Arctic Spa, Marq Epic, HS Envoy & SD Maxxus Review

[stuart]

Great post Stuart!

(sorry to hear you are/were having a bad day)

Thanks! The cool thing about having a bad day is you get more chances to improve it every 24 hours!!

[J._McD]

O ben ishi lying, what keeps you from buying?

"Cash is King" but apparently you don't have it because your still looking.

Yet you brought this artic cat up, just to bait the hook.  


If you had any common sense better spelling and grammer would come naturally and you wouldn't be so self centered and arrogant.  

If you are so amazingly astute and able to get such deals, why then do you come to this board to raise this subject about artic, with a humble personna to learn instead of flaming rudness to others, as if you are better than those who have demonstrated a willingness to help.

[O-Ren_Ishi_I]

(part 1 of 3)

J MCD...   what?  

Anyway, Simply put I haven't bought one because I am still wet testing.  Who is being arogant.  I believe my grandmother used to say, something about, "look who's calling the kettle black"...

Anyways part duo, I have returned from my awaited test of the Hotspring Envoy and the Arctic (well they lied)...

Ok here it goes.  For goodness gracious, for those of you who know that arctic dealers are not in great numbers here in Florida (1)... Daytona... I on the other hand live very far away from that location.  But, I still had to test the Arctic Frontier (luxory Extreme) Edition.  Because it had the double lounger and lots of jets and three pumps and one air pump totalling 4 pumps and all the bells and whistles money could buy.  To my dismay and dissapointment, after a 4 hour drive... They didn't have that modle set up.  EVEN thought I implicitly expressed complete and udder specifics about the model I was interested in.  My girlfriend and I were almost shocked... Of course I got yelled at... "I thought you said you called."  Anywho, in response I said that I did but they guy assured me it was set up... Later he explained that he didn't know I was comming and the guy who told me that on the phone just had a misunderstanding.  Cool misunderstanding 20 minutes away... 4 HOURS... That was not a good start.  


However, before we drove to see that we went to the hotspring dealer to test the ENVOY.  and that is the first review I will give since the test of the Marquis Last week...

My girlfriend was really impressed.  She didn't seem to mind that the lounger seat had no thigh or calf jets.  The spa has that buetiful shell (perl) and makes the light changes bounce off and reflect very very nicely... The lesser jets had to be a good thing... because all the seats had Awsome power you didn't get a sense of some parts of the spa being less compensated to appease having more jets for the sake of having more jets.  The jets were almost too powerfull pushing us away from the seats and and stinging my back after a little while... remind me to discuss that later with possiblities of changing out some jets with thereputic jets instead of straight shot jets.  To me I like the moto massager because it is a nice change up, really feels like somebody is going up and down your back, I honestly am impressed with the feature.  The water fall is cool too and alas the Envoy was a better than expected tub and even my girlfriend being more partial to the Marquis because of family members owning them, she was taken over by the Envoy as a whole and she liked that it wasn't overly big.  But her and I disagree on that little/big detail.  

A couple negatives about the Envoy... And please don't flame me because I don't know and forgot to ask, had to hurry to get on my four hour drive to Artic across the state.  The jets felt like they could have been heaven sent if they were more rotary and thereputic jets that "did" something instead of just straight power.  the motomassager is great but more of a changeup would have been nice with the other jets... If you can add them later or replace them with others, you know, swap em out, that would ideal and we would probably be willing to do that.  Second, after being in the Marquis Epic, I like its size... I dont' know, it grew on me and just seemed like the perfect size for me... Lastly, and for one of the things I will say positive about the Artic, the Marquis or the Hot spring Envoy's siding wasn't to be compared.  The natural wood cedar was "AWSOME" and not available to the later two spa's.  However, I will be increasingly willing to attempt to build my own ceader cover for either one of the spas, if the Arctic is not choosen.  

[O-Ren_Ishi_I]

(part 2 of 3)

Ok, now for the arctic experience.   Well, this is going to be short because the spa we wanted to test wasn't set up... Now, for any arctic dealers out there a word of advice.  Throw the Grandaddies on the test lot.  What in gods name would you not set up your best spa? your telling about its' awards and design, but you don't have it to test???  Hmmm, my theory on this won't be discussed till a little bit later but I know exactly WHY it wasn't set up and it has a lot to do with how the company is set up and its varying spa jet packages.  Ever hear of "too much complication and greed setting in?"  But, of course I might be going to harsh on them and have totally gave the oppertunity to the owner and sells person to set up the tub within the next 4 weeks while we put the final finishes on the deck and outside features of the up and comming spa area.  

Ok, what did the Arctic dealer show us?  Everything, they have an amazing sells picth, that keeps going and going like the energizer bunny.  However, my girlfriend is get to the point, I am the more analytical one so I like that stuff, she tires easily of it and wanted to jump in and get testing.  First, the outter Shell is bueatiful and the inner shell is UGLY, without option of that clean pearl look like marquis and hotspring.  They have a pearl option but not nearly as nice, the rest is that 1980's jumble of 20 different colors put on plastic.  I have to admit, not not not attractive... hope they do something about that QUICK.  But, that is not going to be a spa decision for me... Holding off the girlfriend on that idea might not be so Easy.   Just letting you know it is noticible.  Next, They have the allmight "air therepy" jets that blow water around and give a "churning affect."  I have to agree, for the tub they showed us, which was a one of their bigger  tubs without a lounger, didn't mean a hell of beans.  Seriously, the air therepy jets didn't really do anything.  As a matter of fact, the tub they showed us and I can't remember the name was horrible.  The jets were only strong in one place.  Now, the positive was is that yes, the place with the strong feeling jets had different' therapy jets and they did feel really good... but, and a HUGE but, I think the tub was possibly hooked up wrong, because none of the other 5 seats had power like the first... And, after sitting in the tub for the while we discovered that there was a HUGE jet in the middle of the tub, underneath the waterfall, so it was NOT a seat, and had a shit load of power comming out of the jet and just didn't make any sense. That is what lead me to believe they had to of had the tub hooked up wrong.  HAD TO... it just didn't make sense with 3 motors and one good seat and the rest bad on the diverter that had that "rogue" jet taking up all the power.  I asked the sells guy but he really didn't seem like he knew about the situation and said he would check on it with the owner.  

I didn't make a huge deal and right off Arctic because it honesly wasn't the tub that we expected to test and not a tub we would want anyway... Too big with no lounger.  Now, a smaller tub, called the cub, which was like a 4 to maybe 5 seater with a lounger was a much better showing of Arctic.  All the jets and seating had good power and feel. Again, I think it was called the cub.  It had a lounger with calf and I think thigh jets that ALL worked at once and was honestly a really good feeling... NOTE TO MARQUIS, fix that problem IT MAKES A HUGEEEEEE DIFFERENCE.  now, the tub was totally over filled and seemed like that if it weren't so overfilled that it wouldn't have been anywhere near an exceptable depth for me,,, I am 6 1 and my girl is 5 8 but I don't think she would have minded as much as I would of.  So, all in all the arctic is still in the running.  Albeit, we can test the one WE WANT.  I made it explicitly clear that next time, get your "popular" tub set up so we can test it or we won't be making a 6000-9000 dollar deal.  Some more points about the arctic I liked is that it has a lot of features and structure pluses.  Some more important than others... the outside ceader wood cabinentry was AWSOME and by far the best.... And the potential is there... But, unless the Arctic Frontier Legend Extreme has a great showing... I won't be going with the Canadian big chill.  Lastly, the Arctic spa seems like something in the late 80's early 90's that they are still in the process of perfecting... without jumping ahead and taking the next step... And I mean that sincerly with regards to simple things like shell color choices, depth of tub and almost rediculous amounts of jets to get a couple or few that you might actually want where you want.  

[O-Ren_Ishi_I]

(part 3 of 3)

Oh and one more thing about Arctic spa's.  the ceader wood steps are by far the cheapest and best constructed... They have bars and stools and steps, two teir and one tier... They are really really nice and not that expensive... so, for that much they are a great deal.  

Oh, and another thing, which I hope serves as a warning to any business person that tries this sells tatic with individuals who are "savvy" about what is going on.  Don't tell me that a tub that has 20 fewwer jets and 1 less pump is 3000-7000 dollars cheaper or more expensive than the next.  That seems silly and like you rather make the most money on the amount I am about to give you.  There is no reason why you shouldn't have one of your nices and newest tubs set up and ready to go for a test... I know that you don't want me to bargain hunt or barter for a better spa with less money.  But, when you have list prices that are silly and ABSURD from the start, then that is what I am going to think about one's company from the onset.  Step with you best foot forward and try honesty, that will go a lot further in my opinion and MARQUIS is in first place as far as I am concerned for that exact reason.  But, hot spring is a strong tight second and pricing might come down to the final issue.  I litterly would have to be "blown away" by the Arctic to choose that tub...

Sorry, but I hope this long winded response helps others in their quest for the perfect tub.  

[O-Ren_Ishi_I]

oh and J MCD I just read the rest of your post... I didn't before because I first thought you were retarded.  But now after reading it in its entirety, YOUR AN ASSSSSS... I have the cash but since when does anybody drop thousands of dollars on something that they haven't researched??? Bring up Arctic because of??? what is your point... It is a tub that I considered for a few reasons... that if you read this post you would understand... Seriously you're an idiot and you should READ first before you post things that make you look like a MORON

[stuart]

I have a spa for you to try and I bet it will be a perfect match...How about a D1 Diplomat? It has 2 lounges, one set up specifically for a man one for a woman (or one tall one short.

All the jets do what you want and the quality is every bit as good or better than any other spa out there.

[O-Ren_Ishi_I]

wow, stuart who makes this???

[stuart]

wow, stuart who makes this???

http://www.d1spas.com

[Gomboman]

O-Ren_Ishi_I,

It would be a shame not to wet test a Sundance spa for your quest.  Look at something like this....

http://sundancespas.com/800Series/Maxxus.php

[O-Ren_Ishi_I]

Sundance, HERE IN my area... I honestly don't know about other dealers so don't get upset at me what a dealer did... Was a markup king just like Arctic seems to be.  This is even before I understood that you can haggle for these things... and the nice spas they have are a supposed ungoddly prices... This is offensive to me and perhaps I can take a second look now but that sells method to me is frowned upon...

[O-Ren_Ishi_I]

ON second thought,,, I will test out sundance...

[Mendocino101]

O-Ren_Ishi_I

.... You speak about the jets being almost to strong in the Hot Springs ...and you complain about the not all the Jets working in the Epic Adirondack chair at once .....As I posted to you before about the reason why Marquis does it like that and it is for the very reason you mention about jets that hurt or sting the skin...I guess I thought you perhaps might have an appreciation of why Marquis focuses on the Hi Volume water therapy and working one group of muscles at a time ...again if you want all the jets to run at once THEY WILL BE SMALLER and that is what will cause the sting or itch ...maybe after a few more wet tests it will make more sense to you .....I am not "flaming" or nothing like that ...just hoping you will understand the thought behind the Marquis spa.....

[O-Ren_Ishi_I]

O-Ren_Ishi_I

.... You speak about the jets being almost to strong in the Hot Springs ...and you complain about the not all the Jets working in the Epic Adirondack chair at once .....As I posted to you before about the reason why Marquis does it like that and it is for the very reason you mention about jets that hurt or sting the skin...I guess I thought you perhaps might have an appreciation of why Marquis focuses on the Hi Volume water therapy and working one group of muscles at a time ...again if you want all the jets to run at once THEY WILL BE SMALLER and that is what will cause the sting or itch ...maybe after a few more wet tests it will make more sense to you .....I am not "flaming" or nothing like that ...just hoping you will understand the thought behind the Marquis spa.....

Med I actually do see what you're saying and I do agree with you to a large extent... That is why marquis to me is high in the running... Now, if I can change the wood ceder cabinent option we might be all set... But but but I am going to test the sundance and from what I see so far, it might be the bell ringer... the maxxus version that is...

does anybody own one of these

[drewstar]

FWIW: Some Data points/observations second hand.

I'm shopping for a new tub and a friends neighbor has an Artic Kodiak spa. I spoke with him this weekend and looked at the tub. I did not get in it.

After a year and a half, over all he is satisifeid with his Artic Tub.  

I belive he paid in the mid $8ks for his.

Within the first 4 months a pump went and was replaced quickly by the dealer.

He told me average cost to operate were $1.00 per day.

He thinks the tub is a bit loud, acceptable, but a bit loud.

He prefers the sculpted bucket seat to the lounger, and wishes there where more calf and foot massages.

overall, it looks like a decent unit, a bit large for me. (450 gals) and too deep. But then again, I'm only 5' 6"


Hope that helps....