If you’re going all-in for any long-term commitment, you’d be crazy not to try before you buy. Experience a hot tub test soak at a Parrot Bay Pools & Spas.
If you’re shopping for a car, you take a test drive. If you’re painting your house, you get little swatches and compare colors that don’t exist, like “pale daffodil” and “grasslands.” If you’re thinking of getting married, you …
You get the point.
Not all hot tubs are the same, Before you make a big commitment in both time and money, you’ll want to make sure you’re choosing the perfect tub — one that you’re going to love for years to come, like your car, your house paint and maybe even your spouse.
The only way to do that is with a test soak. That’s where you come down to the showroom and get in the spa that you plan to buy.
Schedule a test soak and bring your bathing suit and towels. Is this going to feel a bit uncomfortable for some people? Perhaps, but, but not as uncomfortable as a spa that hasn’t been tested for the following criteria:
- Spa Size: Your spa can not be too big or too small, inside or out. Test soak with your family to see how it feels and imagine how it will look on the deck or in the yard.
- Seat depth and comfort: Make sure the seats are deep enough to submerge your upper body. If you soak outdoors in chilly weather and your shoulders are exposed, you will be cold, uncomfortable and stuck wishing you had paid more attention during your test soak. Next, are the seats comfortable? Do they contain multiple levels to accommodate your kids? Some people love lounge seats and others do not. Find out for yourself.
- J-E-T-S — Jets! Jets! Jets!: Pay close attention to jet configuration. Jets, after all, put the therapy in hydrotherapy. How do they feel? How powerful are they? How do they make your muscles feel?
- Focus on the feet: It’s easy to take a test soak and think about how the spa makes every muscle feel while completely ignoring what might be the most important body part — the feet. Is the foot well roomy enough? Are there foot jets? How do they feel? Is there enough room for the whole family and all of their collective piggies?
- Noise: Hot tubs should be relaxing and soothing. Mechanical noise is neither.
- How’s the water?: Water should be clear and smooth, it should feel soft on your skin. It shouldn’t emit an odor or a chemical scent. Your skin shouldn’t be itchy, tight or irritated when you exit.