Skip nylon pool floats. Go vinyl for comfort, PVC for budget.

For durability and comfort, vinyl is your best bet, PVC is fine for the price, and nylon is mostly a marketing gimmick for pool floats.

Vinyl (the thick, smooth stuff) is the standard for high-end floats. It’s heavier, doesn’t get scorching hot in the sun, and won’t crack after a few weekends. Comfort-wise, it’s the winner because it stays flexible and doesn’t have that plasticky feel. The downside? It’s heavier to carry and costs more. But if you’re buying a float you actually want to lounge on all summer, get vinyl.

PVC is the cheap, ubiquitous material. It’s lighter, cheaper, and gets the job done for a season or two. But it gets brittle with UV exposure, can develop pinhole leaks, and feels like a plastic tarp on your skin. It’s fine for a $10 unicorn float that you’ll use twice. But if you expect comfort or longevity, you’ll be disappointed.

Nylon is the odd one out. Most “nylon” pool floats are actually a thin nylon shell over a foam core. The foam gets waterlogged, the nylon rips easily, and they take forever to dry. They’re marketed as “adventure” floats for rivers or lakes, but honestly, they’re less durable than PVC and far less comfortable than vinyl. I’d skip them entirely.

If you want a float that lasts more than a season, spend the extra on vinyl.