You’ve kitted out your overlanding rig with every basic and essential needed for a long stay away far from civilization, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring a few… superfluous comforts of home with you. Such as: A hot tub.
Joolca, better known for their pop-up potties and overlanding en suites, has added a new product to its lineup: an inflatable hot tub they slyly named the Hottub. According to Joolca, the $579 Hottub, which comes in a handy 30 x 17 x 11-inch carry bag, can be inflated in two minutes (at best); all you need to do is add a water source and run it through the propane-fueled $299 -549 Hottap hot water heater, which also filters the stream, lake or river water as it heats it up. Joolca also offers a complete Hottub kit with the top-spec Hottap Nomad Kit for under $1,000. With a few Joolca accessories, the Hottap will also work as a hot shower machine and hot water camp kitchen faucet.
Do allow a couple of hours for the Hottap to fill the Hottub to service depth and temperature. Unfortunately, there are no water jets or bubble blowers built in, but that does mean your soak will take place in largely campsite-friendly silence. The Hottub is made from materials similar to those used to make inflatable stand-up paddleboards, so there is a good measure of impact and puncture resistance. The floor is reinforced and insulated, so yes, do set it up in the snow. An included fitted cover keeps it on the boil between soaking sessions.
Once it’s inflated, filled with water, and the candles are lit, the Hottub will comfortably soft-boil two heat seekers for 17 hours on a tank of propane at temperatures up to 113º F. A sensor automatically cuts off the heater at 122ºF if you forget to turn it off or down. Most doctors recommend running hot tubs at 104ºF or so. Tempt yourself:
Need to justify bringing something that seems so… non-essential? Keep in mind it can also work as a therapeutic cold tub or ice water bath, and with the included cover, it can become an emergency campsite reservoir of sorts (but probably not both). You see? Essential kit.
Joolca says the Hottub will be available in September.
