This past weekend I bought some inflatable sleds for my kids. They were pretty cheap, $10, but I figured they would work ok for the weekend. When I got them home and inflated them it took a lot longer then what I thought it should, but they did eventually inflate.
When I took them outside the kids used them for a few minutes, and by then they were totally flat. They could still be used, just not that well. The next morning when I went to inflate them I heard a hole, when I went looking I saw two holes on the bottom of each sled. These holes were nice and round and both sleds had them in the same place so they had to have been put there by the manufacturer.
So what’s the point of the holes? Was it a major screw up or do they serve some purpose? After I patched them the sleds worked just fine.
Check the label for an “Auto-Deflate!” feature. Added after 20,000 of them had manufacturing defects.
I’d hazard a WAG that they are holes meant to make assembly and welding easier (by allowing air to be easily pressed out), and supposed to be welded or patched over in a final step. Sumbudy ferget.
I can understand that, one of the sleds developed a tear rather quickly, but these holes look like they were made during processing. Both sleds have two holes on the bottom, in the middle. They are about the size of a hole punch, seems odd to have a machine or pattern that has the holes already there.
Missed this part. That makes some sense, though that would still be a weak part in the process. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an inflatable item that had patches holes though.