When purchasing an inflatable bouncer or slide one has infinate choices as to style, size, and price range.  Some inflatables start as low as $20 and others range into the thousands!  What you should know as the consumer is simple, and best described within this guide when buying this type of item.

When it comes to childrens' happiness, parents will do whatever it takes to keep their kids entertained.  Having your own amusement park in your backyard is no exception!  The incredible growth and variety of inflatable bounce houses have greatly improved in recent years as their popularity has grown through commercial rentals.  As traditional outdoor entertainment companies have discovered, there is a very high demand for personal use inflatables such as "moonwalkers" or "bounce houses."  The infinite choices out there keep buyers baffled at times as to whether they have made the right choice or in some cases even prevent the decision process from ever taking place!  This guide is an effort to help you, the consumer make the best decision possible when considering this kind of item for purchase.

To better aid your decision making process, you should identify some basic facts that should affect your purchase:

1. Will my purchase be for commercial or residential use?
2. How often will I be using my inflatable?
3. How many children do I want my inflatable to support?
4. What is my budget?
5. How large of an inflatable should I consider?

We will talk about each of these in detail to guide you towards what best suits your needs.

Q: WILL MY PURCHASE BE FOR COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL USE?

A: Many bouncers, slides, and walkers are used in commercial environments where companies rent the units and equipment for parties and gatherings.  If this is something you are considering, you should be concerned most with the thickness and type of material used in the construction of your unit.   Millimeter of thickness and single or double stitching are most important to you.  Most consumers interested in the purchase of these items are not going to be renting them, therefore these issues are of minimal concern to you.  Almost all inflatable manufacturers conform to high standards even for their personal units and have durable polyester or nylon material with PVC backing to support hundreds and hundreds of hours of safe and enjoyable use.  We have personally used some of the Sportcraft items with great results.  These items are designed with the high energy of children in mind.  As long as simple safety guidelines are followed your unit can last through years of use even if it is not rated as a commercial unit.

Q: HOW OFTEN WILL I BE USING MY INFLATABLE?

A: This question really ties into the cost of the item.  Since one can invest several hundred dollars into just one bouncer or slide, you should consider how often you will be using the toy when you set a budget.  If you entertain several times a year and have frequent family gatherings with lots of small children, this is a fantastic way to keep them all together and occupied while your party goes on.  If you are purchasing this as a toy to be used for your own children and you will not be entertaining frequently then perhaps a smaller, less costly unit will suffice.  Obviously, if you intend on using your item regularly as a rental you should pursue the highest grade and largest units your budget will afford.  If you are a parent just trying to give your kid(s) a nice toy then the frequency of its use should be of minimal impact to your decision.

Q: HOW MANY CHILDREN DO I WANT MY INFLATABLE TO SUPPORT?

A: When talking about personal use, this can be a bit discouraging.  Most units on the market today are made to support between 100-300lbs.  This restricts the bouncer or slide to 2-3 children at a time.  Slides are particularly challenging to entertain large groups of children as the majority of available units can safely support around 250lbs or 2-3 children at a time.  It is imperative that adults monitor use with the set safety guidelines provided with your inflatables as these capacities have been set by the manufacturers to help prevent injury to anyone using the units.  Exceeding the recommended maximum in weight can cause SERIOUS injury or death.  If you have a large family or have many gatherings you should consider investing in a commercial grade unit that will support far more weight than a personal use bouncer or slide.

Q: WHAT IS MY BUDGET?

A: Buying these items can be very costly.  When it comes to personal use, the average selling price for bounce houses ranges between $100-$500.  Some can cost more if additional options are included.  The advantage of buying these structures is that for the most part, they are simple to setup, require no additional equipment, and are designed as an investment to be used over the years.  Buying a bounce house is much like buying a car.  Your budget should consider how often you will be using it, how many children will be playing on it, and how large you would like for it to be. 

Q: HOW LARGE OF AN INFLATABLE SHOULD I CONSIDER?

A: The greatest contributing factor to a bouncer or slide is the size.  Some bounce houses are as small as 6 X 6 and others can reach 12 X 20 or larger!  It is important to know the size of the bouncers or slides when comparing models.  One thing to keep in mind when narrowing down your choice on size is that this is mostly a seasonal item and your children will enjoy bouncing in an 8 X 8 space as much as they will an 8 X 12.  Bigger is better only when there will be more children utilizing the item at the same time.

Additionally, you will need to consider the space necessary to blow up your unit.  Some yards are narrow or angled.  It is not recommended to purchase any inflatable if you do not have a grassy FLAT LEVEL surface large enough to hold the unit.  Bounce houses and slides should NEVER be placed on concrete or hard surfaces as this can pose a safety hazard to children as well as accelerate wear on the underside of the unit.  You don't want to invest $700 into a 12 X 20 ft bouncer only to discover that the only place you can blow it up is in your driveway!

When buying new units, the blowers which fill the toy with air are almost always included and have been rated for the proper output based on the design of the unit itself.  When considering used inflatables it is important to know if the blower is the original unit provided from the manufacturer or if it is a replacement as these may not be rated the same as the original manufacturers' blowers. 

All in all, bounce houses and slides are very entertaining, safe, and great family fun that everyone can enjoy.  While these toys may cost more than the typical gift, your investment will quickly pay for itself in a matter of a few uses.  Considering the rental of one simple unit can exceed $200 for just one party, your bounce house could potentially save you thousands with repeated use.  Just remember to carefully examine all of your options and make a more educated decision by comparing similar types and identifying your needs before you settle on any one model.

We hope that this guide will give you the insight and knowledge to be satisfied in your choice of inflatable products for your children and if you have found this guide to be helpful please vote and let us know.  Thanks for reading!