If you have a boat, you need the best towable toys to go with it. Towable tubes are a big part of what creates incredible boating experiences and memories for your family. There are 100’s of products to choose from, so we are going to help by providing a list of great choices for you that will save you a great deal of time searching.
The 12 best towable tubes and inflatable accessories for boating have been factored for:
- Safety
- Durability
- Versatility
- Providing great performance
- Strong reputation of the manufacture
- Looking very cool
- Having an overall value that exceeds it’s price when compared to it’s competition
Having had dozens of different inflatables being towed behind my boats, I’ve noticed many different characteristics in the way they tow and ride. Safety is always a primary consideration, and coupling that with the above criteria, lets check out the very best towables and accessories.
Inflatable Towing Tubes For Boating
Inflatable towable tubes are the most popular towable for boating. Everyone loves them, from small kids to middle-aged adults/kids (lol). Because of this popularity, there’s a massive amount of choices to sift through in order to figure out the best fit for your towable tubing experience.
Given this fact, I am going to provide the best choices out of the hundreds of options. You’ll notice a variety of tubing/inflatable styles in this list. All of which were chosen based on safety, durability, performance, style, options, and price. So lets get started.
Super Mable
Super MableOffered on Amazon by SportsStuff for a great price, is my first pick. Because of Super Mable’s versatility, everybody loves this towable tube which has excellent towing characteristics. It’s great for use by 1 to 3 riders at a time. It can be towed for a very stable ride for younger riders because of it’s wide stance. Yet if you step up the pace it provides an aggressive, thrilling ride for adults.
It can be towed forward or hooked up and towed in reverse position. Again, since it’s 78″ x 79″ the ride can be very stable if desired. So to own a towable tube that works well for almost everyone’s thrill level, it can actually be a real money saver. If you only want to afford just one towable tube at this point, then this is your best choice.
The manufacture Airhead, has a long running history (20+ years) of developing fantastic watersports products and this Super Mable is no different. The heavy duty, double stitched full nylon covering the K80 Bladder is very durable.
It has air cushioned side walls, EVA foam seating pads and the Kwik Connect towing system (super simple attaching). Super Mable also has a multitude of double webbing foam handles with “knuckle guards” that enable lots of different riding positions.
Keep in mind that you can go smaller and get the 1 – 2 person Big Mable or, you can go bigger and get the 1 – 4 person Great Big Mable to get the size to suit your personal needs. I just felt for me that the Super Mable was a great fit and easily towable.
Airhead’s Super Mable will be your most versatile towable tube, so it definitely needs to be in your lineup of towable inflatable toys. (Should be used in conjunction with our next product on the list).
Towable Booster Tube For Safer Towing
The SPORTSSTUFF Towable Booster Tube needs to be used with all your inflatable towable toys. Get it on Amazon now. It is a must have!
The system includes 4K Booster Ball and custom tow rope with an overall tow length of 60 feet including the Booster Ball. This means you don’t need to buy a separate rope for your boating towables. Saving money yet again!
When you’re towing an inflatable toy without a booster tube, your tow rope often submerges into the water. This happens almost every time the tube crosses over your wake. As the rope comes back out of the water, it jerks the tube in a very uncomfortable way and can throw the riders from the tube.
Always tow your inflatable towable toys with the towable booster tube by SportsStuff. A booster tube keeps your towable rope up and out of the water for a smooth, consistent ride and reduces drag, rope spray, & submerging. It also lowers stress on tubes & covers, allowing your towables to last. This Towable Booster Tube must be in your towable toy lineup for the safety and enjoyment of your family and friends.
Most of the time when people complain about damage to one of their inflatables, it was caused by excess stress. The Booster Tube won’t stop the towable from submerging, but it will prevent the rope from submerging and causing a quick jerking strain on your towable tube.
Hot Dog Boating Tube
So do you wanna laugh your butt off?! The Airhead Hot Dog Towable Tube is hilarious, and SO much fun for the riders and viewers alike! It comes in different rider configurations from two riders to 5 riders.
I happen to have the 3 person version available on Amazon with free shipping. We laugh so hard every time this is in the water. Sometimes you don’t even have to be towing it. Just watching the riders trying to board it without knocking the others off is a riot.
- EVA Padding – Provides a more comfortable ride and helps reduce chaffing
- Padded Handles – Non-slip cushioned handles providing comfort and stability
- Kwik-Connect – Airhead’s patented Kwik-Connect for quick and easy rope connection
While it’s not the easiest towable tube to ride for everyone, it’s definitely the most requested towable, and I have a lot of towable tubes.
You can buy any of the four different size versions, but I’m probably going to add the 5 person version to our towable lineup. There is absolutely no way that the 5 person Hot Dog won’t be 5 times the fun. The five person Hot Dog towable tube is also available on Amazon.
Remember that trying to tow too fast or accelerate to fast, will damage any inflatable towable tube. Use your common sense as the driver. Airhead is a fantastic company that has been around for a long time and produces great products.
Airhead G-Force Best Lay-On Towable Tube
The Airhead G-Force is the best towable tube for the laying down position. The 3 person capacity is the most economical tube on Amazon. This flat style tube is fantastic for piling people on and there are plenty of grab handles for everyone.
I like inflatable towables that don’t have a cavity (like a conventional tube that has the hole in the middle). A conventional tube can tumble when a rider falls off, and that cavity can catch water.
When a conventional tube fills with water, it’s like hitting the brakes. There’s a very heavy and instant drag/tension pulling on the boat transom, tow rope, and the tube. But not with this Airhead G-Force!
The Airhead G-Force also absorbs some of the “chop shock” that you get when sitting down inside a conventional tube. Rather than sitting right on the water surface, down in a conventional tube, you have all the airspace of the Airhead G-Force deck tube absorbing that jarring feeling.
The Airhead G-Force is also available as a 2 rider and a 4 rider version. All versions speak quality and durability.
- Kwik-connect – Airhead patented kick-connect for quick and easy rope connection
- Fully covered – heavy-duty full 840 denier nylon cover
- Bolster fins – keeps riders secure while tubing
- Padded handles – non-slip cushioned handles providing comfort and stability
Airhead Rebel Kit – Best Economical Towable Tube Complete Kit
This is my awesome economy recommendation. This is for the person who isn’t loaded, but wants to just have something to tow behind their boat. This is the Airhead Rebel Kit that can be purchased on Amazon, and comes with an electric air pump and a tow rope!
Keep in mind that this is only a single rider inflatable towable tube that measures 54″ x 54″. However it’s still a high quality inflatable tube by Airhead. Airhead is absolutely known for their quality products.
If you break down the price per item, this is a real deal. For one low price, you get:
- Towable tube that includes a heavy duty K80 PVC bladder that’s fully covered in a double-stitched nylon cover with a zipper.
- Airheads best portable 12 volt pump.
- A color-matched 16 strand tube tow rope.
Personally, I like to go right after the towable that I think I will need in the future. However, I included this little bargain for those who just can’t budget in a bigger tube at this point. Get on the water and have some fun with what you can. It’s still lots of fun!
Airhead Thrust
The Airhead Thrust is on my recommended list because it’s perfect for up to 3 aggressive riders who want to get some air time. Of course air time is determined by towing speed and lake conditions.
The driver needs to remember this is not a kite. It’s a towable tube that can benefit from the air pocket under the main platform to gain a little air time off waves and wakes.
As with all Airhead products, the quality is definitely there.
- Made of durable 30 gauge RF welded PVC bladder that’s completely covered in double-stitched 840-denier nylon
- Equipped with a Kwik Connect rope fastener for speedy boat hook-ups on the water
- The Airhead Thrust towable tube comes equipped with a speed safety valve for easy inflation and rapid deflating
- 74. 5″ x 55″ (deflated)
With the back of the main tube resting on the water, but the front raised slightly, you’ll feel like you’re airborne with every wake and jump you make. So you can grab the Airhead Thrust now on Amazon now. (Note that some buyers have said that theirs got a hole in them. This may be from mis-use, but just in case, be sure you buy this one that is sold and shipped by Amazon, so you can return it if you have any issues.)
The girls really seem to like this one for laying out and soaking up the sun. Who says you have to always tow it around.
Ski And Wakeboard Trainers
Now it’s time to get the little ones trained to waterski and wakeboard. Really young kids should all start on the waterski trainer first because they can be in a seated position and holding the handle. This will greatly reduce the child’s anxiety.
AIRHEAD EZ SKI
This is the best way to train young kids to waterski. It really takes their fear and turns it into fun.
Children board the EZ SKI right from the swim step or stern of your boat (Let them drift backwards a ways before starting the engine)- Your kids sit comfortably on the inflated seat for start-ups until they’re ready to stand up and ski at their own pace
- This awesome trainer teaches basic skiing fundamentals including proper stance, handle position, balance and weight transfer for turning
- Inflatable water ski hybrid with integrated wooden water ski trainers and ski bindings
- Engineered for stability while towing (10 mph maximum)
- Inflated seat for start ups until ready to stand up (You’ll find it best to leave the seat inflated until it’s time to move your kids up to the Wake Trainer)
Children board the EZ SKI right from the swim step or stern of your boat (Let them drift backwards a ways before starting the engine)
The Airhead EZ Ski is great for kids up to 70 pounds and costs just over a hundred bucks on Amazon. It comes with everything you need, even the rope.
AIRHEAD BIG EZ SKI
Now for training kids a little bigger to waterski. The AIRHEAD BIG EZ SKI is good for kids up to 120 pounds and is virtually the same system for training.
While the Big EZ Ski is around 10 inches longer and about 30 dollars more than the smaller version of EZ Ski, it just may be your best bet to just start all your kids with the Airhead Big EZ Ski.
You can get the Big Ez Ski on Amazon and again it comes with everything you need to get the kiddos standing up on skis with confidence.
AIRHEAD EZ WAKE For Teaching Wakeboarding
I think this is a really cool and effective way for kids to transition their way through a few steps to become full-on wakeboarders.
Children board the stable EZ Wake Trainer right from the swim platform or stern of your boat (Always let them drift backwards a ways before starting the engine). As the boat starts moving, you just let the rope out until it is fully extended. Like the two EZ Skis, it comes with a shorter rope with a handle on the end for the rider to hold, and a long rope with a handle to be held by someone on the boat.
While your children have the time of their lives on EZ Wake Trainer, they’ll actually be learning to be comfortable with the speed and sensation of watersports. This is important to remember, because the whole point of these trainers is to build confidence quickly.
This awesome trainer teaches basic wakeboarding, kneeboarding, wakesurfing and wakeskating fundamentals including proper stance, handle position, balance and weight transfer for turning. Your kids are having fun during all of this, and that is exactly what you want.
These EZ Trainers allow your kids to gain balance and riding skills before having to worry about the hurdle of having to come out of the water to get on plane. You want their memories to be happy ones after all.
When it is time for them to move into their first actual wakeboard, they’ll be excited rather than fear trying. All because you provided a fun way for them to gain confidence. The Airhead EZ Wake Trainer is available on Amazon for just over a hundred bucks.
Air Pump Inflators For Inflatable Towable Tubes
A good air pump inflator is a real lifesaver when you just want to get out on the water and enjoy your day. There are electric and manual versions available and both can rapidly inflate your boating towables so you can get to having fun quicker.
The recommended units pass the durability, reliability, and price criteria, so either on of these will work great for you.
Electric Inflator Pump
I personally like this 12 volt electric air pump. I can fill up any inflatable in a minute or so without any work from me at all. This is great for taking your inflatables to the lake uninflated and stowed safely in the car or boat. Once I arrive, it takes just a couple minutes to have all your inflatables ready to go. Then deflate them again for the ride home.
The AIRHEAD 12 Volt DC Air Pump is portable and runs off your car or boat battery. You can get it on Amazon and it will pump up all your inflatables for a long time to come.
- High-volume 12 volt Air Pump operating at 410 liters per minute
- “Removable” pressure release valve prevents filling past 1.4 psi
- Hooks to your car, truck, or boat battery with the alligator clips and 10-foot power cord
- Adapters included for Stem, Boston, Leafield, Bravo, Hulkey Roberts, and more
- Draws 28 amps; 90-day warranty
This is the best electric inflator for your inflatable toys. Most people use this without the 1.4 psi pressure release valve being in place. They just watch the cover and inflate until the wrinkles are out of the cover. If your inflatable towables perform like they may need more air, you can always top them off while you are out on the lake with a manual pump quite easily.
Manual Inflator Pump
I keep this pump on the boat just in case one of the tubes need to be topped off. The other thing is that some people like the ride of the tube with more or less air than others, so this adjustment is easy with a manual pump out on the boat.
The AIRHEAD Double Action Hand Pump adds air in the down stroke as well as the upstroke. I have this unit and you would be very surprised at how fast you can inflate your tubes manually. The AIRHEAD Double Action Hand Pump is available on Amazon for pocket change!
As you may have been able to tell, I really like the quality and durability of the Airhead brand. I have had great luck with all of their products I’ve used.
- Four universal valve fittings are included
- Accordion-style hose stretches to 5 ft. long
- Volume is 2 liters / stroke
- Peak pressure is 14 psi
Volume is 2 liters / stroke
Be careful not to over-inflate your towables. When I read complaint reviews on a seam ripping out, it’s likely that they over-inflated it. Then when it is put under load or stress, it can’t stretch any further and it rips the cover.
Air them up until the wrinkles come out of the cover. This is the safest way until you get the feel for each inflatable and how they perform with proper inflation. If it feels under-inflated, you can always top them off with this manual air pump right on the boat. It won’t be long before you get the inflation right the first time.
Storage Bags For Inflatables
This is actually a big issue for most people who have a boat. How do you protect and store your inflatables, such as towable tubes and such? It’s kinda funny because I’ll bet you’ve tried to get it back into it’s original box for storage. It never seems to work!
The HO Sports Tube Tote system is perfect. No matter what size your inflatables are, one of these three size tube totes is most likely going to fit it. Like me, I’m sure you have a few different towable inflatables, let alone possibly having other inflatable floats that need a safe way to be stored or transported.
- Internal compacting straps keeps the inflatable compressed
- Comes in 3 sizes:
- Small 1 rider tubes
- Medium 2 rider tubes
- Large 3 to 4 rider tubes
- Has a single top grab handle
This Tube Tote System is available on Amazon.
These have made life a heck of a lot easier for us getting to and from the lake, as well as storing our tubes safely.
Towable Notes
This short article was based on towable tubes only, but if you want to dig deeper into great towables outside of just tubes, you really need to check out my article on all the Best Towable Toys. There is some really cool stuff available.
I know it’s easy to miss some of the good safety practices when everyone’s having fun and there’s a lot going on. We all make mistakes from time to time, but I just want to remind you that the people you are towing are counting on you as the driver to help keep them as safe as possible.
I travel and vacation a lot and I’ve seen some very unsafe conditions that people put others in while towing inflatables. Everyone can still have a TON of fun, but the boat’s driver and spotters need to know what they are looking out for, before any towing is done.
A quick mention to everyone on board about what they are expected to watch out for, will create a much safer environment for your family and friends, as well as making for a much more fun outing.