December 19, 2024
Best Portable Inflatable Ice Bath Tubs of 2024 – Cold Plunge You Can Take Anywhere
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The Best Portable Ice Bath Tubs of 2024
A cold plunge practice is one of the best ways to improve your recovery time, increase energy and focus and improve mood all in a few minutes worth of commitment.
The ice bath tub market is highly competitive, ever since such heavy exposure from discussion about the benefits of cold water exposure from big names like Joe Rogan, Andrew Huberman, Susanna Soeberg, Tim Ferris and a whole bunch of world class athletes and celebrities.
There are a variety of different ice baths for sale, with massive differences in budget, design and product specifications. People are using so many ways to achieve a cold plunge practice including converting chest freezers into ice baths, using garbage bins filled with ice, purpose built cold plunge tubs, wild swimming and of course inflatable options.
Right now, there are a whole bunch of portable, inflatable ice bath tubs online, some are just a stand alone tub like the Ice Barrel, others include a chiller unit that provides cold water on demand. In this article we offer a comprehensive list of the best portable ice baths to check out, each with varying prices, shipping options, design features, warranty and performance specifications.
Best Portable Ice Baths – Our Top Picks
Best Overall – Edge Theory Labs
The Edge Theory Labs Portable ice bath overall best portable ice bath tub and comes in options for buying just the inflatable tub, the tub and chiller combo or just the chiller unit. At $4990 USD for the tub and chiller combo, they also include free shipping across the USA.
Use code GURU for $150 discount at checkout
Read our full Edge review here
Best Runner Up – Inergize Health Portable Ice Bath
The Inergize Health Ice Bath is the best runner up inflatable cold plunge tub that is big enough for two people to use at once and is extra deep. This portable ice bath is 130cm long, 72 cm wide and 76cm deep making it very spacious and a good option for very tall people.
At $4,500, it’s pretty much a bargain deal.
Use code GURU for a $150 discount at checkout
Read our full Inergize review here
Best Australia – Ritual Recovery Stoic Portable Ice Bath
The Ritual Recovery Portable Ice Bath is the best portable ice bath Australia based on value, performance and design with a WIFI controlled chiller unit for remote temperature control. This inflatable ice bath is big enough for two and includes a chiller unit capable of both hot and cold plunge, taking just 15 minutes to set up. It includes a lockable insulated lid and extra water filter replacements unlike any other cold plunge brand.
Use code RECOVERYGURU for $150 discount at checkout
Best Hot & Cold – Sun Home Sauna Cold Plunge
The Sun Home Sauna Cold Plunge offers a very solid all round offer for a hot and cold capable plunge solution which also includes a large plunge tub design. The Sun Home Cold Plunge is a sleek black design with drop stitch technology and a very functional temperature range of 37.5F-104F giving you an all in one cold or hot therapy tool.
Best Value – Redwood Outdoors Yukon Cold Plunge
The Redwood Outdoors Yukon Portable cold plunge kit is the best value portable ice bath on the market, with a much lower price point of $3499, but still inclusive of all of the things you need for automated cold plunge at home including inbuilt filter and sanitation. They have a 6-8 week wait time and can be purchased in just cold or cold and hot plunge chiller options.
Best Budget – Alaskey Inflatable Ice Bath Amazon
The Alaskey Inflatable Ice Bath is the best budget portable ice bath on Amazon at $229. Although it does not include a chiller unit, it is large enough for a comfortable cold plunge practice at 137cm diameter and includes an electric air pump and 30 day returns.
Why Buy a Portable Ice Bath?
Ice bath tubs can be extremely expensive, with the average price of a cold plunge tub ranging from $200 – $30000. A portable ice bath tub is going to be a fraction of the cost of a larger, fixed ice bath used in commercial spaces like gyms and wellness centres which generally cost over $9000.
One of the most popular portable ice baths right now is the Ice Barrel for $1097.
The average portable ice bath is between $200 – $6000 depending on whether you buy it with a chiller unit or not. A portable, inflatable ice bath gives you the options to deflate the ice bath, pack it in a carry bag and transport it around, ideal for people wanting to set up a cold plunge tub for after a game, match, race or competition.
Portable Ice Bath Tubs generally come in two different options:
Tub Only – This is a cheaper option for the initial purchase but requires you to buy ice bag for each cold plunge session. In general, to get the average sized inflatable ice bath down to a suitable temperature of about 10 degrees Celsius, you will need anywhere between 6-10 bags of ice. If the portable ice bath is being used by multiple people over a few plunges, you will need to buy 10-15 bags of ice. Most of these portable ice baths take about 15 minutes to inflate if you are using a hand pump which is generally supplied with the tub purchase.
Tub and Chiller – A portable ice bath with chiller unit included is a more expensive option, but cuts down the cost in the long run because there is no need to buy ice bags to cool the water. The only limitation here, is that you will need to have access to a power supply to power the chiller unit. Not only that, it can take up to 12 hours to cool room temperature water down to the minimum chiller unit temperature.
The portable ice bath and chiller unit options cost between $4000-$6000 and some of the brands include both hot and cold capability in their chiller units, while others just offer cold. The difference in price can also relate to the size of the tub, some of which come in a 2-person plunge tub size.
The good thing about both of these options, is that a portable ice bath can be packed down to a small size, with some brands including matching backpacks, that are small enough to put in the back of your car and transport to different locations. Most of the portable ice baths with chiller units weigh about 30-40kgs and are small enough for one person to move.
While there are some cheaper inflatable ice baths that do not hold their inflation, a lot of these portable ice baths now are made from the same material and design characteristics as the inflatable paddle boards, which are designed to withstand pressure, flex and are extremely strong and durable. I have seen this type of technology portable cold plunge tub stay inflated super solid for over 6 months before needing a top up.
How We Choose
We have tested over 20 types of ice bath tubs and there are some huge variations in design, performance, extras, price, warranty and specifications. The portable ice bath tub market is huge and there are thousands of portable ice baths for sale.
The ice baths that we include in this article tubs that we think stand out from the other competitors based on value, offering, warranty, or performance.
Price
As we mentioned earlier, there is a really big variation in the price of portable ice baths, mainly due to some just being simple inflatable tubs you have to add ice to, while others offer automated, WIFI controlled smart app connectivity to set your water temperature remotely.
For a super budget option inflatable ice bath you are looking at roughly $200. This will get you a simple inflatable tub big enough for one person, with a pump and repair kit included. When we look at budget inflatable tubs, we check to see they have some sort of reinforced PVC material design and that they can be used indoors and outdoors.
For more expensive portable ice baths with a chiller unit, you are looking at paying between $4000-$6000. The higher end of the price spectrum in portable ice baths like the Edge Theory Labs tub, doesn’t get you a whole lot more of a difference apart from a bit more design effort. The Edge Theory Labs or Inergize ice bath tubs are your best options when shopping from the USA, but as of the time of writing this they do not ship globally.
The Ritual Recovery Stoic Portable Ice Bath, for example is in the middle of this range at $4499AUD and offers both hot and cold capability in its chiller unit. I have been putting this Australian Ice Bath tub through the works and it has held up well and gets down to about 5 degrees reliably overnight.
Technology
When doing ice bath reviews, we look at the included technology. From a budget ice bath perspective, the technology will considered includes how it is created in terms of reinforced, multi-layered PVC and whether or not it is made to withstand the elements and is anti-puncture.
For the premium portable ice baths, we look at the technology of the tub design as well as the power and function of the chiller unit. The better portable ice baths will include a larger number of chambers and stronger canvas material make up. There are also differences in the power output and performance of the chiller units in these portable ice baths, with some offering just cold, others doing hot and cold, some with smart app connectivity and some with larger horsepower for faster cooling in a commercial of high use environment.
Warranty
Product warranty is an important consideration for buying any product. While the majority of the portable ice bath tubs on the market only offer the standard one year warranty, some of them offer a two year warranty on the chiller unit.
Best Portable Ice Bath Tubs of 2024 – Guide and Review
We know how popular ice bathing is now, that’s why we want to point you to the best portable, inflatable ice baths of 2024 for a cold plunge at home or on-the-go. Portable ice baths are idea for athletes looking for an ice bath they can take away or for sporting teams to setup a cold plunge tub at their club or on away games for post match recovery.
Some portable ice baths are high enough quality to install as semi permanent installations at home or in a gym, with many now including chiller units for cold (or hot) water on demand.
We break down and compare some of the ice baths for sale based on some key variables.
Best Overall: Edge Theory Labs Portable Ice Bath
Price: $4990USD
Size: One Person
Warranty: One year
Type: Chiller Cold Only
Use code GURU for $150 discount at checkout
The Edge Theory Ice Bath tub is a super popular ice bath and has had extensive market testing in the USA and in our eyes is the overall best portable ice bath tub right now. Something that I support about the Edge Theory Labs brand is that they are offering a free community cold plunge network called the Legends. This community does breathwork, meditation and live cold plunge feeds to offer a great connection around ice bathing.
The price of the Edge Theory Ice Bath is really the selling point for me. You can buy the base level Edge cold tub for $4990USD which includes free shipping to most states in the US but an additional fee to Canada and Mexico. Updated as of July 2023, Edge now offers a couple of different options with the addition of their Edge Tub Elite, which features a more powerful chiller unit, capable of hot and cold temperatures and available in standard or XL size.
Considering the prices on some other ice bath tubs out there on the market now, the price of the Edge Theory Ice Bath brings in a lot of buyers because it really sits at the budget end of the price point for a cold plunge tub with a chiller unit, while other tubs go for upwards of $20000. And an update as of July 2023 they are offering next business day dispatch which I can get around, no one wants to wait 10 weeks for an ice bath.
Sure, the Edge Theory Ice Bath doesn’t look as sleek and solid as some of the higher priced tubs out there with timber and stainless steel finishings but this tub is specifically designed for cold plunge on the move. You can also schedule a virtual demo of any of the Edge Theory tubs which is pretty cool!
When comparing this option against buying a standard plunge tub that requires the additions of ice for each use, like the Ice Barrel, the Edge Theory Tub is a much more economical choice.
If you are doing 3-4 plunges per week for example, you might be spending close to $60-80 per week on extra ice. Over the space of 1 year, this amounts to $3000-$4000 on ice alone! If you a someone who is really getting deeper into the cold water therapy practice or looking for a cold plunge tub that is portable this really is the smartest choice I can recommend for the price.
Best Runner Up: Inergize Health Portable Ice Bath
Price: $4,500
Size: Two Person
Warranty: One year
Type: Chiller Cold Only
Shop Inergize Portable Ice Bath
The Inergize Health portable ice bath is a reasonably new portable ice bath brand to the market but are already making waves. What we love about the Inergize Health Portable Ice Bath is that it comes in a slightly larger size than many of the other similar portable ice bath options, making it the ideal choice for people looking to plunge with two people or for extra tall people over 6ft.
The Inergize Health Portable Ice Bath is 130cm in length meaning the average person can completely stretch out their legs in the tub comfortably. The Inergize Health Ice bath chiller unit only offer cold capability and is a slightly higher price point at almost $1300 more expensive than the previous two.
The Inergize ice bath gets down to 3 degrees Celsius and has Ozone and Particle filtration. The Inergize Portable ice bath tub comes with a one year warranty, hand pump, cleaning net, carry bag in addition to the tub and chiller unit.
The Inergize Portable Ice Bath tub has no wait time which we love, and ships out in one day, which is a massive improvement on the offering of most other competitors who quote an 8-10 week wait time on orders.
Best Australia: Ritual Recovery Stoic Portable Ice Bath
Price: $4499
Size: One person
Warranty: One year
Type: Chiller Hot/Cold
Use code RECOVERYGURU for $150 discount at checkout
The Ritual Recovery Stoic Portable Ice Bath is the best portable ice bath tub in Australia in our eyes. This inflatable tub holds the best value over any of the comparable portable ice bath tubs on the market as it not only does not require the addition of ice for each cold plunge session, but it also features both hot and cold capability meaning you get a cold plunge and a hot tub in one product.
Shop the Ritual Recovery Stoic Portable Ice Bath Australia
The Ritual Recovery Ice Bath is for sale for $4499AUD at the time of writing this review, but this is not inclusive of shipping. The price of this portable ice bath makes it one of the most competitively priced inflatable tubs that include a chiller unit.
What we love about the Ritual Recovery brand is that they are a veteran owned and run business and offer both military and first responder discounts on their products. The Ritual Cold Plunge tub took me roughly 15 minutes to inflate with the hand pump included, but I have also purchased an electric pump myself which speeds this process up.
To fill up the Ritual Portable Ice bath, you are looking at about 350 litres to fill to the right amount, and this can come straight from a garden hose or household tap. The chiller unit plugs straight into a standard Australian or US power point and takes about 12 hours to cool the water down from room temperature to its minimum of 3 degrees Celsius.
I have seen a few brands claim that the chiller unit cools the water down in 3 hours, but from experience this is BS and you are lucky to get to minimum temp overnight even with a 1HP chiller unit.
The Ritual Recovery Stoic Ice Bath tub is 132cm in length, 70cm wide and 60cm deep making comfortable enough for a tall person to cold plunge. The chiller unit weighs 37kg and is small enough to fit in the back of a car alongside the deflated tub which packs down into the carry bag that is included.
This tub also includes 5 water filter replacement included in the price, a non-slip rubber mat, repair kit, hand pump and an insulated cover so everything you need to get started and continue ice bathing for a few months.
Best Value: Redwood Outdoors Yukon Cold Plunge
Price: $3499USD
Size: One person
Warranty: One year
Type: Chiller Cold Only
Shop the Redwood Outdoors Yukon Ice Bath Tub
The Redwood Outdoors portable ice bath is a very high value portable cold plunge that offers one of the best priced automated cold therapy tools out there. The Redwood Outdoors brand has recently expanded into ice baths and have a quality portable ice bath option which can be purchased in a variety of different chiller options including just cold or the deluxe hot and cold version.
The Redwood Outdoors portable ice baths come in a couple of different size options which provide good cold plunge solutions for all body type and also for dual plunge options.
The chiller unit is really only suitable for personal use, and to use this ice bath tub in a more commercial setting would require the addition of some small amounts of chlorine, which some larger more luxury ice bath tubs include auto-dosing of these chemicals. The good thing is, Redwood offers a range of add-ons for water sanitation kits which not a lot of other brands do, meaning you can buy everything you need for cold plunge at home.
Other than that, the inlet/outlet hoses from the chiller are designed to fit the plunge tub and make set up super easy.
The Redwood Outdoors portable ice bath comes with a one year warranty and they offer a 30 day return on their purchases. The Redwood Outdoors Yukon chiller unit also connects remotely via WIFI to you phone through an app that allows you to adjust the temperature and set operating parameters to have it turn on and off and your desired timings.
Best Hot & Cold – Sun Home Sauna Cold Plunge
Price: $4699
Size: Two Person
Warranty: One year
Type: Hot and Cold Chiller
See Sun Home Sauna Cold Plunge
The Sun Home Sauna Cold Plunge is an awesome addition to Sun Home Sauna’s already curated wellness product range. Sun Home Sauna have recently introduced both their portable and luxury cold plunge range, their portable ice bath being the one we are writing about here.
The Sun Home Sauna cold plunge is an incredible all-round solution to a well automated plunge tub which offers both hot and cold capability from its chiller unit. The Sun Home Sauna Cold Plunge not only has a hot and cold chiller which delivers temps of between 37.5F-104F, but the portable inflatable tub is large enough for two people.
This plunge tub is definitely worthy of a look-in if you are considering upgrading from a plunge tub like the Ice Barrel or another solution that entails having to buy ice for your ice bath. The Sun Home Sauna Cold Plunge is a drop stitch technology ice bath which enables is to be light enough to move around and transport when empty, but strong and durable enough to set up and leave as a semi-permanent ice bath installation.
This plunge tub comes with free shipping in the USA, a one year warranty and options for finance with Affirm.
Best Budget: Alaskey Inflatable Ice Bath Amazon
Price: $229
Size: One Person
Warranty: One year
Type: No Chiller/needs ice
Many people simply can not afford to spend thousands of dollars on a portable ice bath tub. The Alaskey Inflatable Ice Bath is a budget alternative to the other more expensive portable tubs, at $229 on Amazon.
The Alaskey Ice Bath is a very simple way to create a cold plunge routine at home in minutes. The ice bath inflates in under 10 minutes using a hand pump, and a few seconds using the electric pump provided.
This cold plunge tub requires you to add ice to cool down the water which can get expensive if you are doing an ice bath a few times per week, but this is a perfect ice bath option for someone who is just starting out a cold plunge practice and maybe doing it once or twice a week.
Conclusion on Best Portable Ice Bath
There a loads of portable ice baths out their and it is definitely worth taking a close look at the ice bath reviews of each product to see if the product is suitable for you. Based on all the ice baths for sale right now, our top pick for best portable ice bath is the Edge Theory Labs ice bath which we would rate a 4.8/5. This ice bath can be bought in a Legacy or Elite model which has hot and cold chiller unit with WIFI connection at a slightly more premium price than its other competitors like Coldture and Inergize Health Ice Bath . While all of these are great, if you are buying an ice bath in Australia, your best option is the Ritual Recovery Stoic Portable, which includes free shipping Australia wide.
When buying a portable ice bath, consider whether you want a chiller unit included or you are happy to add ice. You could always opt for the most popular Ice Barrel if you are happy to add ice each time. It is also important to check the dimensions of your space to see if the plunge tub will fit. As many of these ice baths do not require plumbing, it may be necessary to have easy access to both a hose and a drain to fill and empty the tubs with ease.
Although ice baths offer a multitude of health benefits, it is very important to consult a medical professional to see if ice baths and cold exposure in general is safe for you.
Smarter recovery for humans…
Chris Woolley
Chris is a long time adventure racer and full time NSW Firefighter for almost the last decade. His strong interest in pushing his body to its peak and to it’s limit has take him to beast mode across multiple fitness disciplines and lead Chris to place high in uber competitive events like Spartan Beast and the Red Bull Vertical Challenge where Chris climbed about the elevation of Everest in tow days (without the snow of course).Chris has an insatiable appetite for training like an animal and to do so has gained broad knowledge in the most appropriate nutrition, training protocols, hot/cold therapy, sleep and fitness tracking methods and biohacking tools. If you trust anyone for advice, trust Chris!