Mega-Noodle vs. Basic-Noodle: You Decide

M. and I recently found ourselves on our way to a pool but without our trusted floaties which are sitting in our garage getting moldy. To remedy the situation i suggested we stop in at target and get us a couple of the much-beloved and cheap-in-a-pinch foam noodles. But, of course, it wasn't that simple. Choices abound in the world of foam noodle pool toys. I was instantly drawn to the purple "Mega-Noodle." A little larger in diameter, and with ridges all the way down, it was about $1.50 more than its cousin, the "Basic Noodle." We decided to get one of each and test-drive them.

Essentially, the Mega-Noodle has a little more buoyancy so you can sit on it and not sink down to your neck in the water. However, it is not as flexible as the softer, more malleable Basic Noodle, and after a while it starts to get a bit uncomfortable if you are holding it under your arms. I found that if you have really good balance you can actually straddle the Mega-Noodle and lean back on it with pretty decent support. Works in a pinch if you forgot your pool lounger. In the end, M. prefers the more flexible Basic Noodle and I prefer the Mega for its stronger float capacity. And there you have it.