Pool float matchup · Lightweight division
Swimline Original Suntan Tub vs SLOOSH Inflatable Tanning Pool Lounger XL
the original against the extra-large
The judges have ruled
Swimline Original Suntan Tub took this fight in our Lightweight division showdown.
Ringside notes
This is the whole tanning-lounger question in one card: the float that named the shape against the biggest, best-rated copy. Our Lightweight tanning division ruled for the Swimline Original Suntan Tub at about $15.31 on 4.3★ across 7,832, and the SLOOSH XL is the reason the ruling needed explaining — it rates 4.4★ across 6,587, a tenth of a star higher on a comparably deep base, and it is 85 by 57 inches against the Swimline's 70 by 46. Both figures are GLOBAL ratings read signed-in 2026-08-30, so they are compared like for like, and both listings are size/colour parents. What separates them is not quality, it is money and length: the SLOOSH costs about $34, more than double, and what that buys is roughly fifteen extra inches. The Swimline also states 13-gauge vinyl — the heaviest material any float in this division claims — and ships a patch kit, which the SLOOSH does not advertise. So the honest split is by body, not by budget: if you overhang seventy inches, the SLOOSH is worth its premium. If you do not, you are buying deck space.
Tale of the tape
| Model | Best for | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The one that named the category | 1 year | ~$15.31typical at AmazonCheck price → | |
| The best-rated deep base | 90 days | ~$33.99typical at AmazonCheck price → |
Prices move constantly — any Amazon price shown is as of the date noted and subject to change; tap through for today's number.
Prices move constantly — tap through for today's number.
What would decide it
- Owner proof: Swimline Original Suntan Tub reads 4.3★ across 7,832 owners; SLOOSH Inflatable Tanning Pool Lounger XL reads 4.4★ across 6,587. Depth of sample matters as much as the star.
- The money: Swimline Original Suntan Tub streets ~$15, SLOOSH Inflatable Tanning Pool Lounger XL ~$34 — MSRPs, not sale lows, decide the tier.
- Swimline Original Suntan Tub — your pick if: you want the float that defined this shape, at less than half what the copies cost — an open water-filled tub, heavy 13-gauge vinyl and a patch kit included.
- SLOOSH Inflatable Tanning Pool Lounger XL — your pick if: you want the best-rated tanning lounger that has actually been tested by thousands of owners, and you have the deck space for an 85-inch float.
The full cards
Swimline Original Suntan Tub
The one that named the category · The original suntan tub, and still the cheapest way into the category. An open tub you FILL WITH WATER — the listing's own words are "fill the interior to the brim to really bring out the TUB in suntan tub" — so you tan lying in a few inches of water instead of on hot vinyl. 70 x 46 in, 13-gauge vinyl, removable headrest, patch kit in the box.
Your pick if you want the float that defined this shape, at less than half what the copies cost — an open water-filled tub, heavy 13-gauge vinyl and a patch kit included.
Swimline Original Suntan Tub
The one that named the categoryYour pick if you want the float that defined this shape, at less than half what the copies cost — an open water-filled tub, heavy 13-gauge vinyl and a patch kit included.
- Cheapest on the card at about $15 — less than half the price of the XL rivals
- 13-GAUGE vinyl, the heaviest material stated by any float here, with a patch kit included
- Removable integrated headrest, plus pad eyes and a grab line to tie floats together
- 7,832 ratings behind it — the second-deepest base in the category
- Ships rather than sitting in stock — the listing reads "available to ship", not "In Stock"
- 70 x 46 in is the smallest footprint here; the XL rivals are 85-87 in long
- Vinyl, not fabric-topped — the tub water is what keeps you cool, not the surface
THE PILLOW IS THE PART THAT FAILS, not the tub. Owners repeatedly report the headrest section holing or refusing to hold air while the main body stays fine, plus slow leaks they cannot locate — and a one-season lifespan is the common ceiling.
7 of 10 critical cards are air loss, all Verified Purchase, none Vine, and the pillow is named specifically in three of them: 'the pillow part got a hole in it after a month', 'the pillow that comes with it had to be thrown out due to a leak. Never held air'. One 5'8", 138 lb owner reports they 'can not lay all the way inside of it', which is the sizing caveat this card already carries, in an owner's own words · critical reviews read August 2026
SLOOSH Inflatable Tanning Pool Lounger XL
The best-rated deep baseYour pick if you want the best-rated tanning lounger that has actually been tested by thousands of owners, and you have the deck space for an 85-inch float.
- Highest rating on a deep base here — 4.4★ across 6,587, with no Vine in the visible cards
- 85 x 57 in — substantially bigger than the original at 70 x 46
- Extra-large sizing suits taller adults who overhang the classic tub
- The most expensive float on this card at about $34 — more than double the Swimline original
- Base is global and pooled across sizes and colours
- One tenth of a star above a float costing less than half as much
FAQ
Is the SLOOSH XL worth double the Swimline Suntan Tub?
Only if you are tall enough to need it. The SLOOSH rates a tenth of a star higher (4.4★/6,587 against 4.3★/7,832) and runs 85 x 57 in against 70 x 46 in, for about $34 against $15.31. That premium buys size, not durability — the Swimline is the one claiming 13-gauge vinyl and including a patch kit.
Which has the better owner rating?
The SLOOSH, barely — 4.4★ against 4.3★. But the Swimline's base is deeper at 7,832 against 6,587, and both are globally pooled across sizes and colours. A tenth of a star between two five-figure-adjacent global bases is not a difference we would move a ruling on.
Do either of them actually keep you cool?
That is what the shape is for. Both are open tubs you fill with a few inches of water, so you lie in water rather than on hot vinyl. Swimline's own listing puts it as 'fill the interior to the brim to really bring out the TUB in suntan tub.' Neither needs a sprinkler to do it.
Full fight coverage
Every number on this page derives from the same verified data that renders our showdowns — dated owner-rating reads, MSRP-based tiers, and rulings only where a real fight happened. Data last verified: August 2026. Methodology and monetization disclosure: how we test.