One year when I was a kid, my neighborhood became the home of consumer-grade inflatable water slides. My parents had bought a standard Slip and Splash Slide, while our neighbors across the street had a fancier model with inflatable rings that squirted you with water as you passed under them. Another neighbor had a water slide with an inflatable pool at the end of it.
Not to be undone, another family also decided to contribute toward turning our upstate New York neighborhood into an inflatable water park. Only they took more of a "DIY" approach to the slip and splash slide trend: they made their own slide out of oversized yard bags duct taped together.
Naturally, all of the kids in our neighborhood were quick to try this homemade water slide ... but only once. It turns out trash bags, even when drenched with hose water, don't make for a very slippery surface. The end result? A lot of children awkwardly belly-flopping and not really sliding at all.
These days, commercial water slide rentals are considerably more popular and better made than the consumer level ones available when I was a kid. And thanks to the advent of party rentals, fewer families are embarrassing their young ones with shoddy homemade backyard water slides.
Inflatable water slides are a great piece of equipment for any bounce house rental company's inventory. And this is the season to add them, too. Summer event rentals always see a sizable spike in the popularity of water inflatables. And Tent and Table is ready to help you find the perfect water inflatables for your company's needs.
Inflatable Water Slides: the Pros and Cons
Some States might be nice year round, but up here in Buffalo, New York? We're still thawing out from a long and challenging winter. Bounce house rentals present business opportunities year round, and inflatable water slides typically only see action from late Spring through early Fall. But they often see a lot of action.
Birthday party rentals, family-themed corporate events, cookouts, summer youth group gatherings ... there's a lot of potential for water slide rentals in the summer months.
Water slide rentals are going to really boom in July and August, when most Americans are experiencing peak summer weather. And pending some local market research, you'll most likely find that inflatable water slides are big ticket items for events in most of the country.
There are drawbacks to water slide rentals, of course. For starters, inflatable water slides are expensive, typically costing several times as much as a standard bounce house. They require more maintenance, too; they need to be dried thoroughly and frequently inspected for mold.
The pros? inflatable water slides are more popular than traditional bounce houses. They're easier to advertise in just about any market. Event guests are going to enjoy them more, too. And all of this means you can charge more for your water slide rentals, translating into bigger profit margins.
Make a Splash this Summer with Water Slide Rentals
Inflatable water slides are a sound investment for established party rental companies looking to expand their inventories. And during the summer months, they're likely going to outperform your other inflatable rentals. But again, you'll want to do your own local market research and ask your regular clients if inflatable slides would interest them.
Tent and Table has everything you need for offering water slide rentals, including inflatable water slides, blowers, dollies, repair accessories, and more. The only thing we can't provide you with? The capacity to make consistently great memories for your clientele. That's for you and your company to dish up.
Will those memories be as entertaining as kids failing to traverse homemade backyard water slides? Well, they probably won't be as funny, but they'll surely be just as memorable. Inflatable water slides are certainly better left to the professionals. And hey, what luck ... that's us!