First time buyer in Florida

[beachome6]

We are looking at 3 different brands of hot tubs, Vita, Aspen, and Nordic.  I know these are not top brands and most would tell us to look at Hot Springs, Bull Frog or Marquis, which are the other options in our small town.  However, we are going with the best reputation for the dealer in the area, and these are our options. My question is, living 45 minutes from the beach, should we be concerned with the steel in the Vita? Our price is anything under 10k.

[Sam]

Yes, being near the ocean a vita or max spa will get rusted out pretty quickly, or so I've heard multiple times.  Have not seen first hand, though.  Nordic makes decent spas.  Not familiar with Aspen at all. 

[beachome6]

Thank you for the reply.  I know we would be good with a Nordic.  Aspen is a company out of Missouri.  Their customer reviews are really good, just not a big leader in the industry, so who knows.

[bradleyabell]

Thank you for the reply.  I know we would be good with a Nordic.  Aspen is a company out of Missouri.  Their customer reviews are really good, just not a big leader in the industry, so who knows.

Please make sure you wet test the tub before purchasing...We went to Nordic's manufacturing location in Grand Rapids, Michigan and found their tubs to be made our of a more rough material and not very comfortable at all.  They were also originally in my top 3.  Ended up not even in the top 10.

[Ghvf]

Nordics have pretty smooth surfaces compared to a rotomold. Don't know what you sat in.

[bradleyabell]

Nordics have pretty smooth surfaces compared to a rotomold. Don't know what you sat in.

We sat in multiple tubs at where they actually manufacture the tubs in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  They are made out of a more coarse, rougher material than acrylic.

[Spatech_tuo]

Nordics have pretty smooth surfaces compared to a rotomold. Don't know what you sat in.

But Nordics are roto-molded spas or did something change?

[Ghvf]

Rougher than acrylic but not as rough as rotomolded tubs. They are made with HDPE and vacuumed into the shell...not traditional rotomold. Another way to look at it is acrylic is super slippery and your chances of slipping and falling on it are much greater. To each their own of course.

[Spatech_tuo]

Rougher than acrylic but not as rough as rotomolded tubs. They are made with HDPE and vacuumed into the shell...not traditional rotomold. Another way to look at it is acrylic is super slippery and your chances of slipping and falling on it are much greater. To each their own of course.

Please, are you trying to insinuate acrylic is unsafe? You seem to be saying that Rotomolded spas are rough and acrylic is too smooth and Nordic is just right.

There's just a bit of salesmanship going on.

[Ghvf]

Sorry, I'm not a saleperson. Acrylic is the business standard and I'm not implying it's unsafe. Sorry to get anyone's gears out of order.