How to Carry a Float Tube to a Lake
The Float Tube is a relatively new device that allows anglers and hobbyists, for a fairly inexpensive price, to skim along lakes with little effort. It is basically a low chair supported by inflated pontoons on each side and allows you to be almost eye-level with the water, and gives you a more relaxing time than taking your boat out. In fact, getting it to the lake or river may be the only tricky part of the whole trip.
Things You'll Need
- Float Tube
- Portable Air Compressor
- Backpack Strap accessories (if the tube doesn't have them)
- Carry All bag
Instructions
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Inflate your Float Tube before you leave for your destination. There are two ways to carry it to the beach--inflated, or not inflated. As inflated takes less work and effort, we will start there.
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Place the inflated Float Tube in the bed of a truck or the back of an SUV. While the Float Tube is a conventional and lightweight device, once it is fully inflated it is likely going to be too big and bulky to fit in a car--even an automobile with ample room. You will likely need a truck to carry it a long distance. Bungee the Float Tube down into the back of the truck with security lines so that it doesn't fall out.
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Drive to the beach, pull out the Tube, and have fun. The Float Tube is a very lightweight device, often no more than 40 pounds, depending on accessories. If you have taken it to the beach, carrying it to the water from the car is a very simple task. Put it upside down, over your head, and hold it there with both hands. This will give you the most visibility and maneuverability while carrying it.
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Use an accessory called the backpack strap. It's a simply harness system that can be put on and left on the Float Tube. It then allows the user to carry the Float Tube like a backpack and keep their hands free. These straps can run up to $20 and aren't necessary, but if you are going more than a few feet, they might come in handy. Some Float Tubes already have similar straps attached to the bottom of the seat of the Tube, and therefore, this device isn't necessary. This added strap system, however, is supposed to be a tad more comfortable than the supplied straps.
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Wait to inflate the raft until you reach your destination. If you have no truck, or way to get an inflated raft to the water, this might then be the best option. Obtain a Carry-All bag (see the resources section below), and place the deflated Float Tube inside it. This bag will then fit easily into a car, or even on a bicycle. It is less bulky to move around than a fully inflated tube, as well.
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Inflate the tube once you reach your destination. As in the previous steps, you could have inflated the tube in the luxury of your own home and then transported it, in this instance, you would have to inflate it at your destination. It is often beneficial, therefore, to have a portable air compressor and nozzle adapter to fill your Float Tube. Doing this step requires the transportation of more gear and equipment, but it also reduces space. The choice is up to you. Once it's inflated, carry it to the lake using the same overhead, or backpack strap system as listed above.
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