Few wellness trends have captured consumers’ imaginations like the cold plunge. Step into 39-degree water and you’ll feel the jolt — a spike of adrenaline, tingling skin and a rush of clarity. For athletes, biohackers and everyday wellness seekers, it’s addictive. And for spa retailers, it’s a powerful sales opportunity.
The opportunity
In 2019, cold plunge tubs represented a $78 million market, according to L.E.K. Consulting. By 2023, that number had jumped to $343 million — nearly a fivefold increase in just four years — “pretty substantial growth,” says Kristin Sedgwick, senior brand manager for Hot Spring Spas, a Watkins Wellness brand. And the momentum isn’t slowing. “People want wellness,” Sedgwick says. “They want to learn how to live better and continue what they’re doing longer.”
For retailers, that growth signals a category shift too big to ignore.
Behind the scenes
Hot Spring has spent more than 45 years leading the hot tub market. Over the years the company shifted its mission from portable hot tubs to a broader wellness brand, incorporating adjacent categories like swim spas, saunas and cold plunges.
“We weren’t the first to market, but we wanted to improve on several key areas that had not been addressed very well,” says Bob Durrua, director of product management for Watkins Wellness. “Bottom line: We wanted to deliver the best user experience.”
The design reflects that expertise. The cold plunges use the same multidensity foam insulation as Hot Spring’s High Life collection for the lowest energy cost possible, while fully insulated plumbing reduces heat transfer. A WeatherPro cover with a hinge seal helps keep water cold and protected, and a UVC sanitization system maintains clean water with minimal chemicals. The tub is roomy enough for one adult — roughly 7 feet long by 3.5 feet wide — with a sloped nonskid deck for safety, comfortable seating design and large water capacity to prevent overflow when getting in or out.
One major focus was condensation. Competing units often leave puddles under the cabinet. “When you see this, your first thought is that they’re leaking,” Durrua says. “We designed our product with a unique water collection basin that controls the unit’s drainage, so the water doesn’t just run across the floor or the patio.” It also includes a 12-foot drain hose so water can be directed anywhere, reducing mess and stress.
Another core design goal was ease of use. The unit is a 15-amp plug-and-play, just like a refrigerator — no plumber or electrician required. Environmental testing shows the plunge can cool from 80-100 degrees to 40 degrees in as little as 3.5-4 hours, Durrua says. Every component is engineered in-house for reliability, performance and ease of use, rather than sourced off the shelf.
Completing the trifecta
Cold plunges also fit neatly into Watkins’ expanding wellness portfolio. In 2022, the company acquired Sauna360, adding saunas to its offerings. “Cold plunge is the missing piece of the trifecta,” says Eric Thompson, sales, marketing and technology manager for Sandollar Spa & Pool in Bangor, Maine. “Together with the sauna, it’s contrast therapy: extreme cold, extreme heat.”
For dealers already selling hot tubs and saunas, cold plunges create a category-building opportunity: three complementary products, one cohesive wellness story.
Setting dealers up to succeed
While many competitors simply place cold tubs on showroom floors, Watkins heavily invests in dealer training. “[Cold-water immersion] is a science, and it’s completely different from hot-water immersion,” Durrua says. To prepare retailers, Hot Spring rolled out live and virtual training programs explaining the health benefits of cold-water immersion and contrast therapy and giving sales teams a new narrative to tell.
Dealers are already putting that knowledge to work, experimenting with creative promotions like postyoga plunges or influencer events. In Bangor, Thompson’s team developed a partnership with the local fire department. “As a thank you to the firefighters and a way of giving back to the community, we brought out our cold tubs for a week in June, and for the last station, we left it for the month,” Thompson says. The effort generated goodwill in the community — and fresh exposure for the product.
Chill Out, Give Back: Olympic Hot Tub’s “Cold Plunge for a Cause” shows how a cold plunge can do more than cool customers — it can create buzz, boost foot traffic and support a great cause. Participants hopped into Hot Spring’s Vigor Cold Plunge at showrooms and online, raising almost $30,000 for Charity: Water while experiencing a trending wellness product. Retailers can leverage creative ideas like this to engage customers, drive social media content and connect with their community. Add challenges, local partnerships or media tie-ins to make the event even bigger. Watch Olympic Hot Tub president Don Riling talk about the fundraiser.
Helping customers take the plunge
For retailers, customer hesitancy can be part of the sales conversation. That’s why Hot Spring Spas’ Sedgwick shares practical tips stores can pass along to first-time plungers: start at a slightly higher temperature and work your way down, exhale as you enter the water to steady your breathing and play a song that matches your planned plunge time. Sedgwick’s suggestions help customers succeed — and position retailers as trusted wellness guides.
For Hot Spring, cold water was the natural next move after decades of hot water expertise. For retailers, it may be the missing piece that transforms a showroom from a place that sells spas into a full-service wellness destination.