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Inflatable fetishism (a.k.a. inflatophilia) is a sexual fetish in which the person with said fetish is sexually attracted to or aroused by inflatable objects and/or toys (not necessarily sex dolls.)

Most often, the inflatable fetishist will find himself or herself to be aroused primarily by inflatable swimming pool toys which are made of vinyl. Inflatable fetishists can be attracted to toys which are made to look like animals, such as dolphins or whales, but some focus on 'traditional' inflatables, like lilos or air mats, swim rings, and beach balls whilst rubber balloons may also provide interest in providing similarities with breasts and cleavages.

Many also enjoy land animals, such as lifesize horses, tigers, and dragons. The inflatable fetish includes balloon fetishism in which individuals predisposed to inflatable fetishism are known to fall into several groups, based on activity preference:

• Poppers: Poppers, as the name might suggest, are individuals who derive peak sexual pleasure from puncturing their inflatables or trying to reinflate punctured inflatables
• Inflators: Inflators are individuals who get their sexual pleasure from having their inflatables inflated while laying or sitting on top of them.
• Deflators: Deflators are individuals who are most aroused by controlledly deflating their inflatables while at rest on top of them.

Such groups aren't clean-cut and some people are of more than one group. Likings for inflatable objects are generally both Freudian and Proustian and arise from an early age linked to associations with innocent happy experiences. These can extend as far as the first experiences of babyhood and childhood, associated with senses of texture and smell. The associated senses include the feel of mother's skin, feel and smell of materials in early childhood (of blankets, sheets, satin, vinyl linings of perambulators), birthday parties with balloons, happy holidays at the beach, distinctive smells of inflatable toys merged with smells of brands of skin care worn by the mother. These take on a new meaning during puberty when other outlets for sexual needs are unavailable and preferences of interaction with inflatable objects develop. <p>Division between "poppers" and "non-poppers" probably derives from associations of the event at which balloons were enjoyed or not enjoyed, or whether they were burst and caused excitement or whether they survived the party and were enjoyed for their "skin feel" at a later time afterwards. <p>The associations with memories of former happy experiences coupled with the intense pleasure of first sexual experience is a potent recipe for a lasting impression which will be carried forward into activity throughout adulthood. Many comment that the bouncing or changing shape of a balloon when squeezed, or other types of inflatable, gives the illusion of the object being "alive" in some way, so the object is not merely inanimate. A predisposition to the fetish is enhanced by the packaging of lilos or beach airmats with photographs of attractive semi-naked bikini clad women displaying the object. This reinforces the concept of feminity with the object and allows a fantasy of substitution in the fetishist's psyche in the absence of a real female. Inflatable fetishists, like inflation fetishists, are usually open to non-fetish sexual activity, so their inflatable fetish does not generally get in the way of their involved relationships. On the contrary, partners of inflatable fetishists are more secure in the knowledge that their partner has a satisfying outlet for excess sexual needs during times of sexual unavailability of the partner rather than seeking additional or other partners. For this reason they usually make reliable and well-balanced life partners.