Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: jalc on May 20, 2006, 08:08:20 pm
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Hello, I am looking to buy a spa/hot tub but my head is spinning from all the options. First off this is for health benefits, I have had major surgery on my spine L5/S1. I also want good leg therapy. I was all set to buy a Concord from thermospa but $13000 was a little steep. I also looked at the caparet from vita spas but again $11500 is a lot of money. I found a couple of nice loungers at overstock that looked pretty good and the price is right ($7000 - $8000) but I am not familiar with the company, Riptide Leisure. The models were The Abyss and Tydal Wave. I hope I can get some good ideas from the people on this board. I am looking to stay under $10000. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
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Stick around and you will get some answers. I am waiting for a hot spring vanguard to be delivered.
I would stay away from places like overstock. In your price range there are some goods spas out there.
Some brands are Sundance, Hotsprings, Marquis, and others on this board can give you informaton on Dynasty, LA spas Jacuzzi and the like.
One thing most everyone will tell you is to wet test as many spas as you can. This is the only way to know if it is a good fit for you.
I am not a dealer just a consumber so I can't give you specifics but others will.
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What he said. In that price range, you can get a high quality unit from a reputable source. Good luck! And definitely wet test, especially since you know you have specific therapeutic requirements of whatever you buy.
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I am not a dealer either, but I agree with Anoroc. You will get pleanty of great information and advice from everyone in here. (I've only been part of this forum for about a week)
I too am looking for a spa and the mantra 'do a wet test' will be repeated several times.
Happy searching and soaking.
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There are many many good choices. Visit every local dealer and get a feel for what you think you want. Wet test as many as you can. Many people skip this part but the way a spa feels dry is not the same as when it is filled. Especially with a medical condition. Good luck.
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Like before, you should be able to find several spas that fall in the price range you are looking for. Take your time while shopping and take good notes. Also you should be able to deduct a portion of your cost off your taxes.
Happy Spa Hunting
r100rs
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Okay, I'll give you a specific recommendation. I have a Hot Spring and love it. However, with your back condition, I would have to say a Caldera spa is a great choice.
Of all the spas with loungers, Caldera seemed to me to be the most comfortable. I just did not want a lounger and my wife is too short to really enjoy them, so we went with the Hot Spring Vanguard.
Try out the Geneva and Tahitian from Caldera. They have a new one called the Moreea (not sure if I'm spelling it right) that is cheaper and looks really nice.
The best thing to do is as has been said, wet test, wet test, wet test.
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Thank you for all your help so quickly. I like the caldera but how do you get an idea of the pricing, most of the sights don't give dollar amounts. Does anyone have any information about the company Riptide Leisure?
Thank You Again.
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jlac, I find it hard to believe that you live in a city or area with NO local dealers that you must resort to Infomercials and the internet for your resources. What geogrophy do you live in.
What spas are offered locally? If you were in my geographic zone, I have at least 16 choice that you can sit in and wet test. They are nationally known manufacturers and the factory warranty is fully supported by my dealership that has been in business for over 22 years now.
We need to get you some help. Where are you located?
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I have been to a couple of places but none with hot tubs ready to try1 only had vita spas and were dry, I am going to 1 that has caldera on Sunday. I live in Bronx, NY. I have checked the yellow pages and there are not many within the area. I am definately happy to have come across this site.
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go to hotspring.com, dealer locator, type in your zip, ----------bam.
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jalc,
I have a caldera tahitian and love it. the lounger feels great on theback and feet. and I think that and the ecta seat will work nicely for your L5/S1 problem and has some nice calf jets as well. But as everyone says wet test as many as possible. good luck with the hunt.
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Every now and then someone on this forum lists the big "5 to 10" spa makers, and there has to be at least a few of them in your area. Off the top of my head, in alphabetical order, at 2 am so I'm not accountable for forgetting:
Arctic (maybe not one of the biggies, but I have one)
Artesian
Bullfrog
Caldera
Coleman
Dimension 1
HotSpring (+ Tiger River)
Hydropool
Jacuzzi
LA spa
Marqui
Sundance
These, to me, are the names that come up the most here, none are "box store" or internet companies, and all probably have owners here who visit frequently enough to give you their $0.02. I love my tub for its lower back therapy, and so does my boyfriend with an old L6 compression fracture. See who is is your area, and set up some wet tests!
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Welcome to the forum, jalc.
You need to forget all of the options and look for a tub that fits your body shape and will give you therapy in the desired places. I looked at all of the tubs recommended here and it only came down to one that met those requirements for me.
My main priority was lower back and leg therapy. I had numbness in my legs and since I've been using the tub, I can declare myself 100% cured.
Good luck in your search.
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Hi jalc,
I bought my spa for arthritis (ankles, knees, hips, back, hands). After wet testing I settled on a Jacuzzi J-385 based on fit and results. Later I learned that Jacuzzi has some kind of patent of their jets and they are the most widely used in hospitals and other therapy uses. I don't know how true that is, but some of the other brand dealers here will be sure to throw a fit over it.
The best thing you can do is wet test as many as you can to see what works for you. In the end all the hype and sales pitches won't mean squat if it the spa doesn't do what you want it to do. Now that I am past the Operator Errors, I am very happy with my Jacuzzi. ($8,000 in 10/05 installed in 12/05).
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Hey jalc!
I'm an ex-New Yorker and now live in Jersey. Maybe there's no dealers in the Bronx but try Westchester or Northern Jersey. Most dealers will deliver in a certain radius. Try to call the dealer and see if they will deliver and service to you before you make the trip. If it don't work - bribe them with Yankees tickets -LOL!! ;)
If you can't find a dealer in the locator (almost every manufacturer that anne listed has an easy to use locator) go to the United States Post Office site and they have a zip code finder - put some nieghboring areas into the the locators and something may pop up.
There are a lot of brands represented here and we all have good and possibly bad things to say about our own tubs. Good luck in your search and don't be afraid to ask us questions.
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Hey jalc!
bribe them with Yankees tickets -LOL!! ;)
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I would consider that a threat, not a bribe!
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I would consider that a threat, not a bribe!
The Yankees are just a team like all the others just with a lot more history associated with their name.
There's a saying about people will forget about you when they stop talking about you ... the Yankees probably will never be forgotten! ;D Hey did Columbus ever have a team ... I forget!! ;)
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Hi jalc,
I bought my spa for arthritis (ankles, knees, hips, back, hands). After wet testing I settled on a Jacuzzi J-385 based on fit and results. Later I learned that Jacuzzi has some kind of patent of their jets and they are the most widely used in hospitals and other therapy uses. I don't know how true that is, but some of the other brand dealers here will be sure to throw a fit over it.
LoL....now I have to say I am not sure if this qualifies as a fit ..... ::).....Every major maker has a patent on some of their jets....I think what might be a tad twisting of things is that with the Jacuzzi and whats used in Hospitals and the like are their "jetted bath tubs" or special commercial whirl pool type spas.....It is not the same thing as what people have in their homes.....The homes are actually probably better..As most hospitals and rehab centers use whirlpool or passive therapy as thats what is most commonly used...
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The Yankees are just a team like all the others just with a lot more ;)
The Yankess have a lot more something, and history isn't fhe first on the list. Yea, we have a baseball team in Columbus, its one of the best AAA teams in baseball because the parent team never uses them. We do get to see an occasional player from the mother team when ever they come off detox.
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LoL....now I have to say I am not sure if this qualifies as a fit ..... ::).....Every major maker has a patent on some of their jets....I think what might be a tad twisting of things is that with the Jacuzzi and whats used in Hospitals and the like are their "jetted bath tubs" or special commercial whirl pool type spas.....It is not the same thing as what people have in their homes.....The homes are actually probably better..As most hospitals and rehab centers use whirlpool or passive therapy as thats what is most commonly used...
gotta agree with that. I've never seen a portable spa in a hospital have you?
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gotta agree with that. I've never seen a portable spa in a hospital have you?
No....Whirlpool therapy is what is most commonly used for rehab while home therapy is direct muscle therapy...
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Hello, I am looking to buy a spa/hot tub but my head is spinning from all the options. First off this is for health benefits, I have had major surgery on my spine L5/S1. I also want good leg therapy. I was all set to buy a Concord from thermospa but $13000 was a little steep. I also looked at the caparet from vita spas but again $11500 is a lot of money. I found a couple of nice loungers at overstock that looked pretty good and the price is right ($7000 - $8000) but I am not familiar with the company, Riptide Leisure. The models were The Abyss and Tydal Wave. I hope I can get some good ideas from the people on this board. I am looking to stay under $10000. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Staying under $10,000 shouldn't be all that difficult. From what I've seen from folks around here, very few people have paid more than $10,000 for their tub.
Since you're main concern is therapy, you'll definitely want to wet test a few.
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The jacuzzi hospital story was a lie but still a good spa.
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My husband too has back problems -- L4/L5/S1 -- no surgery (yet). We've had our hot tub for only 1 week now but so far we are thrilled with it. Purchased the Bullfrog 451 -- you can purchase the jetpak that works best for your own needs. My husband finds that the Gyro'Sage and the Alee V get right down low on his back. I like the Mini Neckblaster best as it works on neck, shoulders & shoulder blades where I carry on my stress. List price on our tub was $6,995 Cdn
Don't know how close this address would be to you, but I did find this Bullfrog dealer:
Power Pool Care Inc.
(631) 979-7665
425 North Country Rd, St. James , NY 11780
www.bullfrogspas.com
Good Luck.
PS: How bad was the surgery? How much better does it feel now? What are your restrictions?
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I found a couple of nice loungers at overstock that looked pretty good and the price is right ($7000 - $8000) but I am not familiar with the company, Riptide Leisure. The models were The Abyss and Tydal Wave. I hope I can get some good ideas from the people on this board. I am looking to stay under $10000. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Jalc,
Just to let you know. Riptide leisure tubs are made by Clearwater spas.
I bought my tub through Overstock and have had little to no problems. the one thing you have to really think about is if you want your dealer to fix what breaks. you are on your own, unless you can get them to fly out from out west.
Good luck with what ever tub you buy.
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Uh, Yeah! Replace "history" with money.
The Yankees are just a team like all the others just with a lot more history associated with their name.
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So, you have evidence of this? Because I have evidence to the contrary of what you say. I, in 15 years of selling the product have never used the info to sell them, but it is there. I guess it's kind of like being a sponsor for the Arthritis Foundation or the American Institute of Stress, or the blah blah blah......
The jacuzzi hospital story was a lie but still a good spa.
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Uh, Yeah! Replace "history" with money.
The Yankees being in NYC have the money to buy a team just like Boston does. People who live around NYC are able to afford tickets and such at a much higher cost than a lot of this country. A peson who works there usually makes more money than 99% of the rest of the country. Parts of California and around Boston (I think) make more than New Yorkers.
Consider housing ... a cape cod in one of the boroughs of NYC probably goes for $800,000 or so. Here in central Jersey, it'll go for about $300,000 and in middle of the country maybe $150,000. I went online and saw that in Charlette a 2500 Sq ft house goes for $175,000 ... you don't want to know what that would go for in NYC!
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So, you have evidence of this? Because I have evidence to the contrary of what you say. I, in 15 years of selling the product have never used the info to sell them, but it is there. I guess it's kind of like being a sponsor for the Arthritis Foundation or the American Institute of Stress, or the blah blah blah......
I have a question are you saying the Jacuzzi corporation or the Jacuzzi premium spas that are used in the home....I do not doubt that the Jacuzzi brand may be most widely used ...I do not think it is the home units however.
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I don't think anybody claimed that a Raza, Esprit, Laser, Quanta, Quantum, Santina, J-315, J-470, or any other named or numbered spa Jacuzzi produced was ever in any hospital. However, after the introduction of the J-300 pump and jet combo, and because of the nature of it's ability to move LOTS of water in a gentler fashion, the Jacuzzi pump system was used in many hospital hydrotherapy units. I do not know if they still are, but there is no flase information in that "story." If a sales person uses it and claims "this unit right here is used in hospitals across the country...", that sales person is being deceptive. As I said, I never have used that information in a sales presentation as I think it is irrelevent, some sales people may thnik it important and use it.
I have a question are you saying the Jacuzzi corporation or the Jacuzzi premium spas that are used in the home....I do not doubt that the Jacuzzi brand may be most widely used ...I do not think it is the home units however.
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We've sold 12 Prodigys (Prodigies?) to 2 large medical centers in East Texas for their rehab clinics. They seem to be very popular because of the open seating, 100% No-Bypass Filtration, and the National Sanitation Foundation approval.
Terminator
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Salesman say many things to create a good story. The exact jets Premium uses and the pumps/plumbing are not used in any hospitals for specialized therapy. It's called marketing BS. I love hearing the stories though.
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I don't think anybody claimed that a Raza, Esprit, Laser, Quanta, Quantum, Santina, J-315, J-470, or any other named or numbered spa Jacuzzi produced was ever in any hospital. However, after the introduction of the J-300 pump and jet combo, and because of the nature of it's ability to move LOTS of water in a gentler fashion, the Jacuzzi pump system was used in many hospital hydrotherapy units. I do not know if they still are, but there is no flase information in that "story." If a sales person uses it and claims "this unit right here is used in hospitals across the country...", that sales person is being deceptive. As I said, I never have used that information in a sales presentation as I think it is irrelevent, some sales people may thnik it important and use it.
Thats exactly what I thought ...Yes Jacuzzi products may be widely used in many hospitals or rehab centers but as you point and and as I did they use a more "passive" or whirlpool type of therapy.....If a spa salesman wants to twist something and lead a customer to believe that they are the same as a whats in the home line than as you say thats deceptive ....I mean Jacuzzis are a good enough product that there are better things you can hang your hat on....Marquis has given away over 200 spas to children of "Make a Wish" but I do not want to try and manipulate that into something it is really not.....
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I've been repairing medical equipment for 20 years and I've never seen a Jacuzzi tub in the 7 hospitals that I've worked in. I will say that 7 out of 1000 or so isn't a high percentage and it may be a regional thing.
Typically, a Physical Therapy (PT) dept has stainless steel tanks with a hydrotherapy pump attached to it. The pump is a motor attached to a shaft and an impeller/ nozzel combo on the bottom of the shaft. I haven't seen one in a while but I think a company called Hubbard was the primary manufacturer of these tanks and pumps.
Something like this:
(http://www.rehaboutlet.com/images/whe27m.jpg)
The hospital I'm working at now had a huge SS tank that had 4 of these pumps in them and they used a winch to raise and lower patients into the tub.
It was larger than this:
(http://www.rehaboutlet.com/images/whf425s.jpg)
Hospitals are very concerned about infections, so they drain after every patient and use a sterilant to disinfect the tub and motor.
Now, the Midwives in Labor and Delivery use their whirlpool tub to give birth in ... maybe they're Jacuzzi ... but that is SO GROSS!!!!! Maybe they should use a Hot Spring with their 100% no bypass filtration ... Nah, that's still gross!!
Hey, after writing this I realize I am a spa tech! ;)
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We've sold 12 Prodigys (Prodigies?) to 2 large medical centers in East Texas for their rehab clinics. They seem to be very popular because of the open seating, 100% No-Bypass Filtration, and the National Sanitation Foundation approval.
Terminator
The Spa Fairy