Pool heaters? Novice needs some help choosing...

Hey folks,

this will be my second full year as a pool owner. I live in an area with short summers, that can get hot... So the heater died on us by mid-summer last year and I wasn't impressed by the heater capabiities of the solar blanket we bought. I am trying to figure out what brand/type of heater is best for our needs. I am not sure if gas is necessarily the best/only option (the old unit was a Laars gas). Our pool is 16 x 32 (Lagoon shape) so I think I will need a 200-250 K BTU.

But what about solar heating options? Is it worth the extra upfront cost?

If I stick with natural gas, what brand would you recommend? Raypacks and Hayward seem to be the most common up here. What other brands would you recommend? I don't mind spending a few hundred dollars more if it results in a longer life and more efficient, good running unit.

Thought and inout would be greatly appreciated!