We have a 45' long vinyl lined pool so the shallow end is just that, shallow. Doesn't matter as the rafts float just as well in shallow as they do the deep end. Plus, it easier to plant toes on the ground to anchor in one place either in or out of the sun. Our deep end is at about 5'4". Plenty to jump in, we've had adults dive in and it's been perfect for us. Growing up we had a 4' deep above ground that we would dive into remembering you have to dive for distance not depth. We swam in some friends' pools before getting ours put in and neither of my kids liked the deep end of the pool. They are teenagers and very happy with the pool we have. Long term, this pool is for the two of us, not the kids. If the kids feel shorted because of the pool depth, they can get their own with a deep end that suits them better when they pay for it.