Banzai Falls Sidewinder Blast
- This slippery Side Winder inflates in less than 3 minutes with the included continuous-airflow blower motor and easily attaches to any hose!
- Heavy-duty Dura-TechTM construction ensures lasting strength and durability while the constant airflow helps resist small tears and punctures
- Safe Soft-Bottom Landing Pad
Price: $ 669.99
Against my husband’s better wishes (he’s not the one who has to be home with the kids all summer), I bought the Banzai Sidewinder Blast in June. That being said, the first thing everyone needs to know about this slide is it is HEAVY. Because he didn’t approve of the purchase, my husband wanted nothing to do with the slide… wouldn’t even help me carry it to the garage for storage.
So, upon recommendations of others on this forum, I bought a huge 55 gallon wheeled Rubbermaid container which I am able to use to drag the slide out in to the back yard. I was surprised to find that no matter how diligently I fold and roll up the slide, I cannot get it to fit in the container with the lid on. So, if you can find a container bigger than 55 gallons, get it. I have a separate Rubbermaid box on wheels that I use to store the hoses, blower, and other equipment that comes with the slide plus tarps I have bought to put under the slide to keep it clean. So, the next thing you need to know is that it is HUGE and you will need a pretty big place to store it. If you would have to take it up or down stairs, it would be a HUGE pain!
Once you get the slide out to a level spot in the yard(must be very level, or all the water will go to one end of the pool), you have to roll out and adjust the slide so that the air tube is the right direction (in my instance, closest to the house so the cord reaches…remember, it is HEAVY).
Then, if you choose, you have to hook up all the hoses to the velcros all the way around the slide… (it’s fun… like a puzzle) then hook the slide hose up to your garden hose. So, you also have to make sure the slide is close enough to your house to be sure that a garden hose will reach, too.
Since it was a big expense for me (I work part time, and as I said earlier, there was no way my husband was going to help out), I try to take very good care of the slide which includes laying tarps down underneath, indoor/outdoor rugs and feet-washing bins at the entrances of the 2 slides, etc. I also bought 2 padded exercise mats at Wal-Mart that I place under the end of the big slide so the kids have a softer landing. In all, set up time takes me about 25 minutes, though lately I have omitted the hooking up the hoses part and just let the kids squirt the slide with the garden hose when it gets dry, to that knocks off about 10 minutes.
Then, FINALLY, the kids get to play. The biggest thing you should know about this slide is IT IS FUN!!! SOOOOO FUN!! My two girls (ages 4 and 6) will play for 2-3 hours at a time and much longer if friends are over. It is good exercise going up and down over and over. I thought they would like hanging out in the pool more, but really the big slide is the attraction. I would say if you have younger children, the pool part is nice… plus it is nice for mom to hang out in to cool off. Teenagers who weigh over 180 have been on our slide. It droops a little, but as long as you have the weight sack attached, it doesn’t tip over. All 4 year olds and some 3 year olds have been able to climb up the big slide, but most of the younger ones like the little slide and the pool.
When the fun is over, the next big task is draining, cleaning, and drying. Typically, we just let the slide deflate and let all the water run out the side. Then we blow it back up and dry out the pool part with a sqeegie and towels. If you are lucky, there will still be sun left to help dry it out after the kids are done. If not, it takes a good bit of time for it to dry enough to pack up. AND, you do want it to dry completely. I thought ours was dry (I left it out one full day after we used it before packing up last time), but got it out today after a week of not using it, and it had started to get moldy.
Overall, the fun factor makes this slide worth all the effort. It is cheaper than a pool, but certainly not as convenient.
As far as durability, we have had no problems whatseover (hope I didn’t just jinx myself). We have used it about 14 times with a multitude of kids, and no leaks or tears that I can detect. It is starting to fade, but hopefully it will last for years to come!
Sorry this is so long, but hopefully it helps!
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