pop. This will make sure it lasts longer.

Shamu is ready for you to ride him! Be gentle though... he hates rough tubers and riders, he can't withstand heavy duty people on him! If a heavy rider tries to "Inner Tube Giddy-Up" him, he'll be over forced in his body chamber and will POP! BE CAREFUL! Listen

I have several ride on pool animal toys and my kids and their friends all prefer the whale. It holds up well under their rough play and is easy to get on and stay on. This toy has the handels which is a plus. I have bought this item for others. You wont regret getting this pool toy.

A great toy, very big, very sturdy and incredibly cute. A must buy. It is pure fun in the water. Lying on it in the peaceful ocean is like lying on clouds. If the waves are rocking it,its like surfing. The vinyl is not rough but very smooth so you cannot harm yourself at the seams. Has two air chambers for safer play(The main body and the fluke). Depending on lungpower takes 4-8 minutes to inflate.

My daughter was about 15 months old when she began using this pool, and though a little hesitant at first, she quickly grew to love it. The recommended age is three years old, but with constant adult supervision there is no reason why a younger child cannot enjoy this pool. The cabana is also great to keep the sun's rays off the baby. We have used the pool many times throughout the summer and have never had a problem with it leaking and with an air pump it blew up in no time. If you want just a simple baby pool this is a great one.

We recently started using this pool with our 1 year old son. He LOVES it! Initially, he was a little hesitant, as the water was probably colder than what he was used to, but he sat and played and played and splashed for ages! Of course, 100% parental supervision is required for an activity like this, but it's 100% worthwhile! The inflatable sunshade is great to keep the harmful UVA/UVB rays from your child's delicate skin and also helps to keep them from getting overheated. We haven't had any difficulty with the pool deflating, and the vinyl seems to be much stronger than the stuff pool toys were made from when I was a kid. We're delighted with this pool and will continue to use it daily (as long as the weather holds out!)

We have bought several of these through the years, as the chlorine in the pool will fade them eventually, making it hard to find. Taking it out of the pool, rinsing in clear water and storing out of the sun will probably extend its life. Leaving it in the pool all year long won't help it.

But educational? You bet! I had a friend over with a small boy who was afraid to put his head under water. Within a few minutes he was ducking his head under water, eyes open, in order to retrieve this fun toy as we zoomed it to him. This is a great toy for swim instructors to use.

And it also teaches physics! - propulsion, semi-flotation, directional pulls.

Physical education! Though the toypedo is fairly easy to throw, a technique must be mastered to get it to go far and in the direction you want it to go. If you want a workout in the pool, mom, just play with this toy in the pool with your kids.

Can it teach math or a foreign language? We homeschooled and our son invented a game where I would give him a math problem or a sentence to translate, and then I'd throw a pool toy, such as the Toypedo. He had to swim after the toy, and come up with it and the answer to the question. His rules. No, I didn't let him drown!

It isn't just for little kids. Our teens and their friends created many a game with the Toypedo. Some were rather like golf or ball game rules, with specific targets to hit or go through. The Toypedo doesn't come with directions and rules, but making them up for your own games is quite educational.

The toypedo works best when you throw it from out of the water. It really dives great, but beware in a crowded pool! Also if kids decide to throw it at each other---yikes! it is a heavy toy!

Every summer I visit my nieces and nephews for a week-long pool party, and every summer I scour the stores for new pool toys to bring with me. 6 years ago I discovered the Toypedo, and it is STILL the most popular toy in the pool, all these years (and toys) later. It's also worth noting that, of course, in the meantime the kids have all grown older, but this toy just keeps on being interesting. The adults play with it too.

The Toypedo works wonderfully, gliding underwater much farther than seems reasonable, and it's impossible to break. And you get better with practice, which also keeps it interesting. Very highly recommended.

I bought this pool for my son and this is the third year that we've used it. Believe it or not, my very active son has outgrown this pool before even one hole has appeared!!! This pool has endured lots of acrobatic jumping and even made an appearance at a 'Gross' birthday party for 15 kids as the slime pit. It still doesn't have a puncture!! My son is 7 this summer and he is actually too big for it (he likes to jump in it and since he is 52 inches tall this pool is too small for that activity). I never expected when I bought this pool that I would be 'handing it down' to someone else years later!

My husband and I wanted to buy a pool for our 14 month old. After reading the other reviews on this pool we decided to get it. It was easy to inflate and it's really a nice size for the price. We were all able to fit in it and could have even had a few more bodies in there. Our little guy seemed to really enjoy it. We look forward to many more lazy summer days in the pool! We would definitely recommend this to others.

We just took it out for a test drive today. My 2 yr old and 1 yr old absolutely love it! Place it on the grass because when they get moving in there and slip and fall, you'll be glad you did. It's wonderful for the price!

We got the pool and thought it was a great value until a raccoon jumped on it and clawed the whole tube up. We never had trouble with them until the pool came and within 2 days the pool was gone. It deflated and water poured all over my yard twice. I called the intex to let them know but i don't think they understood. I do think the pool is a great value but it dosen't hold up to the durabiaty as a metal framed pool.For a hundred dollars more i think the metal one is the way to go. Now my 3 year old is stuck without a pool.

We had a 24'x48" pool and it was more difficult than a permanent pool, or the 18'x48" intex pool to keep clean. Once set up it wasn't 48"deep at its fullest either. We went and purchased a 18'x48" that has an automatic skimmer and sprayer with it and it is WONDERFUL. Infact it has became a "fashion statement" in our town everyone wants one. I think in time you will find the 24'x48" pools to suck. You get more for your money you might say by getting the 18'x48" pool. Not always is biggest better.

Most difficult time leveling yard. Very pleased with the overall result. Our 9 year old is now the happiest kid on the block! Depth/size great for my backyard. Will keep for 2-3 years and maybe move to a permanent pool. Hope it last, as it does seem very durable. Looking forward to a long weekend to really try it out!! I don't believe anyone believes these things can be ready in "30 minutes" (even without leveling yard). Still a great buy and will recommend to friends and family.