Friday June 8, 2007

When one thinks of cottage toys, Costco might not immediately spring to mind.  But don’t discount the big box retailer.  Some of our best water toys have come from there, and year after year they consistently stock the favourites. 

The first toy we bought for the cottage was a three-person inner tube made by SeaDoo (Style #129483).  This is a must-have because you can take three people at once, eliminating wait time on the dock.  It works really well with small children because an adult can sit in the middle with the little ones on either side.  The handles give them something to hold onto when the going gets rough, and the head rests prevent you from snapping your neck, always appreciated, especially the day after.  Tied up to the dock, it makes a great toy for the kids to climb in and out of, and a great jumping platform.  Five stars for this one and a good value at $199.99. 

Last year we added a wakeboard to our collection of toys.  After visiting the local board shops in Vancouver, I was in a quandary.  I wanted a good all-round board, but I didn’t want to pay $500 plus another $200 for the bindings.  The other factor inhibiting my decision was not knowing if I was going to love this sport or not.  So I consulted Jacob, my 14 year-old neighbour.  A very intelligent and curious teenager, he recommended Costco’s Hobie Cat Wakeboard (style #124575).  It proved to be an excellent choice.  The bindings are very easy to get in and out of, requiring no dish soap, and the board handles well for a novice boarder (not that I am an expert or anything).  It too is a great value at $193.

Costco’s return policy is an added bonus as evidenced by Joe Flareski, Jacob’s dad.  When he discovered a hole in his three-person SeaDoo Tube Ray, he returned it without a receipt and was given a replacement.  Now that’s a return policy.

Don’t expect to find these toys online, for some reason Costco does not list them.  You have to go to the store to purchase them, but they are well worth the trip.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 8th, 2007 at 12:06 pm and is filed under Toys. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.