Pickup Pools, as the name suggests, is a company that makes pools for pickup trucks. The mastermind behind this idea is Tommy Prestella, who had a stroke of genius on an exceptionally hot summer day in 2014 when he was stationed in Arkansas. His daughter, feeling the heat, wanted to swim in a pool. Without any alternative, Tommy was left to use his creativity to beat the heat. He lined his pickup truck with tarp and bungee cords and filled it with water for his daughter to enjoy. Hence, the first Pickup Pool was invented. Tommy wanted to get the idea patented immediately, and he did so without any hassle. Tommy’s sister Diana runs the business in his absence since Tommy is a member of the Air force, and much of his time is spent being stationed away.
Tommy made his way to Shark Tank to expand his business and boost production. He appears on the episode, seeking $100,000 for 25% of his business and the model pool he brings with him appeals to the Sharks immediately, and they get a laugh out of it too. The main concern the Sharks have with the pool is the high cost, and Tommy assures them that he is looking for cheaper raw materials for the pools, which will decrease the cost.
The first Shark Tommy manages to hook is Barbara, who meets Tommy’s offer but wants to get the manufacturing cost cut down under any circumstances. The other Shark who shows interest is Mark Cuban, who offers $100,000 for 33% of the company and discourages Tommy from countering the offer as well. After slight speculation, Tommy goes with Mark’s offer, with faith that his expertise will help the company reach new heights.
Pickup Pools was able to do lucrative business for many years under the supervision of Mark Cuban and it is still in the market.
Our Review Of Pickup Pools
We decided to put the company and their pools to test for ourselves to see if they really are everything they are cracked up to be. All we needed was a pickup truck, and we could turn it into the perfect heat blaster for summer this year.
So we went ahead and ordered the pool for ourselves. We set up an outdoor picnic situation and invited a number of kids and adults to see how well the pool functions, and we were pleasantly surprised. The pool was made of 20 mm vinyl, which is considered Military grade thickness, so we were sure that the truck would remain safe if we were careful. Naturally, we believe that the pool was also durable enough and would last us for quite a while.
We were also pleased to see that the pools came in small, medium, and large sizes to fit all different types of truck beds. We got the large one and wanted to test if it is just good for kids or if adults can also make use of it.
The pool was also very easy to install, we just pulled it over the truck bed and folded it on the sides, and it was secure enough that we did not need any extra attachments to help it stay. The installation design is so easy that we do believe that Pickup Pools can easily fit any truck bed you have on hand.
You can fill the pool up with a pipe, and you can drain it easily with the help of a drainpipe as well if you have a siphon.
Alternatively, you can even use the pool as a giant cooler for all of your drinks and stuff if you’re having a party. So if you do not want to sit in the pool and enjoy yourself, this is a great alternative way to make use of the pool.
If you are not careful about draining the pool entirely before removing it from the truck, the water can seep into the truck and multiple exposure instances to the water can harm your truck as well.
Lastly, Pickup Pools is also a little on the pricier side, so you might want to save up a little before you buy it.
Pros Of Pickup Pools
There are many pros to using the Pickup Pools; here are some of them:
- Easy to install
- Easy to fill and drain
- Durable
- Comes in many sizes
Cons Of Pickup Pools
There are a few cons to Pickup Pools; here are some of them:
- They are a bit expensive
- Need to be fully drained to avoid water damage to the truck
Who Is Pickup Pools For?
Pickup pools are the perfect portable pool for anyone who wants to beat the heat on the fly. You can bring the pool with you at an outdoor picnic where there is no pool; you can set it up in a park or just in your backyard for your kids if they want to go for a swim. The pool can also be used as the perfect alternative to a cooler and can be filled with ice and used to store drinks for a party, cookout, or any similar situation.
Are There Any Alternatives?
When Pickup Pools was new, there was no alternative to it in the market, which is also why it was patented so quickly. Even now, you can find truck pools that can fit specific trucks, but we were unable to come across another pool that can fit pretty much any truck size that is commonly available. So no, there are not a lot of well-known alternatives to Pickup Pools in the market.
Final Thoughts
Pickup pools is a highly innovative product that brought Tommy Prestella’s vision to life, and Mark Cuban helped to execute it with him. These pools are durable, easy to use, and offer barrels of fun to all the kids and adults who use it for their outdoor parties and cookouts. We were highly satisfied with the product, as are hundreds of other customers.
