If you’ve been looking for a budget-friendly backyard pool option, this is your sign to get a Cowboy Pool!
My husband and I own and operate an Airbnb property here in Austin, and we quickly realized that GUESTS WANT POOLS IN TEXAS! After considering an in-ground pool (and seeing the quotes…$100k +????) we opted for a Cowboy Pool for a fraction of the price.
Install took a few hours, and it immediately started an uptick in bookings.
And…purely selfishly, I love having a stock tank pool that we can use when the rental property is empty. 🙂
Just a heads up – some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a commission if you buy—thanks for supporting my small business!
What The Heck Is A Cowboy Pool?
A cowboy pool is a stock tank that’s been repurposed into a swimming pool.
Stock tanks are originally large circular galvanized tanks that are meant to hold water for livestock (cattles and such), but Cowboy Pools turned them into these cool, luxurious pools that folks can get in their backyards for just a really reasonable cost.
Cowboy Pools is a local company here in Austin. “The Honcho” is their premium design and it’s seriously the best stock tank pool in the world! It’s a hybrid creation of galvanized steel tank and thick poly liner so you can enjoy this pool for years and years. It’s pre-assembled with a high quality filter pump system and completely ready to go!
Cowboy pools come in 6, 8, and 10 foot sizes. All of the Honcho Pool packages come with that poly liner, which keeps it from rusting and provides a comfy place to sit. And you can add on a heater or chiller (now or later) if you choose.
You can save $200 off any Honcho Pool with the code “SOMUCHLIFE200”
Cowboy Pool: The Pros ✅
Everyone wants to know if cowboy pools are worth the cost. Of course you don’t want to buy something you won’t use! Here are all the reasons I’m in love with my Cowboy Pool:
Much cheaper than in-ground pools // OMG it is insaaaane how expensive it has gotten to build an in-ground pool! They cost six figures minimum (even for the tiny pools). Honcho Pool starts at $3,450, which means you’re spending 96% LESS MONEY on your pool’s cost.
No permits.
No contractors.
No digging.
Fast + Easy Setup // Cowboy Pools delivers and installs the pool. All you have to do is provide a flat surface to put it, and make sure there’s electricity nearby for the pool pump.
It’s delivered fully assembled, so it really only takes about an hour to get it up and running! Fill it up and you’re ready to go swimming.
Surprisingly Aesthetic! // No one sees the words “steel cattle trough” and thinks, “wow, sexy!” Haha. But these pools are so charming! They give all the Joshua Tree/desert vibes.
The galvanized steel + that iconic “Cowboy Pools” logo looks amazing with a deck or some turf. Or just pair it with string lights and lounge chairs and you’ve transformed your backyard into an oasis.
Low Maintenance // I’m not kidding you that all I have to do is change the chlorine tablet in the floater and add the liquid shock chlorine each week, and that’s it.
My friends who own in-ground pools start complaining about how annoying and expensive it is to keep them clean and in repair.
Smaller pool = less chlorine. Very easy to keep these things looking nice.
Kid-Friendly + Great for Hot Climates // The pool depth is so fun for kids! It’s great for my 3- and 5-year-old boys to splash around, dive for toys, and turn it into a “whirlpool” by running around.
And I truly believe that everyone in a hot state needs to own one of these! We get about 6 months of summer here in Texas, and the ability to just jump in the water at any moment is priceless.
Cowboy Pool: The Cons 👎🏻
I’ll be honest with you – there are definitely some cons to the Cowboy Pool. After all, there’s a reason why in-ground swimming pools cost six figures!
These aren’t true “swimming pools” // My 5-year-old heard we were getting a pool, and then he was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t a “cannon ball pool.” haha. (Sorry, kid! Not in the budget right now!)
A Cowboy Pool can hold 8+ people, and when I stand it’s well above my knees…but no, you’re not going to be swimming laps in this pool.
You really need the poly liner to make it comfortable // This is just a cost thing, but the “OG Cowboy Pool” which is simply a galvanized steel tank, is very uncomfortable. And it rusts.
So you have to splurge on the Honcho Pool Package to make sure you get that sleek poly liner, which protects the pool, provides comfort, and enables you to heat/cool it.
I wish you didn’t have to get it, because it adds to the cost. But as long as you’re getting a Cowboy Pool, make sure to get the entire Honcho Pool package to ensure you can use it for years and years. Worth the cost.
The maintenance can’t be skipped // Cowboy Pools aren’t maintenance free, which we realized when we accidentally skipped a week of chlorine and had our Airbnb guests message us and say, “um, why is the water murky?”
If you’re thinking of a plastic wading pool in your backyard that you fill up with the hose, dump out at the end of the day, and forget about…this isn’t that. It’s an actual pool with chlorine and a pump, and you have to stay on top of maintenance.
Side note: Cowboy Pools offers a 1X/weekly maintenance service if you’d like to outsource it.
Real Talk: What Do You Actually Get For The Price?
We purchased the 10 Foot Honcho Pool Package + Delivery and Installation. This includes:
Galvanized 10 foot stock tank pool
10 foot insulating poly liner
Pump filtration system
Chlorine floater
Skimmer net
Pool thermometer
Here’s what’s not included:
A cover (we purchased the hard cover)
Pool chemicals (you’ll just have to keep purchasing these throughout the life of the pool)
Ground leveling (DIY or you can hire someone to do that)
Heater or chiller
In all, we paid about $6,500 for our entire package. It was absolutely worth it because, again, this is located at our Airbnb, which is a business! After installing it and updating our Airbnb booking, we immediately filled up an entire month of weekend bookings, which is helping this pool pay for itself.
And again…I’m just selfishly so happy to have a Cowboy Pool that we can use on the weeknights when we have no guests at the property!
Is A Cowboy Pool Worth It For You?
I’ll tell you the truth: There are very few people who wouldn’t benefit from a Cowboy Pool in their backyard. It’s great for if you are:
-A family with young kids (hello free entertainment every day in the summer!)
-A hot climate homeowner (every Texan home needs one of these)
-Someone who doesn’t want to spend $100k+ on a permanent pool (either for the cost, or because you’re not sure that it’s a long-term investment you want to make right now)
-DIY backyard makeover fans (the cowboy pool is the perfect launch pad for getting the backyard of your dreams!)
Cowboy Pools are not for:
-People who want to do serious swimming (if you really want a lap pool, or you plan to teach swimming lessons, or you regularly want to host big groups of 20 teenagers, don’t get a Cowboy Pool!)
If you’ve been dreaming of having a backyard pool for a long time, stop thinking about it and just go order a Honcho Pool right now. Your future self is lounging in that water right now and thanking you!
Our Backyard Before + After (Photos!)
This backyard is HUGE! It has all of these giant century-old pecan trees that were just begging to shade a little Cowboy Pool.
We had Magnolia Turf install turf (highly recommend this company, btw!). We chose turf instead of pavers and crushed granite so that we didn’t have to worry about people getting their feet dirty on the way to the pool, thus dragging a bunch of rocks and dirt into the pool every day.
Turf was a great choice!
We ordered the pool, had Magnolia Turf install the turf and create a flat surface for the pool, and then Cowboy Pools scheduled a day to install the Honcho Pool.
Install took a few hours, including filling the entire pool and providing instructions for how to care for it.
Final Thoughts + How To Buy a Cowboy Pool
If you’re looking for a fun, budget-friendly small backyard pool, you can’t get anything better than a Honcho Pool Package from Cowboy Pools.
They’re so much fun, look great, are rust-free and easy to maintain, and the cost is reasonable.
However, if you’re really set on a in-ground swimming pool and you have the money and time to invest in that, go for it!
If you’re ready to transform your backyard for under $5k, use my code SOMUCHLIFE200 to save $200 on a Honcho Pool.
FAQS
Do you recommend a pool cover?
Yes! You’ll definitely want a cover to keep sticks and leaves from falling in the pool. We splurge on the inflatable hard cover, but in hindsight I’d get the cheaper soft cover. The hard cover is SO heavy, and at 10 feet it’s really hard to move by myself.
Doesn’t the Cowboy Pool get really hot??
Not really, and I live in Austin! We placed our pool under the shade of a beautiful pecan tree, so it stays comfortable! (I bet if you put it out in full sun it would get pretty scalding on those 100+ degree days…so try to find a shady spot for it.)
Can you heat and cool a Cowboy Pool?
Yes! You can adjust the temp from 55-104 degrees fahrenheit by purchasing the heater/chiller options on the Honcho Pool Package.
Should I purchase the heater/chiller option?
Honestly, I reeeaally want to get it! But it’s an extra $1800 and wasn’t in the pool budget for this first round. I might consider getting it in a year or two! Cowboy Pools recommends dumping a few bags of ice in the pool if you want to instantly chill it, and that’s been really fun for turning it into an ice bath.
Do you need a permit for a Cowboy Pool?
No, and that’s one of the biggest perks of this backyard pool solution. 😉
How do you keep a Cowboy Pool clean?
We change the chlorine tablet in the chlorine floater once a week, and we add chlorine shock treatment once a week. Sometimes little pebbles or dirt gets in the pool, and I’ll use the net they provided to clean it out. That’s about it! They recommend running on a routine schedule and keeping the pool full throughout the winter months, too.
Any additional questions? Leave a comment below! – Kelsey
