No pool party is complete without the best pool noodles, which are made from buoyant foam or inflatable plastic and are sturdy enough for your intended use. Children can use thinner, flimsier noodles, but adults might need thicker solid-core noodles to support their weight. Foam noodles might not last through repeated heavy use, but vinyl-coated foam is less likely to break down in the pool, and inflatable noodles should last a while, so long as they don't pop.
If you're committed to a classic foam noodle, you'll need to think a bit about design. Most noodles are 40-60 inches long, but some can be longer. Shorter noodles are easier for children to handle but longer ones can support adults better. Noodles can also vary in thickness, and while something as thin as2.5 inches is enough to support a child, adults should opt for a larger diameter. Hollow noodles are super flexible, but solid-core noodles have denser, more buoyant foam that's better for adult weights.
While most pool noodles are foam, inflatable plastic options are a must if you need to maximize storage, since these noodles can be deflated. The disadvantage is that they can pop, and popped noodles won’t work as floatation devices anymore. (On the flip side, even when foam noodles degrade, leaving bits of foam floating around, they still remain functional.) Vinyl-dipped foam noodles should last longer than undipped foam, but come with a higher price that may not be worth it if you need lots of noodles or don't use them very often.
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