They don’t make them like they used to, can be said about pretty much any manufactured good nowadays. Whether it is jeans, tools, cars, or even furniture, our throw-away economy has ebbed too far one way. So I think it’s time, the pool industry flows the other way, let’s bring back quality equipment from ‘back in the daY’.
People have been installing pools for relaxation for thousands of years. In those eons, there have been plenty of bad products that have fallen to the wayside, and rightfully so. But I think it is time we bring back some of the oldie but goody pool equipment from yesteryear.
- Jandy Ray Vac
- Muskin Pools
- Replaceable Pool Light Bulbs
- Ability to Choose
Jandy Ray Vac, formerly Waterpik Ray-Vac
If you don’t know, then you better ask somebody. And by somebody, Ii mean the fervent fans of the Jandy Ray Vac. In full disclosure: I have never actually used or even seen this cleaner in real life. But for my entire time in pool customer service, there wasn’t a month that went by without somebody calling to find parts for their 10-year-old Ray Vac pool cleaner. Mind you, the Ray Vac had been virtually discontinued by the time I started in 2011.
After some research, I understand why Jandy discontinued the Ray Vac; it was a complicated design. The cleaner has two different clear head designs (Gunite or Vinyl/Fiberglass), requiring their own parts schematic, as well as schematics for the Ray Vac hose Assembly, Ray Vac Energy Filter, and the Ray Vac accessories.
This plucky pressure pool cleaner had a unique manta ray motif, with its devil-ray design being heightened by the wagging sweep tail attachment. The RayVac’s pressure cleaner competition, like the Polaris 280, Kreepy Krauly, and the Letro Legend, are still puttering away on a pool floor near you.
What Could Replace It?
Among the pack of current competition to replace the Ray Vac, the Polaris 280 is my choice. The 280 pool cleaner has the right mix of reliability, efficiency, and cost that the others lack. For example, 280 has more venturi power than the 180, but it doesn’t have the design complexity that hinder the Polaris 360, 380, or the 480. The Polari 280 is more common model than the Letro Legend series, which makes their replacement pool cleaner parts more likely to be available locally or online pool parts dealers.
Muskin Pools
A slight correction, when I say Muskin Pools, a brand of above ground pools sold by Sears, I’m referring to a classic class of above-ground pools. This category of oldie but goodie above ground pools… should also include the names of such beloved above ground pool, and weirdly enough, Olympic Swimmers turned movie stars, of Johnny Weissmuller, Esther Williams, and Buster Crabbe pools.
Muskin pools and most of the others mentioned above were especially durable due to being constructed with galvanized steel and aluminum parts. The aluminum parts made them rust resistant, preventing the above ground pool’s archnemesis, ‘The Elements’ from wreaking havoc. That longevity cause the pools to last longer than the brands did; which makes them a perfect candidate for this list.
What can replace your Muskin Pool?
Your best choice for replacing a Muskin, Johnny Weismueller, Esther Williams, or Buster Crabbe brand pool would be to install a resin above ground pool. Resin pool components are made of a dense and durable plastic resin that makes them impervious to the rusting that kills most steel above ground pools.
Replaceable Pool Light Bulbs
Replaceable pool and spa light bulbs – The issue is less about the LED vs incandescent argument, and more about intentional design choices by the manufacturers. The old style screw-in bulb pool light fixtures were designed to be easily maintainable. Those halogen or flood lamp-style bulbs last a few thousand hours, at best. The weakness means pool light manufacturers made it so a user or a professional could open, replace, and reinstall the light when needed. The good old days…
But in swept LED pool light replacement bulbs, and Whole LED Pool Light fixtures.
Bring Back Choice
This pick is about a growing genre of pool equipment that manufacturers are using to favor their bottom lines, instead of their customers. Trade-Grade, Expert Line, Professional grade…..
This pick is a little different than the others; this refers to a whole group of products not referred to as “Trade Grade.” But Trade Grade is a class of products marked by the manufacturer as only available through brick-and-mortar stores. A lot of these products used to be readily available through online dealers like INYOPools.com, but in 2019 or so, Jandy (now fluidra) brought in
“Bring back choice”…. Customer used to be able to browse the full selection of a brand but now that every mfgr has a “trade grade” program, they’ve made it so most of their bigher-end new goods are only available from local stores, allowing prices to be higher due to lack of competition?
Don’t mind me and my soapbox; I’m just an shaking my fist at passing clouds. But, if you think I missed some old school cool pool from yesteryear, feel free to add them in the comments below.
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