This is going to be a long question, so bear with me.
Long time lurker, finally signed up the other day and thought id use my new found powers to get a little advice from you guys about my situation.
My nearest pool is over an hours drive away, I live in the middle of nowhere with no open water swimming opportunities anywhere near by. However, i would love to be able to train on a daily basis.
I don’t have the room for a swimmable sized pool in my home, but I’ve figured out I do have enough room for a swim spa. As expected while browsing around the manufacturer's websites I have been told that swim spas are the best thing ever since the invention of water and that they feel just like swimming, they are the best way to train, blah blah blah. They would say that though wouldn’t they…
So I am turning to you guys for guidance. I imagine at least some of you have tried a swim spa at one point or another. I have a few individual questions that I would appreciate some feedback on.
1. My first question is how much do swim spas cost? I don’t know why but it’s just seemingly impossible for any of these manufacturers to give a damn price list. I'm guessing it’s so they can negotiate down from a ridiculous starting price to maximize their profit (but I don’t know)? I have heard cost estimates ranging from $10,000 USD through to $50,000 (with everything in between). I’d be looking to get one of the cheapest swim spas available that does the job properly.
2. How much does it cost to run a swim spa? These things look like they use a huge amount of electricity when in use, which can’t be good for my electricity bill. Are swim spas more expensive to run than a hot tub? If so, how much more expensive?
3. What does it feel like to swim in a swim spa? Is it a similar sensation to swimming naturally? I can’t imagine that it’s exactly the same, but is it even comparable to normal pool swimming? I’ve heard that the jets can be quite close to the swimmers head in most models and that this ruins the experience making it feel like you are swimming in a “swimming machine” instead of being in a pool.
4. How reliable are swim spas? I don’t want to end up paying a bunch of money all the time to get this thing fixed every year. Can they withstand cold temperatures outside in the winter for prolonged periods?
5. Finally, I guess my final question is do you have any suggestions for brands I should be looking at? All the manufacturer's websites look glossy and beautiful, they all claim to be the best. Which brands should I be looking at for a quality product that is going to give the most authentic (and reliable) experience?
TLDR: No room for pool, possibly want a swim spa.
· How much do swim spas cost?
· How much do they cost to run?
· Does it feel natural while swimming?
· Are they reliable?
· Have any brand recommendations?
