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A pool slide can add a huge amount of fun to your pool. The kids will love it and it will bring out the inner child in the adults too. There are many different shapes and sizes available though and therefore picking the best pool slide for you can be a challenge. And with that said, when you are buying one, there are a lot of things to consider first.
Not only do you need to check the space and size but you also want to make sure that slide is going to give you a very high level of safety and is easy to install. The best backyard pool slide is going to be able to give you those features and more.
In our buying guide, we will show you how to pick the perfect slide for you and we have also completed pool slide reviews to show you the best products on the market. After reading this guide, you’ll be able to find both – the above ground pool slide and the in-ground pool slide.
OUR TOP PICK
S.R. Smith Typhoon Right Curve
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- High level of thrill and entertaining due to the curved design
- Steep slope design for more fun
- High weight capacity, suitable for the whole family
- Easy installation procedure with guidelines included in the package
- Sturdy and safe construction that won’t break or be destroyed
Product Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 1 inches
Item Weight: 225 pounds
Weight Limit: 125 lbs.
Height: 5 feet
Flume Length: 5 feet, 3 inches
EDITORS CHOICE
S.R. Smith Cyclone Right Curve
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Three colors available to choose from according to your preferences
- Compact and durable design that won’t get destroyed under the circumstances
- Deep flume to ensure that no one will come off
- 175-pound capacity allowing adults to use the slide
- Enclosed ladder to improve safety while climbing
Product Dimensions: 80 x 65.5 x 49 inches
Item Weight: 135 pounds
Weight Limit: 175 lbs.
Height: 4 feet, 1 inch
Flume Length: 6 feet, 10 inches
BEST VALUE
Intex Inflatable Slide
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Inflatable and mobile design that can be transported easily
- Easy storage and maintenance without the need for additional equipment
- Compact size featuring seven air chambers that can work independently
- Made out of 20 gauge vinyl construction to improve the durability
- Suitable and versatile for all the Intex’s pools
Product Dimensions: 131 x 81 x 46 inches
Item Weight: 37 pounds
Weight Limit: 176 lbs.
Height: 3’10”
Flume Length: 10’11”
S.R. Smith Rogue2 Slide
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Beautiful retro design that will match your garden interior
- Made with durable materials that won’t get destroyed
- 3 years warranty included to provide you a guarantee
- Can be safely used as entertainment without a pool
- High volume water delivery system that can be connected to a garden hose
Product Dimensions: 92 x 40 x 35 inches
Item Weight: 200 pounds
Weight Limit: 250 lbs.
Height: 8 feet
Flume Length: 9 feet, 3 inches
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Heavy-duty PVC construction made to deliver sturdiness and quality
- More than a regular slider, serving a 40’ long playground
- Inflatable design with easy setup with guidelines included
- Can be used in other water surfaces such as lake or sea
- For extra fun, you can connect a few more parts of the playground
Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 22.8 x 9.9 inches
Item Weight: 38.5 pounds
Weight Limit: 550lbs
Height: 8 feet
Flume Length: over 9 feet
S.R. Smith TurboTwister Slide
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Spiral form for a more thrilling and longer experience
- Designed for safety including an enclosed ladder
- Salt-pool friendly without the risk of destroying the material
- Measuring a length of 14 feet, longer than the regular options
- Easy installation procedure with guides included in the box
Product Dimensions: 162 x 79 x 103 inches
Item Weight: 430 pounds
Weight Limit: 275 lbs.
Height: 8 feet, 7 inches
Flume Length: 14 feet, 4 inches
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Inflatable and easy to store and carry with a bag included with the package
- Made with heavy-duty vinyl which makes the slider puncture and tear-resistant
- Weighted base to ensure that the whole construction won't flip
- Can be hooked to a garden hose for adding extra slickness
- Simple installation procedure with all the details included in the package
Product Dimensions: 19 x 14 x 7 inches
Item Weight: 4.58 pounds
Weight Limit: 150 lbs.
Height: 99-1/2″L x 68″W.
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- 300-pound capacity which makes it excellent for adults too
- Ergonomically designed with a stainless steel mounting hardware
- Safe to use with a splash zone included before soaking in the water
- Roto-molded flume made to be long-lasting and durable
- The tallest and fastest option on our list
Product Dimensions: 81 x 32 x 26 inches
Item Weight: 140 pounds
Weight Capacity: 225 lbs.
Height: 6 feet
Flume Length: 9 feet
S.R. Smith HeliX2 Slide
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- 360-degree slide to deliver extra fun and thrilling experience
- 250-pound capacity without risk when adults use it
- Fountain feature making the flume more slicker
- Improved water delivery system with a high rate per minute
- Round construction that will bring extra safety for your kids
Product Dimensions: 111 x 60 x 88 inches
Item Weight: 250 pounds
Weight Capacity: 250 lbs.
Height: 7 feet, 4 inches
Flume Length: 12 feet, 8 inches
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Metal steel construction, ensuring durability and long lifespan
- Strong fiberglass body and stainless steel hardware made to resist the elements
- Excellent water delivery once connected to a feeder hose
- Multiple mount anchors included in the package
- Made to resist all the elements serving durability in each season
Product Dimensions: 71 x 40 x 23.2 inches
Item Weight: 175 pounds
Weight Capacity: 200 lbs.
Height: 6 feet
Water delivery: 1/2″ feeder hose
How To Choose A Pool Slide – Buying Guide
Size of the Best Pool Slider
When you are buying swimming surface accessories, a lot of the decision will rest on the size of the slide you want. A bigger one will cost you more money, while a smaller slide will cost you less. The size will mainly depend on what you are looking for.
If you have infant children, then you shouldn’t buy the biggest and fastest best pool slides available. Instead, you want a slide that matches the age of the user. The same is true if you have older kids. Teenagers are not going to want to slide down a small inflatable slide into your inflatable swimming surface.
When you are buying your slide, you should tailor it to the size of the users, and we would recommend buying a slide on the bigger side. If your child is not big enough to use a larger slide by themselves, then the chances are that they are not a good enough swimmer to be in the water by themselves.
This means that you can help them down the slide or place them halfway up it to slide down. As they grow, they will be able to use the slide more and more without becoming bored with it. The other thing which will affect the size of your slide will be the size of your water area.
You should avoid the longest slide possible if it’s doomed to end in your tiny circular kid’s swimming surface. A longer slide will generate more speed, and that means that the rider will go deeper into the water. A big slide that goes into shallow water can pose a hazard to the user of it.
Water Supply
An important thing to think about when you are buying such an accessory is adding some water to it. The best pool slides can be used without water but can cause friction on the plastic options. This friction can inhibit the speed of the user and detract from the fun of the slide. We would recommend adding a water supply to it if there is not a certain delivery per minute.
At its very cheapest, you could hook up a garden hose to the top of it and have the water run down. You can also find pool slides that hook up to a water supply and may need professional installation. A slide that can hook up to the pool pump is recommended so you are not constantly adding water to the pool, which, in time, will begin to overflow.
Using it With Safety in Mind
Whether you are purchasing a pool fence or a high-quality slide, safety is paramount whenever you are near water. Before anyone uses the pool slides, you should make sure that you know the facts about pools, spas, swimming, and safety. The first step in ensuring that they are safe is to install the best pool slides correctly.
We talk about installation a little more in a later section, but you should always follow the instructions exactly when you are installing the slide, or call in a professional if you are ever unsure. Water safety for kids should always be a priority and proper installation is a part of that.
Many pool slides come with inbuilt safety features, and one thing you can look for before you buy a slide is that the slide is a CPSC compliant. If it is, then it means that the slide has undergone rigorous testing and stress tests before being allowed on the market.
If it’s bought to be used by young children, or people who are not sure-footed, then you may want to look for steps that have a larger tread. You could also look for handrails on the stairs. For the flume, high walls will ensure that people do not come off one of the sides if their speed gets too much. For very small children, you can opt for stairs which are completely enclosed.
You should also look at the water safety envelope. This will tell you the required depth you need. This will vary from one model to another. You will also need to make sure that the pool slide has an adequate overhand at the side of the pool.
Calculating the Space Needed
There are plenty of things to consider before installing the pool slides and the space you have is one of them. A large one will have a large footprint, but it does not mean that it will necessarily have a smaller footprint than a smaller slide. When you are looking at your options, one thing you will have to think about is how much space you have for it.
It generally follows that a larger swimming surface will have more space around it, but that is not always the case. The footprint of the slide will depend on two things. If the slide is straight, then the angle of the slide will determine the length of the footprint. If the slide is curved, then the angle of the curves will decide the footprint.
For the smallest footprints, you will be looking at the pool slides which curve, especially those which curve in circles. Lots of modern slides come with full 360-degree curves in them, and that can save you a lot of space while bringing excitement to whoever is riding down them. If you have a little more space, then you can opt for a slide that has a smaller curve and does not loop around in a circle.
For those who have a lot of space, you can choose a slide which is completely straight and generates the most speed. Most manufacturers will provide the measurement of the slide’s footprint so that you can plan whether or not the pool slides will fit into your usable space.
Material and Surface
Pool slides are made from a variety of materials, and, as always, we would recommend spending a little more to get higher-quality materials. The better the material, the longer the slide will last. Slides take a lot of punishment, and spending a little more when you buy your slide will often save you money.
Better quality materials will also make the slide more fun, with less friction and less drag. The materials we recommend are fiberglass gel coat and rotationally-molded polyethylene. These two materials are durable and hard-wearing while generating minimal amounts of friction as you slide down them.
They are also chemical resistant (and we know that swimming surfaces can have a lot of chemicals in them), and rust-resistant. If you cannot find a slide with these materials, the look for materials that have coatings to protect them from chemicals, rust, and the UV rays of the sun.
Ease of Installation
Almost all slides can be installed yourself if you can follow a set of instructions. The larger it is, the more complicated the installation will be so we would recommend having a few friends round to help you, and if the slide if particularly big or complicated, then you may want to call in a professional to do the installation for you, especially if you have to hook up extra water lines or anything else.
Most slides, even the smaller ones, will need you to drill some holes to attach the slide too. This is the most important part of the process. Taking the time to drill the holes correctly will ensure that it is secure before anyone uses it. The holes will allow you to place anchors keeping it fixed to the ground.
Once you have the base of the slide attached to a solid surface, the remainder of the pool slides installation should be a breeze. The water can also be plumbed yourself if you are confident enough, but depending on where the water is coming from, it may be better to call in a professional, especially if you have to hook the pump up to your pool’s pump system.
FAQs
Q: Why Get A Pool Slide?
It almost seems like an arbitrary question. The real question should be: why would you not get a pool slide? If you have a swimming surface at your home, then the most common addition to that is a pool slide. If you have kids then you want to give them the best water toys and slide just to see their faces when they go down it, and to keep them out of your hair for longer when you want to relax.
Of course, you do not need to have kids at all, or want kids in the water; a pool slide is a perfect addition for adults too. As much as we do not want to admit it, there is something about the pool slides that bring a smile to all of our faces.
There are plenty of ways that you would be able to have fun in the water with such items as noodles and floats. A slide is a perfect addition to that and you will be able to turn your pool into a little water playground.
Q: What Are The Most Common Slide Shapes?
The most common type of pool slide is a straight slide. It starts up high and angles down into the water. A taller slide allows you to add more gradient to the slide or to make the slide length. When you ride this slide, you slide straight from the top and into the swimming surface at the bottom. These slides need a big footprint as a longer slide will mean that you need more space at the side of your swimming pool.
A straight leg slide is similar to a straight slide, but at the bottom, there is a slight curve before the slide hits the water. The curve at the bottom makes the slide more fun, and it is a slide which is enjoyed by smaller children. The curve takes away some of the speed from the rider before they get into the swimming pool, but it also disorientates them a little to create a bigger splash when they get in.
A molded leg slide is similar to a straight leg slide, but the curve is more curved and steeper. The curve at the end can cure to the right or the left. The height of the slide can also be as high as you want to create more speed and more fun.
An elephant leg slide comes in two varieties. The first is a shape that curves around a central post. If you start at the top, you will complete a loop of two loops before you hit the water. This type is not as fast as a straight slide, so it is better for your get kids. The second design can be a straight slide or a curved slide, and the main difference between these slides and this one is that the slide starts steep and flattens out near the end. This slide generates a lot of speed which is usually maintained until you hit the water.
Q: What Do You Put On Pool Slides To Keep Them Slick?
Over time the surface may become less slick. There is one surefire way to make the pool slide slicker again, but it will cost you a bit of money. You can buy a kit to refinish the slide or hire a professional to come in and do it for you. The chances are that you are not going to want to do that, and, yes, there are cheaper options. Here are some things which you can try to revitalize your pool slide.
The first thing to do is to make sure that you are taking care of it. By regularly cleaning your pool slide, you will keep the material in good shape and stop it from wearing as quickly, which will keep it slicker.
Use a cleaner that will not damage your slide and a cleaning sponge which is not abrasive. Use a mixture of soap and water to clean down the slide and remove any grime. Make sure to wipe off the soap when you are done and try not to get any in your pool.
Any major cracks in the surface of the pool can slow people down (and let the water though). Use a filler on any cracks and let it dry before you use the slide again. A high-quality polish will keep your pool slide slippery, and you should consult a local pool store for the best type of polish to use, and the tools to apply it with. In a pinch, you can take some wax paper and rub it over the slide. This will increase the slickness, but will only last for a short while.
Globo Surf Overview
Whether it is pool lights, a great slide, or a pool filter, you always want to get the best products possible for your pool. These are the top-rated backyard pool slide options on the market and will bring hours of fun to the kids and the adults in your life.
You probably never thought that you would have a pool in your backyard, and you probably never even thought about slides until now, but you can have both, and not only that, you can have one of the best slides out there.