This was our second set of a similar product, so I knew I already loved the concept. It takes no time at all to inflate these, and when they are deflated, they can be folded up nice and small, making them perfect for travel. They are versatile for swimming - you can sit upright in a couple of different ways or lay on it to lounge. I do wish there was some way to integrate a cup holder!! The previous set I purchased (not sure of the brand, but I purchased in a big box store) was made of a thicker, nicer material on the inflated parts. These don't feel as durable, so I am not sure they will hold up as long as our first set. That said, we've made it through a few months of pretty consistent usage, and they are holding strong!2 pack arrived packaged in such a way that I wasn’t able to tell the inflation device they included was broken until we were on vacation when I took them out of the package. Was not too difficult to inflate without but was slightly annoying since the return window had closed. Other than that the product was great, did not take up too much space in luggage and can sit many different ways in or on the floats!These were used in the ocean by a large guy and a small women and they were wrapped around lounge chairs while not in use. It only took a few big puffs of air to blow up each pillow. They flattened easily then to fit into the suitcase to use again.I'm fortunate to have a 120 ppi air compress which means I can blow them up quickly. Using the little hand pump provide takes a long, long time. The strong blow-back value makes it difficult to deflate, but then that's the purpose. If left in sunlight for long periods they will not last long - about 3 months.I like this particular style so have bought several.Bought them to use when on vacation to just laze around floating. They are easy to blow up and comfortable to use as a seat. Fun colors and easy to carry back and forth. I'm guessing they won't last forever, but for the price, I think I'll get a few years out of them.These are super easy to blow up. But the best part of these floaties is you can float on the back or float sitting on it or just lay across the top. We float on the different positions for hours. The best!You can use it as a chair ir a hammock in the water. Very easy to useThe value is there for the price but I have other ones that were more expensive with better materials that we like much better. That said, for the price these are a fair substitute.