Tubes? What your pick

[frroog000]

Hey guys I looking to replace my tube this year. Trying to get some first hand knowledge, or even second hand. Any good or bad ones to lookat or avoid.<br />thanks

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

Depends what you want it to do. I've got a Banzai by SportStuff. Got it at costco. It's a 2 person "tube" with a nice ride, not too agressive. Do you want a tube that will beat you up like the kids like or something a little more mellow?

 

[John_S]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

I picked-up a Bonzai (like Rampage), to replace a one man delta type tube, but haven't used it yet. June, the water is finally warm enough. The side angles seem like they would help in the turns, from flipping over. The one-man delta tube, made a good sea anchor, when it flipped over.

 

[frroog000]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

I'm hoping to find one that will beatup the kids but not kill them

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

Well there's plenty of those in the sub $100 range! I had a Bermuda Triangle that was pretty nasty. Kids loved it. I took a few advil before I got on it.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

I just purchased a Wego Kite Tube on e-bay. Can't wait until it gets here so I can fly this weekend.

 

[tomatolord]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

We had to ditch the tube - went with the flat style tube from seadoo, about 100$<br /><br />my boys 8 and 6 would sit in the tube itself and get pounded by the water since there was only the mesh that held the tube in place between them and the water.<br /><br />This "tube" really a raft they can both lay on and not get pounded.<br /><br />Plus they can lay on the raft when we are just floating around.<br /><br />I looked around when they are on sale you get them as cheap as on ebay - I picked the seadoo raft because it was heavier then the other ones, I felt that the material would be of a heavier grade.<br /><br />Tomatolord

 

[frroog000]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

Studlymandingo I said wanted to beat them mot kill them I have seen the kite tubes I can just picture the kids flying off

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

Just got the kite tube today! Takes a little time to master, but honestly, the ride is much less of a pounding than a regular tube. Once you leave the water, it is incredibly smooth. It is so big, that when you're on the water it seems like some of the shock is absorbed by the tube, and the slingshot is awesome when you are above the water!!! I've been beaten up much worse by lesser tubes!

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

I may have adrenaline issues.

 

[levittownnick]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

6SN7

 

[ruf1967]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

Sportstuff is a reputable manufacturer. I have a Motopod 3

 

[frroog000]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

I might think about the Wego with that endorsment.Do you work for them

 

[michael-lagrange]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

How fast do you have to pull a kite tube to make it fly. I would hate to buy one then realise im too slow.

 

[frroog000]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

Studlymandingo Have you had that kite tube out yet<br />Love to here about it if you have

 

[IL GLASTRON]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

YEah how fst do ya need to pull it? Any pics?

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

I have had the kite tube out several times now. It is a LOT of fun!!! Speed really depends on how much the rider weighs; when I was on it, my buddy said he was going about 26 the majority of the time when I first got lift-off. I had him pull me faster and I got much more air!!! I am 6'4" and weigh 196. When we had my buddies daughter on it (15yrs old 5'7" 110 lbs, she lifted-off at about 20mph with little effort of her own. Once the rider learns how to take-off, it takes much less speed; basically the rider grabs the handles and pulls up and jumps at the same time. I was able to get it off the water at slower speeds once I learned how to launch. Once you are in the air, you can keep it up longer by "steering" the tube, this takes practice as your movements are greatly exaggerated in the air. It is definitely a crowd-pleaser; we were tubing near the downtown pier and everyone was cheering when they would see the tube fly!<br /><br />It is great fun, and we took it camping a couple of weekends ago, I found it much cooler and more comfortable sleeping on the kite tube. The thing is HUGE!!!

 

[anyfishlldo]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

I just saw my first kite tube out this weekend and was thinking that the 12 year old was a little young for it, especially at 20 ft above the water. <br /><br />Then I saw this this morning:<br /><br />Two injured at Lake Powell riding popular kite tubes<br /><br /><br />Wednesday, June 07, 2006<br /><br />By SALLY SPAULDING<br /><br />The Daily Sentinel<br /><br /><br />Two people were injured at Lake Powell last weekend while riding “kite tubes” pulled by boats in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.<br /><br />Both victims, a 29-year-old male from St. George, Utah, and a 14-year-old girl from Houston, Texas, were flown to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction for treatment. <br /><br />He suffered a broken neck and was the third person in his party that day to be injured while kite tubing.<br /><br />On Saturday, the 14-year-old girl was being towed at about 25 mph when she fell between 10 and 15 feet. <br /><br />She lost consciousness when she struck the water and was flown from the Iceberg Canyon area of the lake to St. Mary’s. <br /><br /><br />full story:<br /><br /> http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/06/07/6_7_3A_Lake_Powell_injuries.html <br /><br /><br />Now I'm not so sure I need one, I'm too old for broken bones.

 

[IL GLASTRON]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

eeeh...

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Tubes? What your pick

Sounds grusome, the issue I have with the story is, there is no way to fly the tube 40 feet in the air. The rope is 65 feet long, and it requires the boat to be moving at 20+ MPH, the most we have been able to achieve is about 12' in the air. I have gotten a pretty good pounding from a 50" tube that never left the water. As with anything, you have to be cautious and use common sense.