When Hockessin Athletic Club (HAC) added cold plunging to its wellness offerings, member interest was not the problem.
Keeping up with that interest was.
The Delaware health and fitness facility began offering cold plunge therapy after seeing growing demand from its membership following the pandemic. But in a busy commercial setting, simply providing cold water was not enough. HAC needed equipment that could maintain temperature, withstand frequent use, and perform consistently day after day.
After trying multiple cold plunge products that struggled under the demands of the facility, HAC found Chilly GOAT.
Today, its Chilly GOAT cold tubs see approximately 100 uses per day while continuing to maintain temperature—even in the demanding environment of an aquatic center.
The Challenge: Cold Plunges That Couldn’t Keep Up
HAC entered the cold plunge space in 2021 in response to growing interest from its members.
The club initially installed another cold plunge product, but high usage quickly exposed its limitations. According to the HAC team, the unit struggled to maintain temperature and experienced frequent equipment issues.
They tried another product.
The result was much the same.
Neither option could consistently handle the combination of high bather load and the climate inside the aquatic facility.
For HAC, this presented a significant operational challenge. A commercial cold plunge has to serve a very different role than one designed for occasional residential use. Members expect the water to be ready when they are, whether they are the first person to use the tub that morning or one of dozens who follow throughout the day.
HAC needed a cold tub built to perform reliably in that environment.
Finding Chilly GOAT
The HAC team discovered Chilly GOAT at a trade show in 2023. Their experience operating an aquatic facility had already taught them what questions to ask. The team wanted to understand how the equipment was built, whether it could perform in a commercial setting, and whether it could withstand the usage their facility would place on it.
There was also something familiar behind the Chilly GOAT product. Chilly GOAT is backed by MasterSpas, a manufacturer with decades of experience designing and building hot tubs and swim spas.
For HAC, that experience mattered. After speaking with the Chilly GOAT team, HAC decided to give the cold tubs a try. The difference became apparent quickly.
Approximately 100 Uses a Day—and Maintaining Temperature
Reliability is one of the most important measures of success for HAC. The club's Chilly GOAT tubs now accommodate approximately 100 uses per day.
Despite that volume, HAC reports that the tubs consistently maintain their temperature. That performance is particularly important in an aquatic center, where environmental conditions and repeated use can place additional demands on cold plunge equipment. As one member described it, consistency is what sets the Chilly GOAT experience apart.
Previous tubs could sometimes be cold and sometimes only somewhat cold. With Chilly GOAT, members know what to expect when they step in. Cold water. Consistent temperature. A cold plunge ready to use.
An Experience Members Keep Coming Back To
For HAC, cold plunging has become more than another amenity. It has become part of the club experience. Members describe incorporating the tubs into their routines and appreciating having access to cold plunging at the facility. Some members interviewed by HAC shared personal experiences of feeling better after regularly cold plunging, while others simply appreciate the mental challenge, the circulating water, and the way they feel afterward.
One member also highlighted the difference created by the moving water. Rather than sitting in a static body of cold water, the Chilly GOAT jets continuously circulate water around the body. And once members try it, many keep coming back. The HAC team says the response from both members and employees has been overwhelmingly positive.
Reliability Behind the Scenes Matters, Too
Commercial equipment has to work for more than the person using it. It also has to work for the people responsible for operating and maintaining the facility. For HAC, that has meant having equipment its team can depend on as well as support when questions arise. The facility reports that the Chilly GOAT tubs have performed reliably since installation.
HAC staff also highlighted the responsiveness of the Chilly GOAT and MasterSpas teams whenever their maintenance department has needed assistance or had a question. That combination of equipment reliability and responsive support helps reduce one of the major concerns commercial operators face when introducing a new amenity.
The cold tubs are there.
They're running.
And they're ready for members.
What Commercial Facilities Can Learn From HAC
The HAC experience illustrates an important distinction when choosing a cold plunge for a commercial environment.
The question is not simply, "How cold does it get?"
It's also:
- Can it maintain that temperature when people are using it throughout the day?
- Can it withstand a high bather load?
- Can it perform consistently in the environment where it will be installed?
- Is the equipment dependable?
And when the facility needs support, is someone there to help?
For Hockessin Athletic Club, those questions became particularly important after experiencing equipment that could not meet the demands of its facility.
Chilly GOAT provided a different experience.
With approximately 100 uses each day, the tubs have become a heavily used part of HAC's wellness offering—and one that both the facility and its members can depend on.
Cold Plunge Built for Commercial Use
From health clubs and fitness centers to recovery facilities and wellness businesses, commercial cold plunge equipment needs to do more than get cold.
It needs to keep up.
Chilly GOAT cold tubs deliver the temperature consistency, durability, and support commercial operators need while providing the cold plunge experience their customers expect.
Looking to add a cold plunge to your facility?
Discover Chilly GOAT commercial cold plunge solutions and find the right system for your space.
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