Wet Testing 101

[ebirrane]

I think it would be helpful for people deciding to buy a tub if there was a wet testing 101.  I sure know I would have loved something like that.  

So many of us feel that wet testing is an important part of the tub buying experience, but what do you look for in a wet test?

1) How long should you wet test?
2) How do you evaluate jet power? For casual soaking, for serious therapy?
3) How can you determine if jets are hitting in you in the right spots? Not just on that day, but when certain muscles may get strained in the future.

I know many people (including myself) who at first hated the Hot Springs moto-massage but then came to love it.  What did we miss on that first wet test?  How many people go from jet to jet and say "this feels nice", "this feels nice too", "Yeah, this one also is nice"?

I've got some ideas which I'll post later (as I must actually do some work today! ) but what does the forum think?

-Ed

[OnMedic]

Sounds like a great idea for those visiting shoppers!

[wmccall]

3) How can you determine if jets are hitting in you in the right spots? Not just on that day, but when certain muscles may get strained in the future.

I believe if the jets don't come to you, come to the jets. This is one reason I bought a 6 person tub even though there is only 3 in my family.  I can find a jet that gets what I need done.  I have a condition where the tops of my thighs get tied up in knots and make me want to jump out of my skin at times.   Any jet specifically for thighs are designed to hit the underside (hamstring).  So, I sit in one seat and recline to get my thighs in front of a particular spinning jet and then repeat for the other leg.  

[IonHeaven]

Guidelines certainly would have helped guide me, kept my evaluations consistent and saved me many hours learning what I could in order to know what to compare etc.

Actutally, I'd like to know how long should an average wet test be? :-/

Great idea! IonHeaven

[wmccall]

Actutally, I'd like to know how long should an average wet test be? :-/

Great idea! IonHeaven

Is there a right answer to that?  Maybe consistency between wet tests?  I know the first time we got in a hot tub we felt wonderful afterwards, that feeling was just a little less the 2-4th time.  Might that be a factor?

[zzaphod42]

A wet test should certainly be longer than seven minutes!

I have had people in my store for over two hours during wet-tests, although most of the time a wet-test usually only lasts about 30 - 60 minutes.

I have had a few people that only stay in for ten - fifteen minutes, but I don't mind as they are the ones who always buy that night.

Something else to consider is whether dealers are positive or negative about wet-testing. If they suggest/recommend it, that is a good indicater that they believe in their product. If they down-play, or don't even mention wet-testing, odds are that they have little faith in the product, or feel that you can find better elswhere.

Just my two cents,

Joe

[Chris_H]

I also believe if you are dealing with a dealer that does not bring up wet testing or down plays the benefits of wet testing they do have little faith in the product they sell.  The ones that recommend are also the ones that believe in their product.

[Brewman]

I would bet that mostly it's used by those who sell spas without a place to demonstrate them, like on the internet, in a mall parking lot, door to door, back of a truck- anyplace that it's impossible to wet test.  
Brewman