Looks Like Fun

This Ferris Wheel Waterslide Looks Like a Fabulous Nightmare

If only it were spinning horizontally too.

By Eric Limer

If your biggest grip with waterslides is that they don't threaten to turn you upside down, there is good news: The Slidewheel, designed by German manufacturer wiegand.maelzer GmbH has you covered.

The thrilling appeal of a ferris wheel mixed with a waterslide is pretty straightforward and obvious, but the Slidewheel's design also boasts a big practical advantage. While typical, stationary waterslides require a large footprint, the Slidewheel is uniquely compact.

The tangle of tubes spins at a gentle three rotations per minute, which allows for riders to reach speeds of 25 mph, and lets 720 people go through per hour using four-person inner-tubes. The Slidewheel just underwent its very first tests in Europe, so it may be a while before you see one in the wild. In the meantime, however, you can just hop inside a barrel that's half full of water and have a buddy roll you down a hill.