Slides vs Combo Units – Which one is right for your party?
This is a question we are asked almost daily here at Palm
Beach Party and Bounce. Should I get the slide or the combo? Hopefully this
article will help you make an informed decision.
If you don’t have the space or the budget to get a slide and
a bounce house for your party, a Combo Bouncer is a great solution. The bounce
area is usually every bit as spacious as a regular bounce house but the slide
is where you’ll see the compromise. Yes, Combos have much smaller slides than
true slides, and therein lies the rub for many customers. They’re usually
around eight feet high and come in dry or wet configurations.
There’s no masking the shortcoming of a combo slide but if
you’re making an age-appropriate selection then it really won’t matter.
Combo units are always intended for a younger crowd. If you
are ordering one for big kids you will not be happy. The slides are accessed by
climbing up stairs that are awkward for just about anyone over 10 years old,
and only little ones will find an eight foot slide exhilarating.
For pre-teens and up your only choice is to get a large
bounce house or a true, large (tall) slide. There are no combos on the market
that will reasonably satisfy this age group.
In fact, an easier way to look at this is to just think of
combos as ‘deluxe’ bouncers for younger kids.
So if you have decided that a combo will be the right type
of unit for your party, the next step is to pick what kind of combo. They
typically come with a name or, more often, a numerical designation ranging from
2-1 (read: Two in One) to as many as
6-1.
When customers land on a combo they almost always ask what
the 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, etc. means. It is simply the number of activities in the
unit. A 2-1 is a bounce house and a slide (2 things in 1 unit). A 3-1 usually
counts the bounce house, slide and a climbing wall to get to the top of the
slide. From here on, every single feature is counted; basketball hoops,
obstacles, a pool, etc. A combo unit with a climbing wall, slide, pool and a
basketball hoop could be called a 5-1. But so could a dry version of that unit
when you nix the pool at the bottom of the side but add a couple of obstacles
inside the bounce area. This makes it a little tougher on the consumer because
a 4-1 from 2 different companies may be vastly different types of inflatables.
There is no single group of agreed upon definitions for the various combo units
in the market. Manufacturers have differing definitions from each other and
sometimes within their own product lines. Then rental companies also apply
their own monikers to these combos making it even more chaotic.
If you, the consumer, are confident that your rental company
is displaying accurate photos on their website and if you know which features
you want in a combo then you will have an easy enough time discussing your
needs with your favorite party rental business and ensuring the right type of
inflatable is delivered to you event.
If you would like to see the various Combo Bouncers we have
for rent in the South Florida market, please visit our website at: www.palmbeachpartyandbounce.com
