Quite Possibly the Coolest Hot Tub You Have Ever Seen
Ever want to steam on the side of a mountain or carry your hot tub with you on your canoe? Off-the-grid, durable, mobile, strangely sexy and well-engineered, the Dutch Tub is probably the last thing you would expect to see someone lounging in at the top of a summit – but one of the best aspects of the tub is that it moves easily, making the scene above more realistic than most people realize.
This ingenious hot tub is a completely energy-independent gadget that requires no plugging in. Firewood is placed in a spiral on the side that naturally circulates and heats the water in the tub. As a result, the stainless steel tub and its durable poly-fiber hull are transportable by car or even by boat or canoe.
In terms of its design it is a bit of a tough sell at first, looking like a giant orange cooking pot or coffee mug with a strange spiral growing out of its side. Still, it is built thick and is made to be self-contained structurally and in terms of its power source and scores well on both of those essential counts. It takes a beating without spoiling its bathing capabilities.
Despite its bulk and size, the Dutch Tub weighs about as much as a thin adult – 150ish pounds – and can thus be easily carried by two people. It is extremely easy to clean as it is comprised almost entirely of smooth corner-free surfaces. The heat can even be turned down by spiraling up the burning fire so it has less contact with the heating coils.
“The Dutchtub is heated through natural circulation of the water. The water at the bottom of the tub will pass through the spiral, which is heated by the fire. The warm water will then flow out of the spiral at the top of the tub. By stirring the water every now and then, the warm water can be evenly distributed throughout the tub. Depending on the circumstances, it takes about 2 hours for the water to read a temperature of 38 degrees [Celsius].”
“I feel a strong need for direct contact with my surroundings. I want to experience the pleasure of discovering things yourself, that feeling of independence. Products you can do things with, that come to life when in use. You can heat the Dutchtub yourself with wood. After some effort you can just lay back with a satisfied feeling and enjoy your surroundings from a comfortable warm bath.” – Floris Schoonderbeek
