Clip Problem, Solved

When Logan Dowson owned a hot tub dealership, he regularly heard the same complaints: broken rear cover clips and the hassle of reaching behind the spa to use them.

“Every spa tech has seen the bungee cord, the patio chair on top of the cover or even the large yellow ratchet straps on a nice-looking spa to hold the spa covers down,” he jokes.

Dowson saw an opportunity to fix it.

“The inspiration came from a long buildup of seeing the same problem over and over,” Dowson says. “I knew it was time to create a good quality fix.”

He developed the EZ Cover Clip, designed and manufactured in the United States. From the start, Dowson focused on three goals: eliminating the rear clip hassle, simplifying installation and improving both appearance and function.

“After some research and development testing and a couple design changes, we [achieved] those goals,” he says.

Once installed, the EZ Cover Clip requires little to no ongoing interaction from the user. 

The top of the EZ Cover Clip attaches to the preexisting loop on the spa cover, while the bottom is screwed into the panel with four screws for the standard model and six screws for the pro model. Installation takes five minutes or less.

Beyond convenience, the clips also improve safety and maintenance. When rear clips break or go unused, covers can lift in the wind, letting in debris and causing water loss or even freeze damage in colder climates.

“Hot tubs and swim spas easily range from $10,000 to $40,000, yet they still have the cheapest clips possible being sold as a standard product on the cover,” Dowson says. “Could you imagine buying a new vehicle and having to replace your door handles constantly? It would get frustrating quickly and make consumers question the overall product.”

Dowson says the product appeals to a range of spa owners, particularly those who have dealt with broken or inconvenient factory clips. 

Retailers are already seeing strong demand, with many placing repeat orders. So far, the product is in 20 states, and the company is working to expand into Canada.

Many of the product’s authorized retailers are selling them directly on the hot tubs, noting that they make a great add-on sale, with more profit available to retailers who offer to install them for their customers.

Retailers can also merchandise the clips at the point of sale or demonstrate installation in-store, helping customers quickly understand both the problem and the solution.

Jim Kane, owner of K2 Spas and Sports in Billings, Montana, is one retailer who has found value in EZ Cover Clips.

“Customers with existing spas appreciate that we offer a more permanent solution than just selling them another set of clips,” he says. “I have found EZ Cover Clips to be a viable and simple solution. And they sure look better than rocks, bricks and old bungee cords used to hold down broken clip covers by many homeowners.”

What Kane sees in these new clip extensions, he adds, is a better way for customers to provide easy access to their spa that also affords safe protection from unwanted guests, wind damage and heat loss by holding the cover tight to the spa.

For retailers, the product fills a familiar gap — offering a simple, practical solution to a problem many spa owners have experienced.