Hot Spring Tri-X | Next-Gen Highlife Spa Filter

• No-pleat, multi-channel design — maximizes water exposure and debris penetration
• Preserves jet power — maintains powerful flow so jets stay strong as the filter works
• Reduces system strain — less restriction means easier work for your pump and heater
• Chlorine-resistant construction — polypropylene shell resists brittleness and breakdown
• Multi-dimensional felt media — proprietary high-performance felt traps dirt more efficiently
• Rinse-and-reuse simplicity — backflush through the core and rinse; no pleats to clean

Conventional spa filters fold their media into pleats to pack more surface area into the cartridge. It works — but debris collects in the folds, and as those folds load up, water has a harder time getting through. The new Tri-X takes a different path entirely with a no-pleat, multi-channel structure that maximizes water exposure and debris penetration, letting contaminants move into the media rather than caking on a pleated surface.

That's what protects your flow. Because the filter keeps passing water freely as it captures debris, you get strong, steady jet performance throughout its service life and less strain on the spa's system. The media itself is a proprietary multi-dimensional felt chosen for high-performance capture, housed in a chlorine-resistant polypropylene shell engineered for longevity — resisting the brittleness and breakdown that shorten the life of traditional filters.

It also works hand in hand with Hot Spring's water care systems, including the FreshWater® Salt System, trapping dirt and contaminants before they affect water quality. Combined with Hot Spring's 100% No-Bypass Filtration — where every drop of water is filtered every time it circulates — the result is industry-leading clarity with minimal effort.

Pro Tip: Watch your jet pressure as a maintenance signal. With traditional pleated filters, weakening jets are usually the first sign the media is loading up. The Tri-X's multi-channel design is specifically engineered to hold flow steady for longer — so if you do notice pressure dropping off, it's a clear cue that a backflush and rinse is due.

Installation

1. Turn off power to the spa at the breaker before servicing the filter compartment.
2. Open the filter lid and clear any debris from the compartment.
3. Remove the existing cartridge, noting its orientation and how many your spa uses.
4. Seat the new Tri-X squarely in the filter well, fully seated top and bottom.
5. If your spa uses more than one filter, replace the full set at the same time so they perform evenly.
6. Close the lid, restore power, and run the circulation to confirm normal flow.

Cleaning — Simplified

1. Backflush through the core. Direct water through the center of the filter to push trapped debris back out the way it came in.
2. Rinse the exterior until the water runs clear.
3. Return it to service. No pleats to work through, and no special technique required — the high-performance felt traps dirt efficiently and keeps water clear longer between cleanings.

Follow the cleaning frequency in your owner's manual, and use a filter cleaner as directed for periodic deep cleaning.

Pro Tip: Backflush first, then rinse the outside — the order matters. Pushing water out through the core lifts trapped debris back out of the media instead of driving it deeper, which is exactly what a pleated filter can't do. Rinsing the exterior first just pushes contaminants further in. Core first, outside second, and the filter comes back genuinely clean.

• Brand: Hot Spring (Watkins Wellness)
• Product Type: Next-generation replacement spa filter
• Status: Patent-pending design
• Media Design: No-pleat, multi-channel structure
• Media: Proprietary multi-dimensional felt
• Shell: Chlorine-resistant polypropylene
• Performance: Maximizes water exposure and debris penetration while maintaining powerful flow
• Benefits: Cleaner, clearer water with minimal maintenance; preserves jet power; reduces system strain
• Durability: Resists the brittleness and breakdown that wear out traditional pleated filters
• Cleaning: Backflush through the core, then rinse — rinse-and-reuse design, no pleats
• Fits: Hot Spring Highlife Collection — exclusive to this collection
• Factory Fitment: Ships in all 2026 Highlife Collection models (production began October 1, 2025)
• Backward Compatible: Fits Highlife Collection spas using the previous Tri-X filter (in market since 2004)
• Works With: Hot Spring water care systems, including the FreshWater Salt System; supports 100% No-Bypass Filtration
• Origin: Factory-original OEM part from Watkins Wellness
• Shipping: Standard ground; not classified as a hazardous material

The new Tri-X filter is designed exclusively for the Hot Spring Highlife® Collection. It ships in all 2026 Highlife Collection models, which entered production on October 1, 2025.

Just as importantly, it's backward compatible with Highlife Collection spas that use the previous-generation Tri-X filter — the version that has been in market since 2004. If your Highlife spa currently runs a Tri-X cartridge, this next-generation filter is a direct upgrade path. It is not intended for Limelight®, Hot Spot®, or other collections, which use their own model-specific cartridges. If you're unsure what your spa takes, check your owner's manual or pull your current filter and read the part number printed on it.