Lil' Whale (Walmart version)

To the best of my knowledge, this toy was manufactured by Intex exclusively for Walmart in the USA. It does not seem to be available elsewhere around the world.

So, on first glance, this inflatable seems to be a purple version of the Intex orca, roughly the same size as the lil' blue whale. However, there are some small noteworthy details about this pool toy: It features the new corrugated handles seen on all current Intex toys and, perhaps most importantly, it's made of frosted vinyl.

Those who know me will know that I have had an unfavourable opinion of frosted vinyl based on experience with other brands, however I am hugely impressed by this orca. It's soft, squidgy, slippery and has all the same tactile advantages as matte vinyl... i'm flabbergasted. The only apparent downside to this type of vinyl is that it tends to generate a lot of static electricity. I look forward to seeing how it feels when wet!

So yes, this frosted translucent whale is a winner.

Manufacturer
Intex
Obtained from
Walmart (via a friend)
Features
Single air chamber, medium valve, soft hollow plastic handles - 163cm x 76cm
Vinyl type
Thin-to-medium gauge, soft translucent frosted pearlsheen purple
Tags
bought new , whale , own
Appearance
Construction
Air retention
Boinkability
Stability in water
Overall score:
75%
Added
29 Apr 2009 11:06pm
Last modified
3 Jan 2014 11:47pm