Float Rooms vs Float Tanks and Pods – Do They Offer a Real Business Advantage?

When deciding between float rooms vs float tanks and pods, many customers looking to set up a floatation centre or add to their spa, salon or hotel ask us “Which option offers the greatest business advantage?”.

Behind this question is a desire to embrace a fundamental business principle: understanding and fulfilling float clients’ needs. If you achieve that, you have a successful business.

With floatation therapy, this principle applies particularly to questions related to user-friendly float tanks and customer acceptance. “What do my clients want?” Or more specifically, “what will attract more clients to try this wonderful therapy?”

Manufacturers have long known that many people struggle with the idea of closing themselves into a small, sensory deprivation tank. As the industry grew, suppliers began to create float equipment that was more inviting and would hopefully overcome apprehensions such as claustrophobia.

Over the last 25 years, floatation tanks have evolved into sleek pods and spacious float rooms. Some customers prefer open pools, although controlling the environment for optimal float conditions in these can be challenging and often requires additional investment and planning.

The industry continues to become more customer-friendly as it moves beyond its basic float tank roots. However, feelings such as claustrophobia are deeply rooted and persist.

Understanding the Difference

Why Float Rooms Are the Best Floatation Tank Option

With over 35 years of combined experience running float centres, and decades of feedback from floatation room owners and their clients, we are confident that when it comes to float rooms vs float tanks and pods, that float rooms are the best option compared to all other floatation tank styles.

Editor’s Note: The float rooms are 8’ (2.4 m) long and 6’6” (1.98 m) high—longer than a king-sized bed.

Float Room Preference vs Pods

Before the pod was developed, one or two manufacturers produced a capsule type of tank, which, although not as sleek as the modern pod, was a similar size and shape to some of the pods today.

We had a capsule, plus classic float tanks in our original float centre, called “Float Centre Paddington”. We displayed the capsule at several large health shows when promoting our centre.

Shows are a great way to get a real idea of acceptance, or otherwise, because thousands of people walk past and view your product. It was rewarding to see lots of people walk up and be fascinated about what we are offering, but we were also disappointed to see large numbers of people react uncomfortably and quickly move on. We soon realised that this group of people would never contact our float centre.

There is no doubt that the pods today are sleeker, but does this change the feelings of people who have a natural resistance? You may want to do some research, as the following Canadian customer did.

Float Room vs Pods – A survey

One Canadian business owner ran a year-long survey: “I was keen on the float room because although the capsule design is stylish, it doesn’t make good use of space. My survey was conducted over a 12-month period whenever I had the opportunity to show and ask people their preferences. The survey is divided into two time periods due to a change in my approach, as described below – On average, 90% of people ranked the Ocean float room as the one they would be more likely to try.”

In the 1st survey, 100 people were shown pictures of the pod but only given a description of the float room. The result? 83% preferred the float room.

In the 2nd survey of 150 people, the Canadian customer showed pictures of the pod and of the float room. The result? 94% chose the float room.

Our thoughts

This is not to say that many of these who preferred the float room wouldn’t float in a pod. They likely would, but you can also be sure a good number wouldn’t. Of the few who preferred the pod, for whatever reason, they would happily float in a room if that was on offer.
A float room is always a better choice because it attracts people who otherwise wouldn’t float.

Certainly, when we displayed the Ocean float room at shows in London and Glasgow, the response we got was brilliant. Only a very small number of people seemed hesitant.

This is why, over all these years, we chose to put all our resources into developing and improving the float room, rather than introduce a float tank or pod into our range. From a purely business viewpoint, selling a pod as well a room would have been more profitable for the company, but we chose instead to focus on the best option to run a successful floatation business.

Our core company value has always been to “make floatation therapy accessible to everyone.”

This includes doing our best to accommodate less abled float clients. For example, our wide door access, broad door frame sill, which is wide enough to sit on, and grab handles, enable many disabled clients to float successfully.

Float Room Success Story – A Business Owner’s Perspective

Phil Steward ran a clinic in Devon, England, for over 10 years before changing careers. When interviewed, he was enthusiastic in his experiences with floating and his thoughts on claustrophobia, as he shared again the story of his float journey:

“The reason I got into bobbing around in Epsom Salt saturated water is that I had broken my back when I was 20, and after surgery I was left in so much pain I could hardly function.

I wanted to beat the consultant’s opinion that, “there was nothing that can be done, except the fact you’ll probably be in a wheelchair by the time you are 30. Go take pain killers and make yourself as comfortable as possible” I decided I that would combine floating with some supportive treatments and lots of self-healing visualisations within the float tank and at home.

My first experience of floating was in a small tank, which I believe is still on the market today. I could hardly sit up in without bumping my head, which I did. Truth be told it was claustrophobic, and the experience getting in was not the best, stepping up grabbing the bar on the top and swinging yourself in feet first like an astronaut entering a space capsule. (Not great when your back was in agony!)

But the results were outstanding! Floating saved me! Simple. I found that it encouraged my body to heal itself and it relieved much of my pain, as supported by scientific research which indicated that the most severe perceived pain intensity was significantly reduced with floating ^{1, 2, 3} and that among other benefits, there were significant reductions in chronic pain relief ³. I can vouch for this!”

I wanted a float tank for my business

“Times had changed – There were nicer tanks and pods available now, and the Ocean float room too!

All float “Tanks” and “Rooms” offer the same sensory rest, or sensory deprivation experience. Spaciousness is the key difference, although there are many other things to consider, like product quality, durability, reliability,  customer service etc.

We were about to open a clinic and of course I wanted a floatation tank in it, but Ellie, my wife, was not so sure of the space. Ellie is claustrophobic and there is no way I could get her into a tank or even a pod when I showed her. No matter how flash they now look, I was not convincing her to get in it!

“Well, you can leave the top open, or slightly ajar” I said, not telling her of the annoying draught that would be felt on her skin and how that would ruin the experience – This is how much I wanted a float tank!.”

Float Rooms offered the solution

“Continuing to research we discovered the Ocean float room – The Ocean float room is the size of a small, stylish sauna. It is the height that makes the difference, and its shape makes it space efficient. This is the best way I can explain it. It is  2 meters high inside, easy to stand in even for a 6’4″ me. The bit you lie in is a generous 2.5m x 1.5m, so loads of room.

You can have fibre optic starlight lights on the ceiling and there is a large door to get in through, (no more swinging in like an astronaut). But the most important thing is the space: there are no feelings of claustrophobia, even for Ellie!

The number of clients who saw it and said “Oh, that is not at all as I thought it would be like” and then to admit that they were worried it was essentially a box with a lid! Many regular floaters told me that they would never have tried it if it wasn’t a float room!

Buying a float room was the best thing we did. Then we set about being the best we could in the area.

If you float in a floatation room you will understand what everyone is talking about, and why it is the ultimate environment for your body to heal itself!”

Should I buy a floatation tank or float room?

The float room really worked for Phil – We believe an Ocean float room offers the perfect solution. It’s spacious enough to attract the vast majority of people. Well over 95%. And like the pod, it has its own personal space so the environment can be easily controlled for optimal float conditions.

Buying from Ocean Float Rooms you get more than a room. We have had 35 years of experience manufacturing and developing the float room and supporting customers in many countries around the world. Our float rooms are built to last and are backed up by our lifelong commitment to customer service.

In 2019 one of our customers in Glasgow traded it in their 25-year-old float room and bought a new one. The reason? It was still performing well, servicing all their float clients, but it was looking a little tied and they wanted our new, modern, float room.

Want to learn more? Contact us or download our free guide to buying a float room.