I feel polymeric is really the only way to go. Ants love any and all types of sand, so they shouldn't play a part in the decision. The sun will wither away any hazing from the polymeric over time. I have about 2000 square feet of pavers around my pool and the last brand of polymeric I used (was Quikrete's brand) left a very, very thick haze and it bugged the heck out of me for a long time. I had previously used Techniseal and EP Henry brand polymeric but those two didn't haze as badly. Since I did the patio in sections over about 4 years, you can easily see the haze fading and nearly gone. The only places it is still visible is where the sun doesn't beat down as hard (under patio tables, chaise lounges, etc.). The quickrete brand has also held up much, much better than any brand I've used in the past. In general the polymeric is better at keeping out weeds and sort of "sticks" to the pavers, which locks/ties them together and makes it a stronger structure.
While I love the "wet look" of the sealed pavers, I too have heard it leaves them slick. That makes me nervous to do around the pool, so I've never bothered.
You can rig/duct tape up some cardboard onto a compactor or bungee cord a moving blanket to it. I have done both. I always read and hear about plate compactor pads that you can hook on but I swear they don't really exist! None of the rental places around me (Southeastern PA) have them. If you are doing a small area, you could roll up your sleeves and get a rawhide or rubber mallet to work the sand into those joints by tapping the pavers. That's how I do all my repair jobs. If you go the cardboard route, try and use plain cardboard without any decals or colored writing on it as that will get ground into the pavers and trigger your OCD if you have that sort of thing (speaking from experience, of course).
While I love the "wet look" of the sealed pavers, I too have heard it leaves them slick. That makes me nervous to do around the pool, so I've never bothered.
You can rig/duct tape up some cardboard onto a compactor or bungee cord a moving blanket to it. I have done both. I always read and hear about plate compactor pads that you can hook on but I swear they don't really exist! None of the rental places around me (Southeastern PA) have them. If you are doing a small area, you could roll up your sleeves and get a rawhide or rubber mallet to work the sand into those joints by tapping the pavers. That's how I do all my repair jobs. If you go the cardboard route, try and use plain cardboard without any decals or colored writing on it as that will get ground into the pavers and trigger your OCD if you have that sort of thing (speaking from experience, of course).