Cal Spas VS Hot Springs

[Tailhooker]

The HotSpring offers some things I'm afraid you would miss if you chose another brand:

The MotoMassage jet is one of a kind. The new Sov has the DX version, which is a double. It is wonderful! It is the jet that started the whole moving/spinning jet thing, and I love how it covers your entire back with one jet. Now - the web site doesn't show this change yet, and if your dealer has a2007 model on display it will have the single still. Not bad, just not the new version.

The jet variety: there are small, large, and extra large jets. The small and large jets have interchangeable nozzles which can make the jet an open jet, a straight jet, or a spin jet. And all have the ability to be adjusted as to the amount of air mixed in without changing other jets in the tub. Very unique.

The tubs have an engineered system of foam insulation which is made up of layers of different density of foam. Firm where it needs to support things, soft and airy where it needs to be, and solid as a rock on the very bottom to seal the bottom of the spa.

And - this tub is backed by the largest maker of Portable Hot Tubs on the planet. I know others lead you to believe they are the biggest, but they pale in comparison. Watkins is huge, and they are part of an even larger publicly traded company.

Pump shrouds which capture the hot air from the pump motors and recycle it back into the tub for you, while quieting down the motors.

Self-priming systems, bottom drains, outside drain connections, sound system options, great non-wood siding which is on it's fifth generation, outstanding reputation in the industry....

I have to go to work now....

 8-)

Chas, or anyone tough question HS or Caldera?  Can you answer that?  I have 2 different dealers down where I live.  Therapy and jet variety would be my top priorities... tall guy at 6'3" with wife and kids too.

[Vanguard]

Chas, or anyone tough question HS or Caldera?  Can you answer that?  I have 2 different dealers down where I live.  Therapy and jet variety would be my top priorities... tall guy at 6'3" with wife and kids too.

Ya gotta wet test to make that kind of decision.  Only way to know which is for you.  Both have larger models that will fit a tall person.  

[spaman--]

I agree that Zep should be happy with his spa as I am still in contact with many of my old Cal Spa customers and they all seem to be happy with their purchase and the dealer which they purchased the spa from. Just Thursday I was in contact with a local weather man who bought a Cal Spa from me and he said the spa and service has been incredible. I do say that the phone where I currently work does not ring nearly as often for service. In all fairness there is the fact that they have sold a great amount more spas than my current employer and have been in business longer. I do not miss the phone calls though.

I also enjoy not having to explain the internet complaints and nation wide reputation that goes with the Cal Spa name, which I still maintain is largely attributed to the fact that they loan their name to their dealers.

I would buy a D1 over a Cal Spa for the record!

I am still in contact weekly with friends who still work for the dealer in Denver and they seem to be maintaining the same employees that have worked there for years so they seem to be doing well.

I was sad to hear about some recent store closures in their company though, but far and wide they are still the largest store front dealer in the industry.

Bottom line is buy what and whom you are most comfortable with and be proud of your well thought out purchase.

Pay no mind to Spa-Tech he is just looking to find a reason to publicly pick on me.

[Spatech_tuo]

Pay no mind to Spa-Tech he is just looking to find a reason to publicly pick on me.

I have great respect for my elders (wow 15 years in the spa industry) and those who have to overcome certain disabilities.

[spaman--]

I have great respect for my elders (wow 15 years in the spa industry) and those who have to overcome certain disabilities.

I don't really consider my club foot a disability, other than the fact that I tend to walk in circles but I almost always get to where I am going eventually.

[hottubdan]

I was sad to hear about some recent store closures in their company though, but far and wide they are still the largest store front dealer in the industry.

How many dealers and stores do they have?  

[spaman--]

How many dealers and stores do they have?  

Well they have the entire states of Colorado, Minnesota and a 35,000 square ft showroom in Vegas. Also parts of Kansas.

[hottubdan]

Well they have the entire states of Colorado, Minnesota and a 35,000 square ft showroom in Vegas. Also parts of Kansas.

Factory stores or dealers?

You are saying they have 2 to 4 states covered?  I'm confused.

[IL Parrothead]

Chas, or anyone tough question HS or Caldera?  Can you answer that?  I have 2 different dealers down where I live.  Therapy and jet variety would be my top priorities... tall guy at 6'3" with wife and kids too.

Tail, I've tested them both.  It really is subjective.  I liked HS a little better, but my pal Ivie (I think Searchinginfl here) liked the Caldera better.  Have some fun & wet test!
Let us know what you think!

[Chas]

The Caldera tubs have the same control system as the HS, but with some different programming. They have the same pumps, but with different HP ratings according to models. Generally Caldera have larger, more powerful pumps than HS.

Caldera tubs have a system whereby you can shut off the water flow to jets, increasing the water pressure from too much to absurdly too much.

Caldera spas do not have the Moto Massage jets, but they do have the Waterway toggle jet which can be toggled from a straight jet to a spin jet easily. They are a good jet, and I hope HS has them sometime soon.

[Edit - the new Limelight spas have them. ]

Caldera spa shells have fiberglass backing, and a ten-year structural warranty. Nothing generally goes wrong with the structure, no matter who's spa you buy...

Caldera has several levels or series of tubs - a couple have stereos, most have ozone factory installed, still others are much more plane-jane.

Good quality, enjoyable tubs. Let your backside decide.

 8-)

[Zep]

Mendo just a few thoughts.....

I know Cal is not perfect ....But I also have seen numerous complaints about "the message board can do no wrong favored brands" and that includes the sacred Hot Springs brand. Admittingly for various reasons, it would even be safe to say from my observation there have been more complaints on this board by Hot Springs owners than CalSpa owners. Of course I am not saying Hot Springs is anything but a great spa....heck I may even own one one day if I can buy it from Terminator....but it is true that 99% of the complaints on this message board about Cal come from people that do not own a Cal Spa.

The difference is the "favored brands" complaints are downplayed.....it's always "oh dont worry" or "ah Watkins looked into that and I think that problem is fixed now" or "Hot Springs redesigned that and it's ok now" or "well call your dealer I am sure they'll take of it".

It's always different...like in the thread stuart started "Hot Springs changing the rules again!"...."oh if Watkins is now making some lower quality frame tubs or selling at Costco I am sure there is good reason"....but when "non-favored brands" do the same thing it's an indication they are low quality....blah blah blah.  

It's pretty easy to predict, I see new people join this site and they are either a new tub owner or a rep from a company and maybe they say how excited they are about their tubs....maybe they do a little harmless bragging about their brand of tub.....but if they brag about a "non favored brand" they are quickly "put in their place". Just ask Josh and others that break the "unwritten rules". Thou shall not brag too strongly about non-favored brands. If that rule is broken...soon to follow are the little subtle "between the lines" stuff that implies "well I am glad you like that brand of tub" BUT.......or "I sure hope you end up happy with THAT BRAND"....Look at what is going on right now in this thread ....the "Oh I am so happy Zep loves his CalSpa BUT...BUT...BUT" ....as if it is soooooo unusual a Cal Spas owner may be happy!......Mendo I'm not mad or upset.....it's actually pretty funny to watch....the "my tubs better than your tub nah nahnah 6th grade banter"......LOL

Someone even implied if a manufacture doesn't have a rep posting on this message board it must be a sign they make spas of questionable quality!.......Oh ok sure this message board is the center of the spa universe!.....LOL

It's not just me, I spoke with other Cal Spa owners before I purchased and they were all happy with their Cal Spas tub. 99% of you guys demeaning Cal don't own a CalSpa tub or currently sell CalSpa but you're all experts about current day Cal Spas.

Since I have boken all the unwritten rules with this post I expect the "favored brand Calvary" to soon charge in...lol
So I suppose I'll just say we'll agree to disagree.

[Steve]

As I`m reading Zep`s post, I`m thinking .... yeah .....we do exactly that!!
Well....you guys do....

[Mendocino101]

Zep,

Great post and really you are a asset to Cal Spas in your passionate praise of their product. I think you understood my post and what I was saying. That Cal Spas reputation is what it is for those in the industry who though the years have had many dealings with them. In our store Cal Spas and than Hot Springs are far and away the brands most customers have owned in the past or currently own (outside of our own customers). I like to speak to them to find out their experiences as we can learn both the good and bad based on the feedback I get. I think so much of what makes a tub well thought of by the owner is how they are treated by the dealer and never more so than if they have a problem. I have said this before but when a problem arises for a customer it is an opportunity for us to reinforce why they allowed us to earn thier business and if handled in the right manner most come away feeling very good about thier purchase and quickly forget the issue but remember that they were treated well.    

[Zep]

Zep, Great post and really you are a asset to Cal Spas in your passionate
praise of their product

Ya know Mendo all I basically ever say is "I Love My CalSpa".
I don't think I have ever stated or implied Cal is a better brand than "X".
I have never called or implied another brand was "junk".
I assume Hot Springs is "the best" in a lot of categories from what ya'll say.

I do know that there are other factors besides reliability when a consumer buys a product that also factor into a purchase. I bought a little sports car once that I
knew would not be as reliable as a Toyota.

Mendo you seem like a great dealer dedicated to your customers!

[TubsAndCues]

Great thread!  For those of you that don't know, I am a HotSpring Dealer.  I just want that out there so everyone knows I'm a little biased.  

As far as the "sweeping under the rug" of the problems customers have posted on here concerning Hot Springs, I would like to state that I haven't seen anyone repost saying the problem wasn't taken care of.  When customers ask me what problems has Hot Spring had in the past, I tell them.  The reason I do is we stand behind our product and strive to make our customers as happy as we can.

Now, just to clarify, I'm not saying that other companies don't do this, but I do remember a few threads about companies not coming through on the customer service end.  

I've got nothing negative to say about CalSpa, and in fact I try not to talk bad about any other brand, only to explain why mine is superior.  

My theory is this:  I would rather a customer buy from a competitor and be happy than purchase from me and be unsatisfied.  My tubs aren't for everyone, and the same can be said about all brands.  I think sometimes we get too caught up in the feather ruffling to realize this.  

Do I wish everyone would buy a Hot Spring or Tiger River?  Sure, but at the end of the day if my customers are overjoyed with the service and performance from their tub and our company, I've done my job.  And by doing so, I can promise I'll keep growing my customer base year after year.