When it comes to the the height of a slide, bigger does not mean better. Every manufacturer makes their slides a little differently which means not every 21' slide is equal to other 21' slides. Some manufacturers make their slides taller by adding unnecessary height. They make a rainbow, or a tree, or a log, anything that can add overall height to make it more appealing to buyers and then to renters, but not add anything to the actual slide itself.
Let's use our 21' tall Rockin' Rapids vs our 19' tall Tiki Island for example. Both are manufactured by the same company and are supposedly the same slide just different themes. The Rockin' Rapids is by far my personal favorite waterslide. It is the biggest, the fastest, and is the most fun I have ever had on a waterslide. It stands at 21' tall, and when you stand on the top platform you can see over some of your neighbors' houses. It is truly awesome. The Tiki Island waterslide is the same slide just a different theme. The platform height is the same height and the actual slide area is a mirror image to the Rockin' Rapids. However the Tiki Island measures 19 feet tall, 2 feet shorter. That is because there is a few small logs on top of the Rockin' Rapids that add to the total height of the slide. It doesn't actually add any height to the slide but when you quickly look at the 2 waterslides, you automatically assume the Rockin' Rapids is bigger.
When we look to buy new waterslides, we do a lot of research. There are several companies that add a faux decoration to the top of the slide to make it appear bigger than it really is. Some slides are actually equivalent to a 15 foot slide but advertise as an 18 foot slide just because it has a wave or dolphin or fish added to the top of it. Although the Rockin' Rapids is one of those slides that has a (for lack of a better term) false height, we do not advertise ours as a 21 foot tall slide. We advertise ours as a 19 foot tall slide. Not everyone, and I mean no one else, in the valley does this but us. Sure it may decrease our sales but we will not lure customers into thinking they will be getting a much larger slide than they will actually get.
Not all slides are created equal and just because it is advertised as an 18 foot slide does not mean it is equal to all other 18 foot slides. When calling around and looking for a slide don't just ask for the height. Ask for the platform height. A good rule of thumb is the platform height should be 8 feet or less than the total height of the slide. The best advise is use a reputable company, look at reviews and make sure you can trust what they say.
