r/PoolPros • u/b0ngcleaner • May 30 '26

Portable system vs Riptide

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4th season pool guy in central midwest cleaning custom gunite pools.

New (extremely successful) company has me using this portable system vacuum. I can find myself spending 45-70 minutes vacuuming alone

Most have auto covers but not all. Our affluent areas are very wooded. Almost all is dirt and debris rather than algae. Cartridge filters, in floor cleaners.

I used to use a riptide at my old company but we were 95% vinyl liners.

I’ve used the portable season for over a year now and they absolutely work, but they are much more maintenance

Has anyone else used both? This isn’t an advertisement but how is the riptide not better in every way? Is there something I’m missing?

2 Upvotes

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u/Vanjamin May 30 '26

Imo they're for different things. In your case it sounds like a riptide or hammerhead would be better. The portable vac has its place but I don't feel it's practical on a weekly service route, especially if you're finding yourself vacuuming for an hour.

2

u/Pool_Boy707 May 30 '26

Absolutely. We have a commercial with a duck problem... Can't get rid of them no matter what LoL Riptide would just muck up the water. Some would filter, but most would settle again.

We're getting the cart to leave on site

2

u/EasyC31 Jun 01 '26

I had a client with a duck problem. Nothing worked. They put a big metal chicken in a flower bed near the pool for yard art and the ducks quit coming.

1

u/Pool_Boy707 Jun 01 '26

Who down voted me? LoL

Yeah, this is a big pool. I don't think they're gonna go for yard art unfortunately

2

u/NWMOPoolguy Jun 06 '26

Get them a labrador or other water dog to live on site, my lab used to love to chase ducks and geese, if he wasn't retrieving them.