Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

We named it the Floatchilla, and decided that there would be semi-regular Floatchilla parties. It’s 9x13’ (3x4m); if you live in an apartment, it’s as big as your living room. It’s strong, too; even that net part in the bottom of the couch area that doesn’t look strong; it held two adults sitting down directly on the net, and it held when someone decided to swim underneath for a surprise shark attack, causing those on the net to flail in surprise. The Floatchilla held up to the abuse of an adult flopping around on it like a cross between a fish out of water and a sea lion, and it didn’t care when adults tried to climb over the couch side to board it, where it was clearly not meant to be boarded. The mighty Floatchilla just chilled and took all the abuse hurled at it. Even on a very windy day, with parasailers and hang gliders taking advantage overhead, that reportedly flimsy sunshade held up perfectly, and even functioned as a sail at times. You might be wondering if you need a Floatchilla in your life. Designed for six adults, we have seven crazy people on board, and it could probably manage ten. It’s easier to board than it looks, and has handholds on either side to assist, plus a ramp on one side. (But the truly determined will find that it is possible to bellyflop on board directly from the water.) It has six cup holders built into the sofa section, and a small built-in cooler. What’s the downside, you ask? The cooler’s not large enough to fill seven adults with food and drink for five hours, so you may find that you have to supplement. Also, you may never get all the air out afterwards, which makes putting it back in the original box challenging. The box itself is larger and heavier than you’re expecting. Tips? Get those really cheap Intex air pumps that everybody buys with it. I read reports that they were crap and ran trough batteries before filling half a mattress, but I had three and filled the Floatchilla within 15 minutes without anything overheating or breaking, and even after deflating, they still run on their first set of batteries. (Get those Amazon batteries, too; they’re cheap and good quality.) While you’re at it, get that small collapsible anchor that everyone gets, too. It held the Floatchilla and all its inhabitants even on a day with pretty decent waves. Don’t float out to sea and die a tourist’s death on the Floatchilla — chill responsibly with an anchor. We’ll probably invest in a big rolling plastic container from Home Depot for storage and transport in the future, just to make things easier. I bought this for my husband’s birthday, but my friends loved this so much that we’re planning to have many more Floatchilla parties, and you should, too.