If you're new to cold plunging and curious about its advantages, ice offers a convenient and cost-effective starting point. It’s a great way to build a consistent routine and experience the positive effects.
Things to consider with ice:
- When using ice, cooling time and desired temperature may vary based on the temperature outside. The hotter the temperature outside, the more ice required to lower the water's temperature.
- Consider the cold plunge setup. When using a tub, as opposed to a pod or a barrel, more ice is required as the exposed surface area of the water to air is greater which can lead to faster degradation of ice and subsequently, an increase in water temperature.
- With an ice only cold plunge, since there is no filter to remove debris entering the water consider investing in a skimmer and frequently replacing the water in order to keep it safe, fresh and clean.
- Since there’s no system to eliminate bacteria, we advise replacing the water every 3-5 cold plunges to maintain its freshness and cleanliness. Cloudiness or odor = change water.
- Ice is mainly for single use application and for one individual. As soon as ice touches water, the melting starts so it is imperative to get in the water as soon as possible, especially during the summer months.
- Have a water thermometer handy to monitor water temperature and adjust ice levels as needed to reach your desired cold plunging temperature.
How many bags of ice do I need? How much will it cost?
There are a few assumptions that need to be taken into account when considering how many bags of ice is needed to cold plunge: the size of the cold plunge, the starting water temperature and the desired water temperature.
The assumptions below are based on a starting water temperature of 70°F, a desired cold plunging temperature of 55°F in a 100 gallon setup.
- 5 bags of ice, 16 pounds per bag = 80 pounds of ice
- $4.19 per bag of ice
- $21 per cold plunge session
- 4 plunges per week for a year = $4,358
- 3 plunges per week for a year = $3,268
- 2 plunges per week for a year = $2,179
For those looking for a long term solution, consider Osone™ Chillers for convenience and cost. For fresh, clean, cold, iceless water, learn more here.
