I bought the Super Bubba in June of 2020 to use throughout the summer. We had it out about 8-10 times throughout the year on several different lakes. I bought a towable booster to use with it the first time based on other reviews. I only used it with the booster, so I cant speak for towing only the Bubba. First off, this thing is BIG! Like Really Big! I know it says it is rated for 3 riders, but you could probably fit more if needed(We only ever did 3 at a time MAX). The reason we went with this tube was for the seating options. With a 3 person tube you could ride with 1(in middle), 2(one on each side), or 3 riders. This gives it great flexibility for families. When inflated, this thing takes up a considerable amount of space in the boat. (See photo). Our boat is a 20' long Bayliner with two seats in the back between the engine cover. The best way I have found to carry it while inflated is to flip it upside down(which can be tough due to the size/weight) and jam it in between the sides of the boat. This takes away 2 possible seating options. The next thing I will mention is stability. This thing is rock solid. Despite being on the water for hours and hours this year, we only ever submarined it once. That was due to me not filling the tube and towable with enough air and being a dummy on the throttle. Get yourself a good air pump and make sure to fill the tube full enough! It should be firm when using it! (That's what she said) As far as build quality goes, I have had no complaints. The fabric and stitching is high quality and it looks like it will hold up well over time. When not in use I deflate it and fold it up. I also keep it stored under the boat cover for protection against UV. As far as max rider weight, we mostly used it with 2-3 kids at a time. However, we did have some adults use it including one 300+ lb inlaw. Overall, the tube has held up great. Lastly, a few of my impressions on rideability and steering. We almost exclusively towed it in "couch" mode. All of the kids preferred it this way. We tried it in "chariot" mode (kneeling) once or twice, but everyone immediately wanted to go back to "couch" mode. The trick with "chariot" mode when taking off is to have everyone move their weight to the back of the tube. This is needed to get the front end up off the water. Otherwise you have a high risk of submarining! This is not advisable with younger less experienced swimmers. Also in "chariot" mode you cannot see the kids nearly as well. It can be hard to know if one fell off. Get a good quality mirror so you can watch what is going on with the tube while driving. In the standard "couch" mode we had no problems taking off and getting up to speed. The tube rides best at very low idle speeds, or about 15-20mph and the tube on plane. The manual says 8mph or so for kids, however, that is just not feasible. The tube gets drug hard through the water at that speed and looks like it will submarine at any moment. As long as you are an aware, responsible driver 15-20 is no problem with kids older than about 6. Just don't "whip" the tube too hard. I would recommend that anyone who is going to drive the boat with someone in tow must first get on the tube and ride themselves. This will give you an appreciation for the difference of being in control vs. being pulled along 60 feet behind the boat. Very different experience on the water! Having someone get hurt will ruin your day really quick. Just be safe! I also noticed with lighter riders it could be very difficult to get the tube outside of the wake. Now, I have a Bayliner "deep V" runabout with a 5.7L V8 and can whip donuts like nobody's business, but with very light riders, this thing tracks behind the boat extremely straight. With at least 1 adult, getting the tube out of the wake zone is extremely easy. When parked at a sandbar, this tube becomes everybody's favorite (including the adults). It literally is a giant floating couch. It is super comfortable and has lots of room on it. My kids also liked to use it as a "king of the mountain" by flipping it upside down and climbing on it/jumping off it. Overall, this is a well made, multi functional tube that should last for many years. If you've got the room for it on your boat, go for it!
