Ice Barrel
Ice Barrel 500
$1749.99Cheaper
Released 2023
Best Cold Plunge Tubs · head-to-head
Ice Barrel 500 vs Viking Gen 2
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Ice Barrel 500 is cheaper at $1749.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Nordic Wave
Viking Gen 2
$6990
Released 2024
Which is better: the Ice Barrel 500 or Viking Gen 2?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Ice Barrel 500 is the cheaper at $1749.99.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Ice Barrel 500 | Viking Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $1749.99 | $6990 |
| Brand | Ice Barrel | Nordic Wave |
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Msrp usd | 1749.99 | 6990 |
| Water capacity gal | 94 | 95 |
| Includes chiller | No | Yes |
| Min temp f | — | 35 |
| Chiller power hp | — | 0.8 |
| Interior length (in) | 57.6 | 30 |
| Interior depth (in) | 42.1 | 44 |
| Filtration | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi app control | No | Yes |
| Tub material | recycled BPA-free polyethylene | HDPE |
| Insulated | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (lb) | 104 | — |
Sources — Ice Barrel 500: icebarrel.com (verified 2026-06-23). Viking Gen 2: thenordicwave.com (verified 2026-06-23).
What's the difference between the Ice Barrel 500 and Viking Gen 2?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (8 of 12). Matching specs are omitted.
- Msrp usd: Ice Barrel 500 1749.99 vs Viking Gen 2 6990
- Water capacity gal: Ice Barrel 500 94 vs Viking Gen 2 95
- Includes chiller: Ice Barrel 500 false vs Viking Gen 2 true
- Interior length (in): Ice Barrel 500 57.6 vs Viking Gen 2 30
- Interior depth (in): Ice Barrel 500 42.1 vs Viking Gen 2 44
- Filtration: Ice Barrel 500 false vs Viking Gen 2 true
- Wi-Fi app control: Ice Barrel 500 false vs Viking Gen 2 true
- Tub material: Ice Barrel 500 recycled BPA-free polyethylene vs Viking Gen 2 HDPE
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Ice Barrel 500
One verified hands-on review covers the Ice Barrel 500: GearJunkie tested it with the Ice Barrel Chiller for ten months at 3-5 plunges per week and called it the best barrel-style plunge it has ever used, with the chiller holding 39°F water through 100°F+ California heat in direct sun. Praise centers on easy upright submersion, durable one-piece molded construction, and near-zero maintenance; flags are the high price, a missing stair railing, and a lid without straps or locks. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Upright barrel shape makes full submersion easy — drop to the bottom rather than lying back and plugging your nose; One-piece molded polyethylene construction with integrated steps and seat feels extremely durable; Insulation plus chiller held water at 39°F through 100°F+ California summer heat in direct sun.
Flagged: Expensive — $1,600 for the barrel alone, roughly $4,600 paired with the Ice Barrel Chiller; No railing for the molded stairs; one tester almost fell exiting with frigid legs; Lid has no straps or locks, worth noting for households with small children.
Viking Gen 2
No sourced tester review yet.