Airhead Mable Inflatable Towable Tube, 1-4 Rider Models, Dual Tow Points, Full Nylon Cover, EVA Foam Pads, Patented Speed Valve, Boat Tubes and Towables

I purchased this tube to replace a lay-down style tube that warped (bloated) in the middle. There was only 1 review when I bought this, but I took a chance and it was worth the risk and the price - so far :). Here is what I've learned/picked-up from using Mable.Survival Tip 1:This thing can get some major air (5ft!) when the water is very choppy from boat/pwc traffic (on the 4th of July weekend for example). This is really cool, until the rider comes down. So, a word of advice - from experience - if you get major air ***LET GO***! Yes, this may seem to go against your initial instincts to hold on for dear life. But, here is something to consider - you will have two outcomes if you hold on: A) you will get ejected after the impact OR B) you will get a good amount of whiplash. Our riders had some not-so-fun-and-painful landings/ejections when they held on, but were fine if they let go mid-air. If you are not going to provide a flat ride, and are looking to catch a good amount of air, your may want to inform your rider(s) of this.Survival Tip 2:Mable isn't a one-trick towable. Mable can fly and tip and flip! While Mable may seem bottom-heavy (and thus non-flippable), if you whip the tube out wide enough and fast enough (i.g. boat speed around 20MPH) you can lose your rider(s). I don't think we had any injuries from tipping or flipping, besides riders having the occasional collision while on the tube.Survival Tip 3:With adult riders and with Mable in the 'chariot' (kneeling) position, our boat wasn't strong enough to get Mable started unless the riders leaned back. So, tip 3 is to LEAN BACK when in the chariot position to get started. Afterwards, the rider can get comfortable without trouble. As a side note, when we had one rider and had speeds between 10MPH and 15MPH, Mable nosedived in the 'lounge' position. She would also sometimes drag or tip over without a rider, usually when the boat slowed down from lower speeds that were between 10MPH and 15MPH.General Tidbits:-Switching the position of Mable is really easy.-She also stays inflated very well - we didn't have to re-inflate after the initial inflation.-The handles and padded areas can rub on the rider(s) skin. If you want maximum protection for your skin, wear long pants when kneeling. Longer bottoms may also be a good idea for sitting too since regular swimsuits may ride-up. Gloves may be a good idea for extended rides, or you'll risk blisters.---Overall, the Big Mable is an awesome tube. It handles all sorts of riders, it has held up well (over three months with at least 2 weeks of heavy use/abuse), and it is very very fun. It is easy to switch positions.---Notes:Used only on fresh-water lake.

Have only used it for Memorial Day weekend so far but am 100% pleased. I bought a pump to inflate it (Sevylor 2000016327 Pump 120V 2.5Psi available on Amazon - I highly recommend it) because I figured this would be big. And it is big. Really big. Great Big, as it were. With 4 teenage girls on this thing (in the sitting position) it is the easiest thing I have ever pulled. It takes no talent at all to get it swinging around wwwaaayyyyy outside the wakes or skittering around fast turns. All riders were extremely pleased and even bouncing over some pretty good chop with 2-3 feet of air under it, it was really stable and solid. Peals of howling laughter kind of fun. Using the chariot style pull makes riding it more challenging for those looking for that but it still pulls really easily. Note that only one quick-connect is on this thing and it is in the seated configuration. You have to thread a rope through some straps to pull it chariot style so switching positions can be problematic. We mostly left it in the seated style. Appears to be well built and durable with the usual neoprene pads, Boston valves, and padded handles you would expect. If you have a group of people to pull, this is your toy. Highly recommended. Oh yeah, that big ball thing on the tow rope in the pictures is not part of this. That is a separate thing (SPORTSSTUFF Towable Booster Tube) that we used for the previous flat towable we had. I wouldn't say it is necessary for the Mable but it didn't hamper the experience either and helps to manage the rope shock.

Super Mable is Super Awesome!My kids (9 & 12) are not the adventurous type. We had tried tubing once with an old Obrien donut tube and they hated it. But recently we had seen other folks out there with this tube, and all their kids were laughing, screaming & having fun. Most importantly, despite the fact that they were whipping around pretty good, nobody was getting dumped. Soooo, we decided to take a chance.We decided to go with the 3 person, figuring it could be used with 1,2, or 3 kids. This way, if they have a friend along, everyone can pile in there at once in one trip. So with a big gulp we spent the money on this thing. Figured if they didn't like it, I could try to sell it on Craigslist.The thing is HUGE. We are fortunate enough to have a cottage on the water, and so we just plop it in the water and tow right from the dock. Otherwise, there is no way we could transport it in/on the boat...it would have to be towed along the whole day. (we have an 18' jet boat). The bottom part and the backrest part are inflated separately, so we just deflate the backrest for storage. (it took a really long time to inflate with a portable compressor)We also got the super-heavy-duty 4-person tow rope, and thank goodness. The thing weighs a ton, especially when wet.The kids LOVE it, and so do their friends. The 9-year-old has to re-grip often, because the handles are really big for her little hands. They also wear goggles for the spray. So far, nobody has fallen off, and there have been some big wake waves. We are pretty conservative with the speed, and they have a great time. I suppose if you really tried you could dump someone.According to the kids, the best thing about it is that it's fun without the fear of falling off. And they can all go together at the same time, which is more fun than going alone, and no arguments about whose turn it is, someone's turn was longer, etc.Thought the price was high, but turns out the real cost is in gas, because now they want to tube tube tube all day!As far as the durability, that remains to be seen. Hopefully it last a long time. So far though, it was worth the investment, and everyone is glad we got it.