Alright guys, today was all about sorting out pool floats for my kids. Been putting it off ’cause last summer’s cheapos popped faster than bubble wrap. Started simple: needed decent floats without selling a kidney. Jumped onto Walmart’s site since it’s close and, you know, Walmart.
The Digging Begins
Searched “pool floats” and holy cow, pages of the things – donuts, unicorns, pizza slices, even a flamingo big enough for my stubborn husky. Overwhelmed. Filtered by “Top Rated.” Smart move. Reviews became my lifeline.
Focused on floats with tons of ratings. Saw this one dinosaur float with like 4.5 stars from over 2k people. Clicked into reviews. Scrolled past the glowing ones like “Love it!” straight to the meaty 2- and 3-star ones. Wanted the gritty truth.
Here’s what stuck out:
- Durability Drama: Kept seeing “held up all summer!” next to “popped second use.” Key detail? People who got multiple seasons filled them only 3/4 and kept them outta sharp sun. Noted.
- Actual Kid-Sized or Kid-Lie? Many floats bragged “fits two kids!” Reviews screamed: “Fit my two toddlers…barely!” Checked reviewer photos – saw kids elbow-to-elbow. Measured my rugrats later.
- The Smell Factor: Loads mentioned that weird “plastic fumes” smell right outta the bag. Solution? Air it out overnight before pool day. Basic, but crucial.
- Pump Pains: Included cheap plastic pumps? Practically useless. Reviews groaned about taking forever. Saw tons of advice: “Just use your electric pump!” Glad I got one.
Narrowing It Down & Grabbing Them
Picked the dino (for the boy obsessed with T-Rexes) and a simpler two-ring float rated for durability over looks. Screenshot the pages with prices. Drove to my local Walmart – cheaper shipping is me walking my butt there. Found the exact dino float… price matched online, score. Grabbed one extra cheap ring float on clearance aisle. Live a little.
The Backyard Test Lab
Got home, threw the floats open. Yup, that plastic smell hit us like a wall – instantly shoved ’em out back to air out overnight. Next day? Stink mostly gone. Filled ’em maybe 75% full with my electric pump. Pro tip: Don’t overstuff; vinyl stretches weird.
Kids dove on. Dino float? Perfect for one seven-year-old dinosaur hunter. Two kids? Nope, instant squabbles. Rings? Held both little ones okay. Husky eyed the flamingo float longingly… maybe next paycheck. Used ’em three times so far this month. No pops! Keeping ’em shaded when dry.
So… Worth the Hassle?
Honestly? Yeah. Skipped total duds thanks to reviews pointing out the weak spots like weak seams and smell. Learned what the star ratings didn’t say: “Fits two kids” really means “fits two skinny kindergartners, max.” Spent maybe thirty bucks total? Kids are splashing, dog’s jealous, I ain’t crying over popped plastic. Win.