iPool 2 Resistance Swimming Pool, Blue

Second year, doing okay! I hate the ladder, and the bungie cord broke this year, but I expect that is a part that should be replaced regularly. Too much waves for doing water in motion for this little pool, but other exercises are fine.

I've had my Ipool-2 set up for about 2 weeks now, use it nearly every day. I ordered mine directly from Fitmax in Camarillo on a Wednesday, they shipped it Thursday, and Fedex delivered it Friday. My girlfriend and I set it up on Saturday in about 2 and a half hours. We've been using it since then. I had a very slight leak from the lower of the two fittings where the filter/pump connects but some silicone tape took care of that. I suppose I could have sent the whole thing back for a warranty replacement but it hardly seemed worth the effort. Lawrence at Fitmax has promised to send me a new fitting so the first time I drain the pool to change the water I'll change that fitting as well. I may want to change them both to larger ones anyway as I've bought a saltwater/sand filter setup to replace the pump/filter that came with the Ipool-2 and I think it uses larger hoses. I'll review that system after I install it - right now it's been running 90F or higher here and all I want to do with the pool is swim in it or just hang out in it with a cool drink.Swimming with the harness system is every bit as good a workout as swimming laps in a longer pool, and no more boring. After the harness is adjusted for proper fit and the right amount of resistance it is not objectionable at all. I prefer to swim in the ocean but that requires packing up and riding to a beach, parking, changing, etc. so it takes a couple of hours to get in a half hour swim. With the Ipool-2 in the backyard a half hour swim just takes about a half hour. I won't ride to the beach and swim nearly every day but I will get in the pool nearly every day - so far at least.I stumbled on the Ipool while researching stationary pools with motors like the Endless Pools and the Swimex. After I saw the prices of those I thought that swimming at home would remain a fantasy. Then I found the Ipool and decided to give it a try - I'm glad I did. I look forward to getting a lot of use out this purchase.Update April 2013I added a solar cover and a solar heater to the Ipool 2 to extend the swimming season - both are available on Amazon, the heater is the Game 4512, the cover is from Fitmax I think. I just installed the Game 4512 on the ground next to the Ipool, had to buy a couple of extra hoses to hook it up. It does help but as of now I've only been able to use the pool once this spring when it got up to 68F for a day. A few days of cooler weather and the water is back down to 60F. I plan to put the solar collector up on the roof so it can get full sun for more hours of the day but to do that I have to shut the inlet and outlet connections so I can rearrange the hoses. The connections supplied can only be closed by pressing plastic caps in place from the inside. So it's a bit of a Catch 22 right now - once the water is warmer I'll be able to get in and shut the caps and then I'll be able to move the solar collector to a better spot to make the pool warmer.Another item I have found to be very helpful is a "leaf net" to put on over the solar pool cover. These are available in various places online for not much money - I think I paid a little over $20. The one that is sized for a 12 foot circular pool fits fine and makes it much easier to get the leaves off the pool. So the daily procedure is: roll up the leaf net and shake the leaves off it, set aside; then roll up the solar cover and set aside; then use the skimmer net to get any errant leaves off the surface, then get out the vacuum (also from Amazon, works fine so far - "Water Tech Pool Blaster Max") and vacuum what little debris has managed to sink to the bottom. Sounds like more work than it is - might take 5 minutes, maybe 10 if it hasn't been done for a week or more.I noticed on the Fitmax site that the original Ipool has a better ladder setup than the one that comes with the Ipool 2. The original Ipool is not as deep so the ladder designed for it won't work with the Ipool 2. I emailed Lawrence at Fitmax and asked him if it would work and he said no but they do have a new one in the works, expected to be available sometime this year. The problem with the supplied ladder is that it must be more or less permanently set up in the pool so it always takes up some room. I put it in one corner and it's not a big deal to avoid it when swimming but it would be better if it folded up and out of the way like the one for the original Ipool.I am still quite pleased with this product and plan to continue using it for a long time. As my lot is on a canyon it would cost a fortune to put in an inground pool (a friend was getting bids for a pool on a canyon and they started at well over $100,000) and the yard isn't big enough for a bigger aboveground pool - and this one is just the right size for swimming as exercise - a bigger pool wouldn't really work any better for swimming in place.Update September 2014Still using the pool nearly every day. I've added an Intex sand filter with saltwater chlorine generation included (Intex 1600 GPH Krystal Clear Sand Filter & Saltwater System) and the maintenance is now nearly nothing. Check the chlorine once a week or so and vacuum with the electric vac I also bought from Amazon ( Water Tech Pool Blaster Max). I also added another solar collector (Eco Saver 20-Foot Solar Heating Panel System) and run the two solar collectors in series on my roof. I plumbed the whole thing with 1.5" PVC pipe and Intex hoses. Today the pool was almost too hot because of the heat wave we are having right now in So. Cal. (103F high for today) so even with the solar collectors bypassed the pool got up to 90F. I did add the Fitmax umbrella which helps with direct solar heating. Next I think I'll add a Hayward heat pump and replace the Intex filter/saltwater system as it's starting to make odd noises (after about 2 years). The heat pump and a new filter/pump will cost more than the Ipool did but as we use the pool almost daily I think it will be worth the investment to be able to use the pool year round.Uodate June 2016About 4 years with the Ipool 2 now - we're still using it a lot, enough that I'm starting to think maybe it would be worthwhile to get an in-gound pool of about the same size installed. The Ipool has started to rust, not enough to worry about it collapsing but it looks bad. I did install the Hayward heat pump and it was well worth the $$ and effort. It allows near year round use of the pool, although getting out into cold air is still a little uncomfortable - fortunately it's only about 20 feet from the pool to the hot tub. I had an Ipool umbrella over the pool for the last two summers to prevent the water from getting too hot and to provide relief from the Southern California sun, just ordered a new umbrella as the first one disintegrated after 2 seasons. Hint - Lawrence sells through the auction site at prices that are a few dollars less than the prices on his own site. I'm still pleased with this purchase and even if I do get an in-ground pool built the experience with the Ipool has helped me learn that yes we will continue to use a pool and no it's not that much trouble or expense to maintain it.Update June 2017Well the frame got rusty enough that I no longer trusted it. When I took the pool down some of the frame pieces came apart in my hands, mainly the corner pieces. The liner was getting kind of untrustworthy looking too. I looked into getting a real pool installed ($50k and up - nope not happening). I looked at several swim spas, tried out a few, didn't like swimming in them. I found that my legs would sink when I swam against the current, something that does not happen when I swim in open water or at the "Y" or in the Ipool so I don't think it's my technique. The swim spas were in the $20k range, again not happening anyway. So I've just ordered an Ipool 3. If it lasts 5 years like the Ipool 2 did I'll be satisfied with it. I did look into just replacing the frame and the liner and going that route would have saved a few dollars - I have replaced the original pump with a bigger one with a sand filter and I've added a heat pump and that stuff is still usable, as is the ladder. I also added a Saltron chlorine generator and that's still good also. But buying the new pool package will get me the new stainless steel ladder which looks like it may not take up as much space in the pool so went ahead and ordered the whole package. BTW the Fitmax site currently has a $200 coupon.Update June 2018All is (almost) well. The ladder is rusting in a few spots - maybe it doesn't like salt water? The Ipool itself is doing fine. As noted above this is my second Ipool 2, first one rusted away after about 5 years. Even with a 5 year lifespan this is still a good investment for me - gets a lot of use and I get exercise I wouldn't otherwise get - the public pools around here are always super crowded and I won't drive to the beach every day.Update April 2019The ladder developed cracks in the stainless tubing and at the welds where the steps join the tubing. I contacted Lawrence at Fitmax on a Sunday, he requested photos of the problem and after I sent photos he sent me a new ladder which arrived on Tuesday - no excuses, no stalling, no charge. Would be nice if other businesses ran this way -

the IPOOL 2 is the best way to swim train at a reasonable cost. It is easily set up and for the money you can not beat it. Mr Chang is always attentive and he has personally handled all my accessory needs. I am a masters age group triathlete in south florida and do not hesitate praise the company and quality of the product. The extra cost of bringing in dedicated line for the heater was well worth it JWJ

I bought the iPool after assemble I noticed my pool had a small leak. I called company and they replaced it immediately. They also upgraded the filter. Excellent customer care.It is very easy to set it up The maintenance is really fast because the pool is small.I love my ipool and I look forward to swim every morning.