The insulated round foldable pod: light and easy to store
This is the most common format for an ice bath at home, in the garden or on a balcony. The soft, insulated wall is held upright by vertical tubes, with a lid against heat and dust. The one in our kit holds 330 litres and weighs 3.8 kg empty: one person can put it up and fold it back into its bag. You sit in it with your back straight and your knees bent. The cold comes from tap water and added ice: for 250 litres, going from 20 °C to 12 °C takes about 22 kg of ice in theory, more in practice.
On budget, UK public prices recorded on 28/09/2026 give an order of magnitude: about £30 to £50 for a round foldable tub sold on its own, without accessories. Kits from specialist brands, with a cover or accessories, came to about £89 to £130. The limit of the category is well known: without a chiller, the water warms up, especially in summer. A closed lid and shade help, with no promised figure for how long the cold lasts.
The oval foldable tub: for lying down
Some foldable tubs are oval and longer: you lie down in them, legs straight, instead of sitting with your knees bent. The position is closer to a bath and may appeal to tall people or anyone who dislikes a narrow space. The principle does not change: soft wall, no machine, ice added before the bath. But for the same water depth, a longer tub holds more litres: more ice at each session, more time to fill and empty it, and more weight on the floor, since a litre of water weighs about a kilo.
We have not recorded a price for this category: it depends on the model, the length and the accessories supplied. Before buying, compare the inside length with your height lying down, check that there is an insulated lid and look at where the drain is. On a balcony or in a small courtyard, the floor area and the load matter even more than with a round tub.
| Category | Capacity and empty weight | Recorded price and source of cold |
|---|---|---|
| Insulated round foldable pod, sold on its own | Varies by model, not recorded (our kit's tub: 330 L, 3.8 kg) | About £30 to £50; ice |
| Round foldable pod in a specialist brand kit | Varies by model, not recorded | About £89 to £130; ice |
| Oval foldable | More water than a round tub; not recorded | Depends on the model, not recorded; ice |
| Rigid inflatable (drop stitch) | 500 to 800 L, 16 to 19 kg | Around £399 for the tub alone; chiller |
| Barrel, metal or wood | Fixed installation; not recorded | Not recorded; depends on the installation |
The rigid inflatable tub: the one that takes a chiller
Rigid inflatable tubs, known as drop stitch, form a firm wall once inflated. These are mainly the ones designed to take a chiller, an electric unit with a pump that cools and filters the water continuously. People then often speak of a cold plunge rather than an ice bath, since the machine replaces the ice. They are larger: about 500 to 800 litres, weighing 16 to 19 kg empty. Once full, they therefore hold 500 to 800 kg of water, plus the person, which rules out many balconies and upper floors without the agreement of the building's managing agent.
Recorded on 28/09/2026: around £399 in the UK for the tub alone. The chiller comes on top, and a tub plus machine set calls for a much higher budget, which we have not recorded in pounds. You also need a socket and an electrical installation suited to an appliance placed near water: have an electrician involved before plugging it in for the first time.
Barrel, metal or wood: a fixed installation
Barrels, metal tubs and wooden tubs form another family: permanent installations, set up once and for all, most often outdoors. They do not fold, are hard to move and need a prepared spot: flat, load-bearing ground, access to water, drainage, sometimes a power supply. We have not recorded their prices or capacities, which depend on the model and the installation: this guide gives them no figure.
This family is mainly for people who already have a well-established ice bath routine and a corner set aside for it all year round. If you do not yet know whether you will enjoy the practice, a soft tub lets you try it with a smaller commitment, with the option of moving to fixed equipment later, once you know your real needs for space and use.
What to check, whatever the model
Product listings put the outside dimensions forward, yet the tub is used from the inside. A tub 85 cm across on the outside may only offer 79 cm inside, and that is the measurement that tells you whether you will fit sitting down. On foldable tubs, the fault most often mentioned in public reviews remains leaks, at the bottom or around the tubes. Leave the tub full for 24 hours when it arrives to check that it holds water, and keep the repair patches to hand.
To empty it, use the hose or the plug provided, outside, in a shower or over a drain: tipping a full soft tub can make its tubes slip. On weight, a full tub weighs roughly as many kilos as it holds litres, plus the person. Stand it on flat, stable ground; for a balcony or an upper floor, ask the building's managing agent or your landlord what load is allowed.
- Inside dimensions and the possible water depth.
- Insulated wall and an insulated lid that closes properly.
- Drainage: a hose with a valve, a plug at the bottom.
- Repair patches supplied.
- Returns: the 14-day legal right to cancel in the UK, plus the seller's own returns policy on top.
- Where it ships from: stock in your region means no customs step.
Our kit, and the rules for your first ice bath
The Ice Bath Tub shop sells a single product: an insulated round foldable tub, black, 85 cm across and 75 cm tall on the outside, 79 x 68 cm inside, holding 330 litres and weighing 3.8 kg empty. Six tubes hold it upright; only the top ring inflates. Three-layer wall, padded insulated lid, thermal dust cover, hand pump, water cushion, side drain hose with valve, bottom plug, two repair patches, two seals and a zipped bag: the kit is exactly the contents of the supplier's box. It is delivered free from stock in your region, with no customs step for you. We resell this tub without making it and have not tried it ourselves.
Whichever model you choose, the rules are the same. See a doctor before your first ice bath if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, a heart rhythm disorder, a circulatory disorder (including Raynaud's syndrome), diabetes or epilepsy, if you are pregnant or if you are on medical treatment. Never take an ice bath alone. The tub is not for children: lid closed when not in use, tub emptied when nobody is watching it. Get in slowly, breathe calmly, start with 1 to 2 minutes, keep your head above water, and no alcohol, drugs or medication that makes you drowsy.
Frequently asked questions
Is a foldable ice bath worth it?
It makes sense if you want an ice bath routine at home without a fixed installation: little space needed, set up by one person, packed away for winter. It makes less sense if you want permanently cold water without buying more ice, or if you prefer to lie down. Many people say they like the feeling of freshness, with no guarantee that you will too.
Inflatable or foldable: what is the difference?
A rigid inflatable tub stands up thanks to its inflated wall, which becomes firm. A foldable tub stands up thanks to tubes slid into a soft wall. On the tub in our kit, only the top ring inflates, with the hand pump supplied: it forms the rim and gives your neck something to rest on. The rest is not inflatable, which is why it packs into a bag.
Do you need a chiller to take an ice bath?
No. Ice is enough to cool a foldable tub before each session, as long as you have enough of it and keep the lid closed. A chiller saves you buying ice, but it needs a tub designed for it, an electrician and a higher budget. The tub in our kit is not designed to take one. Our guide to chillers covers this choice in detail.
