Ski Tubes

Sizes, shapes and what they suit

There’s a tube shape for every rider and every boat — matching the two is what makes the day. The range here covers everything from a kid’s first donut to a 6-person hub that needs a serious wake boat to pull it straight. By rider count. 1-person tubes are quick, agile and kid-friendly — the easiest to throw around. 2-person tubes are the bread and butter of the range, suitable for kids together or adults. 3+ person tubes scale up to family-sized — couch-style hubs where everyone sits together, or bigger ride-ons. The biggest 4-6 person hubs need a wake boat or a powerful outboard to tow them properly. By shape. Deck tubes (sit-on-top, ride flat) are the fastest and most thrown around — easy to climb on, easy to fly off. Donut tubes (round, with a hole in the middle) are the classic shape — forgiving, easy to learn on. Ride-on and wing tubes have a sit-in design with a backrest, less likely to fall off, with big-air potential on the right wake. Couch-style tubes seat riders upright together, slower paced and ideal for younger kids. Hub tubes seat multiple riders facing inward or in different directions for a more social ride. Water mats and lounges. Large floating platforms for parking up off the boat — not towed, just stable surfaces for lying or jumping off. A good day-out addition if there’s somewhere quiet to anchor. Choosing for your boat. A small outboard or jet ski tows 1- and 2-person tubes comfortably. Three-plus seaters need more grunt — 90hp upwards starts to do the job, more for the bigger hubs. A wake boat or ski boat tows anything in the range. Inflation. Most modern tubes use a Boston valve — push the cap, attach the pump, fill. Some tubes use a speed safety valve instead (a one-way push-fit valve). Either way, inflate to the manufacturer’s pressure — overinflation in the sun can split a seam. After use, partially deflate before storage so heat doesn’t build pressure inside a sealed tube.