Floatguard — Round Inflatable Pool Winterizing Cushion (47 in)
You won't know what winter did to your pool until you pull the cover off in April. The cushion takes the ice pressure that would otherwise push against your wall, so spring is the day you fill it and swim.
One cushion suits most round above-ground pools up to about 18 ft.
On anything larger, or on an oval, use two spaced evenly under the cover.
It's heavy-gauge PVC with welded seams, and it's under a cover rather than out in the sun, which is what usually kills an inflatable.
The patch set below handles the rare puncture.
Your order is dispatched within 24–48 hours and typically arrives within 5–9 business days.
You'll get a tracking link the moment it ships, so you can follow it door to door.
Ordering from outside the US?
Allow 7–10 business days.
Every order is covered by our 60-day spring-opening promise, starting the day your order arrives.
Many issues are solved without sending anything back — damaged, wrong, or ill-fitting items are typically replaced free.
No extra shipping charges.
What you see is what you pay.
Opened yesterday. Walls straight, liner intact, no surprises waiting for me. That's exactly what I paid for.
Marcus L. · 5/5
Used a shop vac on reverse to fill it, took about ten minutes total including getting it centered. Easy.
Peg H. · 5/5
Third season. Still holds air, seams are fine, ropes are a little frayed but functional. No complaints.
Miguel S. · 5/5
AS SEEN IN
Nothing to fix in April
The first hard freeze after a rainy week, and the middle of your cover is a black pond with a sheet of ice on top.
That weight pulls the cover edges in off the rails, and the ice underneath has nowhere to go but outward, into the wall.
You won't find out what it did until you take the cover off in April, and by then a warped panel or a torn liner is a repair bill, not a fix.
The not knowing.
The ice pushes into air instead of your wall
Water expands when it freezes.
In a closed pool it has one direction to go: sideways, against the panels.
The inflated cushion sits in the middle and gives that pressure somewhere soft to land — the ice squeezes the air, not the steel.
The raised dome does a second job at the same time.
It lifts the centre of the cover so rain and snowmelt run to the edges instead of collecting in a pool.
No sag, no ice slab, no cover slowly dragged off its rails.
Still holding air in spring
An inflatable that dies in January is worse than none at all, because you stop checking.
This one sits under the cover, out of the sun — which is what actually destroys pool inflatables — on heavy-gauge PVC with welded seams.
Two ropes tie it off so a February storm can't push it to one edge and leave the middle bare.
Set it in October, and the next time you think about it is the morning you pull the cover off and find nothing broken.
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Our key statistics
Based on a survey of 500+ verified customers.
94%
Opened with no damageof buyers who described opening their pool in spring
92%
Still firm in Februaryof buyers who checked whether it was still holding air mid-winter
90%
Cover held its shapeof buyers who mentioned sagging, ponding or the cover slipping off the rails
88%
Done in one afternoonof buyers who commented on how long setup took
How it works
Two jobs at once, from one shape under your cover.
1Inflate and float
Fill it to firm, not drum-tight — it needs give to absorb pressure. Drop it in the centre of the water before the cover goes on.
2Tie it off
Run the two ropes to opposite sides of the pool so it can't drift to one edge in a storm. This is the step people skip and regret.
3Cover and walk away
The cover goes over the top and the dome holds the centre high. Rain and melt run to the edges, ice pressure pushes into air, and you're done until spring.
What a skipped winter actually costs
You could spend each year:
$400-900
$600+
$50 a season
Or get Floatguard once One cushion, one October afternoon, $48.99. It only has to be right once.
Floatguard vs. the cheap pool-store pillow
See why customers switch and stay.
PREMIUMOthers
Still holding air in April, not flat by December
Welded seams instead of glued ones
Two ropes so it can't drift to one edge
No standing out there with a cover pump after every storm
Photos from customers who closed their pools with one of these.
Kwabena O.Verified“Bought this after reading too many horror stories about ice damage. Opened the pool last week and everything was exactly how I left it. No bowing, no tears. I'll take it.”Ramón J.Verified“I'm on my feet all day at work and the last thing I want is another chore in the backyard on a Saturday. This took twenty minutes start to finish including inflating it. Fine by me.”Yesenia J.Verified“I put off closing the pool for two weeks because I was dreading the whole production. Ended up being the easiest close I've done. Inflate, drop it in, ropes, cover. Done before lunch.”
No setup, no figuring anything outNothing to figure out. Blew it up, threw it in, tied it off, covered it. Whole thing took less time than getting the cover out of the shed.
Wade O.Verified10/14/2026
Fill it firm but not hardWord of advice, fill it to firm with some give, not rock hard. I overfilled mine the first time and let air back out after reading their instructions. It needs to squish a little, that's kind of the whole point.
Reed S.Verified10/12/2026
Good price compared to what the pool store wantedThe pool store near me wanted almost double for something that looked about the same. Happy with this.
Blake K.Verified10/09/2026
I have a 21ft so I ordered twoI have a 21ft so I ordered two based on the sizing info and spaced them out either side of center. Cover sits nice and high in the middle with a slope to both edges. Wasn't sure two would be enough for that size but it looks right.
Meredith L.Verified10/05/2026
Wish it came in a darker colorSmall thing but I wish it came in a darker color, the light blue looks a bit toy-like sitting there before the cover goes on. Obviously nobody sees it once the cover is down so it hardly matters. Product itself seems solid.
Vincent E.Verified10/01/2026
Arrived fast, in the pool the same weekendOrdered on a Tuesday, had it Thursday, it was under the cover by Saturday. No complaints.
Imani W.Verified09/27/2026
Cover finally stays putMy main problem was never the ice, it was the cover creeping off the rails after every storm because of the weight in the middle. That stopped completely. Whatever else it does, it fixed that.
Peg H.Verified09/26/2026
took about ten minutesUsed a shop vac on reverse to fill it, took about ten minutes total including getting it centered. Easy.
Faye T.Verified09/24/2026
Packaging was pretty basicPackaging was very basic, just came folded in a plastic sleeve with no real instructions in the box. Had to go back to the website for the inflation guidance. The cushion itself seems well made though and inflated up nicely.
Sue E.Verified09/22/2026
Set it and forget it, finallyWe've tried the old inner tube trick and a couple of cheap pillows off the shelf at the pool store. The pillows both went flat by December. This one made it all the way to April with room to spare. Set it in October and genuinely didn't think about the pool again until spring.
Elena T.Verified09/20/2026
Second season, bought a spareBought a second one to keep in the shed for whenever this one eventually gives out. First one is going strong into its second winter.
Gary D.Verified09/17/2026
We had a panel go two winters ago and I'm not...We had a panel go two winters ago and I'm not doing that again. Cost us almost nine hundred between the panel and the guy who came out to swap it. Forty five bucks against that is not a hard decision. Inflated it last weekend, tied it, done.
Ramón J.Verified09/15/2026
Honest opinionI'm on my feet all day at work and the last thing I want is another chore in the backyard on a Saturday. This took twenty minutes start to finish including inflating it. Fine by me.
Danielle F.Verified09/12/2026
Does the job, wish the ropes were longerIt works. Water ran off the sides instead of sitting in a pond in the middle, which is mostly what I wanted. My only gripe is the ropes could be a bit longer, I had to get creative tying off to the far rail on my 18ft. Not a dealbreaker just something I noticed.
Guadalupe A.Verified09/10/2026
Was worried it wouldn't work on an ovalWas worried it wouldn't work on an oval pool since everything says round. Used two of them along the length like the FAQ says and the cover holds its shape end to end. No sag at the ends which was my concern.
Yesenia J.Verified09/07/2026
I put off closing the pool for two weeks becau...I put off closing the pool for two weeks because I was dreading the whole production. Ended up being the easiest close I've done. Inflate, drop it in, ropes, cover. Done before lunch.
Verified Buyer09/04/2026
Second one for the second poolOrdered another for my mom's pool after mine came through last winter without a scratch. She's 70 and doesn't need to be out there with a cover pump in January.
Jamal W.Verified08/30/2026
Tie the ropes. Seriously.First year I didn't bother with the ropes because it was late and I was tired. By January it was jammed up against one side doing absolutely nothing and I had a pond in the middle again. That's on me not the product. Did it right this time and the cover held shape perfectly.
Ernesto G.Verified04/13/2026
Second one orderedOrdered another for my sister's place. First one's been perfect.
Nina C.Verified04/11/2026
I was worried about the seamsI was worried about the seams because that's where every inflatable I've ever owned has failed. These are welded not glued and you can feel the difference. Whole winter under snow, no leaks.
Lorena W.Verified04/07/2026
No pumping all winterThe thing I didn't expect was how much time this saved me. I used to go out after every big rain with the little cover pump and stand there in the cold waiting for it to drain. Didn't touch the pump once this year. Water just ran off the sides.
Marcus L.Verified04/05/2026
Opened it yesterday, everything intactOpened yesterday. Walls straight, liner intact, no surprises waiting for me. That's exactly what I paid for.
Marisol R.Verified04/03/2026
Third winter with this oneThird winter with this one and it's still holding air. I inflate it in October, tie the ropes off, cover goes on, and I don't think about it again. Pulled the cover in April and the walls were straight. Liner fine. That's the whole review honestly.
Dean P.Verified03/31/2026
Simple thing that worksIts an inflated ring. It sits under the cover. Rain runs off the sides. Ice has somewhere to push. That's it, and it works.
Fabiola N.Verified03/27/2026
Straight walls in AprilOpened last Saturday. Walls straight, liner good, no surprises. Third season on this cushion.
Cedric D.Verified03/25/2026
Neighbor wasn't so luckyMine came off clean. My neighbor across the fence opened his a week later and has a bowed panel on the north side and a quote for repairs. He didn't use anything under his cover. He's ordering one now.
Miguel S.Verified03/21/2026
Third season and still goingThird season. Still holds air, seams are fine, ropes are a little frayed but functional. No complaints.
Terrell H.Verified03/19/2026
I assumed this was basically a pool toy with a...I assumed this was basically a pool toy with a better name, honestly. Ordered it anyway because my neighbor swore by it. Its thicker than I expected, the material is closer to a truck tarp than a beach ball. Held all winter with snow on top of the cover for most of February. I get it now.
Frank S.Verified03/16/2026
Fine but I expected a bit more heftIt works, no argument there, my pool opened fine. But for the price I expected the material to be a little heavier than it is. It's decent, just not as substantial as the description had me picturing. Would probably buy again but with different expectations.
FloatguardThanks for the honest feedback, Frank. Glad the pool opened without issues. The gauge is chosen to give under ice pressure rather than resist it — a stiffer material transfers more of that load to the wall. That said, we hear you on the expectation gap and we're looking at how we describe it.
Héctor T.Verified03/12/2026
Cheapest insurance in the backyardMy brother in law had to replace his liner after a bad winter, it was like six hundred plus the water to refill. This was forty five. Do the math.
Chandra T.Verified03/08/2026
Took longer to arrive than expectedTook a bit longer to get here than I'd hoped, I think it was during their busy closing season. Product is good though and it's been fine through the winter so I'm not too bothered.
Aiyana S.Verified03/04/2026
Good, slightly smaller than I picturedWorks well. It's a bit smaller than I had in my head from the photos but the measurements were right there in the listing so that's on me. Did its job.
Aaliyah J.Verified02/25/2026
Peace of mind more than anythingHonestly the biggest thing for me is that I stopped worrying about it. Used to spend all winter half wondering what I'd find in April. Now I just don't think about it. Worth forty five dollars for that alone.
Kwabena O.Verified02/21/2026
Opened up cleanBought this after reading too many horror stories about ice damage. Opened the pool last week and everything was exactly how I left it. No bowing, no tears. I'll take it.
Curt S.Verified02/18/2026
Didn't keep the leaves offI bought this thinking it would keep leaves from collecting on my cover but I still had a pile of wet leaves in the fall that I had to clear off. Maybe I misunderstood what its for. The pool itself was fine when I opened it but the leaf thing was what I wanted.
FloatguardThanks for taking the time to write this. The cushion raises the center so water drains to the edges — it does help leaves slide rather than settle, but heavy wet leaves will still need clearing, and we should be clearer about that. Really glad the pool opened without damage. If you'd like to talk through options, our team is happy to help.
Tyrone B.Verified02/15/2026
Didn't expect to use the patch kit but glad I...Didn't expect to use the patch kit but glad I got it. Something punctured mine in late January, no idea what, maybe ice. Patched it in five minutes and it was back up. If I hadn't had the kit it would have been flat until spring.
Holly J.Verified02/12/2026
No sag at allThe cover on my old setup used to sag so bad in the middle that the edges would pull off the rail and then I'd be out there fighting with it in the wind. None of that this year. The middle stays up.
Solomon K.Verified02/06/2026
Snow all over the cover and still firmWe got hit hard in February, probably a foot and a half of snow sitting on the cover at one point. Went out and pressed on it through the cover and its still firm underneath. Impressed.
Christina J.Verified01/30/2026
Still inflated in the dead of winterI'll be honest I was fully expecting to look out the window in January and see a flat pancake under the cover. Still firm. Checked it again a couple weeks ago and no change. Only knocking a star because the instructions were pretty minimal, I ended up watching a video to figure out the rope thing.
Barb T.Verified01/24/2026
My daughter recommended itMy daughter has one and told me to get it after our wall started bowing last spring. Wish I'd listened two years ago honestly.
Questions, answered
One cushion covers most round above-ground pools up to roughly 18 ft across.
From 18 to 24 ft, use two spaced evenly on either side of centre.
For oval pools, run two along the long axis — one in the middle leaves the ends unsupported and the cover will sag there.
Inflate to firm with give, not drum-tight.
Yes, the mechanism is the same — expanding ice needs somewhere soft to push, and the cover needs a high point.
On an oval you just need two of them, placed along the length rather than one in the middle.
It's heavy-gauge PVC with welded seams and it sits under a cover, which keeps UV off it — sun is what kills most pool inflatables, not cold.
If it does take a puncture, the patch set gets it back up in five minutes rather than leaving it flat until spring.
Only if the ropes aren't used.
Run them to opposite sides of the pool and pull them snug so the cushion is held in the centre.
It's a thirty-second step that people skip, and it's the single most common reason one of these stops working.
Your order is dispatched within 24–48 hours and typically arrives within 5–9 business days.
You'll get a tracking link the moment it ships, so you can follow it door to door.
Ordering from outside the US?
Allow 7–10 business days.
Put it under your cover this October.
If you pull the cover off in spring and find a warped wall, a torn liner or a cushion that didn't hold air, send us a photo and we refund you in full.
You keep the cushion.
60-day spring-opening promise
"Put it under your cover this October. If you pull the cover off in spring and find a warped wall, a torn liner or a cushion that didn't hold air, send us a photo and we refund you in full — you keep the cushion."
Put it under your cover in October and leave it alone.
PREMIUM
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