Ice Barrel 500 Chilly Plunge and Chiller Evaluate

Most severe athletes have spent a while in cold-water immersion remedy, whether or not taking an ice bathtub after soccer observe or hopping in an almost frozen stream after an extended path run.

Chilly plunge tubs are a superb approach to get the identical impact with out loading up on baggage of ice to fill your bathtub after each exercise, as I did whereas coaching for my first extremely run. And really close to the highest of the record is the Ice Barrel 500 ($1,600) and Ice Barrel Chiller ($3,000) combo. I, together with one other athlete, have been testing out the combo with three to 5 ice baths per week for the final 10 months.

We evaluated the barrel and chiller for its ease of use, insulation, cleanliness, and talent to maintain water simply above freezing throughout 100-degree California summers. 

Briefly: The Ice Barrel 500 and Ice Barrel Chiller combo is about as handy because it will get. There’s no must load up on ice. The quiet, easy-to-use chiller’s temperature might be set remotely, and the filtration system is top-notch. Should you’re searching for an upright-style chilly plunge, you could not discover a higher one than this setup from Ice Barrel.

What We Examined

We examined the Ice Barrel 500 plunge barrel and paired it with the Ice Barrel Chiller. For readability, the 2 merchandise work collectively. The plunge barrel is, principally, a bathtub. It holds the water you plunge in. The chiller is an exterior refrigeration machine that circulates, cools, and maintains the water’s temperature.

The chiller weighs 65 kilos and has handles to make it simpler to maneuver into place. Due to its glossy black design and vivid 7-inch shade show, it’s the best-looking exterior chiller we’ve examined. It has every thing it’s essential set it up with a plunge tub, and its temperature can get as little as 37 levels. 

The 94-gallon barrel has extraordinarily sturdy recycled polyethylene and thick polyurethane insulation. It comes with a lid of the identical materials, insulation, and enter and output ports for connecting to a chiller.

There are two steps main as much as the plunge and a seat contained in the barrel, all of that are molded onto the barrel itself, which we appreciated — a product with fewer separate components tends to be extra sturdy.  

And actually, this plunge simply screams “sturdiness.” Constituted of one strong mould, the Ice Barrel 500 might drop off a cliff with out getting various scratches (we didn’t do this). Shopping for a plunge tub and chiller is an enormous monetary dedication, and the standard and look of the barrel and chiller replicate the funding nicely.  

The setup couldn’t be extra simple. The toughest half was shifting the 100-pound barrel into place (the 60-pound chiller isn’t any light-weight, both). After that, it was only a matter of connecting the chiller hoses to the barrel and plugging the chiller in. 

You may management the temperature with the knob on prime of the chiller. Ice Barrel additionally has a superb app that controls the temperature remotely (extra on that later).

Ice Barrel 500 and Ice Barrel Chiller Evaluate

Water Chilling

So long as we’ve been testing it, the Ice Barrel Chiller had no points getting the water all the way down to 39 levels, even when the temperatures topped 100 levels, regardless of the barrel being straight within the solar. It typically takes a couple of hours to get all the way down to that temperature, however as soon as it’s there, it stays there. 

The insulation does pretty nicely — the temperature went up about 10-15 levels with out the chiller, however once more, the black tub sat in direct daylight in 100-plus-degree climate all afternoon.

Tub Ergonomics

The barrel is 58 inches lengthy, 31 inches vast, and 42 inches tall. Our tallest tester for this plunge was 6 ft tall and 215 kilos, and it simply accommodated him. Whereas many plunges are tub-shaped, the barrel form with this one is nice for submerging. The upright place means you’ll be able to merely drop all the way down to the underside to totally submerge, whereas, with tubs, it’s essential lay again and plug your nostril. 

The molded seat inside is nice for settling in and enjoyable, and the 2 steps make it simpler to get out and in of the barrel. No extra stool or stepladder is required. It might use a railing to get out and in of: One tester nearly fell as soon as when he tried to get out of the bathtub with frigid legs. It’s a minor criticism however one value noting. 

A weatherproof cowl and insulated lid proved efficient at maintaining the bathtub chilly in the summertime warmth. There aren’t any straps or locks to maintain the lid down, which is value noting for households with young children. 

Should you’re searching for one thing with a cheaper price level, the corporate additionally provides the Ice Barrel 400 ($1,200), which is extra historically barrel-shaped and comes with a lid and indifferent step stool. There’s additionally the Ice Barrel 300 ($1,300), a smaller tub that’s extra insulated than the 400 and comes with ports to be used with a chiller. 

The Ice Barrel Chiller Evaluate

Whereas we’re followers of the barrel, the Ice Barrel Chiller simply could be the actual star of the present. Of the 4 different chillers we examined, this one is by far the quietest. We additionally tried it on different plunge tubs, and it labored like a allure. It’s easy to make use of, chills water shortly, and it simply plain appears nice. Plus, the setup couldn’t be simpler.

Some tubs from different manufacturers might require adapters that price a couple of dollars at any ironmongery store. Apart from that, it’s just about plug-and-play. 

Water Filtration, Purification

The Ice Barrel 500 and Ice Barrel Chiller combo makes use of 50-micron filters which are simple to search out both on Ice Barrel’s web site, on Amazon, or at any pool provide retailer. All through our months of testing, the chiller saved the water and barrel clear and clear, with nearly no upkeep required. 

A few of the plunge and chiller combos we’ve examined required weekly upkeep; this setup from Ice Barrel appeared self-sufficient. We modified the water and filter as soon as (this isn’t really helpful) to check how simple it was, and it was a snap.

A hose outlet permits the water to empty away from the bathtub, and swapping the filter solely takes a couple of minutes. Thus far, the water and tub have been pristine, despite the fact that we’ve been negligent in our cleansing duties.

The Ice Barrel App

Whereas it might appear minor, an app-connected chiller can significantly improve the chilly plunge expertise. We’ve examined a number of smartphone chiller apps, and Ice Barrel’s is our favourite. 

It has the usual distant temperature management, plunge timer, and scheduling you’ll discover in most apps, however its extra perks make it stand out. 

First, guided teaching provides music and motivational recordings that will help you calm down and energy via these frigid minutes within the barrel. This characteristic was a godsend after we had a tough time getting via the complete 3-plus minutes. 

A cool neighborhood characteristic additionally means that you can publish your plunge time and temperature to the Ice Barrel consumer neighborhood. Once more, this added accountability was an ideal motivator after we weren’t feeling like plunging. 

Ice Barrel 500 Chilly Plunge and Chiller Evaluate: Closing Ideas

Is 5 grand some huge cash? Usually, yeah, however that is extraordinarily cheap for a plunge and chiller combo. And when you can chilly plunge in a tub crammed with ice, the comfort of getting ice-cold water able to go always makes it a lot simpler to be constant. 

The Ice Barrel 500 and Ice Barrel Chiller have a surprisingly small footprint, making them simple to put in in a aspect yard or storage. The chiller retains the water clear, nice, and protected to soak in. The built-in seat makes it really feel surprisingly enjoyable. 

We examined this setup within the blazing warmth of a California summer season. It saved the water persistently chilly and clear, which saved us persistently plunging. And actually, it’s that consolation and comfort that makes the Ice Barrel 500 and Ice Barrel Chiller really feel like bargains. 

Should you’re an athlete searching for a handy, clear, and cozy approach to plunge persistently, the Ice Barrel 500 and Ice Barrel Chiller are a superb selection and one of the best barrel-style plunge we’ve ever used.