If you are looking for ways to have more fun this summer and optimize your water experiences, look no farther than an inflatable floating dock. These docks are transportable, low maintenance, and provide hours of fun. Through hours of research, we have come up with the top five floating docks on the market. We know you’ll find one you love! Before we jump into reviews, let’s look at some features of inflatable floating docks.

Features to Look for in Inflatable Floating Dock

When looking at purchasing an inflatable floating dock, you should look into the material, size, weight capacity, and features.

You want a durable and robust dock, so you should look for a dock made from high-quality, no tear or puncture, UV stabilized material. A drop stitch, PVC material will get the job done.

You should also consider the size of the dock. If you want to invite a lot of people to hang out, you want a bigger dock. If you are going fishing with one other person, a smaller dock will suffice.

Think about the purpose of the dock and choose an appropriate size. Also, think about storage and transporting as size plays into that as well.

Next is the weight capacity. When considering weight capacity, think about the items you want to store on the dock and the people, be sure you pick one that can handle the weight you desire to put on the dock.

Finally, think about the features the dock has and how they will play into your purpose. If you plan to moor watercraft to the dock, you will want D-rings, anchor points, and web loops. If children are going to be using it as a swim platform, be sure there are grab handles and somewhere to attach a ladder if you desire. 

The 5 Best Inflatable Floating Docks

Now that you know what to look for when buying a floating dock, let’s look at the top five inflatable floating docks.

Solstice Inflatable Floating Dock

The Solstice Inflatable Floating Dock is the best on the market. There are many reasons why it sets the example for all inflatable floating docks. First, the sturdy construction makes the dock stable and comfortable. Made from reinforced PVC, the dock is six inches thick and composed of three layers of PVC that improve puncture resistance and durability.

Do you want to take your four-legged friend on the water with you? They will be safe, and your dock won’t get punctures from their nails. Available in three sizes, the Solstice dock has a drop-stitch construction that provides a sleek style. The super rigid, high-pressure platform gives you the ability to add coolers, chairs, and even an umbrella.

With six stainless steel D-rings around the dock, you can anchor to just about anything and have small watercrafts anchor to the dock. To get on top of the dock, there are six super sturdy reinforced grab handles. With a high-pressure H3 valve, inflating and deflating the dock takes no time, especially since it only needs 7-10 PSI of air. A carrying bag makes transporting the dock easy, and the whole construction is environmentally friendly. 

As mentioned before, the dock comes in three sizes. The 6’x5’ has a weight capacity of 825 lbs. The 8’x5’ has a weight capacity of 1,320 lbs., and finally, the 10’x10’ dock has a weight capacity of 1,650 lbs. With varying weight capacity, the person capacity varies. The smallest deck can hold up to five people, and the largest deck can hold ten people. We have one downfall to this inflatable floating dock is the price. It can be pricey, but it is definitely worth the price. 

BOTE Inflatable Floating Dock

Whether you are looking for a floating dock for swimming, lounging, docking, or fishing, the BOTE Inflatable Floating Dock is very versatile. Armed with a soft deck pad and a rigid core, the floating dock consists of center grab handles and D-ring anchor points. Unlike the Solstice dock, the BOTE is transported in a burrito-style wrap and is eight inches thick.

Our favorite features of this dock are the two fishing rod holders and the anti-slip textured BVA deck pad. This dock can hold 1050 lbs. You can load up the dock with deck chairs, coolers, bait buckets, ice, and even a dog. You could also get together your rather large family and use your dock as a swimming platform. This dock comes with a hand pump, burrito-style wrap, and a repair kit. To inflate the dock, you will use 10 PSI. 

Built with Aerotech technology, the inflatable floating dock is composed of the composite fiber core. Tens of thousands of composite fibers drop stitch between the top and bottom layers of military-grade PVC. When people think of inflatable rafts or floats, they think softness. The BOTE dock is far from soft. It is rigid, which allows people to stand on the dock. The biggest downfall of the BOTE floating dock is that it weighs thirty-five pounds when deflated, making it hard to transport. 

Island Hopper Island Buddy Inflatable Swim Platform

The Island Hopper is a multitasker dock. It has multiple purposes, including boat side waterplay, lounging in chairs, sunbathing, wakeboard and tube launching, and boat docking. You can also fit multiple units together for numerous families and friends to gather.

Inflating and deflating in eight minutes, the Island Buddy is constructed from commercially rated 1500 denier drop stitch material with heat-welded seams. This material is immensely inflexible and buoyant. Holding 4-6 people, the platform can be paddled out into the water and set with an anchor. Measuring at 8’x6’x4”, the swim platform can withstand over 1000 lbs of weight and features 11 stainless D-rings, six carrying handles, and eight top-welded web loops. These web loops’ purpose is to anchor the platform and for holding accessories. 

Once the inflatable swim platform deflates, you can carry it via stow straps that come with the platform. When stowed, it will weigh 30 lbs and stows in 36” area. A double-action hand pump and repair patches come with the Island Buddy Platform. There are other optional accessories available but sold separately. These accessories include a roll-up ladder, inflatable pillow, and PSI inflator. Island Hopper backs their product with a 5-year limited warranty. We don’t find any downfalls of this platform other than thickness. It is a mid-range platform with nothing exciting but one of the better ones on the market.

Tower Inflatable Dock

Tower also calls this inflatable dock a swim step. Created from a drop stitched, military-grade PVC and EVA foam, the swim step has double reinforced seams that provide stability. This stability allows people to stand on, jump on, or do handstands. Tower sells paddleboards as well as inflatable paddleboards. They wanted to develop a dock that was suitable for paddleboard docking and yoga.

Another use of the inflatable dock is to use as a platform to get around your boat as you clean, paint, or scrub it. It will keep you out of the water and prop you up tall enough to reach the top. Durable enough for lakes, rivers, and bays, the swim step can withstand 900 lbs. The dual high-pressure valves produce swift inflation time. 15 PSI is the optimal inflation. Measuring 5’x10’x6”, the swim step has three handles and four D-rings that packs down to around 5’ by 22”. The D-rings are strong enough to tow or dock the platform.

One of the reasons we like the Tower Inflatable Dock is because the outer covering is gentle on the skin. You don’t have to worry about rashes caused by the dock. This inflatable dock comes with a pump and two storage straps. 

Inflatable Sport Boats Yacht Dock

This inflatable dock is a little different than the other ones on the list. This difference is the top of the float. The top of this dock is ¼ in thick deluxe teak wood EVA foam top. The top is durable and safe for the users. Made from a heat welded drop stitch UV resistant heavy-duty PVC, this dock inflates to 15 PSI in eight minutes and deflates in five minutes. When the dock deflates, it measures 40”x16”x14”.

Coming in at 10’x6’x6”, the dock has two D-rings for optional ladder and eight D-rings for mooring. There are also two heavy-duty carrying handles. It is stable enough that two adults, two dogs, and one chair can go on it without feeling insecure. It is rock solid with a weight capacity of 1500 lbs. The Yacht Dock comes with a storage strap, double action hand pump with a PSI gauge, and elastic storage handles on the corner. This dock seems to be a little less durable than others on the list. It does come with two PVC patches.

Inflatable Sport Boats offers some extra accessories for an additional cost, much like Island Hopper. These accessories include a soft rope ladder, auto-set pump, and inflatable pillow. We suggest using an electric pump to blow this dock up as it can take a lot to get it to 15 PSI.

Benefits of an Inflatable Floating Dock

A floating dock has many benefits. Not only is the amount of fun a huge bonus, but there are others as well. An inflatable floating dock is a low maintenance with no sanding, staining, or splinters. It is easily cleaned or environmentally friendly. A floating dock is safe.

When used as a swim platform, swimmers can safely jump off the dock without fear of hitting the prop. It also provides a safe place to dry, rest, and relax. The platform can act as extra storage as well. You can load it up with boat accessories, toys, and swimming gear. Small watercraft can be anchored to it to prevent them from floating away. Most importantly, it is transportable. It is an extension of the boat that can be easily transported for an enjoyable time. 

Inflatable Floating Dock Uses

An inflatable floating dock has many uses. First, it can be used as an anchor for kayaks, water toys, and small watercraft.

Another method is the party platform. Get friends and family together and have a good, safe time. Kids enjoy the floating docks because they can swim around them, jump off of them, and lounge on them. If you are a yoga practitioner, you can use the platform on the water as a yoga mat. Doing yoga on the water allows gravity to be released and optimizes stretching with the release of tension.

Finally, the last use (and my favorite one) of an inflatable floating dock is to use as a fishing pier. All of the docks are durable enough to go fishing on with no concerns of punctures from the fishing hooks. You can paddle the dock into the middle of the lake and set the anchor and spend the day catching supper. 

Conclusion

Whether you plan to use your inflatable dock as a swimming platform, a dock, a lounging pad, or a yoga mat, we know you’ll find one you love on this list, just like we have. We love the Solstice Inflatable Floating Dock for its durability, stability, and comfortability. Your family and friends will love it.