TenJam Pool Loungers: The Complete Guide to Water Depths, Risers, and Weights

Many people spend days, sometimes weeks, researching the most comfortable pool loungers before correctly landing on TenJam's Shayz and Laylo. After watching the videos and reading the reviews, the choice is clear: these are the loungers you want on your sun shelf.

But now, even after narrowing it down, you're staring at even more options. Risers? Weights? Which do I need? Do I even need these? How do I make sure my lounger doesn't float?

As an authorized TenJam dealer, we've helped numerous customers answer exactly these questions and find the right setup for their specific pool and the amount of water they actually want to sit in.

This guide walks you through a simple decision tree so you can confidently choose the right configuration and get your loungers in the pool. Let's get into it.

Find Your Magic Number: Measuring Your Water Depth the Right Way

Before you look at any risers or weights, you need your exact water depth. Everything else in this guide depends on it.

A lot of customers think they already know their water depth because their pool contractor told them it was a "9-inch shelf," or because they measured it themselves from the edge. This is a common mistake. Most people don't account for what we call the active pool depth, and it's the number that actually matters.

When people are in the pool, or after some rain, your water level can raise an inch or two higher than your baseline measurement. And if you're measuring from the edge of the shelf, you're measuring the shallowest point, not where the front of your lounger will actually rest.

How to Measure Your Pool's Sun Shelf Depth Correctly

1. Measure from the front of where the lounger will sit. The footrest end of the lounger is where you want to measure, not from the wall edge where the water is shallowest.
2. Add one inch for active depth. TenJam recommends adding 1 inch to your measurement as a buffer for wave action when the pool is in use. This will give you the most reliable measurement of your tanning ledge's depth.
3. Watch for slope. Some sun shelves have a significant slope as it drops off into the main pool. If yours does, measure at the deepest point the lounger will cover, not just the front.

TenJam's founder Mike Collins explains this in detail in a quick 2-minute video. Worth watching before you buy:

The Hidden Hero: TenJam's 4 lb Coated Weights

Before we move on, it's crucial to be aware of the coated weights.

Most customers, and honestly even some of TenJam's authorized dealers, don't realize that TenJam makes coated lead weights specifically designed for their loungers. Because of that, they assume risers are the only variable in the equation, which makes the whole process feel much more rigid than it actually is.

What They Are and Why They Matter

These are 4 lb plastic-coated lead weights, tested for a full year in both chlorinated and salt water pools to confirm the coating holds up over time. Designed to slip directly into the hollow core of the Laylo Lounger or be attached to the risers of the Shayz Lounger, they cover a gap most customers don't even know exists.

They're the best insurance policy against a floating lounger. If your water level fluctuates, if you mismeasured by an inch, or if you want to use a shorter riser than your depth technically calls for to get more water in your seat, these weights can solve the problem.

You'll see exactly how they factor into the decision tree for both the Shayz and Laylo below. Just know they exist, because a lot of customers don't, and end up feeling stuck between seat heights they don't love.

→ Shop TenJam 4 lb Coated Weights

Step Two: Shayz vs. Laylo

Both the Shayz Lounger and the Laylo Lounger are exceptional products. But the way they handle water depth is completely different, and that difference should factor into which one you choose.

The Shayz operates on fixed depth limits. Each riser height has a specific maximum water depth it's rated for. You find your depth, you pick the corresponding riser, and that's your setup. It's straightforward, with one clever exception we'll cover in the hack section below.

The Laylo is much more flexible. It has a set of hidden weight compartments built directly into the lounger. Instead of fixed limits, your depth range expands based not only on the riser height you choose, but also on how many weights you add. That flexibility also gives you more control over how much water you actually sit in.

If you already know which lounger you want, jump straight to the section that applies to you. If you're still deciding, read both. Your water depth and how much control you want over your seat height might make the decision for you.

The Shayz Lounger Riser Guide & Depth Limits

The Shayz runs on a simple rule: each riser height is rated for a specific water depth range. Find your active depth in the left column and your riser is in the next column. That's it.

The fourth column shows you what happens if you size up one riser. The lounger stays perfectly stable either way. The only thing that changes is how much water ends up in your seat. So before you add to cart, ask yourself: Do I want to be more in the water, or more above it?

The Shayz User Hack: Going Deeper Without Jumping to the Next Riser

Here's a scenario a lot of Shayz buyers run into. Say your active water is 14 inches deep. The textbook choice would be going with the 12" risers. But with 12" risers, your seat height is 13.75", meaning at 14 inches of water depth, you'd be sitting just above the water, not in it.

But what if that's not the experience you want? What if you want a bit more water in your seat to help you stay cool?

This is where TenJam's coated weights come in. Customers have figured out that you can zip-tie one or two 4 lb coated weights to the inside of the front riser leg. That added weight anchors the front of the lounger perfectly, giving you the stability of the next riser up without the height penalty. And don't worry, the weights are completely hidden, and don't change the aesthetics at all.

In that 14 inch depth scenario? Go with 8" risers, add a couple of weights, and get exactly the setup you wanted.

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The Laylo Lounger Configurator: Risers, Weights, and Your Ideal Seat Height

The Laylo doesn't have fixed depth limits the way the Shayz does. Instead, your usable water depth expands based not only on the risers you choose, but also how many weights you add into the lounger frame.

What that also means: at most water depths, you have more than one valid setup to choose from. Same pool, different experience. The configurator below does the math for you. Select your water depth and see every option available to you, along with what each one actually feels like.

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Ready to Get in the Pool?

Here's the whole process in one line: Measure your depth → Pick your lounger → Decide how much water you want in your seat → Match it to the chart → Add to cart.

And once your order arrives, assembly and setup takes less than a minute. TenJam designed these to go straight from the box into the water. No tools, no complicated steps.

A quick note on buying from us: Resorts Depot is one of the most reviewed authorized TenJam dealers online. If you still need a hand or a personal recommendation, we're reachable at (888) 883-7568 if you have questions before or after your order.

Ready to set up your sun shelf?

• → Shop the Shayz Lounger
• → Shop the Laylo Lounger
• → Shop the 4 lb Coated Weights