Disclosure: Paddle North gave us a discount on this gear in exchange for a few social media photos — not in exchange for this article. We are writing it up because we genuinely like it, and the opinions here are our own.
What the Loon’s Nest Is
The Paddle North Loon’s Nest is a 10-foot inflatable floating lounger — a stiff drop-stitch ring wrapped around a tough mesh center you can sink into. Inflate it hard and it behaves more like a floating dock than a pool toy: stable, big enough for a small crowd, and built to take a beating.
The float most people will line it up against is the Sunchill, the round mesh-center lounger you have probably seen at the lake. We spent time with the Loon’s Nest with exactly that comparison in mind, and two differences stand out — plus a couple of build details worth knowing.
Difference #1: A Ring You Can Actually Sit On
On the Loon’s Nest, the outer ring is wide enough and buoyant enough to sit on. That sounds minor until you are on the water. Instead of everyone piling into the mesh center, people perch on the edge, dangle their legs over, and use the ring as a bench. It roughly doubles how the thing gets used.
The Sunchill’s ring is not built for that. It will float you in the middle, but the tube around the outside is not something you sit on. With the Loon’s Nest the ring is part of the seating — and on a float full of people, that matters more than any spec sheet.
Difference #2: Screw-Down Attachment Points
The Loon’s Nest has solid screw-down attachment points spaced around the ring. These are real mounts, not just D-rings — you thread on what you want and it stays put. We use them for drink holders and a GoPro mount, but they will take any standard action-mount accessory.
That turns the float into a platform you can rig out: cup holders where you actually want them, a camera mount for the cannonball contests, a spot for a phone or a speaker. The Sunchill does not give you that kind of build-it-out flexibility.
Built Like It Will Last
The build is where you feel the price difference. The rub rail around the edge — the part that gets dragged up docks and knocked against the boat — is thick and genuinely heavy, not the thin trim you find on cheaper floats. Pumped up firm, the Nest is stiff and solid underfoot, with none of the flex or squish that makes a budget lounger feel disposable. It should still be around in ten summers.
The Overpressure Relief Valve
This is the detail we did not expect to care about and now would not skip: every Paddle North inflatable has an overpressure relief valve.
Here is why it matters. A hard-inflated drop-stitch float left in the summer sun heats up, the air inside expands, and the internal pressure climbs. On a lot of inflatables that stress goes straight into the seams. The relief valve simply vents the excess before it becomes a problem. It is a small thing that quietly protects your investment — better safety on a hot dock, and real longevity over the life of the float.
The Bottom Line
If you are deciding between the Loon’s Nest and the Sunchill, the Nest is the one we would buy. The sit-on ring and the screw-down mounts change how you actually use it, and the rub rail, heavy PVC, and overpressure valve mean it should outlast the cheaper option by years. It costs a bit more, for reasons you can feel the first time you use it.
