Intex Ultra XTR Pool Review

With regard to Intex pools, their Prism Frame range is a definite – but incremental – step up from the older Metal Frame line.

The Ultra XTR series is, however, a game-changer.

The clearest indication of this is that Ultra XTR pools come with a 2-year warranty. This is compared to 1 year for the Prism series, 90 days for Metal Frame products, and only a 30-day return window for the Easy Pool Set range.

Quality Upgrades

It’s not too difficult to see why the manufacturer has such faith in their Ultra XTR line. To begin with, these pools’ structures lock into place in a way that’s sturdy, durable, and requires no tools or mechanical skill. Intex Metal Frame pools force you to fiddle with plastic locking pins which like nothing better than to jump out of their holes (or break).

The Prism range and Bestway’s Power Steel pool sets do better, with pipes that fit into T-pieces fairly well, but their frames can still fall apart during assembly or filling if put together carelessly. With an Ultra XTR pool, by contrast, there’s no uncertainty: just push each pipe into its fitting until you hear a click. To remove it, just press the plastic push button until it releases.

The pipes themselves have been upgraded, too, with a high-quality powder coating outside as well as on the inner surface. Pool frames tend to trap moisture in their interiors and rust from the inside out, so this is a pretty big deal.

More importantly, as the frame of any above-ground pool can generally be expected to outlast the plastic parts, the Ultra XTR’s liner is supposed to be 50% more resistant to ordinary wear and tear, including that caused by sunlight.

You may still have to patch the occasional leak, but that very attractive 2-year warranty extends to the largest, most vulnerable, and arguably most important component of any above-ground pool.

Available from XL to XXXL

The price you have to pay for this superior Intex product is, unsurprisingly, a large amount of money. You do get something extra for this cash, though. With such a sturdy frame, these pools can be slightly deeper and larger than most. For the round pool, size options range from 16 feet by 48 inch, to 24 feet by 52 inch. The rectangular pool sets are all 52 inches deep and range from 18 feet by 9 feet, all the way to 32 feet by 16 feet. That’s huge!

Practically speaking, you can’t fill your pool to the very brim, so a pool 52 inches high will be about 45″ deep.

Accessories Included

More significantly from a maintenance perspective, the Intex Ultra XTR comes with a sand filter instead of one using replaceable cartridges. The filter pump is adequate, but you will probably want to get a surface skimmer and, as with all pools, keep a close eye on your water chemistry.

Maintaining a pool will always be a bear, but at least it’s slightly less demanding if you don’t have to be at home and remember to switch it on and off every day, which the pump’s built-in timer will do for you.

Should you prefer, you can also can convert this pool to a salt water system with a minimum of hassle – depending on your ordering choices, this may come as a standard feature. Unless you replace the hose port on the pool wall, this will not affect its aerating function (which improves water quality and filtration efficiency).

All Ultra XTR models come with a groundsheet, pool cover, and ladder. The cover is kind of difficult to put on and gets blown off by the wind on occasion, so you may want to get something better at keeping leaves and dust from fouling your water, as well as at least a hundred pounds of pool filter sand at your local hardware or pool supply store when you order this. If your chosen surface is anything other than smooth, an additional groundsheet isn’t a bad idea either.

Assembly: Challenging But Doable

Don’t count on putting up this pool in only one hour – three seems more reasonable, and that’s without preparing the ground.

You’ll need at least one person to help, even if that person is seven years old and wears pigtails. Here’s a timelapse video of a couple setting up the Ultra XTR:

Slotting in the final piece of the frame does require some strength. If you don’t feel up to the task, perhaps you can ask a burly neighbor who’ll be happy to help in exchange for letting his kids splash around in your pool once in a while. He may also be willing to lend you a hand truck, which you’ll need just to move the box this pool set comes in. It helps to leave the liner lying in the sun for a few hours, as the vinyl fabric stretches slightly when warm.

The sides, including the steel supports, remain saggy and wobbly unless the pool is filled at least two-thirds of the way, which is necessary to reach the hose connections for the filter in any case. Someone in need of a shallower pool, perhaps for young children’s safety, should look elsewhere.

Also make sure that you smooth out any wrinkles as you go and before the pool is filled, as this becomes impossible once the weight of the water weighs it down. A plunger is useful for gripping the smooth plastic surface. As this pool can be a semi-permanent installation, you may want to take special care in preparing your site: level it using sand, place plywood or a cushioned pad on top of that, and finally throw a groundsheet over the spot your pool will occupy.

You can also use pavers, cinderblocks or something similar to support the legs and keep them from sinking into the ground. The supplied plastic feet do help, but will start burying themselves in soft soil as the months go by. While you’re at it, you could do the same to support the ladder, which is reasonably sturdy but also possible to overbalance if you’re not careful

A Long Story Short

The impressive range of sizes the Intex Ultra XTR comes in may tempt you into getting the largest model you can afford. Just keep in mind that the dimensions for the rectangular versions are for the pool base; the frame extends a short distance beyond that.

As this pool is pretty resistant to the elements and you will probably go to some lengths to prepare a footing for it, it’s nice that you can leave it up year-round. As an additional plus, its gray color is a little less garish than bright blue.

It’s also your choice whether to collapse it for storage during winter or simply let it be: draining, drying, folding, and putting it in the garage will be better for the liner, but many people leave it erected and covered even in freezing temperature without any problems. In terms of durability, an Ultra XTR can obviously not compete with a concrete, in-ground pool, but holds up well and costs a whole lot less.