Floating mats are essential for relaxing and lounging around at your lakefront home. Choosing the best floating water mat for your family is a big decision. Investing in the right one will provide your family and friends with a fantastic place to relax and play on the water for several seasons. A floating water mat is big enough to allow your entire group to stand, walk, play, or lounge on your own private island.
Floating water pads come in many different sizes with lots of unique features. Here are some tips and some of the top floating water mats and pads to help you choose the one that best meets your needs.
What to Consider When Buying a Floating Water Mat
Size
The size of your floating water mat can make or break a trip to the lake. The best foam float mat will be big enough to accommodate your entire group, so no one gets left out of the fun. On the other hand, if you’ll be using it in your pool, make sure you choose one that’s not TOO big.
Weight Capacity
Weight capacity is also key. If you exceed the weight capacity of your mat, it will sink below the surface instead of floating on top of the water.
Note that manufacturer maximum weight capacities are usually under the best scenario where the weight is evenly distributed across the mat. If everyone is standing in the same area of the mat, some sinking will obviously occur in that spot.
Quality
If you’re looking for a floating water mat that will last season after season, choose a high-quality foam mat that won’t rip, tear, or puncture even with rough use. The price of inflatable water mats may be attractive but the experience will never be as good as a nice thick foam mat.
Foam vs. Inflatable
When deciding between a foam versus an inflatable floating water mat, it all comes down to price, convenience, and durability.
Foam mats never have to be inflated and they’re more durable, but they’re also bulkier when it comes to storage and transport and they cost more than inflatables. Inflatable mats are more compact when deflated, but you have to blow them up every time and they may puncture or tear more easily.
- Rubber Dockie Floating Swim Mat-
The Rubber Dockie is fantastic for lounging on the lake or at the beach. For your peace of mind, this floating mat is made in a bold, fun color combination of green and orange to provide high visibility on the water.
It’s made from closed-cell foam with a tear-stop inner matrix that prevents full-length tears to keep you and your group safer while you float. The Rubber Dockie is manufactured with a tuff-hide outer layer to stand up to rigorous everyday use, and users report that it’s still gentle on elbows and knees.
We also love that the outer layer is scratch and fade resistant, which is essential for a product meant to be used in the sun and on the water. This floating mat also has a convenient 12-foot elastic bungee tether you can use to anchor to docks or other stationary objects.
Rubber Dockie has also included two custom hook and loop straps with sturdy metal buckles to make storage and transport a breeze. This large floating mat has a weight capacity of 1200 – 1400 pounds, so it can accommodate several people comfortably and safely.
- Popsport Floating Water Mat-
This Popsport Floating Water Mat stands out from the competition because it is lightweight, compact, and durable. To add, it has bright and visible colors, which will be easy to see on the water. The size of this water mat is 12×6 feet and the maximum capacity that it can support is 360 kilograms.
If you are looking for portability, this floating mat is sure to not disappoint. It has a roll-up design and is equipped with built-in straps that make it easy to roll. When it is strapped, it looks like an oversized beach towel that is rolled. Plus, with a weight of only 13 pounds, it will be effortless to carry!
It is available in a variety of colors that are easily visible, making it easy to be seen even from afar. Each mat comes with two solid colors, one on each side. You can choose from red and yellow, orange and green, and pink and blue.
As for its construction, the main material that is used in this floating foam pad is 1.3-inch high-density cell foam. There is also a high-tensile core that makes it even stronger.
- Maui Mat Floating Foam Pad-
The Maui Mat is a large floating mat that measures 20 x 6 feet and supports up to 1,300 pounds. Whether you want to pile on the entire family or stretch out and relax all by yourself, this pad will be your personal floating island on the lake, river, ocean, or in the pool.
Use it to stage your favorite water activities or simply kick back and relax, the possibilities are endless!
One of our favorite things about this swim mat is that it only weighs 25 pounds! It rolls up tight and secures with the included hook and loop straps making transport and storage a breeze.
The Maui Mat is made using special patented flex core technology to add strength and durability without adding weight. Best of all, it has no roll memory, which means it rolls up easily, remains flexible, and lays flat when unrolled.
This product is also easy to clean by simply spraying it down with a hose or with a pressure washer.
The Maui Mat is not the most budget-friendly option on our list, but most owners agree that it’s very well made and worth the higher price tag. It’s the perfect water accessory for every age group!
- Floating Oasis Lake Lily Pad-
The Floating Oasis lake pad measures 15 x 6 feet and comes in eight fashionable colors. It’s perfect for the lake and has a weight capacity of over 1,500 pounds, so you can relax and float with the entire family or a group of friends.
This product is made from multiple layers of lightweight polyethylene foam for durability and tear and puncture resistance.
The floating foam mat is easy to clean with soap and water, and it’s fade resistant so the vivid color will last for years of fun on the water.
Key features of the Floating Oasis Lake Pad include a sturdy D-ring with a carabiner and bungee cord for tying off to the dock or your pontoon boat while anchored. This mat also comes with two sturdy Velcro straps for easier transport and storage.
- Big Joe Water Pad-
Big Joe is a company renowned for their excellent bean bag chairs. But they aren’t afraid to get their feet wet too. The Big Joe 15′ x 6′ Water Pad is another great option on our list. The mat is lighter than most at just 22-pounds. And it’s one of the strongest on our list too with a capacity of up to 1,500-pounds.
It sports four grommets in total while most other models have one or maybe two. And in a move of brilliant ingenuity, the grommets are large enough to serve as cup holders as well.
- WOW Sports Water Walkway-
The World of Watersports (WOW) inflatable floating mat comes in five color options. These inflatable mats measure 6 x 10 feet (one is 6 x 6) and each one includes a connecting zipper system that allows you to connect as many of them as you like. When they’re properly inflated, you can walk across them without sinking.
Many users love them for making a floating walkway between two boats when out on the water. They can also be made into an inflatable floating island for playing or relaxing. A grommet is built into each end for anchoring or tethering to a boat or dock.
The Water Walkway is made of heavy-duty 30-gauge PVC and includes vertical I-beams to provide added support for jumping, playing, walking, or lounging.
The mat dries quickly and deflates easily for storage. If storage space is tight, these are a great choice because they are more compact than a foam mat once deflated and much lighter, thus more portable.
Remember, this inflatable floating pad will have to be inflated with a portable air pump before use. And, just like any other inflatable water accessory, there is always the risk of punctures or tears. Other than the Intex below, this is the most affordable option on our list, and it’s a great choice if you’re on a tight budget!
As winter wraps up and summer approaches, we are all thinking about new lake toys to enjoy with friends and family. Investing in a water mat can be a fun purchase for your lake home! It allows for many to relax and enjoy the lake all together without the annoyance of getting wet in a pool float.
Posted by Scott Freerksen “The Lake Guy”