05/19/2026
Lets take today's post one step further... "Why can't we add water to an obstacle course?" (meaning true hose or true sprinkler) - kids wet from a pool or water guns do not count, that's ALWAYS okay - obstacle courses are not properly tarped at the exits or along the sides to prepare for a watery mess. Yes, there is a tarp at the entrance (of course) as per all inflatable rentals... but adding water to something that isn't prepared for it creates mud. the exit grass gets muddy then inevitably trails back into the unit (and drys). Kids running along side the unit in the muddy grass kick up mud onto the side of the unit. (and drys)...
"Why are water slides different?" - Water slides are ALL properly tarped at entrances/exits. Mud is never a factor.
"What about rain? isn't that adding water?" - having a (dry) obstacle course in the rain is WAY different than adding water. Do (dry) obstacle courses get rained on? Yes! All the time! But honestly, think of it like a car wash... water is coming down all over the unit. from the top to the bottom, equally, and everywhere... water is in every crevice, on every pillar etc. Is mud created? Yeah. but it's essentially washed away with the rain water all over the unit.
These posts are not directed at anyone - they are posts for educational purposes... and when I say 'I make a note' about things, it's to tell and ask the same customer "hey, it's going to be 80+, are you sure you don't you want a water unit?
And i'll add, there is a weird grey area as well. Say you have an obstacle course that's in the shade most of the day, then the sun peaks and is making the slide surface very hot... i'm going to TELL YOU to spray it with a hose. lol - so does all that make sense?