The great Arctic spa debate!!

[fedmandoo]

I'm looking to start a thread on arctic spas.. feel free to add your opinions good or bad about this spa product. I'd like to hear the pros and cons and tubs owners experiences with the Arctic spas. I live in New England and I'm in the research phase of purchasing a spa with a 9k max budget. (we would like to purchase within 3-6 months from now)
Thanks in advance for all your feedback. Fedman

[Rboehme]

Arctic spas are a well made product.

Although I think that they are overpriced, and they use questionable tactics to sell there spa.

They say that they can keep their water heated without a heater. While this is true, it is also true of nearly all spas.

Once the temperature is where you want it and you have the cover on, it is rare that the heater in any spa will kick on more than just a minuscule amount.

Once you take the cover off and start using the spa, every spa will lose heat and the heater will have to come on(even arctic).

This selling feature of arctic is also a feature of nearly all brands.

Also they color code their plumbing. I first noticed this at an aqua show in Vegas. When I asked the factory rep why they use colored plumbing he replied, " It is so the technicians can tell the difference between the suction and pressure lines." This sounded strange to me.

I happen to be a spa tech, and I see absolutely NO advantage for this. Both the pressure and suction sides of plumbing are glued with the same type of glue, cleaned with the same type of primer, are made out of the same type of material, and both side can develop leaks.

When I asked the factory rep what benifit this provided, he had no answer. My guess is that they use it just so they can make up another "unique" selling feature that doesn't really exist.

All that being said I do believe that it is a sound product. I do not believe it is a good value.

[Wisoki]

If you've wet tested the tub, you like and trust the dealer and it fits your needs, number of bodies and is comfortable for you, BUY IT, Arctic is a good company that makes a good product that is built differently than others that makes it no less a good product that will be backed by the manufacturer. How that for a run on sentence.

[Johnny]

I have an Arctic Kodiak, Signature Series.  I've had it for 3 years or so.  It has been a great tub, no complaints.  

The dealer has been very good, although quite frankly I haven't had any call to put him to the test. I believe he would be there if I needed any support.

My only comment is the pricing.  They work on the 'High List'........ up to you to haggle him down.  My experience is that 90% of the Tub stores work on this practice.  

The only exception was Beechcomber.  The price.........is the price.  

At the end of the day, NO regrets.  I would buy the same Tub tomorrow.

[Tman122]

While I don't own an Arctic tub I do like the looks of them. There selling tactics and prices leave little to be desired. Not a good value.

[fedmandoo]

  Rboehme  had mentioned the point that Arctic spas ..they color code their plumbing.

Since you are a tech let me ask you this question pertaining to servicing a tub. Correct me if I have this wrong. If the plumbing is color coded wouldn't it make it easier for a tech to troublshoot a problem quicker with the aid of a color coded system? I also believe that this type of service call may be covered under warranty but when the warranty expires wouldn't  a color coded system aid in making the service call quicker? which would mean that the tub could be back online quicker for the customer which would = a happy customer?? I would assume that when the warranty expires all service calls would be subject to an hourly rate for service? If there is a colored coded system in place this could aid again in a quicker turnaround time on the service call.. This would be less of a service fee for the spa company but more of a saving for the end user.. I  would like to save money wouldn't you??  That's how I see it now.. Thanks for your input  very helpful..

[ZzTop]

Well you asked for it . . . IMHO

Arctic Spas are over priced and made of Flash and Salesmanship rather than Real Engineering.



Arctic cabinets:  The cabinet and the shell butt up to one another instead of overlapping the cabinet with the shell which will allow moisture into the cabinet. If you have a look at their cabinet doors it is made up of horizontal boards which catch and absorb water.  The top and bottom have rails which allows dirt and moisture to collect on the horizontal surfaces.  


Most high-end manufactures stopped making a cabinet with doors that hung on the sidewalls a long time ago because of the possibility of dirt and moisture collecting on the top and bottom increasing the possibility for rot and water damage.

So the cabinet has many places for water to seep in and collect in the unsupported foam.  

I also question their equipment, pumps, wiring, and control circuitry, being subjected to constant 100 plus degree temperatures which just has to reduce their life expectancy.

And there are other problems  too . . .   


There are much better Spas out there for the money.  Have a look at Beachcomber, Marquis, Dimension 1,  Jacuzzi, Hot Spring, Sundance, Coleman  There is no comparison when it comes to quality and engineering!

Regards, Zz

[ZzTop]

Arctic Cabinet

Note: the rails and the door spaces

[Tman122]

 Rboehme  had mentioned the point that Arctic spas ..they color code their plumbing.

Since you are a tech let me ask you this question pertaining to servicing a tub. Correct me if I have this wrong. If the plumbing is color coded wouldn't it make it easier for a tech to troublshoot a problem quicker with the aid of a color coded system?

I am not a tech but a plumber pipe fitter by trade. I don't see color coding aiding any one but the untrained. Upsteam of a pump is upstream of a pump and downstream is downstream. Flow is easy to figure out, especialy on a hot tub. There's so little plumbing upstream anyway.

[Rboehme]

 Rboehme  had mentioned the point that Arctic spas ..they color code their plumbing.

Since you are a tech let me ask you this question pertaining to servicing a tub. Correct me if I have this wrong. If the plumbing is color coded wouldn't it make it easier for a tech to troublshoot a problem quicker with the aid of a color coded system? I also believe that this type of service call may be covered under warranty but when the warranty expires wouldn't  a color coded system aid in making the service call quicker? which would mean that the tub could be back online quicker for the customer which would = a happy customer?? I would assume that when the warranty expires all service calls would be subject to an hourly rate for service? If there is a colored coded system in place this could aid again in a quicker turnaround time on the service call.. This would be less of a service fee for the spa company but more of a saving for the end user.. I  would like to save money wouldn't you??  That's how I see it now.. Thanks for your input  very helpful..

As a tech I can assure you that the color of the plumbing does not affect my job in ANY way. It does NOT make it easier or harder. It just looks neater.

Color coding the plumbing does NOT make it easier to find a leak. It does NOT make it easier to fix a leak.
There is absolutely NO benifit to me the service tech.

You seem like an intelligent person. In what way do you think that a color coded plumbing system can help in troubleshooting a leak?

If you can think of anything please let me know. You should also call arctic, because there own factory reps could not answer that question.

I am not saying that arctic is a bad spa. Just that some of thier biggest sales FEATURES have NO BENIFITS.

[fedmandoo]

Rboehme,
Thanks for your feedback. I really don't believe that color-coding the pipes would aid a tech in troubleshooting a leak; my point was that it would make it easier for a tech to locate each pipe and repair it quicker. If that is not the case and any tech would be able to get into a spa and troubleshoot a problem quickly without a color coded system than it just maybe just a selling feature that the average consumer may be impressed with.
When I talked to a sales rep she had mentioned that feature and I did not ask the question of what benefit the color-coding offered. If I talk to a rep again I'll ask that question and see if I get an answer. I'm intrigued about this now!!

I seem to be reading allot about the Arctic "selling tactics" and that they are negative. Does anyone have evidence that points out that they have "negative selling tactics" What is negative about the selling features they point out? Are peoples opinions that their sales pitch /selling points are fluff and they hold no credibility in the spa industry? Are they misleading in their sales pitch? Are they falsely advertising their product? Pointing out features of a product is what marketing and selling is all about in my opinion.Where are they crossing the line? Please give me your thoughts on this point.

Thanks, Fedman

[Rboehme]

Rboehme,
Thanks for your feedback. I really don't believe that color-coding the pipes would aid a tech in troubleshooting a leak; my point was that it would make it easier for a tech to locate each pipe and repair it quicker. If that is not the case and any tech would be able to get into a spa and troubleshoot a problem quickly without a color coded system than it just maybe just a selling feature that the average consumer may be impressed with.
When I talked to a sales rep she had mentioned that feature and I did not ask the question of what benefit the color-coding offered. If I talk to a rep again I'll ask that question and see if I get an answer. I'm intrigued about this now!!

I seem to be reading allot about the Arctic "selling tactics" and that they are negative. Does anyone have evidence that points out that they have "negative selling tactics" What is negative about the selling features they point out? Are peoples opinions that their sales pitch /selling points are fluff and they hold no credibility in the spa industry? Are they misleading in their sales pitch? Are they falsely advertising their product? Pointing out features of a product is what marketing and selling is all about in my opinion.Where are they crossing the line? Please give me your thoughts on this point.

Thanks, Fedman

For a feature to be a feature doesn't it need to provide a benifit?

I think what people are trying to tell you is that to tell you something is a unique feature that provides a unique benifit, when it really is not true is kind of sleazy.

For example Arctic tries to make it seem that they do not need a heater.(yet they put one in every spa)

They say that ther spa maintains its heat without the heater.(true, but so does nealy every other brand)

They color code thier plumbing to help the tech.(not true)

F.Y.I. You have to find the Leak BEFORE you know what plumbing to replace. The plumbing being colored does not help you find the leak or replace the plumbing.  

Again I would like to add that I think arctic is a good product. I just think that it is overpriced.

[Tman122]

I also said they were a good product. But there's 10-20 good tubs on the market today that are equal but cost less. They claim superiority over them all when it is simply not true. There's others out there that are better values IMO. I have not heard there sale's pitch but there customers repeat it on these forums alot.