Swim Spa Forum

I am looking for a good swim spa for swimming. I live in a colder, northern state and will be putting the swim spa outside for year-round swimming, so I have not looked at Endless Pools or SwimEx.

I've swam in both the Michael Phelps XP and the Hydropools Aquatrainer Swim Spa. In my own wet tests, I thought that the Hyropools had a smoother and stronger current. This seems to be counter what I read about propeller systems making better currents.

Was there something wrong with the Michael Phelps unit I swam in? Do I have to swim in the XP Pro unit?

Looking for advice.

So you've tried both a Hydropool and a Michael Phelps.

I believe the Hydropools uses two flattened jets (Wide Stream Swim Jets) with one round jet centered below. It has a reputation for being one of the best jetted swim spas in terms of swimmability.

You also tried a Michael Phelps XP. All the Michael Phelps (and the H2X) models use an 11 inch weed-wacking propeller behind a Waterway 12 inch x 12 inch grate. I am surprised that you didn't like the current better than the Hydropools. I would definitely suggest trying the XP Pro. The XP Pro is supposed to be 40% stronger. Although the column of water is not any wider or deeper, it should be stronger.

You dismissed the Endless Pool and a SwimEx because you are installing outside, I'm not sure why this is an issue.

Endless Pools has a swim spa with similar shell construction to the Michael Phelps (i.e. single shell acrylic with composite skirting). Their standard swim spa has a much larger current (it uses a 20 inch x 16 inch grate). And their modular products (which are also installed outdoors in cold climates) have upgrades which have 24 inch x 21 inch grates powered by two 16 inch propellers.

Swimex has models with current depth ranging from 18'' to 30'' that spans the width of the pool. Their models are installed outdoors.

Since you say swimming is important to you, I would strongly suggest trying both the Endless Pool and the SwimEx.

We took delivery of our Michael Phelps swim spa three weeks ago. It has not been a good experience. The dealer just dropped the spa and left -- no technician to set up or get the spa started, no electrical diagram for the electrician, no key for the GFI box, no owners instruction manual. We made numerous calls to both the dealer and the corporate offices of Master Spa. None of our issues have been resolved. We still have a non-functioning swim spa that leaks. Not a happy experience.

I'm sorry to hear of your poor experience. Has the dealer or manufacturer done anything to rectify your problems?

I also facing pool installing issues again and again. The installer make me up set