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Inflatable Armbands, arm floats, swim bands, and floaties. A beloved child has many names. But Inflatable Armbands have for many years been parents’ preferred piece of safety equipment when taking the kids to the swimming pool or the beach.
In this guide, I will give you a thorough insight into what makes a good set of Inflatable Armbands. I’ll cover what you need to consider before buying a pair. And I’ll share which models we recommend based on experience and reviews from Watery.ie.
👆 Click on each model and jump down to the section where we review each one in detail.
Beco Inflatable Armbands - Sealife (2-6 years) 
Best value Inflatable Armbands for children 
The classic Inflatable Armband 
If you want to give your child some of the very best Inflatable Armbands – regardless of price – Beco Inflatable Armbands are an obvious choice. They are available in models suitable for children from 15 to 30 kg, and they are comfortable to wear – even for extended periods.
The core of these Inflatable Armbands is made from 100% PE buoyant foam. It is covered with a soft polyester cushion, making them super comfortable.
In addition, there is also an integrated air pocket that you can inflate. This provides extra buoyancy if your child needs extra floatation. The air pocket is also protected by the polyester padding, so it cannot easily get punctured.
In terms of size, they don’t take up much space at all, making them easy to carry in your swim bag. And because they are compact, they also give your child an incredible amount of freedom of movement for their arms.
They were originally developed for swim training, but work just as well for playing in the water – and are, in our opinion, among the absolute best choices.
If you want the best value Inflatable Armbands for the price, you can’t go wrong with these Speedo armbands. They are the good old inflatable classic that we all remember from our own childhood. And they have the clear advantage that once deflated, they take up virtually no space in your swim bag.
Inflatable Armbands come in many different qualities. However, Speedo is widely known for making quality products, and these armbands are no exception!
The plastic is relatively thick, so it takes a lot to puncture them—which is a major risk with the cheapest models. Plus, they are surprisingly easy to inflate.
Even though they cost slightly more than the cheapest plastic Inflatable Armbands, these Speedo armbands are the absolute best buy you can make. At least for the price. In my clear opinion, they are also significantly better than the otherwise popular Beco armbands.
There are now many versions of the classic, old-school foam inflatable armbands. But in this category, nothing beats this Malmsten foam armband. This is the exact model you recognise from public swimming pools, which they make available to visiting children.
And there is one main reason for that: they are virtually indestructible. The foam is incredibly robust, so no matter how roughly they are handled, they simply hold up.
In addition, the foam provides excellent buoyancy. They are also super easy to put on without slipping off easily, thanks to the elastic band that holds both ends of the armband together.
So if you want the classic foam inflatable armband, the Malmsten model is the one to choose!
The short answer to why inflatable armbands are so popular with little ones is, of course, their ability to help them stay afloat. But there is more to it than just that.
There are now many alternatives designed to help children stay afloat. Yet, inflatable armbands remain the single product children love the most.
And that is largely because armbands do not just keep them above water. They also ensure the child stays upright in the water, keeping their head from going under. Since they sit on the upper arms, it is practically impossible for the child to submerge their entire head below the surface.
This gives children the ultimate sense of security. Water can be quite intimidating when you haven’t learned to swim yet—something we adults might not always consider.
And that is what makes inflatable armbands so popular among little ones.
It is one thing that children both are and feel safer in the water with armbands. Another thing is the requirements we have as parents. And there is a vast sea of different types out there, so below I have listed the most important things you should pay attention to before buying a pair of armbands for your child.
The most important aspect of a pair of Inflatable Armbands is safety. And here it is vital that you are sharp. Just like with any other product in the world, armbands come in both good and poor quality.
Typically, the very cheap models have not been tested to meet the highest safety standards. And when I talk about safety standards, I mean the following points:
There is no single official safety label for armbands. However, if you steer clear of the very cheap models and instead buy armbands from the major and reputable brands, you can be sure they have been thoroughly tested to the highest safety standards.
The size of the armbands is directly proportional to their buoyancy relative to weight. If they need to keep a 30 kg child afloat, they will not work if you use a pair of Inflatable Armbands designed for a maximum of 20 kg.
All armbands are labelled according to either weight class or age. So make sure you buy a set of armbands that suits your child’s age or weight category.
This point does not apply to all types of Inflatable Armbands, as there are both inflatable and non-inflatable models available. But for the inflatable models, it is well worth checking how difficult they are to inflate.
There is nothing fun about standing at the swimming pool with a pair of flat armbands that seem to require a compressor to blow up.
Many modern inflatable Inflatable Armbands are actually self-inflating. That saves you from turning blue in the face trying to blow air through a virtually blocked valve.
It might not be that important in the swimming pool or in the paddling pool at home in the garden. But if you’re taking a trip to the beach, the colour of the Inflatable Armbands matters tremendously. A bright colour (like orange or neon yellow) is much easier to spot than, for example, a dark blue colour. Especially in seawater.
I therefore recommend that you always go for Inflatable Armbands with bright colours. That way, you can spot your child more easily. And it provides much higher safety, both for you and for your child.
In the past, as in many years ago, Inflatable Armbands were only available in one material. Namely in foam. After that, the plastic inflatable models came onto the market. And now you can also get Inflatable Armbands in polyester that do exactly the same thing as the two older types.
I’ll tell you more below about the pros and cons of the different types.
Foam Inflatable Armbands are the type you know from swimming pools. These include, for example, these Malmsten Inflatable Armbands.
They are rock solid, have really good buoyancy, and fit securely on the arms. On the other hand, they are relatively hard, so the comfort isn’t top-notch.
Plastic Inflatable Armbands (like these from Speedo) are the type you probably know best from your own childhood when your parents took you to the swimming pool. They are inflatable, so they don’t take up space in the swimming bag once deflated. And air is simply the best at keeping a person afloat.
On the other hand, they can be exceptionally difficult to put on once inflated. And the feel of plastic against the skin isn’t the most comfortable sensation either.
Polyester inflatable armbands (like these from Beco) are a relatively new invention. But they are clever, provide fantastic buoyancy, and are super comfortable to wear. On top of that, they don’t take up much space in your swim bag either.
This type of inflatable armband uses a buoyant foam core. A soft polyester cushion is then layered around the outside. Additionally, some armbands of this type also have a small inflatable chamber inside that you can blow up for extra buoyancy. You get this feature in the Beco armbands, among others.
If you want extra safety for your child alongside inflatable armbands, or perhaps feel that armbands aren’t the best solution, there are a few different alternatives available nowadays.
And I will introduce you to them right here.
With a pair of inflatable armbands on the arms and a swim belt around the waist, your child simply gets extra safety in the water. The inflatable armbands prevent your child from getting their head underwater, while a swim belt ensures their lower body stays afloat.
You’ve almost certainly worn a swim belt yourself as a child. And you’ve experienced just how effective it really was at keeping you afloat. Another advantage of a swim belt is that as your child gradually improves at swimming, you can take off the inflatable armbands and still provide buoyancy for the rest of their body.
A swim vest is a really good alternative to armbands or a swim belt. Even when armbands and a swim belt are combined at the same time. And there is a very clear reason for that.
A swim vest is put on just like a regular vest. That means it covers the entire upper body, helping your child float all the way from the waist up to the neck. This gives your child a much more natural position in the water compared to armbands and swim belts, while the buoyancy in the upper body prevents your child from getting their whole head underwater.
When your child does not have Inflatable Armbands on their arms, they also get 100% freedom of movement in their arms. This has the positive effect of allowing your child to move freely and take completely natural arm strokes when learning to swim.
In addition, the swim vest also protects your child from the sun’s rays when you are at the beach. At least on the areas it covers. And you can also be sure that the swim vest will not fall off, as is unfortunately a risk with a pair of Inflatable Armbands.
All in all, a swim vest is far better in terms of safety than armbands and a swim belt combined!
A noodle (or a pool noodle, as they are also called) is a long foam cylinder you have probably come across at the swimming pool. As such, a noodle does not offer one hundred percent safety, because it is not attached to your child’s body.
However, if your child is learning to swim without the use of a swim belt, Inflatable Armbands, or a swim vest, a pool noodle is a fantastic aid.
The only thing you need to make sure of is that it goes under both armpits and across the chest. It then helps your child stay buoyant in the upper body, without significantly restricting freedom of movement.
To get the best experience at the swimming pool or at the beach, safety gear alone is not always enough. A great experience also comes down to comfort. That is why I have listed two products below that enhance your child’s comfort in the water.
It is great fun being able to see underwater. All kids love it. But if your child doesn’t have anything to protect their eyes, it can be really difficult.
Almost every child at a swimming pool or on the beach is equipped with a pair of swimming goggles. They wear them both for comfort, so their eyes don’t start stinging when putting their head underwater, and for vision, so they can actually see below the surface.
All kids love swimming goggles. And you can buy a pair of kids’ swimming goggles here.
If your child is not yet fully potty trained, swimming pools require them to wear a swim nappy. However, a swim nappy can quickly become bulky and heavy under a pair of regular swimming trunks. In fact, it can be almost impossible to fit them in.
Swim nappy shorts are designed with precisely this in mind. Some models even come with built-in protection, so your child doesn’t need to wear a nappy underneath at all.
A good pair of swim nappy shorts significantly improves your child’s comfort. It also gives you great peace of mind, ensuring there are no accidents with leaks into the pool water.
You can buy swim nappy shorts here.
Virtually all sports shops and swimming pools sell inflatable armbands. However, at swimming pools the prices are often high, and in sports shops you are not always guaranteed to find products from the most renowned brands.
Instead, we recommend buying inflatable armbands from us at Watery.ie. Our customer satisfaction on Trustpilot is top-notch, and you can be sure that all inflatable armbands in our range come from the market’s leading manufacturers. We specialise in swimming gear, which is why we only stock products from brands we fully stand behind.
Additionally, we offer fast delivery, so you’ll have your child’s new inflatable armbands in no time.
That’s why we recommend buying inflatable armbands from us at Watery.ie!
