We love a good towable. Nothing boosts the fun factor faster than blasting off over the water on a great tube or other water toy. To help you start your summer off right, we’ve rounded up some of the best towables on the market, and we’ve ventured out even beyond just tubes. Get ready to find your favorite new water toy without the headache of searching through the endless varieties without a starting point. Hold on tight!
By Annie Carbutt
Shield
The Shield by Airhead is a great option for starting out, designed for a single rider at an entry-level price point. This tube is great for both a smooth or a wild ride. It features an aerodynamic design that enables optimum speed and control with its rounded, tapered shape that allows riders to deflect splashes as they surf over massive amounts of wake. It comes with four foam-filled handles complete with knuckle guards to provide optimum comfort when holding on tight and leaning into turns. Shield stands out from other towable tubes for boats because it has two bolster fins, which add a layer of security for riders.
The self-draining floor vent, Kwik-Connect tow point, and Speed Safety Valve work together to ensure that riding the Shield is always easy and convenient. Also, an expertly-placed boarding handle makes it easy to climb back on from the water. This family-friendly tube fits one adult or two kids, making it a great addition to your kit of towable lake toys. $120. | www.airhead.com
Daytona 4
The Daytona 4 by Connelly is a four-rider sit-on-top tube with center leg bolsters and ergonomic handle positions. It comes designed for endurance and hard-play with a 840D nylon cover and heavy-duty bladder, but a peel and stick repair kit is also included for extra reassurance. The soft EVA seat padding at each rider position and eight fully-padded handles with knuckle guards let riders know it is also designed for comfort.
The Daytona 4 comes with a Boston valve for easy inflation and a quick-connect tube rope attachment so you don’t have to hassle and you have more time for play. The covered mesh bottom drains excess water for convenience.
Connelly prides itself on great customer service and fast delivery times, so you don’t have to wait long to enjoy. Summer awaits! $499.99 | www.connellyskis.com
Unicorn
Who says towables should be all about function and designed just for the big kids? The Unicorn by HO Sports is a three-rider towable tube built for great days on the lake with an added level of fun factor in its whimsical design. It can handle up to three riders but can be ridden by one, two, or three. The center rider sits on the deck of the tube while the outside riders lie in the prone position. Riders can switch positions and have a different experience with every ride!
HO Sports is known for carrying top-of-the-line water toys that last and really bring the party home, both for adults and children. The Unicorn is part of a lineup of tubes with kid-friendly animal designs, each built with only the finest materials and guaranteed with a one-year warranty. This tube is made to last and bring out the laughs and squeals. It will keep you where you want to be…on the water. $429.99 | www.hosports.com
Barca 3
The Barca 3 by Obrien brings you two tubes in one. It keeps things exciting with a tube that can be pulled from either end. Designed for three riders, the Barca 3 will provide you and two friends with twice as much fun as a normal tube. Ride it chariot style or flip it around, sit back and relax (or hold on tight depending on your driver!). No matter how you choose to ride it, you can’t go wrong with the Barca 3.
The Barca 3 is built for enhanced durability, fully covered in a heavy-duty nylon shell. It is also designed for superior comfort with EVA pads, split seating, and 12 handles with EVA knuckle guards. Two quick-connect tow hooks offer a safe, fast and easy way to connect your rope to the tube. Two lightning valves also help you inflate and deflate faster than ever before. $379.99 | www.obrien.com
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle by Airhead is a three-person towable tube made for an out-of-this-world ride. This tube is equipped with premium elements, including self-draining floor vents and a heavy-duty double-stitched full nylon cover.
The rider features on this tube are stellar. Consider the bolster fins, which keep the rider steady and secure as the driver speeds up and leans into turns. There’s also a streamlined nose, which ensures optimum speed. Lastly, the Space Shuttle float features six comfortable foam-filled handles that make it easy to hang on tight at high speeds over turbulent waters.
The heavy-gauge PVC bladder with RF welded seams ensures that this tube continues to deliver fun and excitement through years of use. You can head to the moon in this space shuttle, which is great for families of all sizes. $350. | www.airhead.com
Chase 3
The Chase 3 by Radar offers endless fun all summer long. With room for three you’ll be laughing with your buddies as you bounce through the wakes and glide on a long whip. Spoon-O-Vation reduces the drag so you keep your speed and connect clean with the wake for maximum boost.
The spacious design of the Chase 3 ensures premium comfort for everyone who comes along for the ride. Riders can choose to ride in a seated position with support at their backs or kneeling up and bracing their forearms in front of them. The tube can be towed from two directions to shake up the fun and add some variety. No two rides on the Chase 3 have to be the same! You’re sure to get endless hours of fun out of this one, and the durable design ensures you will have it for years to come. $429.99 | www.radarskis.com
Wake Hawk
The new Wake Hawk by Rave Sports lets you soar, swoop, and swerve over the waves for hours of fun. Its exciting design offers stable and comfortable couch-style seating between upturned side wings for fun that soars high! Holds up to three riders or 510 pounds maximum. Bright eye-catching graphics will turn heads as you fly by and heavy-duty durable materials will stand up to lots of active towing.
Rave Sports has fun on the water covered with their popular line of tubes and towables as well as skis and boards, kayaks, water trampolines, and more. They ensure that each product is crafted for endurance and fun, and the Wake Hawk is no exception. This towable would make a great addition to anyone’s collection of water toys and undoubtedly would offer endless hours of entertainment. $599.99 | www.ravesports.com
Subwing
The Subwing is a product unlike any other and is sure to be the next big thing in towable watersports. All you need to get started is a Subwing, a tow rope, diving mask and of course a motorized boat. Once the Subwing is up and running, you’ll be able to experience the wonders of flying underwater. The Subwing allows riders to glide effortlessly through the water and perform thrilling underwater acrobatics while exploring the underwater scenery. Glide through the water while performing barrel rolls, discover the underwater world, or just relax on the surface and enjoy the ride.
This unique product offers a wholly unique experience and redefines towable watersports. If you want to take your water toy collection to a new level, the Subwing is definitely a good place to start. Your friends will all wish they had one too and you’ll be the most popular person on the lake! $199. | www.subwing.com
Wipe Out
The WipeOut by WOW Sports is an adventure just waiting to happen. Whoever said wipeouts aren’t fun needs to check this baby out. This three-person inflatable tube is all about versatility with handles placed throughout the tube so you can sit, stand, or kneel your way across the water. Its unique look is sure to turn heads. And though we won’t tell you to try tipping this thing over, you’ll likely get the chance to catch some major air if it does.
To top it all off, the double-webbed foam deck and unique TRI-TOWER design not only make this inflatable tube stand out on the lake, but they also give you plenty of room to fit one or two extra friends. Because as anyone who’s been on the lake knows, more definitely makes merrier.
WOW Sports only produces top-quality, one-of-a-kind products. The WipeOut comes equipped with a reinforced tow point so you can focus on chilling out and never worry about anything else. Tell your friends to get ready, because the party’s coming! $549.99 | www.wowwatersports.com
YouGotThis Board
The YouGotThis board by ZUP is a unique towable that does it all. This board offers riders the chance to lie, kneel, stand and more. It’s easy to use for the most amateur rider but still offers challenge for the more experienced rider. Friendly and stable, the YouGotThis2.0 is ZUP’s “User’s Choice!”
While we’re all about inflatable tubes, we love the variety this board brings to the table. It offers a similar experience to riding on a tube with the added option of an experience almost like waterskiing. The most important thing to note about the YouGotThis Board is that it is so easy to use that anyone can ride it, regardless of experience or skill level. You can lie, kneel, stand, surf, do 360s and much more all on one cool board. No matter your age or experience level, there is a riding position on this board that you can find success with, even on your very first ride. $329.99 | www.zup.com
