Customer Reviews

sportsstuff Big Mable

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My family and I love this product! After the first use however, the strap that held the tow rope to the Big Mable's stitching came undone. I contacted SportStuff, and they were very accomidating and got a replacment out right away. The new one is perfect! This is great fun, and I would recommend it to anyone!

I purchased this tube to replace a lay-down style tube that warped (bloated) in the middle. There was only 1 review when I bought this, but I took a chance and it was worth the risk and the price - so far :). Here is what I've learned/picked-up from using Mable.

Survival Tip 1:
This thing can get some major air (5ft!) when the water is very choppy from boat/pwc traffic (on the 4th of July weekend for example). This is really cool, until the rider comes down. So, a word of advice - from experience - if you get major air ***LET GO***! Yes, this may seem to go against your initial instincts to hold on for dear life. But, here is something to consider - you will have two outcomes if you hold on: A) you will get ejected after the impact OR B) you will get a good amount of whiplash. Our riders had some not-so-fun-and-painful landings/ejections when they held on, but were fine if they let go mid-air. If you are not going to provide a flat ride, and are looking to catch a good amount of air, your may want to inform your rider(s) of this.

Survival Tip 2:
Mable isn't a one-trick towable. Mable can fly and tip and flip! While Mable may seem bottom-heavy (and thus non-flippable), if you whip the tube out wide enough and fast enough (i.g. boat speed around 20MPH) you can lose your rider(s). I don't think we had any injuries from tipping or flipping, besides riders having the occasional collision while on the tube.

Survival Tip 3:
With adult riders and with Mable in the 'chariot' (kneeling) position, our boat wasn't strong enough to get Mable started unless the riders leaned back. So, tip 3 is to LEAN BACK when in the chariot position to get started. Afterwards, the rider can get comfortable without trouble. As a side note, when we had one rider and had speeds between 10MPH and 15MPH, Mable nosedived in the 'lounge' position. She would also sometimes drag or tip over without a rider, usually when the boat slowed down from lower speeds that were between 10MPH and 15MPH.

General Tidbits:
-Switching the position of Mable is really easy.
-She also stays inflated very well - we didn't have to re-inflate after the initial inflation.
-The handles and padded areas can rub on the rider(s) skin. If you want maximum protection for your skin, wear long pants when kneeling. Longer bottoms may also be a good idea for sitting too since regular swimsuits may ride-up. Gloves may be a good idea for extended rides, or you'll risk blisters.

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Overall, the Big Mable is an awesome tube. It handles all sorts of riders, it has held up well (over three months with at least 2 weeks of heavy use/abuse), and it is very very fun. It is easy to switch positions.

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Notes:
Used only on fresh-water lake.

This is the perfect starter tube for young kids. Our 5 yo and 8 yo both love it. All of their friends who have been on it so far. Parents will live it too because it's obviously safe and easy for the kids to stay on. The 2 different riding directions let you mix it up some and keep the kids interested. We've even had a few adults on it who'd never been on tubes and it was a good first ride for the nervous too.

The fact that it's almost impossible to have someone fall off of this makes it fun to tube for a long time and if you can find some good waves and wakes, get some good air. As long as the riders want to hold on, the boat driver is free of circling back to pick up fallen riders making for a more fun day on the water I think.

One suggestion, while the forward connection is a quick connect, the rear is not. So buy an additional quick connect to keep on the rear side to make it faster to switch from front to back pulling.

This is an awesome tube! Our family loves it! It is a great investment for everyone. Very durable and worth the money!

We had a Super Mabel for three years that never had any problems. It blew away in a storm. We bought a new one, and discovered the product quality has greatly declined. The case is falling apart, and the bladder gets a new hole in one of two of the same places every time we take it out. I've patched about 15 holes. It is a total pain.

I THINK THERE MUST BE A DEFECT IN THIS ITEM SEVERAL TIMES IT HAS DEFLATED IN THE WATER I AM NOW VERY LEARY OF PRODUCT NOT SURE I WILL USE AGAIN

My family loves the Big Mable! Lots of fun. My mom was even able to get on it, as it is pretty sturdy on top of the water. Even our dogs took a ride! Only regret is that I didn't read the fine print that the expedited shipping does not include the time before it ships, so we paid more for shipping and didn't even get to use it until the next year..

My grandson said,"Grandma that was the best investment you ever made!!".They and their parents had so much fun and excitement. Everyone on our lake loved seeing them fly by on their "comfy couch". The delivery service was amazing>

Very happy with our product. Also we received it in record time. Would not hesitate to buy on this website again.

I was looking for a large raft to pull my grandkids on who are young. This is a very large raft. Able to pull children in a upright position very well, and also great for going fast with adults. Raft arrived on time. Very sturdy made. Was a little uncomfy with the price for a raft but it looks like it is made very well and will hold up in time hopefully.