First Above Ground: Need Advice

[suzyabbott]

You can go somewhere in between. We started with a 9x18 intex ultraframe and it was great for about 2 years. You suddenly will find that it quickly fills up with friends and neighbors! We looked at the higher end pools (doughboy, etc.) but we wanted something in between, reasonably priced but to fit more people. We went with a sharkline matrix from poolsupplyworld.com and had it installed in October. it's now open and crystal clear. We're using salt water but if you're using another method you may not need the resin. (the resin rails gouge EASILY).

Good luck!!

[CarlD]

Dannyboy, it sounds like you need to figure out what you're going to do with the pool. I've had a 15' round Intex and now have a 40' long pool you can do laps in (and I do). So I've been at both ends of the spectrum.

So...who is going to use the pool, and how? If all you want to do is relax in floating lounge chair listening to a ball game or your favorite music, I can tell you it fell just as good in my Intex as it does in my FantaSea.
Are you going to entertain grandkids? Then maybe a bigger pool is in order (though Intex Donuts go up to 18' rounds...and other brands go bigger!) Other adults, including seniors? Then something with a deck would be good.
Water therapy? Exercise? Laps? Just cooling off?

All this goes into the decision mix.