Arctic? Coleman?

[Joel T]

We still haven't bought but are pretty much down to an Arctic or Coleman. Arctic's built better  -  Coleman's got a little more comfort and is less expensive. Any thoughts?

Joel

[wmccall]

Does your Coleman dealer agree that the Arctic is built better?  Neither of them has a dealer within 100 miles of me, but we have happy owners of both here.

[Joel T]

It's hard to argue Arctics good construction. A better bottom, a better shell (the best?,) and a better lid. I'm obviously not a FF fan either so it was a tie between Arctic and Coleman in that respect.

Joel

[Spatech_tuo]

It's hard to argue Arctics good construction. A better bottom, a better shell (the best?,) and a better lid. I'm obviously not a FF fan either so it was a tie between Arctic and Coleman in that respect.

Joel

It's difficult to respond to your post without more info IMO, about all we can say in this case is both are viable choices. It's up to you to decide whether you believe the Arctic to be better built than the Coleman (I assume you feel this way not merely because you're being told this). As far as comfort, that is TOTALLY your judgment call and it certainly a big consideration. You need to weigh how much better YOU think each is in those categories and how much each really matters to you and then factor in the cost difference (is it $200, $700, $1300??).

[spahappy]

Hello Joel, welcome to the forum. I'm a Coleman dealer and to tell you the truth have never seen an Arctic spa as nobody near here sells them. What Coleman model did you try out?  

[Joel T]

We wet tested the 472 and it's the configuration we would prefer. Very comfortable - hard to beat. Wish you were familiar with Arctics construction so you could reverse pitch us  . Their shell's twice as thick as Coleman, similar to Hot Springs. Their floor is a foundation in of itself  -  very sturdy. The cover, where most of the heat escapes, is the best of any I've seen.

Joel

[anne]

I have an Arctic, but one of the two runners up was a Coleman 471. I actually found it, for me, less comfortable than the Arctic, but I liked the seat configuration quite a bit. As far as the "forever floor" on the Arctic, I'm not sure how much difference it makes unless you put it on a non-concrete base (mine is on gravel, so I did feel good about that floor construction). As far as FF vs the "heat lock" Arctic system, I would not recommend buying a tub just based on that, but one dealer might be more convincing than the other! The Arctic cover is great, but it is also heavy, so keep that in mind.

I think you will find fans of both here, and both are well made, so it comes down to price point and comfort and dealer reliability, etc. I honestly could not have afforded the Arctic if it had not been a clearance floor model, so I understand your concern. But I love my tub!

[stl-rex]

I own an Arctic and am sold on them.  However Coleman is a find brand also and is regarded favorably here.  I think you should go with the "seat of your pants" and worry less about construction.  You're not considering an off brand by any means and you will probably use and enjoy the spa more if you buy the most comfortable spa for you.

[HotTubMan]

Both companies build very good hot tubs. I beleive the Coleman is a better bang for the buck. The warranties are the same. Have you heard both tubs running?

Their floor is a foundation in of itself  -  very sturdy.

The floor is impressive. It will not level the ground for you and I would not trust it alone IF the property is <5 years old. Builders bury all kinds of stuff in yards now a days.

The cover, where most of the heat escapes, is the best of any I've seen.

Hot air rises. Heat radiates.

[anne]

The cover, where most of the heat escapes, is the best of any I've seen.

Hot air rises. Heat radiates.

I dont want to pull this thread off topic, but isn't it true in any (wellmade) tub that the top is where the most heatloss would occur, simply because it is the least permanent, structural side of the "cube"?  :-? The other 5 sides are more insulated than even then best cover, arent they? (again, talking about wellmade spas, not.....er.....Sea Monkeys, per se   )

[Joel T]

We wet tested the Arctic Avalanche, though if we wait ?? we may be able to see the Klondiker this weekend that's a better "fit." Both are signature series. The dealer's almost repulsed that we might want to upgrade from the signature series, kinda like a car dealer that only carries one model. These are a little more than $1K more than the 472 Deluxe pkg Coleman which seems a little more comfortable with a few more jets that are a bit more flexible. My wife was in both and tends to think the Coleman might be a little quieter. We're pretty sure we're gonna go Coleman even though the Arctic "box" is the sturdiest,  most practicle construction out there I think. There's always a compromise I guess, huh.

[The_Bends]

We wet tested the Arctic Avalanche, though if we wait ?? we may be able to see the Klondiker this weekend that's a better "fit." Both are signature series. The dealer's almost repulsed that we might want to upgrade from the signature series, kinda like a car dealer that only carries one model. These are a little more than $1K more than the 472 Deluxe pkg Coleman which seems a little more comfortable with a few more jets that are a bit more flexible. My wife was in both and tends to think the Coleman might be a little quieter. We're pretty sure we're gonna go Coleman even though the Arctic "box" is the sturdiest,  most practicle construction out there I think. There's always a compromise I guess, huh.

Hi Joel,

First, I know you will be happy with any decision you will make.  Owning a hot tub is a blast!  

Second, I would love to answer any questions you may have regarding Arctic Spas.  I am a little curious as to what you mean about upgrading from the signature.  I will be happy to explain any of the other 'trims' after you decide which shape you like.  

For the money, (should be only a little more), upgrading from the 'Signature' to the 'Ultra' will give you the same amount of water jets, AND you will gain Therapy Air and Aromatherapy. Definitely a must if in the budget. The aroma therapy is great, and the therapy air is a nice effect.  

I am also curious as to what you thought of the Avalanche!  (Mostly to satisfy my own interests!

Again, enjoy your new spa!

[Joel T]

The lounge in the avalanche was just "OK" compared to the "it just fit right" Colemans main 472 lounge. We'd prefer 2 lounges and the Klondiker has 2 but haven't been able to see and try one. I'd like jets on both side of the backbone, like colemans, rather than up the middle. That moves us past the ultra series and into the legend series. (Going from signature to ultra was $700 - punishment??) They tell us "'Bubblies' (their words) aren't worth it," "more jets aren't worth it," music's not worth it," even lights we want aren't worth it - go figure. This is the tone and established pattern I've seen (not just Arctic) when asking for something the dealer doesn't have sitting in front of me. I guess they just want to "unload" what's right there. Puzzles me. I never figured shopping for a spa would turn into a rocket science project, but I/we have left brains cells scattered along the sidewalks. Oh well. It'll all shake out I guess.

[anne]

Puzzles me. I never figured shopping for a spa would turn into a rocket science project, but I/we have left brains cells scattered along the sidewalks. Oh well. It'll all shake out I guess.

It was all a LOT harder than I expected, too, and some dealers are easier to deal with than others. Take a deep breath, take your time, and remember that you are not alone, and that it will be SOOOOOOO worth it once you find the right one!

[The_Bends]

I am sorry they don't have a Klondiker to try, the two loungers are very nice.  It is, however a very 'sculpted' tub, so while there isn't very much legroom left, it is nice because everyone has a 'chair'.  If you can stand it, I would wait until they get a Klondiker in, a test one.  

Also, the extras are very nice.  Maybe the dealer is mostly equipped to sell floor models, hence the reason they are trying to sell against options.  This happens on occasion to brand new dealers, as building a dealership can be challenging in the beginning.  

The one thing that has always impressed me in our company, is the fact that you will be able to add any of the options to an Arctic, later on, including Therapy Air.  This sounds like a bigger pain than it really is.  It takes 45 min. to add a stereo to an Arctic, and something as complex as therapy air and drilling new jets, really is a simple process and should take no more than a few hours.  Hope this all helps.