Admiral’s walk vs kayak

[Newbie in MA]

Hello, I am new to the forum and a wannabe pool owner. I am considering purchasing a premium above ground pool (I believe they’re sometimes called “on ground”) that is fairly permanent and comes with a deck and attached fencing. I’ve looked into the kayak pool and the admiral’s walk. I believe the kayak is much more expensive. I understand the forum’s rules about posts not being overly positive or negative about products, but I’m just trying to figure out if the added expense is really worth it. Does anyone have experience with either of these pools? Does the kayak truly need less maintenance because of drains and filtration system? Do the walls really keep the water warmer? Are the admiral’s walk walls really stronger?

The other issue is the customer service. I’ve been unable to find any admiral’s walk installers in my area - the only one I could find in my state is a considerable distance away. So, what would that mean if there were problems with installation, or when I need the pool serviced? (Full disclosure: I know this site is all about DIY, but neither I nor my husband are DIYers- we’ll need onsite assistance especially for the first year since we’ve never owned a pool before.) Would we be better off paying more and going with an installer that’s close by? And does the fact that there are so few admiral’s walk installers mean it’s an inferior product?

I spoke with the kayak installer last weekend and am meeting with the admiral’s walk installer this weekend, so I’ll have more information then, but in the meantime I’d love to get thoughts from real owners to help balance out the sales pitches. Thanks in advance!

 

[kimkats]

Here are the hits I got when I did a search for "Google search results" (the G button works best for our search).

I would ask about who does warranty work for both pools! That could make a BIG difference in the long run.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

If you particularly interested in pools with decking around them, I'd look into other above ground pool companies and hired a good builder for a deck.
Now admittedly I have no experience building an above ground pool, but the ones I see that come with white plastic looking decking look so much more flimsy than the ones here that folks have later built some great wooden decks around.

Always opinionated, always happy to share said opinions

Maddie

 

[Newbie in MA]

Here are the hits I got when I did a search for "Google search results" (the G button works best for our search).

I would ask about who does warranty work for both pools! That could make a BIG difference in the long run.

For the kayak, it would be the local installation company who would do all the warranty work (and they’re also close enough they could open/close the pool, too). I’ll definitely ask the admiral’s walk installer about warranty work when he visits this weekend. Thanks for the advice!

 

[Newbie in MA]

If you particularly interested in pools with decking around them, I'd look into other above ground pool companies and hired a good builder for a deck.
Now admittedly I have no experience building an above ground pool, but the ones I see that come with white plastic looking decking look so much more flimsy than the ones here that folks have later built some great wooden decks around.

Always opinionated, always happy to share said opinions

Maddie

I have been thinking of that as well, but I’ve heard wood decks will rot around a pool?Complicating matters is the fact that we currently have an existing wood deck that I’d like to replace with trex; would love to have the trex deck link up to the deck around the pool, but that might be out of my price range. I’ve also had a hard time getting pool installers to come do a backyard survey for above ground pools. Most will only visit for inground pool planning; for above ground, they sell you the kit and expect you to install it yourself. But I’ll keep a separate deck in mind - thank you!

 

[kimkats]

We have a wooden deck 3/4 of the way around our pool. Other than a couple of "bad" boards we have not had ANY problems with it. Guessing the 2 "bad" ones did not get as much pressure treating as the others.

 

[Newbie in MA]

We have a wooden deck 3/4 of the way around our pool. Other than a couple of "bad" boards we have not had ANY problems with it. Guessing the 2 "bad" ones did not get as much pressure treating as the others.

Good to know, thank you!