iGarden is selling a battery-powered swim current system that tries to solve the obvious problem with backyard pools: most are fine for floating and terrible for actual lap training. In a WIRED review, contributor Christopher Null found the Swim Jet X Pro 10 can make a small pool usable for sustained swimming, though buyers have to accept a $3,599 price tag and hardware that is neither small nor light.
The device works by pushing water through a submerged pump so a swimmer can stay roughly in place against the current. According to WIRED, the jet unit can move up to 1,100 gallons per minute. That is the useful bit: instead of needing a long lane, the swimmer gets resistance from moving water.
The system comes as two main pieces. Null reported that the jet unit weighs 31 pounds and sits at the pool edge, while the separate X Pro 10 battery pack weighs 26 pounds and is rated at 60 amp-hours. iGarden says that top battery can run for as long as 10 hours, but WIRED found that figure applies to the slowest setting. In Null’s testing, level 3, the setting he found most useful for exercise, lasted about two hours.
How the current is controlled
The Swim Jet has four standard power levels, a five-minute turbo mode, and a “PF” mode that varies the speed to simulate open water, according to WIRED. A timer can shut the unit off after 15 to 90 minutes. The same controls are available through iGarden’s app over a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection, which Null found easier to use than the battery pack’s onboard controls.
Setup is mostly physical rather than technical. The pump connects to the battery with a thick cable. iGarden also includes a metal tether meant to secure the unit to a pool ladder or another fixed anchor, although Null said he could not use it in his pool and did not feel the unit was likely to slip.
The jet height changes the experience. WIRED said placing the top of the unit 2 to 4 inches below the surface produces a steadier current for swimming. Setting it at or above the waterline creates more spray and less serious resistance, which makes it better for play. Null described the bracket and knob system for adjusting height as awkward but workable.
A real workout, with caveats
WIRED’s testing centered on the below-water swim mode. Null said level 3 produced the best resistance for vigorous swimming, while level 2 could suit a less intense pace. Distance from the jet mattered: too close to the wall, the current was too strong; beyond 30 feet, it became hard to notice. The workable zone was roughly 5 to 10 feet from the unit.
Null also had his wife, described as an experienced lap swimmer, compare the workout with pool-lane swimming. Her estimate, as reported by WIRED, was that a Swim Jet session felt about 80 percent equivalent to a lap-lane workout. She said it was still somewhat easier because the swimmer is not pulling their body through distance in the same way.
WIRED rated the product 8 out of 10, praising its easy operation, useful current, long battery life on the top model, and entertainment value for kids. The knocks were equally predictable: the system is expensive, bulky, heavy, and potentially awkward to store.
The X Pro 10 sells for $3,599 from iGarden, while WIRED listed an Amazon price of $3,600 after a markdown from $4,320. Lower-capacity versions are available, including a cheapest model at $1,999 with one-quarter of the top battery capacity, according to WIRED. For swimmers with short pools and no patience for lane schedules, the machine appears to do the job. It just does it with a battery pack the size of a chore and a price that belongs to pool equipment.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
