We’ve all done it, walked into Costco and seen the enormous floating island hanging from the ceiling and thought “I don’t care if it’s February, I need one of those bad boys for some summer fun!”
Whether you are spending time at the lake or just want to fill the community pool with something fun, a Costco floating island guarantees a relaxing time with your friends and family on the water.
With so many options available, which one should you buy?
You don’t want to waste your money on something that will pop immediately or cause you shame when you see your fellow floaters on the water.
We are here to help and make sure you walk away with the perfect floating island for you.
Our Favorite Picks
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#1 Best Overall: SportsStuff Fiesta Island
#2 Body Glove Paradise
#3 CoolerZ Tropical Breeze II
The Top 8
#1 Best Overall: SportsStuff Fiesta Island
The SportsStuff Fiesta Island is our top choice because of the combination of size, durability, and included accessories.
You can always have fewer people on a big island, but you can’t really add more people to a smaller float, which is why we tend toward the bigger Islands whenever financially feasible.
This 8-person floating Island from Costco has a little pod with armrests for each person, and enough cupholders for everyone to store their beverage. It’s like sitting in your own recliner chair!
We also like the strategically placed molded handles that make getting this bad boy in the water a snap. The included anchor bag helps keep you in place, and the removable floating cooler keeps your drinks cool while adding a bit of fun styling.
The only knock we have on the Fiesta Island is no dedicated entrance from the water, but a lower sidewall makes it not terrible to get up and out of the water.
Finally, we also really like the speed safety valve because it helps you both blow up and deflate this Island fast, so you can spend more time on the water!
#2 Body Glove Paradise (6 Person)
Although this Body Glove floating island has room for only 6 floaters, it has one undeniably cool feature: built in Bluetooth speakers!
These waterproof, battery powered speakers can bring the tunes to your floating experience.
Whether you are listening to calming spa music or rocking out these speakers will help you enjoy your day on the water. Just don’t drop your phone in the drink!
Outside of the speakers we like the individual pods and cup holders for a comfortable lounge.
Access from the water at any of the three peaks makes taking a dip to cool off an easy choice as well.
Another perk, this package includes a repair kit in case of leaks.
If you need a slightly smaller 6-person floating island from Costco, this is the one for you!
#3 CoolerZ Tropical Breeze II (6 Person)
The CoolerZ Tropical Breeze has a few great features going for it.
The first is the included sunshade. For folks who want to float but avoid getting scorched by the sun the included shade will keep you from getting too pink, and we’ll even go so far as to say it is dermatologist approved (because they always approve staying out of the sun!)
The swim up platform is well thought out and helps you back on to the island with ease.
The removable cooler bag is very versatile, helping you get your cold food and drinks to and from the water quickly. We might even use it for land-based picnics!
Even with all of these features, the CoolerZ Tropical Breeze comes in more than $100 less than our top two picks, giving you great bang for your buck for this Costco inflatable floating island.
#4 Party Bird Island
This one is just fun!
If you want to be noticed from across the lake, this is the island for you.
Shaped like a giant unicorn/pegasus with lots of rainbow colors, this one is hard to miss.
The benches are great, though the cupholders seem a little less functional and act more like coasters than some of our other top models.
This is not the most durable or full of other features, but if you need a unicorn you just need a unicorn!
#5 Bestway CoolerZ Tropical Breeze (6 Person)
This Bestway floating island is such a great bargain that we can’t leave it off the list.
It is the least expensive 6-person floating island on our list, and it has a sunshade and great layout to boot.
We like that it has a both a seating area and a lounging area for however you want to float, and the seating area is covered by a sunshade.
The cooler bag and swim step are nice touches as well.
Add in the 6 cup holders and you have a recipe for a great day on the water with the CoolerZ Tropical Breeze!
#6 Tropical Tahiti Floating Island (7 Person)
This 6-person floating island Costco can actually seat 7 people, so it is a nice in between size.
The reason the Tropical Tahiti floating island Costco has a 7-person capacity is because it has 5 pods for sitting, and then two extremely comfortable lounge seats in front of them.
A middle platform between the lounges makes it easy to get in and out of the water.
Also, with two coolers available you can pack plenty of drinks and snacks!
All of that, and a good price to boot makes this an awesome pick!
The Emperor Island Party Lounge is very similar to our top picks in that it has individual pods and armrests, but it doesn’t include some of the other extra’s like an anchor or a cooler.
However, at little more than half the price, it is a very economical choice for and 8-person lounge.
Furthermore, Overton’s is a long-time water sports company that stands behind there products, so you know this is a durable, well built party Island!
#8 Intex Pacific Paradise (4 Person)
If you are on a limited budget, or if you have limited space, the Intex floating island is a great option.
It only holds 4 people, but at a quarter of the price of some of our other picks, it is a great first step into Costco inflatable floating islands.
As a bonus, it has a nice ladder for getting out of the water.
The seatbacks can get a little bit off if not inflated properly, but overall this floating islands offers a great starter package without risking too much cash.
Criteria to Consider When Buying
Number of People
The first question to ask yourself is how many people do I want to float with? Friends, family, and the occasional cool coworker are all candidates. Most Costco-type inflatable floating islands can safely handle 4 to 8 adults. Size is directly related to price, so bigger islands for more people will be more expensive in general.
Price
Obviously, price is a big consideration. If you don’t have any money to fill the cooler while you are on the water, then you’ve probably spent too much on your island. Most islands will fall in the range of a little more than $100 for an inexpensive 4-person model to about $450 for a well set up 8-person floating island from Costco.
Features
There are lots of features to consider when you are looking to buy your own island. We like to look at several things in particular, and honestly, it’s kind of like car shopping. Of course, car shopping comes down to one thing, cup holders! Definitely check out the placement and number of cupholders on an island before your purchase. Nothing is worse than a cold beverage spilled all over your swimsuit, such a waste…
Some of the other considerations come down to personal taste. Do you want a sunshade or are you happier in the rays? Do you want to anchor your island or let it float free? What kind of cooler do you want, free floating or integrated? Finally, you will want to check out the ease of access from the water if you think you might need to take a dip in the water to cool off occasionally.
Seating Configuration
This is another car type question, but we think it is important enough to call out by itself. Three main types of seating make up the bulk of the options on floating islands. Bench seating means one long back on which several floaters can lean. Individual seats or pods mean each person has a spot, much like a captain’s chair. Finally, some islands come with a combination of one of the above and a long lounge chair for laying out. We tend to prefer the captain type chairs so everyone has their own space, and usually a cup holder of their own!
FAQ
How Durable: Can Floating Islands Pop?
Anything inflatable can pop, but floating islands are not any more prone to leaks or holes than any other inflatable water toy. It definitely makes sense to look at the weight of the PVC, thicker or heavier is better if the specs are available. We recommend inflating your floating island as close to the water as possible on a level, debris free area such as grass so you don’t have to drag it across too much hard ground to get it in the water. As with all inflatables, they don’t mix well with sharp objects!
What Type of Care Do They Require?
The care required for a floating island is actually pretty minimal. It helps to wipe off any excess moisture when you get them out of the water, and to store them in a cool, dry place where they aren’t at risk of getting punctured by your garden tools (the pitchfork especially!) Most of our top seven are fade resistant and will stand up to the rays for days on end, but when not in use keeping them cool and dry will prolong their life. If you have had an air mattress ever in your life that has lasted more than one use, then you can easily take good care of an inflatable Island.
Are Floating Islands Easy to Inflate?
Almost all of the floats we’ve seen have a similar valve to a standard inflatable camping mattress, so you can easily buy a battery powered pump to blow it up. Some of the smaller pumps can take 15 or 20 minutes to inflate at least. Another option if you are close to electricity is a shop-vac. If you move the hose to the vent side of the shop-vac you can inflate much faster, but be warned, it doesn’t work with all valve types and you generally have to hold the hose directly on the valve. And, just because you can, leaf blowers are an option too!
How to Repair A Hole on A Floating Island?
You can patch a hole in a floating island with any standard vinyl repair kit just like you would patch a hole in any other inflatable. Basically, clean the area around the hole, and depending on the size of the hole you can apply a sealant directly or a patch to a larger hole or seam. The local hardware store should have a repair kit either in the toy section or the camping section. Here is a good video showing how to do it!
Where to Buy A Floating Island?
Like most inflatables, there are a ton of places you can buy them. We’ve seen knock offs at the grocery store! We recommend buying from somewhere that is a little more in tune with the product and has experience with similar products. We, of course love Amazon and Costco for their great products and stand up return policies, but you can also get them from Overton’s and other athletic stores such as Dick’s and whatever regional retail shop you might find.
How Easy is it to get in these things from the water?
As a rule of thumb, if you can swim and the island is well inflated then it shouldn’t be too hard. This varies from model to model, but generally the models with swim steps and handles are the easiest to get into from the water. The height of the inflatable matters too, so if you are worried about getting in find a model that is slightly shorter.
Final Verdict - Which Should I Buy?
Although there are so many great options for the Costco Inflatable floating islands, our top choice is the SportsStuff Fiesta Island.
The comfortable pods with armrests and cup holders are far and away the best on our list, and the included anchor and floating cooler make the whole package worth it.
We have reviewed some less expensive models, but if you have the means definitely go with the Fiesta Island as it is durable, easy to inflate, and the best option that we reviewed.
Other cool water toys to check out are the best inflatable docks, Costco floating Islands, and the best water trampolines.
Whatever you buy, have fun and be safe on the water!
OUR #1 PICK - SportsStuff Fiesta Island
Our Rating
