Arctic Spa Or Hotsprings?

[drylandfarmer]

Hi all, new to the forum. Have read the last few years posts to get all the info I can. Good information here, well most of it is. Anyways I am in the market for my first hot tub. There is a very good local dealer for Arctic Spa and has given me very good pricing on a Tundra and a Summit. Leaning towards the Tundra. Will do a wet test this weekend. Very impressed with the Arctic tubs so far, but I do not want to rule out others just yet. I am also going to look tommorrow at a Hotsprings Grandee. Do not know much about the Hotsprings as of yet, but will find out more tommorrow. The other tubs in my area fall off dramatically for quality after that, so I am sticking with those two for now. There is a Beechcomber dealer 1.5 hour drive away, but may just stick with the local guys. Cold weather tubbin is the norm up here.

Does anyone have any opinions on barrier free seating? I have always thought that would be the way to go to stretch out and move around etc. The arctic spa has comfortable seating, but looks like you are kind of locked in one position. The Hotsprings brochure shows a more open seating design where you could move around to whatever position you like. Wet test would probably be the only way to find out. I like to spend long hours in a tub, so was thinking being stuck in one seating position would get old fast.

Anyways sorry for the long first post as you can tell the kids and I are pumped can't wait to go tubbin. PS. I also have very bad arthritis at 42years/old, so this tub is long overdue.

[Spa Dude]

Wet-test the Arctic models you like, and wet-test the Hotsprings models you like. It is really the only way to find out which spa is going to be the most comfortable for you. Also, go with the dealer you are most comfortable with as well, and who has a long enough standing as a dealer. Try speaking to some of the Arctic and Hotspring customers from each of these dealers shops (best people for advice on the product and dealer).

Having a good dealer as back up (if ever required) is just as important as choosing the spa best suited to your needs.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

Hi all, new to the forum. Have read the last few years posts to get all the info I can. Good information here, well most of it is. Anyways I am in the market for my first hot tub. There is a very good local dealer for Arctic Spa and has given me very good pricing on a Tundra and a Summit. Leaning towards the Tundra. Will do a wet test this weekend. Very impressed with the Arctic tubs so far, but I do not want to rule out others just yet. I am also going to look tommorrow at a Hotsprings Grandee. Do not know much about the Hotsprings as of yet, but will find out more tommorrow. The other tubs in my area fall off dramatically for quality after that, so I am sticking with those two for now. There is a Beechcomber dealer 1.5 hour drive away, but may just stick with the local guys. Cold weather tubbin is the norm up here.

Does anyone have any opinions on barrier free seating? I have always thought that would be the way to go to stretch out and move around etc. The arctic spa has comfortable seating, but looks like you are kind of locked in one position. The Hotsprings brochure shows a more open seating design where you could move around to whatever position you like. Wet test would probably be the only way to find out. I like to spend long hours in a tub, so was thinking being stuck in one seating position would get old fast.

Anyways sorry for the long first post as you can tell the kids and I are pumped can't wait to go tubbin. PS. I also have very bad arthritis at 42years/old, so this tub is long overdue.

Two good brands, take your time and get the one that is best after you've done your due diligence. I very much prefer barrier free seating but this is yet another reason to wet test, you may find that to be a minor issue or prefer the more defined/compartmental type seating.

[Roger]

Hi all, new to the forum. Have read the last few years posts to get all the info I can. Good information here, well most of it is. Anyways I am in the market for my first hot tub. There is a very good local dealer for Arctic Spa and has given me very good pricing on a Tundra and a Summit. Leaning towards the Tundra. Will do a wet test this weekend. Very impressed with the Arctic tubs so far, but I do not want to rule out others just yet. I am also going to look tommorrow at a Hotsprings Grandee. Do not know much about the Hotsprings as of yet, but will find out more tommorrow. The other tubs in my area fall off dramatically for quality after that, so I am sticking with those two for now. There is a Beechcomber dealer 1.5 hour drive away, but may just stick with the local guys. Cold weather tubbin is the norm up here.

Does anyone have any opinions on barrier free seating? I have always thought that would be the way to go to stretch out and move around etc. The arctic spa has comfortable seating, but looks like you are kind of locked in one position. The Hotsprings brochure shows a more open seating design where you could move around to whatever position you like. Wet test would probably be the only way to find out. I like to spend long hours in a tub, so was thinking being stuck in one seating position would get old fast.

Anyways sorry for the long first post as you can tell the kids and I are pumped can't wait to go tubbin. PS. I also have very bad arthritis at 42years/old, so this tub is long overdue.

Make sure to pay attention to the noise level of each of those tubs if it's important to you. They will be completely different as there design is completely different. Personaly for me it was important for it to be as quiet as possible, both in operation and idle. Both quality brands.

[THE SPA GUY]

Both are great brands, 2 different kinds of build... i would definately try out both , personally i like to be able to move around in the spa and not be stuck in 1 seat. Yes pay attention to the noise level when the spas are running. Also depending on were you are sitting the spa, if on a deck,or under a bedroom window , you are going to want a 24 hour circ pump so you do not hear the main pumps run in the middle of the night. also the circ pump will keep the spa heated and ozone injected, on a thermal spa without a 24 hour circ pump will be louder, and how does the chamber stay heated when the spa is not running on its filter cycle...

[drylandfarmer]

Some very good points, thanks for the replies. This spa search has taken about 2 weeks solid so far and man what an enormous amount of information out there. When I go and look at a spa, I am sure the sales people are surprised that the first thing I want to see is the side panels pulled off to look at the equiptment inside rather than the tub itself.

There are some nice and unique features on every brand of tub that I really like. Saw one today that had dual speed pumps on all 3 pumps and that is a really nice feature. It cuts down on the noise considerably with nice water movement when on the slow speed. I think all tubs should have dual speed pumps or even variable frequency drive pumps as that technology is now very affordable.

Anyways there are 2 very important features that are important for me in a hot tub.

The first one is insulation and heat loss. On the farm that I live on power failures in the winter time are quite common. We had a 16 hour power loss during the first major snowstorm in November. We have an aging power grid in North America and a multi day power failure is going to happen someday in my opinion. A tub that can retain all of the heat in the tub and the equiptment for an extended period of time with the least amount of heat loss during winter is important to me. Some of the manufacturers have venting spaces near their equiptment and do not have very good if any insulation on the equiptment access door, especially on the foam filled tubs. Arctic Spa meets this criteria for me and would have the best heat retention qualities, in my opinion.

The second one is keeping mice out. I hate those vermin. We have cats on our farm and an exterminator has bait traps set up all around the home. Very few mice remain, but they do keep a coming. They will find a way to get into a tub if possible to nest. Looked at a tub today and I found a place where you could stick a finger underneath the space where the cabinet meets the floor and feel the insulation inside. Access doors to the equiptment on another tub was not a complete seal with 2 small gaps, mice love this kinda thing. The Arctic Spa to me looked completely sealed up and I could not find anyplace where mice could get in. They have a floor drain flap opening at the bottom in case the tub has a leak that would open and let water out that could provide a way in for a mouse if the flap somehow was not fully closed, but other than that the Arctic looked mouse proof to me.

As you can see I am definatly leaning towards the Arctic Spa. Have not done any wet tests as of yet, but will next week. Barrier free seating is something that I really like and I may have to sacrifice it for the Arctic Spa. But the 2 points mentioned above are just too important for me, so the Arctic is in the lead.

The search still continues. I do not in any way want to bash or run down any of the brands. Each brand has some very good features that I really like. There is no best tub out there in my opinion and competition is driving the market to get better all the time. It is very impressive to say the least. The 2 points I raised may not be a big deal for some people, but for me they were very important in my tub search.

Talked to some people about the dealer for the Acrtic Spa and everyone had nothing but praise and positive comments for him. He and his staff are very helpful and knowledgable. The other dealers in the area also have good track records and have not heard any complaints from the people I have talked to. Pretty competitive for Hot Tubs in this area so I guess you have to bring your A game all the time.

May pull the trigger next week, and can't wait to go tubbin.

[THE SPA GUY]

drylandfarmer,

nice to see you are doing the research you desire on a tub, i believe you are right that no one manufacturer is the best. I can see you have been really searching things out, the Artic is a good spa ,, Some of the issues i have , they say they are the only they have the only Self-Supporting Hull in the industry,This is form there site the 5 reasons to choose an Arctic Spa, that statement is not right, Right off the bat Clearwater has the same thing, Shell with LIFETIME warranty, it is only covering water loss, what aboutcracking, blisters, etc..., I'm sorry but i am not into the buzz words or catch phrases that all manufacturers use including the brands i sell,,, i choose not to use them ..But it is important to buy your spa from the dealer you are comfortable with.....and has a good reputation... Things to also consider when you check them out again, 1) how are the main pipes supported around the spa ... are they using glue joints?.thats a lot of weight,,,,2)does it use a 24 hour circ pump? 3)the pumps they use are after market parts available if needed down the road? Are they locally made pumps? since you have been doing your homework these are some things to consider, I am not bashing there product it is a good product. Just some points to consider with the research you have done.

[spawn]

Anyways there are 2 very important features that are important for me in a hot tub.

The first one is insulation and heat loss. On the farm that I live on power failures in the winter time are quite common. We had a 16 hour power loss during the first major snowstorm in November. We have an aging power grid in North America and a multi day power failure is going to happen someday in my opinion. A tub that can retain all of the heat in the tub and the equiptment for an extended period of time with the least amount of heat loss during winter is important to me. Some of the manufacturers have venting spaces near their equiptment and do not have very good if any insulation on the equiptment access door, especially on the foam filled tubs. Arctic Spa meets this criteria for me and would have the best heat retention qualities, in my opinion.

The brands that you are considering are both enegy efficient but work in different ways. Foamed tubs try to prevent the loss of heat from the water. The therall design tubs like arctic attempt to prevent loss at the perimeter of the enclosure and use heat from pump operation to add heat of reuduce loss of heat from the water. If power goes out there will be no heat from the pumps so only the perimeter insulation will reduce heat loss. When power is out a fully foamed tub will hold heat much better than a tub that only has insulation at the perimeter, in my opinion. As for foam models and your concern about heat loss at the vented equipment bay there are tubs that are better at providing insulation at the equp bay than what you are considering, but it sounds like you have identified the best brands availalbe in your area and those are indeed two excellent brands.

[Water Boy]

Anyways there are 2 very important features that are important for me in a hot tub.

The first one is insulation and heat loss. On the farm that I live on power failures in the winter time are quite common. We had a 16 hour power loss during the first major snowstorm in November. We have an aging power grid in North America and a multi day power failure is going to happen someday in my opinion. A tub that can retain all of the heat in the tub and the equiptment for an extended period of time with the least amount of heat loss during winter is important to me. Some of the manufacturers have venting spaces near their equiptment and do not have very good if any insulation on the equiptment access door, especially on the foam filled tubs. Arctic Spa meets this criteria for me and would have the best heat retention qualities, in my opinion.

The brands that you are considering are both enegy efficient but work in different ways. Foamed tubs try to prevent the loss of heat from the water. The therall design tubs like arctic attempt to prevent loss at the perimeter of the enclosure and use heat from pump operation to add heat of reuduce loss of heat from the water. If power goes out there will be no heat from the pumps so only the perimeter insulation will reduce heat loss. When power is out a fully foamed tub will hold heat much better than a tub that only has insulation at the perimeter, in my opinion. As for foam models and your concern about heat loss at the vented equipment bay there are tubs that are better at providing insulation at the equp bay than what you are considering, but it sounds like you have identified the best brands availalbe in your area and those are indeed two excellent brands.

Both good brands that you are looking at, without a doubt. I can personally speak from experience that the Arctic Spas do a very good job when power is lost at retaining the heat. Two years ago here in Kansas, we had a very bad ice storm, and many of our rural customers were without power for long periods, and some as many as two weeks. One of my customers who owns an Arctic Spa said that her tub went from 104 degrees to 64 degrees after two weeks. That was with now power or generator, and with ice all over her cover. The temperatures were in the lower 30's during the day, and middle teens to lower 20's at night. So to me, the proof is in the pudding right there. I tell people to not drain their spas and don't open the cover when they lose power, and it can go for a very long time without having to worry about freezing. I do know that there were some other brands of spas that did freeze during that storm as we got calls to work on them. So not all spas can go that long without power.

To the OP, the Summit is a very comfortable spa, even though it isnt technically barrier free seating. It is one of our top sellers here at our store. It has his and her captains chairs with upper and lower arm rests in the seats. The orca jet in the foot well is very powerful, and many people say that is their favorite jet for their feet and lower back. That jet is also in the Tundra if you see it. If you prefer a open seating spa, you might also check out the Yukon. It is a little smaller on the exterior than the two you mentioned, but it is still very roomy, and has a nice open design. Hope that helps, and let me know if you have any other questions.

[Water Boy]

drylandfarmer,

nice to see you are doing the research you desire on a tub, i believe you are right that no one manufacturer is the best. I can see you have been really searching things out, the Artic is a good spa ,, Some of the issues i have , they say they are the only they have the only Self-Supporting Hull in the industry,This is form there site the 5 reasons to choose an Arctic Spa, that statement is not right, Right off the bat Clearwater has the same thing, Shell with LIFETIME warranty, it is only covering water loss, what aboutcracking, blisters, etc..., I'm sorry but i am not into the buzz words or catch phrases that all manufacturers use including the brands i sell,,, i choose not to use them ..But it is important to buy your spa from the dealer you are comfortable with.....and has a good reputation... Things to also consider when you check them out again, 1) how are the main pipes supported around the spa ... are they using glue joints?.thats a lot of weight,,,,2)does it use a 24 hour circ pump? 3)the pumps they use are after market parts available if needed down the road? Are they locally made pumps? since you have been doing your homework these are some things to consider, I am not bashing there product it is a good product. Just some points to consider with the research you have done.

That is not accurate in regards to Clearwater spas. They do not have a self supporting shell like the Arctic Spas. It says right on their website that they use a method called Clearwater Spas pvc pillar support. This is directly from their website:

Pillar Supports

PVC pillar supports won't rot or let you down.

Clearwater Spas uses a PVC pillar support system which cannot rot, mold or otherwise breakdown like others that use wooden supports. Many other manufacturers fill the entire skirt interior with low density foam which can deteriorate and attract unwanted rodents to its warm and moist environment. Clearwater Spas PVC pillar support system combined with the RTB insulation and Dura Floor will give you a lifetime of structural support unmatched by any other.

See the link attached here and scroll down near the bottom and you can see pictures of the pillar supports underneath the shell.

http://www.clearwaterspas.com/index.cfm/category/21/ecospray.cfm

Don't mean to get off track here for the OP(drylandfarmer), but just wanted the facts out there in regards to Clearwater Spas shell, and how it is built differently than an Arctic Spa. Similar, but different.

[THE SPA GUY]

Waterboy,

I guess i should have worded that different, Just like Arctic and Clearwater Neither use an exterior wood or metal frame and foam to support the shell....Yes the Clearwater uses the pillar support which makes it own supporing shell, and like the Arctic everything is accesible..So yes different but the same,,, and also i did not say the unmatched by anyone else claim, thats what i hate from each of these guys...

[Water Boy]

Waterboy,

I guess i should have worded that different, Just like Arctic and Clearwater Neither use an exterior wood or metal frame and foam to support the shell....Yes the Clearwater uses the pillar support which makes it own supporing shell, and like the Arctic everything is accesible..So yes different but the same,,, and also i did not say the unmatched by anyone else claim, thats what i hate from each of these guys...

It is not the same. The Arctic does not use any pillar supports of any kind. It truly is a self supporting shell.

[drylandfarmer]

Pulled the trigger yesterday. After the wet test decided to go with the Arctic Spa Summit. Amazing how different the tub feels when tested wet. Wet test is something I would highly recommend to anyone shopping for a tub. The Arctic Summit is very comfortable and has a nice jetting package. Open seating on the one side and very comfortable capatains chairs made this tub my pick. My daughters also picked this tub, even though the chairs are a little deep for them I picked up a couple of booster seats to make up the height distance for them. Getting it delivered tommorrow and hooked up at the same time. Had to clear out a huge snowdrift with the tractor to get to my bottom deck where it will sit ground level on my basement walkout. I am kinda like a kid at Christmas right now, can't wait for the maiden voyage.

Couple of posts back someone mentioned "how will the equiptment bay stay warm when the pumps are not running during a power fail?" I would view the tub and entire enclosure like a big heat bank and the tub of heated water would then transfer the heat back down into the equiptment bay. The Arctic has very little heat loss anywhere in the tub enclosure or the cover, so heat loss would be very slow.

[PFC5]

If it is cold out I would recommend using a faucet adapter (like a water bed fill and drain kit or aquarium adapter fill/drain adapter) to connect a garden hose to your faucet to fill it using the likely much more economical hot water heat in your house compared to an electrical heater from the tub. You will also be able to take a dip right away instead of waiting until likely the next day also for it to heat up with the internal heater.

Enjoy your new tub.

[Water Boy]

Pulled the trigger yesterday. After the wet test decided to go with the Arctic Spa Summit. Amazing how different the tub feels when tested wet. Wet test is something I would highly recommend to anyone shopping for a tub. The Arctic Summit is very comfortable and has a nice jetting package. Open seating on the one side and very comfortable capatains chairs made this tub my pick. My daughters also picked this tub, even though the chairs are a little deep for them I picked up a couple of booster seats to make up the height distance for them. Getting it delivered tommorrow and hooked up at the same time. Had to clear out a huge snowdrift with the tractor to get to my bottom deck where it will sit ground level on my basement walkout. I am kinda like a kid at Christmas right now, can't wait for the maiden voyage.

Couple of posts back someone mentioned "how will the equiptment bay stay warm when the pumps are not running during a power fail?" I would view the tub and entire enclosure like a big heat bank and the tub of heated water would then transfer the heat back down into the equiptment bay. The Arctic has very little heat loss anywhere in the tub enclosure or the cover, so heat loss would be very slow.

Congrats Drylandfarmer. The Summit is a great spa. Hope you enjoy it for years to come!

[drylandfarmer]

Aaaahhhhhhhh. What took me so long to get a tub. Have been tubbin daily sometimes twice. Last night went tubbin just before dark. There was no wind and the ambiant temp was very cold. Steam rising off the tub, coyotes started yappin in the distance. So relaxing. Half a dozen beers later and some good tunes playing on the stereo ended up spending 5 hours in the tub. Once the new wears off I am sure the hours spent may go down, but right now just lovin the Arctic Spa. Can't say I have a favourite seat yet as I kindof use all of them. Glad I chose the Summit as the seating is very versatile.

Going to head out now for a quick tub, then you guessed it friends coming over tonight and more tubbin.