Ice Barrel 500 Chilly Plunge and Chiller Evaluate

Most critical athletes have spent a while in cold-water immersion remedy, whether or not taking an ice tub after soccer apply or hopping in a virtually frozen stream after a protracted path run.

Chilly plunge tubs are a superb strategy 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 checklist 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 could be set remotely, and the filtration system is top-notch. For those who’re on the lookout for an upright-style chilly plunge, you might 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, mainly, a bath. It holds the water you plunge in. The chiller is an exterior refrigeration gadget 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. Because of its smooth black design and brilliant 7-inch shade show, it’s the best-looking exterior chiller we’ve examined. It has the whole lot it is advisable to 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 elements tends to be extra sturdy.  

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

The setup couldn’t be extra easy. The toughest half was shifting the 100-pound barrel into place (the 60-pound chiller is not 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 high 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 immediately within the solar. It typically takes a number 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 properly — 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 extensive, and 42 inches tall. Our tallest tester for this plunge was 6 toes 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 is advisable to 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 further stool or stepladder is required. It may 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 preserving 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 babies. 

For those who’re on the lookout for one thing with a cheaper price level, the corporate additionally gives 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 is perhaps the true 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 appeal. 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 could require adapters that price a couple of dollars at any ironmongery shop. 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 straightforward to seek 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. 

Among 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 useful) to check how straightforward 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. To date, the water and tub have been pristine, although we’ve been negligent in our cleansing duties.

The Ice Barrel App

Whereas it could appear minor, an app-connected chiller can tremendously 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 further perks make it stand out. 

First, guided teaching gives music and motivational recordings that will help you chill out and energy by these frigid minutes within the barrel. This characteristic was a godsend after we had a tough time getting by the total 3-plus minutes. 

A cool neighborhood characteristic additionally permits you to put up your plunge time and temperature to the Ice Barrel person neighborhood. Once more, this added accountability was an awesome motivator after we weren’t feeling like plunging. 

Ice Barrel 500 Chilly Plunge and Chiller Evaluate: Ultimate Ideas

Is 5 grand some huge cash? Usually, yeah, however that is extraordinarily affordable for a plunge and chiller combo. And whilst you can chilly plunge in a bath stuffed 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 straightforward to put in in a aspect yard or storage. The chiller retains the water clear, nice, and secure 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 time. It saved the water constantly chilly and clear, which saved us constantly plunging. And actually, it’s that consolation and comfort that makes the Ice Barrel 500 and Ice Barrel Chiller really feel like bargains. 

For those who’re an athlete on the lookout for a handy, clear, and comfy strategy to plunge constantly, the Ice Barrel 500 and Ice Barrel Chiller are a superb alternative and the most effective barrel-style plunge we’ve ever used.