If you’re looking to buy quality commercial inflatable products there’s some research that you need to do before buying. The ‘if it costs more, it’s a better quality product’ mentality doesn’t necessarily apply here, and you should never do any guess work when it comes to inflatable safety. This list, while certainly not complete, includes some of the most important things to look for when purchasing quality commercial inflatables.
1. Material
While you might not be able to tell at first glance, not all quality commercial inflatables are built the same. That doesn’t just mean size, design, and color, but the actual manufacturing of the products themselves. Some materials are more durable and environmentally friendly than others. Material also plays a role in the proper cleaning, maintenance, and storage of quality commercial inflatable products. Failing to properly clean and store products can hurt their longevity or damage them.
2. Instruction Manual
Doing hours of reading on proper setup and take down isn’t a particularly fun way to spend the day. But it’s even more exhausting trying to figure out how to operate and assemble quality commercial inflatable products when the instructions are vague. Further, more detailed and elaborate instructions are necessary to prevent injuries resulting from improper use. No matter how new or experienced you are to using inflatable products one can never be too careful.
Aside from operation and assembly the manual should also include detailed information about safety hazards and repair instructions. Most importantly, the manual should clearly indicate if it meets inflatable safety standards from an accredited test house like the TÜV (Technischer Überwachungsverein, or “Technical Inspection Association” in English). It never hurts to ask for a copy of the certificate.
3. Repair Kit
No matter how durable the material may be, even commercial water slides and inflatable products of the highest quality can and will experience wear and tear at some point. If the inflatable doesn’t come with a repair kit then it’s not one worth buying. Buying an inflatable without a repair kit means calling the manufacturing company or finding a local expert to handle the repairs for you, which will lead to additional expenses in the future. This is to say nothing of the fact that damages never occur at a time that’s convenient; if it’s after hours or you’re away from a phone you will need to wait even longer for your inflatable to be fixed. This might not be particularly problematic for residential-grade inflatables. But having to shut down areas of your aqua park because an inflatable is damaged can be bad for business, as well as dangerous.
4. Recommended Age Range
It’s best practice to remain mindful of the age ranges of people who will be using commercial inflatable products. But even more so should you be mindful of the age ranges that products were intended to be used by, which should be clearly indicated in both the instructions and on the product itself. Supported weight and ease of access for steps and handles are going to differ by age range, which can be an inconvenience at best and a safety hazard at worst.
5. Product Dimensions
It’s not easy to gauge the height and weight of inflatable products from a glance alone. Some may actually look to be much larger than they really are because of additions added by the manufacturer. Without the exact height and weight you may have trouble transporting and assembling it, or having enough space for it once it’s assembled.
When inquiring about these numbers don’t ask for the height of the inflatable but rather the height of the slide platform, as the two can vary greatly. To make sure you have the accurate weight you may need to weigh it yourself.
6. Labels
Any time you’re using inflatable products you want to make sure that they have clear, easy to find, and easy to read labels on them. You might not always be able to bring the manual with you, especially if you’re out on the water, and will need to rely on these labels. They include important consumer information and warnings such as intended number of users, weight supported, and potential safety hazards. If a product meets inflatable safety standards, this too should be clearly marked on the product just as it is in the manual.
7. Anchoring
Both the anchoring instructions and the anchor itself should be included with commercial inflatable products. High quality commercial-grade inflatables will use metal stakes instead of plastic, which are more commonly used on water inflatables meant for residential use. Anchors are used to keep outdoor water inflatables in place as well as ensure they are sufficiently spaced out from other solid objects. Instructions for proper anchoring will vary by the body of water that the inflatable will be used in.
Contact Us
At Water Warrior Services we do more than supply recreational equipment. We’re also available for all of your commercial-grade inflatable set up, take down, cleaning, and repair needs. Contact our team of experts today and tell us how we can help you keep your aqua park operating in prime condition.