Short answer: if you have the floor space, the Crocpad Large Ice Bath tub is the roomier plunge — 450 litres in a wide rectangular tub for $599 AUD (listed down from $699 AUD). If space is tight or you want to move it around, the Crocpad Large Ice Pod gives you the same idea in a compact upright round tub — 380 litres for $399 AUD (listed down from $499 AUD). Both take the same optional Crocpad chillers, both come with a lid, hand pump, repair kit, backpack and two inlet/outlet plugs, and both include free Australia-wide delivery and a 2-year warranty. All prices in this article are in Australian dollars (AUD) and are as listed on Crocpad's own product pages on November 1, 2026. We have not hands-on tested either product. We reviewed the bigger tub in depth — read our full Crocpad Large Ice Bath 450L review for the detailed verdict and the current price.
This article is general information only, not medical advice. Cold-water immersion is not a treatment or cure for any condition. Ask your doctor first if you have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, or are pregnant — and never plunge alone.
What the tub and the pod have in common
Short answer: almost everything except size, shape, wall thickness and price — both are drop-stitch PVC cold plunges from the same Australian maker, with insulated walls, a thermal-shield lid, two water connections and the same chiller options.
Crocpad describes both products as commercial-grade, all-weather tubs for indoor or outdoor use, built from skin-friendly PVC with drop-stitch fabric walls. Both are designed for full-body immersion, and both are listed as suitable for home, gym and training setups. The shared kit is identical on both product pages: the tub or pod itself, a cover lid, a hand pump, a repair kit, a backpack for carrying it, and two inlet/outlet water plugs. Both also offer free delivery Australia-wide and a 2-year warranty, according to Crocpad.
The practical upshot: this is not a choice between two different technologies, but between two sizes and shapes of the same idea — and a $200 price gap.
The tub: 450 litres of room to stretch out
Short answer: the Large Ice Bath is a wide rectangular tub — 150 cm long, 76 cm wide and 70 cm high — with 10 cm thick drop-stitch walls, and it is the better pick if you have a permanent spot for it and want the most room.
At 450 litres, the tub is the bigger plunge by a clear margin: 70 litres more water than the pod, and a long rectangular shape that lets you stretch your legs out rather than sit upright. Crocpad says it accommodates users of all sizes.
The 10 cm walls are the thickest part of the story. Drop-stitch PVC is the same construction used in rigid inflatable paddle boards: thousands of internal threads hold two PVC skins apart, so the wall inflates into a firm, flat panel instead of a soft balloon. At 10 cm thick, the tub's walls are twice as thick as the pod's 5 cm walls, which the maker presents as a more rigid and better-insulated setup. The lid is a lockable thermal-shield lid, which Crocpad says helps with temperature control between sessions.
The tub is listed on Crocpad's product page at $599 AUD, down from $699 AUD. Its product page shows a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 5 reviews — a small sample, so treat it as a hint rather than proof of anything. For the full breakdown — setup, what is in the box, and whether the tub is worth $599 — see our Crocpad Large Ice Bath 450L review.
The pod: 380 litres in a small round footprint
Short answer: the Large Ice Pod is an upright round tub — about 90 cm across and 82 cm high with the lid on — that holds 380 litres, costs $200 less than the tub, and is the better pick if floor space is limited or you want to move it.
The pod's selling point is its shape. A round tub about 90 cm in diameter takes up far less floor space than a 150 cm long rectangular tub, and because you sit upright in it, you still get full-body immersion — Crocpad describes it as a compact footprint that still provides room for a full plunge. The product page calls it portable and suited to home, gym or travel setups, and it packs into the same included backpack as the tub.
The trade-off is the wall. At 5 cm thick, the pod's drop-stitch walls are half the thickness of the tub's 10 cm walls. Crocpad still describes the pod's walls as insulated and hardened, and it comes with a thermal-shield lid, but a thinner wall is a thinner wall — on the maker's own numbers, the tub is the more heavily built of the two. The pod is listed at $399 AUD, down from $499 AUD, and its product page shows a rating of 5.0 out of 5 from 3 reviews — again, a very small sample.
Side by side: the numbers that matter
Short answer: the tub wins on capacity, room and wall thickness; the pod wins on price, footprint and portability; everything else — chillers, kit, delivery and warranty — is the same.
| Large Ice Bath tub | Large Ice Pod | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (AUD) | $599 (listed down from $699) | $399 (listed down from $499) |
| Capacity | 450 L | 380 L |
| Size | 150 × 76 × 70 cm | Approx. 90 cm diameter × 82 cm high (with lid) |
| Shape | Wide rectangle | Upright round |
| Wall thickness | 10 cm drop-stitch PVC | 5 cm drop-stitch PVC |
| Lid | Lockable thermal-shield lid | Thermal-shield lid |
| Chiller | Optional 0.3 HP or 1 HP Crocpad chiller | Optional 0.3 HP or 1 HP Crocpad chiller |
| Water connections | 2 inlet/outlet | 2 inlet/outlet |
| Included | Tub, lid, hand pump, repair kit, backpack, 2 plugs | Pod, lid, hand pump, repair kit, backpack, 2 plugs |
| Delivery | Free Australia-wide | Free Australia-wide |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
All figures are from Crocpad's own product pages, checked November 1, 2026. Prices are in Australian dollars.
Which one fits your space?
Short answer: measure the spot first — the tub needs a permanent rectangle about 150 cm long, while the pod needs a circle about 90 cm across that you can pack away.
This is the question that should decide the purchase, because the two tubs do the same job. If you have a garage, patio or spare room where a 150 cm tub can live permanently, the tub gives you more water, more room to stretch out, and thicker walls for $200 more. If you are working with a small balcony, a shared gym corner, or a space you need to clear after each session, the pod's 90 cm footprint and pack-away design are the point — you give up 70 litres and 5 cm of wall thickness, and you save $200.
If you plan to use bagged ice instead, remember that a 450-litre tub needs more ice per session than a 380-litre pod to reach the same temperature — that running cost adds up over a winter of regular plunges.
What about chillers and ice?
Short answer: both tubs work with bagged ice on their own, and both connect to the same optional Crocpad chillers (0.3 HP or 1 HP) if you want the water held at a set temperature without refilling ice.
Neither product includes a chiller in the box — both ship with a hand pump, not a cooling unit. Crocpad sells its chillers separately and lists both the 0.3 HP and 1 HP options as compatible with either tub. The maker does not publish a temperature range or a cool-down time for either tub on these product pages, so we are not quoting one.
Safety first
Short answer: cold water is a real stress on the body, so keep plunges short, never plunge alone, and ask a doctor first if you have a heart condition, blood-pressure issues, or are pregnant.
Cold-water immersion is widely used after exercise as part of recovery routines, including for short-term relief of muscle soreness — that is how Crocpad describes it, and it is the honest framing. It is not a treatment for injury or illness, and no cold plunge cures anything. If you have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, or are pregnant, talk to your doctor before your first plunge. Start with short sessions, get out if you feel dizzy or numb, warm up gradually afterwards, and never plunge alone. Children should only use a cold plunge with adult supervision.
The verdict
Short answer: buy the 450L tub if you have a permanent spot and want the roomiest plunge; buy the 380L pod if space or portability matters more — and if you are still torn, the pod's $200 saving buys a lot of ice.
For most home buyers with a garage or patio, the tub is the better long-term choice: 70 extra litres, a shape you can stretch out in, and walls twice as thick for $599 AUD — that is the buy we would make. The pod is the right pick only when space or portability forces the choice: renters, small balconies, and anyone who needs to pack the tub away between sessions will get the same cold plunge in a 90 cm footprint for $399 AUD. Either way, budget for how you will cool the water: bagged ice every session, or a Crocpad chiller on top. Read our full Crocpad Large Ice Bath 450L review for the detailed verdict and current price.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Crocpad Ice Pod big enough for a full-body plunge?
Short answer: yes, according to Crocpad — the pod's upright round design is made for full-body immersion despite its compact footprint. It holds 380 litres and is about 90 cm across and 82 cm high with the lid on, so you sit upright in it rather than stretching out. If you are tall or want leg room, the 150 cm long tub is the roomier option.
How much does each Crocpad tub cost?
Short answer: the Large Ice Bath tub is listed at $599 AUD (down from $699 AUD) and the Large Ice Pod at $399 AUD (down from $499 AUD), as listed on Crocpad's own product pages on November 1, 2026. Both prices include free Australia-wide delivery and a 2-year warranty, and neither includes a chiller — chillers are sold separately.
Do the tub and the pod work with a chiller?
Short answer: yes, both of them. Both have two inlet/outlet water connections and are listed as compatible with Crocpad's optional 0.3 HP or 1 HP chillers. Without a chiller, both work with bagged ice.
Which Crocpad should I buy — the tub or the pod?
Short answer: the tub if you have a permanent spot and want the most room — 450 litres, a 150 cm rectangular shape and 10 cm walls for $599 AUD. The pod if space is tight or you want to move it — 380 litres in a 90 cm round footprint with 5 cm walls for $399 AUD. Both come with the same kit, delivery and warranty, so the decision comes down to space, budget and portability.
Sources: Crocpad Large Ice Bath Tub product page and Crocpad Large Ice Pod product page, checked November 1, 2026. Prices in AUD.