Ice Barrel 300 Review: Watch Before You Buy This Cold Plunge!

[@lkeirnan]

Thank you for your content. I purchased a used ice barrel 400 with a chiller. I love the upright body stances that the barrels give. I added a small step to put in when I want to get out of the 400. I do wish the 400 had some sort of insulation but I will add that in the summer. At least I have time to figure it out.

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

Thanks for watching! I hope the 400 works great for you! Let us know what you figure out on the insulation side of things as we move into summer!

[@VeeTalksStuff]

should I get a rubber mat with the 300? or does its bottom have a tougher base? When you talked about how its prone to scratches I was worried that it would be weakier and not as long lasting as I thought.

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

Great question. You definitely don't need a mat, the bottom will last to regular wear and tear. If you want to avoid scratches you can definitely put it on a mat and that will help it keep looking nice. For this specifically I put i ton a mat since we were filming on top of the rocks, so that helped with scratches as well a balance. Right now I'm testing the Ice Barrel 500 at my house and just have it on the concrete in the back and it's fine, there are some scuffs on the bottom from dragging it around, but it's great with that. Let me know if you have any other questions, thanks!

[@VeeTalksStuff]

@TreadmillReviewGuru Okay. I think I might get a rubber mat just to keep it from wear and tear. It's nice to know it hold up though. It is a $1,300 barrel so you'd think so 😅. When you drain water how do you go about that with these heavy barrels? It's said to be 700lbs lol.

[@jonwhitehouse2201]

​@VeeTalksStuff I drain my tub with a sump pump from amazon..makes draining the tub sooooo much easier!

[@roccomanochio]

May be a silly question but with the 400, it appears that the top inside lip would be exposed as it wraps around. Is it super smooth or does it sometimes scratch/scrap your back when getting in or out?

[@icebarrel]

Hey there! Great question, the top of the Ice Barrel 400 has smooth, rounded edges.

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

I actually had it scrape my back once. I had dunked fully in and tried to come out super fast and wasn't paying attention to where my back was and scraped against that lower inside lip that you described. I've never had it happen since, but just be aware of where you're at as you come out from fully dunking. Let me know if you have any other questions, thanks!

[@topgun1178]

I bought the 300 with the DIY Active Aqua chiller/pump setup. Takes some trial and error but this setup is just awesome. No messing with ice and the insulation is excellent. Thanks you for the specs. They would have been helpful for me before I started this project so hopefully they help someone as they plan their project.

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

Thanks for watching and for your thoughts! Hope you're enjoying your Ice Barrel!

[@dn6867]

What size chiller did you get? 1/4 HP?

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

We got the 1/2 HP

[@mikahundin]

Me: I'm 6'4". How good is it for tall guys? From video: For individuals who are 6'4" like yourself, the Ice Barrel 300 might present some limitations due to its compact size. The manufacturer recommends it for individuals up to 6'2" in height, which suggests that taller users may find it less accommodating. However, the review mentions that the author, who is 6'5", has used the product and provided insights into its usability. Despite being slightly taller than the recommended height range, the author found ways to fit into the Ice Barrel 300 comfortably, albeit with some adjustments. This suggests that while taller individuals may still be able to use the product, they might experience a slightly more confined space compared to someone within the recommended height range. Additionally, the review emphasizes the importance of personal preference and experimentation to determine the best positioning and comfort level within the Ice Barrel 300 for taller users.

[@NPow94]

Would you say the ice blocks are worth it? Plus how many blocks would be needed to get the 300 down to temp?

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

I would say the ice blocks are worth it if you have the time to put in using them. One of the things that I didn't mention in the video is how long they take to actually freeze. It takes about 3-4 days for the water to freeze entirely to get solid ice blocks. Fortunately, with the insulated barrel, your water should stay colder longer. So if you have the time, the ice blocks are worth it. It takes 4-5 blocks to get the water down from 60 degrees to about 47-48 degrees. At least that was my experience. Let me know if you have any other questions, thanks!

[@NPow94]

@@TreadmillReviewGuru I appreciate the feedback on this. I really would like to avoid using the chiller method even though the ice blocks are less convenient. Do you have any experience with the 300 being left outside in freezing temperatures? I’m curious as to how well the insulation would prevent a complete freeze.

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

Unfortunately no, but I'd imagine it performs very well in keeping the water at temp, if not slightly colder. My only experience with keeping a cold tub outside in cold temps is with the Ice Barrel 400. The 400 isn't insulated at all and the water would get down to about 33 degrees. One morning a thin layer of ice was on top of the water. So, my best guess is that the insulation on the 300 would do a much better job than a non-insulated tub, but that's my best guess.

[@ricardoleon3777]

Would love to see you in the Ice Barrel 500.

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

We've got that on the way with a review coming soon! Any specific questions you have that we can answer in the review?

[@ricardoleon3777]

Really curious to see how you fit in it.

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

Can do!

[@frankswiss]

What thermometer is that? looks durable!😊

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

Just a cheap one from Walmart, nothing exciting. We've since updated to a digital thermometer.

[@tabithan2978]

How much?

[@TreadmillReviewGuru]

Right now it's about $1200

[@tabithan2978]

@@TreadmillReviewGuru 🤣🤣 Just use a modified garbage can or feed trough.

[@tabithan2978]

I live near a pond, so I just plunge there. Massachusetts.

[@habibi750]

Extremely overpriced for what you get. If this wasn’t marketed as a cold plunge tub, but instead as an outdoor insulated ice chest/cooler, people would laugh at the $1,199 price tag

[@jacobluke9889]

Do you have an insulated ice/chest cooler we can plunge in outside at a price point we will not laugh at? My guess is no. $1000 (Costco) for an insulated tank built for plunging in this niche market makes sense to me.