Our weather in St Pete is starting to get back into the 80’s, so it’s officially pool season again. We had a few months where it was on the cooler side (for here) so unless you heat your pool, it was too cold to spend the day lounging outside.
I’ve spent the last few years finding my favorite pool products. We have a bit of a unique pool setup; we have a main 6.5 ft deep pool, a sunning pool, and a hot tub in the middle.
After buying so many floats, some expensive, some cheap, I found that they either weren’t in the water enough and it was too hot, or wasn’t comfortable to lay on. Someone recommended these 4:1 hammock floats and I loved the one I bought so much that I bought three more. At $14.99 each, they are by far the best floats I’ve bought, both for comfort, versatility of use, and value.
I bought a lot of “cute” floats that aren’t very practical. Most of them have ripped except the giant unicorn. It’s not great for lounging on but it is super fun. Everyone who visits loves to use it at least, and it’s fun to have just floating in the hot tub, looking out at the water. If you want a fun float that won’t pop when you jump on and it looks cute, I highly recommend this unicorn.
If you’re having a party,or just want to have fun during night swimming, these solar floating pool lights are perfect. They are white during the day and automatically recharge in the sun. At night, they change colors as they float around the pool, or hang from your deck, trees, wherever. The color is bright and they really last. I’ve had them outside for about six month straight and they haven’t faded or ripped yet.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any built in umbrellas around the pool. Most umbrellas sturdy enough to withstand the winds and saltwater blowing off the bay are super expensive, but I found this 10 ft. umbrella and it works perfectly. It’s easy to open and tilt and covers a large area of the pool. It sits outside in direct sun and has barely faded. It also doesn’t have any mold on it.
It doesn’t come with anything to weigh it down, and I didn’t have anything that would work. I bought a stand base set that can be filled with water or sand. I filled it easily with water and since it’s four separate pieces, it’s easy to move each piece myself. It has held even the open umbrella in place in some pretty heavy wind gusts.
I also love a fun floating pool thermometer. Having a cute animal floating around is fun and kids that visit always seem to want to play with it, so it’s like a built in toy.
I also have sunglasses just for the pool. Sounds ridiculous but the pool is saltwater and I learned the hard way that it can cause polarized sunglasses to peel. I buy Wowsun polarized sunglasses at just $15.99 for two pairs. They are surprisingly sturdy and take a while to start to fall apart. The frames are thin, so they barely leave a tan line on the side of your face. The polarization works pretty good, too.
If you are looking for loungers that can be used on a sun shelf in the pool, I highly recommend the Ledge Loungers. They are an investment, but they are worth it. I have two in my sunning pool and I use them all the time. They are perfect for relaxing in the pool, getting sun and reading a book. They fill with water, so they don’t move too much or blow around, even when it’s super windy. The angle of the back is perfect, especially when you add a pillow (the pillows I have aren’t available but these are similar).
We don’t have a cage around our pool so I needed a vacuum that was easy to use and could be moved between both pools and the hot tub. My pool guy recommended the Dolphin Proteus DX30 and it works perfectly. It glides around the bottom of the pool and up the walls, getting every nook and cranny. It’s super easy to clean the basket out and has a handle to make moving it super easy. It’s definitely an investment, but well worth it. Plus, it’s kind of fun to watch it climb the walls.
Sunscreen is super important all year in Florida, and especially when you’re outside more. For my face, I use Image Prevention moisturizer with SPF 50 daily. It’s the perfect daily moisturizer that also protects you from the sun. It also makes my skin look hydrated and dewy, and works great as a makeup primer.
I also keep bottles of sunscreen right next to the pool towels and strategically placed outside so no one forgets to apply and reapply often. I prefer a spray, because I’m lazy, and I look for one with broad spectrum coverage, water and sweat resistant, and reef safe. I like the smell and feel of Sun Bum, but at $17.49 for one six-ounce bottle, it’s too expensive considering the amount of sunscreen we go through. Banana Boat delivers all that at just $12.97 for two six-ounce bottles.
Keeping drinks cold is key when spending the day in the pool. For cans, we use the Yeti can insulators. It holds a standard size can and keeps them nice and cold. For water, I use the Simple Modern Tumbler with lid and straw. I’m obsessed with this water bottle. It fits in my car cup holders and keeps drinks hot or cold forever. It doesn’t spill, even from the straw hole. It comes with a top option for hot liquids, but I haven’t used it. It’s super pretty and comes in multiple colors and sizes. I have the 32 oz.
What great pool products am I missing? Let me know your favorites in the comments!
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