Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Hot tubs: worth it or just a hassle?

^THIS WITHOUT DOUBT!!!^

Save your money for something else - I regret ever getting ours!!!!

My wife wanted one from day one. 25 years after her initial request I relented. She uses it year around, 2-3 times a week[4 years now]. I use it in the cool/cold months especially after a cold morning or evening hunt. We also can and do hunt from it.
We went with a very small one that actually runs on 110 and will only hold three people max or two comfortably.
We spend 5-10 minutes a week keeping the ph balanced and a couple of hours to drain/clean 3-4 times a year.
So far, so good and she is happy.

I bought a used one for $200 several years ago, and we used it a lot. Really helped my back, and was very relaxing, not too much trouble - as has been said, a lot less than a pool. Good to get in after a trip to the woods, to get rid of chiggers. Pump went out last year, and I am not finished replacing it. Probably get that done before cool weather, especially since the above ground pool
exploded" last week, so I don't have to mess with it anymore.

We love our hot-tub and soak in it 3-5 times a week. We have a 7' which easily accommodates 5 adults so we can really stretch out and be comfortable.

Our kids, while young at this point, already have a highly developed understanding of what's allowed and more importantly *not* allowed in the hot tub so there is minimal nastiness floating about. It's nice for when the kids have sleep-overs, but it's greatest benefit is for alleviating pain in my wife's bad back. For me it's just nice to soak in after exercising and for evening de-stressing.

Our hot-tub was present in the house we bought, but is evident by it's excellent condition that it was rarely used by the previous owner (a single woman and her elderly mother). It's since been professionally cleaned/serviced so nothing gross is leftover from before.

I was not initially going to keep it since I don't much care for chemicals and was against adding another thing to my maintenance schedule and vetoed the requests to keep it. However, my Mrs. has a very effective way of persuading me so in the end we kept it.

Ultimately, I was surprised at how minimal the cost/hassle really is considering how much we enjoy it. The regular maintenance is very simple really - just use the color-coded test strips and add whatever is not in spec. I add a little chlorine powder and "alkaline boost" each time after we use it and never have a problem. About every other week I have to add some "ph booster" and some "calcium booster", but it really is very simple and the water stays nice and clear.

+1, Wifey loves hers.

Gunner

I have had one for more than 10 years and its gets used almost every night. Very easy to maintain and not very expensive for chemicals or power. 20 minute soak and I am more relaxed and I tend to sleep better.

Exactly. I have no interest in stewing in anyone else's fluids and semi-fluids.

Build a sauna instead.

We had a six-person one on the deck right outside the door coming our of our bedroom, at our present home, and it was a damned expensive and supposedly top-of-the-line one. The view is beautiful there, but it was a hassle. Wife would get yeast infections if she used it much. We tried several different kinds of chemical systems in it, some of them quite expensive, all to no avail.

After about ten years it became a maintenance PITA, and it just wasn't worth it to keep it just for me to use, so I gave the damn thing away.

Likewise..

Have had ours for 10 yrs. now and love it. Even better when you get older and aches and pains are a daily issue. We use ours 5-7 days a week and will get another when this one goes south. It is really nice when you get a chill and just want to warm up. BTW, only my wife and I use this and do not encourage any others to join us. We dump a good amount of clorhine(sp) after each use to kill any bacteria or any other unwanted bug. We don't use it for fooling around as we are shy. Our elec. bill is not high as it is a smaller hot tub and we keep the cover on unless in use. We love ours. MTG

Yup, gotta control who you let in there! That simple.

Seems like a lot of people like to loiter their privates near the jet outlets. Don't want someone pressure washering their rear-end in my water.

Sorta like the health club... need to shower before entering pool.

I suppose it depends on how hot your wife is.

Does her ass look like it's been beat with a bag of
nickles?


How would Al Bundy tackle this decision? Let that be your guide.

Hey, life is a hassle, how bad can a hot tub make your miserable life any worse?

You don't by chance have any college girls for neighbors do you,
like maybe when theyre done havin a topless pillow fight, they can frolic in your hot tub? Do you have an 18, 19 y.o. babysitter??

Think man... think.