To paraphrase a familiar saying, as we grow older we don’t outgrow our desire for toys—they just get bigger, more expensive and way, way cooler. That’s particularly true of waterborne toys that let you dive, fly, fish, explore, slide, sail and surf the waves.
The good news is that these toys are getting ever-more sophisticated, whether it’s speeding along at 35 mph on the world’s fastest electric surfboard, dropping 300 feet under the surface in a two-person submersible, or diving and then breaching the water’s surface like a Great White going after a seal.
We looked at multiple categories and chose our favorite toy in each one, focusing on the design, technology and ergonomics.
Here are 11 of our wet-and-wild favorites.
Our Best Water Toy Picks
—Best Electric Surfboard: Awake Ravik S
—Best Craft for Pretending You’re a Dolphin: Jet Shark
—Best Submersible for Couples: U-Boat Worx Nemo2
—Best Entry-Level Foiler: F.101
—Best Pontoon Boat That Doubles as a Waterpark: Premier 330
—Best Exercise Bike for the Water: Schiller S1-C
—Best Water Slide: FreeStyle Cruiser NLS Inflatable Yacht Slide
—Best Watercraft for Families: Yamaha FX Limited SVHO
—Best for One-Person Underwater Adventures: Seabob F5 SR
—Best All-Purpose Inflatable: Rover Aero Bug Slinger Micro Skiff
—Best e-Foil Board: Fliteboard MN60
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Best Electric Surfboard: Awake Ravik S
Image Credit: Awake Electric Surfboards Awake claims the Ravik S is the most powerful electric surfboard on the market. Check the stats. Powered by a 16kW electric motor paired to a linear jet system, it reaches 30 mph in under four seconds and tops out at a thrilling 36 mph. Agility is equally impressive. The low-buoyancy, lightweight carbon-fiber hull’s sharp water release and aggressive rocker will satisfy even the most advanced riders as the 5’ 8” board powers through turns or jumps from the water. Ride time lasts up to 45 minutes with the top-of-the-line Flex Battery XR and you can recharge within two hours. $12,900 w/Flex SR battery
Special Features:
—30 mph cruise, 36 mph top speed
—Range 45 minutes, recharging time two hours -
Best Craft for Pretending You’re a Dolphin: Jet Shark
Image Credit: The Jet Shark Remember the Innespace Seabreacher, the dolphin-shaped, jet-powered submersible from years back? It’s been reborn as the larger, more luxurious—and far more powerful—Jet Shark. Built by the co-creator of the Seabreacher, the craft’s composite body still resembles a fish but is decidedly more modern in appearance. Manipulate the joystick controller, however, and it can still leap out of the water, dive below the waves and bank like a fighter plane. The four-passenger craft is powered by a 420hp, naturally aspirated V8 Kodiak marine engine. Standout features include electro-hydraulic flight controls, an air-conditioned cabin, snorkel-mounted forward and rearview cameras for safety while below the water, and a shock-mitigating suspension system. $200,000 to $300,000
Special Features:
—Four-seat, air-conditioned interior, joystick controls
—Ability to dive, then jump above the water’s surface -
Best Submersible for Couples: U-Boat Worx Nemo2
Image Credit: Gavin Newman/UBoat Worx The two-passenger Nemo2 submersible looks like a prop from a sci-fi movie, has the fit and finish of a supercar and the ability to navigate as deep as 330 feet (100 meters) below the surface. Take in your surroundings through the massive 5-cm thick acrylic sphere that encloses the cockpit. The Nemo’s Manta touchscreen and joystick control unit makes for intuitive maneuvering via the craft’s four electric thrusters. A single lifting point doesn’t require a cradle or davit. The sub can even be trailered like a pair of jet skis. $1.35 million
Special Features:
—330 diving depth, two-person seating with acrylic dome
—Can be trailered -
Best Entry-Level Foiler: F101
Image Credit: Foiling 101 Foiling is the hottest thing in competitive sailing right now, judging from the last few America’s Cup and the SailGP series. For those who want to learn to sail fast with foils, the F101 trimaran might be the quickest, easiest way to get started, without having to do face plants with every bad tack. The F101 is used by college training programs which view foiling as the future of the sport. Ranked Boat of the Year by Sailing World magazine, the editors praised not only its easy-learning capacities but its prowess for transitioning into a high-performance sailing rig. “It’s the next step in making foiling accessible to the public,” wrote the editor. $24,700
Special Features:
—Intuitive, introductory foiler
—As skills progress, the boat turns into a racer -
Best Pontoon Boat That Doubles as a Waterpark: Premier 330 Escalante
Image Credit: Premier Marine Take one of the largest pontoon boats on the market, add living room accoutrements and an apartment-size galley, toss in a curving staircase that leads to a plush upper sundeck and top it all off with a waterslide—yes, waterslide—and you’ve got Premier’s party-friendly 330 Escalante. Effortlessly maneuver this 33-footer in tight confines thanks to intuitive joystick control. En route or at anchor, jam out with a premium JL Audio sound system and mood-setting LED lighting. A portable waterpark for you—and 21 of your best friends. Starting at $314,419 w/twin 300hp Mercury Verados
Special Features:
—Water slide on second deck
—Large residential galley and enclosed head -
Best Exercise Bike for the Water: Schiller S1-C
Image Credit: Schiller Bikes Forget those clunky water bicycles found at the average beach resort. If they’re the watery equivalent of a Schwinn, Schiller’s sleek S1-C looks ready to win a wet-and-wild Tour de France. Combining a sleek bicycle frame using an optimized propeller, proprietary gear box and Gates carbon-drive belts with a pair of rugged, 1100 denier PVC pontoons, the S1 is engineered for speed. A 1:7.5 gear ratio ensures maximum thrust at common cycling cadences. The handlebar-controlled steering mechanism directly turns the propeller, eliminating the need for a rudder. $5,750
Special Features:
—Designed for speed with 1:75 gear ratio
—Carbon-fiber pontoons -
Best Water Slide: FreeStyle Cruiser NLS Inflatable Yacht Slide
Image Credit: FreeStyle Inflatable slides are all the rage for the fun-loving yacht owner, but having to deal with multiple support legs can be cumbersome and bulky. Freestyle’s Cruiser NLS is designed to stand on its own. Custom fabricated to buyer’s specifications, slides are made from UV-stabilized, 29-ounce Firmatex vinyl and feature a patented internal design with four-layer welding. Lifting anchors are rated for 1000 kg of breaking strength. Slides come with custom lifting/storage bag, repair kit, and all required tools. Worried about punctures? They’re warranted for five years. $14,945
Special Features:
—Standalone, simple design
—Robust design with five-year warranty against punctures -
Best Watercraft for Families: Yamaha FX Limited SVHO
Image Credit: Yamaha WaveRunners On its own, Yamaha’s FX Limited SVHO is one impressive package, blending top-notch stability with agile reflexes and a chop-busting hull design that can venture into almost any water conditions. Its standards include a color touchscreen, Bluetooth sound system and Garmin GPS with geofencing capability. But it’s the craft’s “Limited” extras that deliver one-stop shopping for family buyers. They include an inflatable tube and towrope, 12-volt inflator, custom cover, soft-sided cooler, fenders, storage organizers, and even pop-up cleats. $20,399
Special Features:
—Color touchscreen, Bluetooth Sound
—Inflatable tube and towrope, custom cooler -
Best for a One-Person Underwater Adventure: Seabob F5
Image Credit: Cayago AG Once untouchable tech found mostly in Bond movies, “diver-propulsion vehicles” are now both a useful tool and cool play toy. Seabob’s F5 is powered by an emissions-free electric motor and enclosed impeller capable of reaching over twice the speed (14 mph) of Michael Phelps at his best. Its lithium-ion battery will run up to five hours; the unit can operate as deep as 130 feet. Use it when snorkeling or diving, or just pretend you’re a dolphin by diving and breaching at speed. $9,980
Special Features:
—Top speed of 14 mph, electric motor and impeller
—Five-hour charge time on lithium-hour battery -
Best All-Purpose Inflatable: Rover Aero Bug Slinger Micro Skiff
Image Credit: Bote Aero The name “Bug Slinger” may not be the most alluring, but the tough micro-skiff from Bote projects a can-do attitude for exploring, fishing, paddling or just enjoying sunsets. The inflatable vessel is part skiff, paddleboard and dinghy that weighs just 85 lbs., so transports in a travel bag. But it’s stable enough to use an outboard motor and carry up to 500 lbs. The top includes a seat, outboard rack, a paddle and pole and a “Magnepod” for holding the Yeti aluminum cup. It’s one of the most versatile craft for its 12’6” length. $2,349
Special Features:
—Multi-purpose design with outboard capacity
—Carries 500 lbs., but only 85 lbs. deflated -
Best e-Foil Board: Fliteboard MN60
Image Credit: Fliteboard Fliteboard’s MN series, created in conjunction with industrial designer Mark Newson, may be the ultimate expression of an e-Foil’s potential. Its monobloc eFoil, formed from high-modulus pre-preg carbon fiber and cured in an autoclave, incorporates mast, fuselage and tail, completely eliminating joints, bolts and seams to lessen drag and produce a more responsive ride. The streamlined conical wing is made of titanium. The carbon-fiber board is left in its natural state to show off both the fiber’s beauty and to shave weight. Even the MN Flite Controller gets attention, offering animated, realtime feedback via a round color display. Oh, and it charges wirelessly via an inductive charging dock. $19,995
Special Features:
—Monobloc construction for lightness and strength
—Advanced flight controller for wrist
