Best Water Slides 2023 Reviews (Inflatable + Solid)

Pool slides can be a lot of fun. Continue reading to see our selection of the best inflatable pool slides and the best solid pool slides available.

There is a variety from which you get to select exactly which one is ideal for you. This makes it easier to choose which one is the safest for your kids. It also allows you decide which one best blends with your pool area and how perfectly it will fit in any given space.

Best Inflatable Pool Slides 2020

Intex Water Slide Inflatable Play Center

Features/Values:

• Size: 131 × 81 × 46 inches
• Weight: 37 pounds
• Recommended Age Range: 9 – 18 Years
• Includes: Repair Patch

The inflatable water slide by Intex is ideal for kids aged six years and over. It will allow you to make a splash all summer long and give your kids a fun filled moment at the pool. This water slide comes with unique features such as 7 air chambers that add volume for extra fun, inflatable bases for stability which ensures your kids don’t fall off while playing, 8 heavy duty handles as well as a repair patch. To make the surface of the water slide wet, you will need to attach a garden hose for sprayers.

This slide is best for children weighing about 65 pounds and totally not recommended for teens. Older users are likely to weigh 100 pounds plus, which will ultimately reduce the lifespan of this water slide besides making it inefficient in function. You probably want this slide to serve you for longer so try to limit the number of users and analyze how much pressure is exerted on it.

Intex Cabin Island Inflatable Play Center

Features/Values:

• Size: 110 × 68 × 48 inches
• Weight: 22 pounds
• Weight Capacity: 220 Pounds
• Recommended Age Range: 9 – 18 Years
• Includes: Repair Patch

Don’t be fooled by looks alone – this inflatable play center might seem suited for younger children, but it provides a wide range of fun-loving pool hoppers. Once inflated, this large float is great for above-ground and in-ground pools, as well as docks and small bodies of water.

The key is the durable construction. In fact, this play center can support up to 220 pounds, meaning that even adults can have some fun of their own. Overall, this float is perfect for sliding, lounging, climbing, and playing.

More activity means more opportunity for damage, though, and this float is no exception. While it can be susceptible to holes, an included repair patch can offer insurance for any large rips – while the sturdy 15-gauge vinyl can weather further damage. For the size and design, this play center makes for a great deal.

Best Solid Pool Slides 2020

Turbo Twister Pool Slide

Features/Values:

• Height: 8 feet, 7 inches
• Weight: 275 pounds
• Water Delivery: 25 gallons per minute

With lots of fun and adventurous ideas for the entire family, S.R. Smith’s Turbo Twister is the ultimate residential pool slide. It is not just so easy to assemble and install, it is also enhanced for the maximum safety of the users of the pool. This helps to minimize the cases of related accidents while providing your entire family with a jolly ride right into the waters.

The handrails of this slide are integrated to the ladder which ensures you have a firm grip when climbing, while the enclosed ladders and treaded footprints will help prevent wet feet from slipping the rungs. It measures 8 feet, 7 inches tall with deep a flume of 14 feet, 4 inches in length that ensures you slide sway safely.

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Rogue 2 Pool Slide

Features/Values:

• Height: 8 feet
• Weight: 250 pounds
• Water Delivery: 30 gallons per minute

This amazing product from S.R. Smith comes in variants of radiant white, pewter gray, taupe and marine blue. It is also available in the right and left curved flume which gives you another two options from which to select. It can hold sliders weighing up to 250 pounds, making it ideal for a bit heavier adults too. The package comes with easy-to-understand instructional guides on installation and as a bonus, there are videos available on the website to make it more precise.

Durability is one element that has been thoroughly taken care of with this slide by the use of roto molded sandstone for the slide and stainless steel for the hardware. The water delivery system is improved and can be connected to a garden hose or plumped through the return line of the swimming pool. It is compatible with any type of pool indiscriminately.

Cyclone Pool Slide

Features/Values:

• Height: 4 feet, 1 inch
• Weight: 135 pounds
• Water Delivery: Garden hose

Available in taupe, gray granite colors, this pool slide by S.R. Smith will make a huge splash with the little ones that enjoy the pool. It stands at four feet off the ground and has a flume length of 6 feet 10 inches. The slide is roto-molded for durability and strength with an elegant design for aesthetic appeal. The lifespan of this slide is vouched by the durable materials that make it less prone to damage and close to invincible.

Safety is promised by features such as an enclosed ladder, molded handrails to ensure you don’t slip and fall. It is available only in right curve, with a height of four feet, one inch and a flume length of six feet, ten inches. It requires a deck space of 6 feet, 8 inches by 5 feet, 6 inches. The weight limit on this slide is 175 pounds, which means it can only accommodate a limited number of riders. The installation process is also very easy and fast.

Typhoon Pool Slide

Features/Values:

• Height: 7 feet, 4 inches
• Weight: 275 pounds
• Water Delivery: 20 gallons per minute

Salt-pool-friendly slides are hard to come by and this Typhoon from S.R. Smith happens to be one among the unbeatable ones in the market. The rotomolded slide is manufactured with the most durable and salt-friendly materials to counter salt chlorinator systems. This provides protection from corrosion and keeps your slide functional for much longer.

It stands 7 feet, 4 inches tall off the ground to the top of the handrails. The enclosed ladders and non-slip treaded footprints provide maximum safety for your kids. The water delivery system on this slide is GrandRapids and offers lots of rushing water for an exquisite and fun ride into the pool. The weight limit is 275 pounds and it comes in two colors; gray granite and sandstone. It is ideal for pools with limited deck space.

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Dangerous slides according to CPSC:

HeliX2 Pool Slide

Things to Consider Before Selecting a Slide

The Pros and Cons of Inflatable Pool Slides

Pros and Cons of Sandstone Pool Slides

1. Size

Swimming pool slides come in different sizes which ultimately means they are not only meant for kids. Small slides are only intended for children but there are larger pool slides available in the market that can accommodate most adults as well. However, if you want a pool everyone can enjoy, seek a weight capacity of 200 pounds (or more), a wide flume that has deep walls and comfortable curves that won’t be too tight.

2. Color

Pool slides are available in many solid colors but with advances in materials, manufacturers have been able to come up with products of varied textures as well as blends that resemble natural elements. This gives you a chance to select from different varieties of color depending on your taste. With the many options available you are guaranteed your favorites won’t be neglected and even better, you can incorporate a themed style making your pool even more beautiful.

3. Surface and Material

Apart from inflatable slides, a category in and out of itself, a number of modern pools are either made from rationally molded polyethylene plastic or fiberglass gelcoat, which are both beautiful materials. The main reason behind the use of these materials is their durability and resistance to impact, chemicals, corrosion and rust. They are also able to withstand extreme weather and won’t fade even when exposed to the sun over time unlike slides made out of acrylic.

4. Ease of Assembly

Before you can purchase a pool slide, analyze the installation process by reviewing the installation documentation provided by the manufacturer. If it is detailed with precise guidelines and explanations including clear visuals, it will give you an easier time setting it up after buying it. However, it would be a great idea to consult with a professional to handle the installation of the pool slide.

5. Safety

Your first priority when buying a poolside should be safety. How safe will your kids be when you bring the pool slide home? Pool slides may be loaded with safety features but this is no guarantee that the users are completely out of danger. For starters, you will need to verify that the pool slide you purchase is compliant with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It ensures the slide has undergone 48 unique performance test for quality assurance. This is not a green flag but only asserts that it qualifies for the mandatory safety standards that pool slides are tested against.

Shapes of Swimming Pool Slides

These would be the three most common shapes, or categories, of solid swimming pool slides:

Straight Leg Pool Slides

This type of pool slides will either have a closed or open stairway. A closed stairway is the safest if you have kids around. With these pool slides, the weight capacity falls somewhere between 225 and 250 pounds. It would be wise to politely keep heavier swimmers from using the slide to avoid any inconveniences.

These slides come with minimal flexibility in placement provided that water depth and overhang are in complete agreement with the water safety envelope. This is precisely why the footprint will vary from 12’’ by 5’’ to 8’’ by 8’’ but it will depend on the orientation you install the slide.

Molded Slide Legs

This group of slides have enclosed stairways, unlike the traditional open ladder, which makes it generally safer for kids. The footprint on these slides will solely be dependent on the manufacturer. For the weight limit, these slides can usually accommodate 250 to 275 pounds comfortably.

Elephant Leg

The weight limit on these pool slides is also around 250 pounds which means fun for many more people, since they can accommodate slightly heavier swimmers. These are the most unique slides that will offer an even more fun swimming experience for kids considering their design and orientation.

Conclusion

Swimming pool slides are generally a fun addition to your pool that will get your entire family in the mood for a good time. To make all the moments at your backyard more memorable, maybe it’s about time you got a slide. There are a number of options, budget friendly products that will suit your family and easy to go with slides that will make your swimming experience more adventurous. If space is your concern, there are slides that occupy lesser space and as bonus, they enhance the scenery at the pool area.