Inflatable water slides for a South African summer

From October to January, water slides out-rent everything else in South Africa. Whether you’re cooling down the kids or adding a summer earner to a rental fleet, here’s how to choose one, set it up safely, and decide between hiring and buying.

The types (and what they cost new)

Full prices and sizes are in the price guide, and you can browse used water slides for sale here.

Choosing the right one

• Space: water slides are long — a slip n slide needs 8–12 m of length plus run-off. Measure before you buy.
• Age group: a ground-level slip n slide suits younger kids; taller surf and super slides suit older ones.
• Water: you’ll need a garden hose connection and decent water pressure to keep the surface running and the splash pool topped up.

Setting up safely

• Supervise constantly. Water plus speed is a higher-injury combination than a plain castle — one child down at a time, feet-first, no diving or head-first.
• Keep the blower and all power well clear of the water — electricity and water are a deadly mix. Shelter the blower and route leads away from the splash zone.
• Non-slip access to the climb, and a soft splash pool at the bottom.
• Sun protection: sunscreen, shade and water breaks — kids stay out for hours on a water slide.
• The usual limits still apply: don’t run it in strong wind (see wind and weather).

For rental operators

Water slides are a seasonal goldmine but idle in winter, so price them to earn in summer — the same 5–7% of replacement cost per day rule applies, and you can charge a premium in peak season. Factor in the extra water, mess and setup time. Buying used? Check the sliding surface hard — water works the stitching and the slide lane far more than bouncing does, so inspect seams and the pump/blower carefully with our checklist.