Pool floats, also known as floaties, aren’t just for kids anymore. Adults love spending time floating in a pool or even a calm body of natural water, relaxing alone or with others, perhaps reading, catching some sun, or just napping. What’s more, a childhood classic piece of furniture is now something you can float in, as bean bag pool floats are now on the market, and some of them are big enough for those who are only kids at heart or in memory. Keep reading to learn 10 factors to consider when shopping for your next bean bag pool float:
Cup Holders: Not every float will have these. If you’ve never used floats before, you might think you wouldn’t want one when surrounded by water, or because it would eventually force you out of the water to use the restroom. Still, an adult drink or even something cool and refreshing makes an afternoon of relaxation a lot better.
Functionality: You can get plain floating bean bag chairs, but you can also find some with adjustable backrests, cup holders, and caddies for food, lotion, books, and even your smartphone if you’re brave enough. Some even have tethering loops to latch onto docks or other floaties.
Material: The fabric should be all-weather and obviously water-resistant. UV-ray tolerance is also a must, nor should they rip easily, lest the beans spill. Reputable manufacturers offer repair patches either included or separately.
Multipurpose Use: The great thing about some bean bag pool floaties is that you can use them in the water during the summer, but then again indoors during the winter as an actual traditional bean bag. This makes storage a lot easier too.
Inflation: Anything advertising itself as a bean bag floating chair shouldn’t require any inflation whatsoever, otherwise it’s not technically what it claims to be.
Portability: If you want your own chair to enjoy in public pools or those owned by others, then you want something you can move easily. One of the few downsides of bean bag floaty chairs is not being able to deflate them, so they will take up room in your vehicle, but they shouldn’t weigh much either.
Safety: If you have kids or pets, be mindful of not letting them have access to bean bag chairs alone. If they rip them open and start spreading the contents, they could turn into a choking or poison hazard.
Shifting: The one thing that makes bean bags so great, indoors or on the water, is how they contour to the shape of the person sitting in them. Having said that, the beans might get shifty after a while, affecting the balance of the whole chair. It’s remotely possible that you can be napping on one in the pool only to find yourself suddenly in the water, although that’s far less likely with armrests.
Support: Floaties were originally meant only for kids, and this is where the design and manufacturing process still starts for many producers and sellers of them. No matter how big it looks, be sure you check out the rating for weight supported and be honest with yourself about how much you weigh.
Ease Of Cleanliness: Any bean bag floating chair is going to need to be cleaned from time to time. Even if it sits in a pool, there are harsh chemicals, sunlight, weather, and sweaty bodies with natural oils and sunscreen laying on them.
