November 7, 2024
Edge Theory Labs Ice Bath Review – The Best Inflatable Cold Tub On the Market?
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Edge Theory Ice Bath Review
The ice bath tub market is now teaming with options and a whole bunch of people in the cold plunge market are looking for an ice bath that is not only portable, but has no need for the added cost of buying ice.
That’s where the Edge Theory Labs Ice Bath comes in. Realising the growing evidence of the benefits of cold water exposure, much of which has been thanks to Wim Hof popularising the practice, everyone from sporting teams, athletes and average people who just want to recover smarter from training are looking for an ice bath for home.
Everything from fixed, bath tub style cold plunges to stainless steel tubs with timber finish, and the increasingly popular portable, inflatable option like the Edge Tub are being purchased in droves from people looking to improve athletic performance, elevate their mood, reduce injury recovery time, manage pain and improve metabolic health.
In this article, we do a comprehensive Edge Theory Ice Bath review, bringing you closer to all that this portable ice bath has to offer based on price, warranty, dimensions, product specifications and how it compares to your other options like the Ice Barrel, Cold Plunge, Blue Cube, Odin and which one may be right for you.
Bottom Line
The Edge Theory Labs cold plunge have really nailed the perfect combination of an affordable, portable ice bath that inflates into a product that looks solid and provides chilled water in a matter of minutes and can be packed down into a carry bag and transported in your car.
What We Like
Portability
Super solid when inflated
Packs down into a carry bag
Price is reasonable
No ice needed
Clean design
Strong chiller unit
Buying from Australia – Shop the best portable ice bath Australia
What We Don’t Like
Warranty
Manual inflation
Only one size
No global shipping
Edge Theory Ice Bath Price
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.
Shop using discount code GURU for $150 off at checkout
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.
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. If your’e specifically looking for a tub for upright cold plunge, I personally love the Ice Barrel which is one of the most popular plunge tubs right now.
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.
Edge Theory Ice Bath Review
Initially, I thought the Edge Theory Labs Ice Bath would just another inflatable tub with a chiller unit thrown on. How wrong I was. This ice bath tub is really one of the most economical, functional and affordable ice bath tubs I have come across.
The Edge Theory Labs cold plunge tub is where portability meets functionality in the ice bath space. They have created a really great combination of a tub that can pack down into the carry bag included and a chiller unit that can be transported in the back of a car.
The whole setup of the Edge Theory tub takes about 20-30 minutes to unpack, pump up and connect the pipes and fill the tub with water. On top of that, it takes about 2-3 hours to get the water down to the minimum temperature. This is pretty cool that you can take it any location that has water supply and a plug and have cold plunge on demand.
Something that stands out that a lot of people wonder about the Edge Theory tub is how solid it pumps up. This thing gets rock hard, seriously. The tub is designed from a super durable plastic and features and inner shell that makes it resistant to puncture and gives it the feel of a solid tub when fully inflated. It is very similar to those inflatable paddle boards that can pump up super solid to withstand swell and waves.
The tub itself comes in a few different sizes which gives you the option to buy for a single plunger and for use by multiple people at one time which is handy as a setup for sporting teams for use after a match. Sure, this tub is also more than suitable for people who are looking to buy a cold plunge tub setup for home, as it can be inflated and left in your desired cold plunge spot like the garage or porch.
What else stands out about the Edge Theory Labs ice bath is the customer experience they have going on. On the Edge Theory Labs website they have a whole bunch of instructional videos, after purchase care instructions, setup instructions, ice bath protocols and have even started a community cold plunge group called the Legends Circle. They provide a space to explore the applications of cold immersion including the science, social connection and the best ways to engage with cold therapy through breathing and movement.
Edge Theory Warranty
Product warranty is where many brands fall short. Unfortunately, this is also an area that Edge Theory Labs lacks, with only a one year warranty period. This one year warranty covers both the inflatable tub and the chiller unit. We truly believe that when spending thousands of dollars on a product like this, the warranty period should definitely be more than one year, but hey, the Edge Theory Labs price point somewhat matches its supplied warranty.
In addition to the warranty, Edge Theory Labs also offers a 30 day no-hassle returns on their ice bath tub which gives you the peace of mind to try it out and return if it does not fit your needs or is not quite what you expected.
The only thing worth mentioning about your warranty is that it is really easy to void your warranty should you not practice the right product care procedures with your tub. The filtration unit should be replaced at the correct schedule which is about every week for commercial use and every 2-3 weeks for daily individual use.
Edge Theory labs also provide some simple instructions with water sanitation protocols for when you setup up the tub and water testing to let you know when you should replace the filter. Unlike many brands, Edge Theory actually include a water sanitation kit included with each purchase as well as hand skimmer net to keep the small particle out of the filter and extend filter life.
Edge Theory Chiller Unit
Many people want to know the temperature range of the Edge Theory Labs Ice Bath. The Edge Theory tub has one single variety of chiller unit which is a hot and cold capable chiller and has a temperature range of between 37 degrees F and 107 degrees F (3C-42C).
The chiller unit specs do not change between the small and large sized options the power specs stay the same. The chiller unit offers 1HP of power which is more than a big majority of some of the other commercial tubs on the market like the Morozko Forge and Cold Plunge. This power allows a full tub of room temperature water to be chilled down to the minimum or maximum temperature in about 3 hours. Not that to change the water from its minimum to maximum temperature or visa versa takes about 12 hours so it is not super easy to cycle between hot and cold.
The chiller unit is the heaviest part of the whole setup and weighs in at 25 lbs (11kg). The chiller unit does not fit into the carry bag but is pretty light weight to move around and also features the two bars at the top for easy handling.
Edge Theory gives you the option to buy the chiller unit separately for $4490, if you already have a cold plunge tub and just need a chiller or cooling unit. Similarly, you can also just buy the tub with no chiller unit for $990 by itself. There are some other extras like filter replacements, protection mat, sanitation kits and electric air pump that can be purchased too.
Edge Theory vs Cold Plunge
Cold Plunge vs Edge Theory Ice Bath
Everyone seems to be repping the Cold Plunge lately, but newsflash the Edge Theory Labs product is cheaper and has greater functionality. There is no doubt that the Cold Plunge is a nicely designed tub and also has a couple of different models which give options for size and chiller unit function, but the Edge Theory can do everything that Cold Plunge can do but is also portable.
If you were buying an ice bath tub for a nice space, high value home or dedicated wellness or gym I would say buy the Cold Plunge. But if you are looking for a cheaper option for setting up a cold plunge tub in your garage at home, are not worried so much about the aesthetic of your ice bath or need to be able to move the tub around then the Edge tub is a better choice for you.
Lets have a look at a breakdown on some important metrics between the Edge Theory vs Cold Plunge:
Edge Theory Price: $4840 using discount code GURU
Cold Plunge Price: $7782 using code GURU
Edge Theory Chiller: 1HP
Cold Plunge Chiller: 1/4 HP
Edge Theory Size: 47” x 25” x 24”
Cold Plunge Size: 67” x 31.5” x 24”
Edge Theory Warranty: 1 year
Cold Plunge Warranty: 1 year (2,3 year additional cost)
Edge Theory Temp: 37 degrees to 107 degrees (hot and cold)
Cold Plunge Temp: 39 degrees (cold only for base model)
Conclusion on Edge Theory Ice Bath
The Edge Theory Labs Ice Bath is a very simple and versatile ice bath tub that is one of the most reasonably priced cold plunge tubs with a chiller unit available and for this reason we give the tub an overall rating of 4.8/5 stars.
Of course, the Edge Theory Labs cold plunge doesn’t suit everyone, and it is best suited to those looking for a cold plunge tub to be able to be packed down into a bag and transported to a location for cold water therapy post-sporting event, race or competition. The Edge theory labs ice bath is not quite a budget option, but definitely works out to be a cheaper way to do cold water therapy than buying an ice bath that requires the addition of ice each time.
The Edge Theory labs product gives a lot of value for people looking to upgrade their wheely bin cold plunge and get a portable, inflatable tub that can be installed in any space in a matter of minutes. Sure, we would choose a stainless tub with timber finishings any day of the week, but the Edge Theory Labs Ice Bath serves a pretty sweet function in the portable ice bath market which is a testament to its popularity, success and good customer reviews.
Jayce Love
Jayce has spent the last decade in the military as an elite Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diver and has an ever growing passion for biohacking and recovery for peak performance. Jayce has accreditations in fitness and nutrition, cold water immersion, and regularly adopts human Guinea pig status to test out the latest tools, techniques, practices, gear and gadgets in the name of optimal fitness, recovery and wellness.