I saw a couple models at the home show last weekend. A small yard, no kids, etc. I would have strongly considered one.

I liked the fact that they appeared very low maint.

cool-

The current issue of pool and spa magazine has an article about swim spas with a listing of manufacturer's and features they offer. The article provides some insight on different methods of generating the current and may help with questions to ask your local dealer. I would also recommend finding a local dealer who has one for a soak test just to make sure you like before buying. An investment such as this is like buying an automobile so make sure you are happy with the purchase.

These swim spas are just like oversized hot tubs, so all the features and benefits of a hot tub are included, plus the additional space is nice for excercising or just letting the kids play. I noticed that some manufacturer's have separate water vessels for the spa portion and the swim spa portion allowing different temperatures for each function. I thought this would be a nice feature to have if I ever upgrade to a swim spa from my current spa only.

Hope this helps.

I installed one in a Four Seasons Glass room we added on. It was the type run by 3 or 4 large jets, about 14' X 7'. Made by a company out of Canada. It worked but I found it hard to keep centered in the current generated and very tiring compared to actual swimming. My suggestion would be to make sure you get to swim in the type you are considering and do it more than once before you buy, otherwise it's a lot of cash for something you don't like. My wife seemed to enjoy it but it wasn't my cup of tea. Endless pools is one brand that I see get a lot a press for actual swimmers, but I believe they are a vinyl liner type over a staniless wall system. Their water stream seems a bit more user friendly, although I never actually swam in one. I installed the one I did because the sun room installer sold it to me at his cost as long as I handled everything about installing it and getting it delivered.

Given the choice to do over, I would not have done it again. But, I did not have a heath issue that I was trying to deal with. If you approach it correctly and treat it as a medical necessity, with a Doctors prescription, you may be able to write some or all of it off taxes. Check with your tax man. Good luck

It's a tough pill to swallow spending 25k+ for a large bathtub. They do work well for swimming in a small space but like any above ground spa, you are not getting anything close to what you lay out in cash. For the same area, you could pop in a gunite swim spa for about the same cash and have something that will last a lot longer. All of the issues that go with above ground vessels will come with these spas and more. Typically, the swim spa pump is a 4-5 horsepower pump that, when working, works great. When it needs replaced, it is a fortune and a bit tough to find as most in that horsepower are 2-3 inch suction. The swim spa pump is usually 4" and that is not available at the local Leslies....

I built my inground with (3) 2HP Whisperflos and it moves a ton of water. 6HP in an area of about 12 sq inches. Treat it like a car. If you're comfortable with spending the $ while knowing it's lost a lot of value as soon as you leave the lot, then you should have no regrets.

The expensive model endless pool is run on hydraulic hoses that drive the paddle wheel and are really whats needed if you are a strong competitive swimmer.
The high end Badu system with 3 jets adds about 6-7k to a job depending on how long a run you have from pump to jets. This is the one repair guy is referring to.
Most dealers will arrange a test if you insist as a condition of buying from them.

In hind sight we did not need the boster pump or the Hayward phantom...not at all. The water stays crystal clean and we only have to use this very simple Polaris Pool Systems Pro Spa Wand to keep the spiders out (see it hiding in corner of last picture).

One important aspect to our pool is that it is really a pool as it is 6 feet deep end-to-end with a little seat at the step end. There is lots of room to swim for 2 people with kids with or without the Badu on. As to the Badu, it was not as big a deal to install as I had thought (or feared) and it intergrated into my remote Jandy PDA hand-held controler without issue. My pump is about 12 feet away outside the window also now enclosed. A small pool to enjoy daily is very doable...it just takes tons of personal research and planning. I wish you wellness and fun in your venture. If I can help just ask. So many here did the same for me. ;o) I'm off to swim now.

That's a nice little set up. There's that beast of a pump too.

Thank-you. The larger pump is the Jandy not the Badu...it surprised me also how small the Badu pump is. While the 4" inch PVC lines were more difficult to install, only because of the large 4" butterfly cut-off values, the little pump has been a wonderful system and a fab performance. We can turn the two jets in multipal directions left-right and up-down, as well as regulate the amount of air-flow intake to make it as hard or not as we want to swim....it's sincerely wonderful and amazing.

I just wanted to give another endorsement to Viking Hydrozone. We are rebuilding our home after losing our original house to Hurricane Katrina. We wanted a pool that would be built up off of the ground, at our first floor level (12 ft above grade). We got the 5ft deep Hydrozone (#E) and are very, very happy with the size. We also have the Badu package and a 4 function remote control that operates the heater, lights, cascade, etc. I will post photos once the cascade is tiled. The pool guy got everything started up today for the first time. We expect to move in in about 2 weeks.

Auburn Girl
I love your sunroom and swim spa. I live in Western NC and am hoping to build a sunroom and spa some time. Did you follow a plan for the sunroom or was it build for you? What about the pool?
Thanks

Very nice indoor pool.

I was going to add a Riverflow systems current generator to mine but my builder was against it. I also looked closely at the endless pools "niche system". In the end, it came time to excavate and I did not install any current/swim system. Now I am going with the portable battery powered system and see how much I use it. My pool lays out great for this. I have since met a custom pool builder here in Houston who specialized in these types of pools. He was very knowledgeable but I'm going try it out before I go and spend the bucks to remodel and install it.

I say get it.....

I read the first post and wanted to let everyone know that Endless Pools does make a 1 piece portable swim spa along with a steel panel vinyl pool. It is not a paddlewheel but a hydraulically powered 16" horizontally mounted propeller. There are 52 different speed settings, via remote control, so it is definitely gentle enough for a novice swimmer but more than strong enough for competitive athletes. Top speed in a Fastlane/Endless Pool creates a current consistent with a 58 second 100yd pace.

Just wanted to share so the OP knows that there are other vessel options with Endless Pools.

I've had an EP for several years in my basement. I've also got a conventional spa. Even though my wife likes to keep the EP warmer than most exercise swimmers, it's well below where I like to keep the spa.

Auburn girl, what a fantastic sunroom and spa. I am thinking of doing a pool/swim spa and am thinking about enclosing it. Were there particular resources you found helpful? What did you use as flooring?

Thanks for posting the pictures, very inspiring!

somewhathopeful

Been looking at the Swim Spa by Endless Pools for a couple of years now. Whenever I get the cash, I will definitely go this direction. I would put it on a concrete backyard deck, but would have to lift it over a 4 foot iron fence to get into my yard. Great thread, hope more owners add to it...helpful to know all the pros and cons.

I have installed and swam in almost every brand of manufactured swim spa and endless pool and even a few custom swim spas. As a pool installer I have comments about each brand but just be sure to consider:

total cost
installation requirements cost
thermal efficiency (very important for year round use)
length of time product has existed
repair options should there be a problem

A swim spa is not something to cheap out on and the entry level models that I have installed were almost scary to fill. The amount of outwards pressure on these (especially above ground units) is amazing and I have seen more than a few require total replacement from the walls bowing, bending or failing.

As a contractor there is too much risk for these high risk and relatively new products for me since most can not be repaired if they suffer a structural failing. I now endorse the concept of building a custom swim spa using concrete instead of pre-fab fiberglass units and defer customers from buying pre made swim spas but that is just my personal experience in this industry. You have less limitations of desin, the price is not too much different and the quality is worlds higher.

Though a custom built swim spa is more expensive than a pre-fab model there is also no huge delivery and installation charges and should the tub need repair then there are many repair options available.

Here is a link that might be useful: Custom spas

I am trying to find a swim spa that I can afford within my budget that I can use for true swimming and therapy seats. I am a former competitive swimmer, so I want something to truly give me exercise. I have had a recent back problem, so this is being done on a true budget. There are so many options available. What is best type of current? I need someone to deliver and install. Help?

Dotham955, did you find your swim spa? Congratulations if you did!! What brand & size?

I learned a lot about swim spas and hot tubs following the comments on hot tub university. This year with the pandemic is certainly not the year I can afford a swim spa, with buyers outnumbering sellers and prices being bidded up everywhere. The local dealer quoted me an estimate of $20,000 for the spa and $10,000 for the installation including the crane, 4-6 inch cement pad and electrical upgrade. However, I also need to keep in mind the maintenance and know ahead that hot tub and swim spas only last 10 years.

Hey ML Ng,

What other resources did you use to find unbiased reviews of swim spas? Did you decide on a swim spa? What did you get and why? Thanks for any help or advice you can give me.

After following comments on Hot Tub Universty (which i thought was the best site explaining spa technical details, reading online reviews, talking with my neighbor’s pool maintenance guys, I decided on Master Spas. Btw, Michael Phelps has his own spa product line manfactured by Maśter Spas. Since I am not a swim fanatic, i decided the regular Master Spa was good enough for my needs. i even met a recommended swim spa contractor whom I liked, and was ready to work with him. However when he sent his proposal, i did not like his cut corners electrical upgrade proposal, and proposed to do the electrical box upgrade separately, but he declined, giving me time to re-assess this project, and line up positives against negatives. Meanwhile the city pools re-opened and i was swimming my laps again. While the main positive is obviously having your own swim spa in your backyard, the biggest negatives were stacking up:

- The ugly big tank sticking out and up in your yard on a large cement pad (submerging it halfway in a “vault” is not only expensive but complicates access for inevitable maintenance).

- Further, I hated the additional ugliness of the plastic cover. Wood covers are heavy and expensive, with mechanical openers tripling the cost. The negatives kept getting problematic even if one could afford it all.

- Ultimate issue that prevented me from continuing this project was the California’s water shortage and mandatory rationing, while the spa maintenance required the water changed every 6 months!

Better luck to you! Let us know what you decide!

We are looking at the Hydropool 14AX. Anyone with experience (or have heard from others) able to chime in on this unit? I'm worried these will only last 10-15 years and will need to be completely replaced. We plan to put this below a deck area so not something we can just swap with a new one very easily in the future. Guessing they won't last nearly as long as a small pool with a pump system to swim against. We love the jacuzzi features of the swim spa though. We aren't big swimmers but plan to swim in it from time to time.